Page 115 of Solanum

Nora snickered and hugged me around the shoulders. "Caroline's fault."

"Yup." I nodded and kissed her cheek. "Turning your ass pink is a lot of work."

"Car." Nora squeaked despite her laughter and swatted my arm.

"Ah. So that's what I heard while putting away Olivia's laundry." Maggie grinned.

"We're going to have to move the kink to the basement." I laughed and Nora covered her face, her cheeks bright red again. I wrapped my arms around her when she pulled her knees to her chest, her soft snickers bouncing her in my lap.

Maggie's smile made it to her eyes when she met my gaze. I nodded to her while rubbing Nora's legs.

"Nor," called Sali, and she looked up. "You get to be the dessert tie breaker. C'mere."

Nora unfolded herself, kissing my cheek before heading over to join the twins by the stove. I watched while Sali showed her something on a recipe card, and Harper held out her phone. Nora looked on, tucking her hair behind her ear a few times with her arm held around her middle as if she were cold. Sali seemed to notice Nora's nerves, and her hand fell to the small of her back when she shifted over to the fridge. Nora followed closely, watching everything she did with astute attention.

"Things okay?" Maggie's question left her in soft tones.

"Generally." I nodded, propping my ankle on my knee while fiddling with the untied lace of my boot. "Worried about going back to work," I muttered.

"We'll stay with her," Maggie said, glancing over her shoulder. "And Anita."

"I know." I leaned my head back on the hard chair when I slouched. Maggie's kind eyes and gentle attention unnerved me a little. It felt like she could read my mind in a way, or at least my emotions.

"Double chocolate brownie cake wins," announced Sali, grinning at Nora when she handed her the boxed brownie mix. "Blondie chose the brownie."

"You bullied her, Salinger." Harper huffed and shoved Sali's shoulder. "Move it. Let me finish the potatoes."

Sali laughed and dramatically stumbled. "Ignore the hippie," she said to Nora, then urged her over toward the open counter space. "We'll make them over here."

"'Kay." Nora followed her. Tentative steps and movements remained at the forefront of her posture.

Sali rolled with it and handed her an egg once they poured the mix into the bowl. I noticed right away that she wasn't as obnoxious with Nora as she normally is with the rest of us. She spoke softly to her, patiently even, and Nora hung on her every word.

Maggie and I both looked on, neither of us able to pull our gazes away from the women who held our hearts.

From outside the front door, muffled voices filtered into the kitchen. I looked over, my brow furrowing as I expected the door to open. I recognized Moreno's voice, but the sharp, angry tone wasn't normal for him. I sat up straighter, and Maggie's attention shot to the door. Ben's voice joined his, the two of them either arguing with each other or a third person who remained unidentified.

Harper glanced to Maggie after setting down a dishtowel. Sali and Nora didn't seem to notice at first, until the voices raised beyond muffled to continued shouts. Maggie shot up from her chair, swinging around me as she hurried to the front door. Sali and Nora abandoned their dessert making and moved closer to the table. Nora's hands curled to her chest, her eyes trained on the door.

I stood up when Maggie yanked it open, her eyes narrowed at the two men who shouted back and forth.

"It's fucking bullshit, Walsh!" bellowed Ben. "And you know it."

"You're out of your goddamn mind," spat Moreno.

Only then did I notice that Moreno held a phone between them, clearly on speakerphone. Walsh's garbled voice hollered something unintelligible back at them.

"Hey," Maggie scolded, shooting daggers at both of them. "Calm down."

"Miller." Moreno dragged Maggie outside with them. "This fucking asshole—"

"You both need to take a damn breath." Maggie closed the door behind her when she stepped outside with the guys.

"What the fuck is going on?" Sali frowned, glancing between me and the closed door like I had some information she didn't.

Nora stood silently beside her, frozen in place with a blanched expression. I made to call to her, but the guys and Maggie headed inside like a ragtag bunch of grumpy Lost Boys. Ben swept over to Sali, and immediately began venting to her about Walsh's bad call on something. Maggie and Moreno weren't far behind them. Harper ignored all of it while she set the table, rolling her eyes at me when she met my gaze for a moment. I smirked and left my seat to sweep over to Nora.

"Nor—"

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