Page 132 of Just Between Us

“Oh,” I say. “He’s come to mean the world to me so quickly. It should be me thanking you for him.”

She laughs and waves a hand. “You don’t have to charm me, Cole. It’s not my approval you need.”

I nod, understanding. The twins. I better get to work then.

“Thanks,” I smile.

“Anytime.”

When I return to the living room, everyone has settled in, and Raina is suggesting we play charades. I see Kai’s mother looking at me for a second before she goes back to her conversation with Oliver. My eyes move away from her to Zoe who is standing by the couch, scrolling through her phone.

Even if she scares me, I put on my best smile, walking up next to her. “Hi,” I say.

She eyes me and then nods. “Took you long enough.”

I frown. “What did?”

Zoe stares at me like I’m not very smart. “Zara has forced herself onto Levi, but I wasn’t going to force myself onto you. I was waiting for you to make your move. A twin sister each so to speak that way I can defend you when you guys all fight.”

I feel myself relaxing a little, laughing. “I don’t think we’ll fight,” I say.

She shrugs. “Just saying in this equation, I’m the sibling you want in your corner.”

“Is she giving you a sales pitch?” Zara comes up next to her sister.

I stare at both of them, a smile dancing on my lips. “Kind of?”

Zara rolls her eyes. “All talk no action with this one. Plus, I’m Kai’s favourite.”

“You’re definitely not,” Zoe mutters.

Zara plants a kiss on her sister’s cheek and Zoe pretends to hate it but they sneak away to a corner, their heads close together and laugh between themselves. Just then, Levi and Cole come up next to me. Levi curls his arm around my waist just as Cole rests his head on my shoulder. I have a family that genuinely loves me for who I am and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect them.

Levi

I press start on the dishwasher just as Kai and Cole resurface from cleaning up the other living room where everyone was earlier in the evening. Our house is completely quiet now and I’m slightly relieved although today was a good day.

After dinner, we played a few games and everyone got extremely heated during a round of Trivial Pursuit and obviously, my team made up of Aleeta, my father, and Zara won despite my mother’s strong protests.

“Hey,” I say, leaning against the counter and looking at them. “All done?”

“House is spotless,” Cole says with a smile, pulling Kai close to his side.

Kai lets him, shifting his body so that he’s leaning into Cole. “Thank you for today, by the way,” he says. “My mum adores you, but I think my sisters are in love with you both and I have a bad feeling they’ll take you up on your invitation to come over whenever they like.”

I was a little nervous about meeting Kai’s family, but it was surprisingly easy, and I loved having them around and watching Kai with them. Around his sisters, he becomes straight-edged, responsible Kai, making sure they are both okay and fussing a little. It’s adorable but it makes me even happier that he doesn’t have to be like that all the time anymore.

Cole beams at him. “That’s okay. Zoe and I bonded on our mutual dislike for most people. It’ll be nice having them around.”

“And Zara has some really interesting thoughts on the current government,” I add with my own smile. His sisters are made up of every good part of him.

“Sounds like them,” Kai laughs.

I take in a quiet breath, swallowing down the bubble of anxiety that forms inside me.“Can I uh, can I talk to you both about something?” I ask.

My conversation with Zara made me realise how much I miss talking about things I enjoy talking about at work. As good as my job at A-EYE is and as much money as I make, I don’t particularly care about it, and I don’t feel any passion for it. I was never passionate during school, but I think it could be different now. I’m in a completely different space.

“Sure, are you okay?” Cole asks.

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