Page 18 of Mayhem

That might be happening a lot lately.

"So, I found a bass player!" Charlie sing-songs as she skips over, her face beaming. "You said I could help, and I found the bestest one. His name is Dee-koda."

I stifle a laugh at her garbled pronunciation. "You sure did good, baby girl. We all think Dakota might just be the musical brother we've been missing."

"Told you his flower beanie was epic, and he had talent," Charlie gloats playfully. Then curiosity sparks. "Is Dakota our family now then, if he's your brother?"

The innocent connection catches me off guard. I meet Tess's surprised yet touched eyes again across the table at Charlie's leap, embracing Dakota so immediately.

Something unspoken passes between us as our eyes catch, acknowledging that family comes in unexpected forms. I know welcoming in people fate-scarred and bent like us feels right.

I hold Tess's gaze a beat too long, that startling soul connection sparking to life once more. Her lips part slightly, hesitation and longing warring in her expression. Does she feel the same terrifying thrill I do? That we might be misfit pieces of the same ragged puzzle somehow?

Stefan's soda can pops loudly next to me, snapping the spell. I force my attention reluctantly back to Charlie still chattering brightly beside me "...and we can have family band night with pizza parties now, too."

Tess ducks her head with a shy smile as I smooth Charlie's hair. "Yeah, I'm sure Dakota will be happy being part of our creative family."

I meet Tess's eyes fleetingly once more, electricity still crackling unfinished between us despite the broken intimacy. An unspoken understanding lingers between us. Possibilities and boundaries are blurring. Where this all leads remains frighteningly uncertain, but I like this feeling.

“Right,” Ian says, rolling into motion. “If we’re all in agreement then? I’ll get Eliza on the line to get this finalized.”

Glancing at Emmett and Stefan to confirm, we all nod at each other. The weight that’s been on our shoulders visibly lifts as we all let out deep breaths.

I stand and pull Charlotte up, twirling her around in circles. “Let the chaos begin.”

12

WHERE TO BEGIN

TESS

Islide my tablet into its case, stealing glances at Brad gathering things on the other side of the studio. His worn leather jacket hangs distractingly over a nearby chair. My fingers can’t help but trail along the buttery soft material as I pass, imagining the warmth remaining from his body heat.

Caught up in the tactile memory, I don't notice Brad moving around until we nearly collide next to the door.

"Whoa, sorry!" His hands catch my elbows, igniting the inches between us.

My breath hitches being wrapped in his faded cologne so close. Smokey gray eyes lift to hold mine, our push-pull tension suddenly crackling in the confined space. I sway unconsciously nearer, forgetting all the professional lines we blurred during our phone call last night.

“It’s okay…” I exhale.

Just then Charlie bursts in and the sensual haze dissolves. Brad's fiery gaze drops abruptly, but the electric undercurrent remains brewing between us.

"Dad, did June's dad tell you I'm sleeping over tonight?" Charlie runs around in a whirl of sparkles and red curls.

Brad blinks in surprise at the sudden change of plans as she tugs on his sleeve. "Uh no, guess it slipped Ian's mind mentioning that little detail..."

"So now you have the whole night off!" Charlie announces brightly. Then her expression turns scheming beyond her years. "You can take Tess on a date."

My eyes dart to Brad's, pulse hammering, but he just coughs out an awkward laugh. "Baby girl, I'm sure Tess already has plans."

His apologetic glance sends a secret thrill through me as Charlie's bubbly playing holds momentum. "No, she doesn't. She’s free too. Aren't you Tess? Pleeeease say you'll have dinner with my daddy." The wide-eyed Disney princess turns her charms in my direction.

I bite my lip, hesitating only briefly as warmth rushes into my cheeks. Guess there's only one possible response to such a sweet matchmaking attempt. I meet Brad's gaze. "Well apparently my evening is wide open now..."

Brad rakes a hand through his hair, something unreadable shifting in his eyes as Charlie awaits my response expectantly.

"Dinner would be great," I say, hints of a shy smile emerging. Brad studies me for a lingering moment before amusement finally claims victory over whatever silent debate just happened behind his inscrutable expression.

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