Page 94 of Guarded from Corruption

“Finn has an empty leg,” explains Maya with a grin. “I’m not sure where he puts all of it.”

Once we’re seated around one of the long tables, our plates laden with burgers and salads and five different sides, Niall leans close and asks me quietly, “Are you doing okay? I know it’s a lot of new people. If you need a break, just tell me.”

“It’s fine.” At his questioning expression, I continue, “I’m not nervous around any of these people. Everyone from Blade and Arrow in Sleepy Hollow—they’re great. I can’t wait to get to know them better. I really like all your San Antonio friends, too. T.J and Milena, Harley and Boone, and Cruz and Mickie… I can’t feel nervous around any of them.”

Shea leans in from my other side and says, “They’re not bad to look at, either. I mean, I know the Sleepy Hollow guys are all coupled up, but Erik? Xavier? They’re really?—”

“Shea.” Niall glares at her. “You’re not dating one of my teammates.”

Her eyebrows jump up. “But you can date my best friend?”

“She has a point there,” I add, nudging Niall with my elbow.

“Who’s side are you on?” he laughs.

“Um.” Looking between sister and brother, I offer, “I’m Switzerland?”

Not that I actually think Shea’s interested in Erik or Xavier. They’re good looking, for sure, but there’s only been one man I’ve seen Shea seriously interested in, and I’m still not sure she’s completely over him.

But we move past that to other topics, like my new job in Seguin and the recent security jobs Blade and Arrow’s been doing. I finally get to meet Georgia and thank her for all the lovely decorations and gifts she sent. And I talk to Hanna about all her wonderful photographs and arrange for her to take a series of the new Blade and Arrow property.

The entire time, Niall holds my hand or wraps his arm around my waist, and he leans in every so often to give me a kiss. And every time he does it, one of the women at our table makes a soft awwing sound, which is kind of embarrassing but also feels really nice.

As the eating part of the evening shifts into music and games, Niall squeezes my hand and asks, “Can you come with me for a second? I want to show you something.”

Still holding my hand, he leads me to the back of the barn, where the theater is set up. I’m guided into one of the front-row couches, and Niall grabs the remote to turn on the screen.

“What is it?” I tug on his hand. “Why are we watching a movie during the party? Is this some kind of Blade and Arrow celebratory video or something?”

“Not quite.” A nervous expression moves across his face. “It’s something special for you to watch.”

My chest goes tight, but it’s not a bad feeling this time. It’s more anticipation than nerves.

Then he starts the video.

My heart twists.

It’s photos of us. All the candid photos of me and Niall over the years.

The picture Shea took of me cheering after I beat Niall in Skee-Ball. But I didn’t see the look in his eyes then. The look that was so clearly more than friendship.

There’s Niall and I at Christmas, one of the years I celebrated with him and Shea. I’m handing him his present and the way I felt for him couldn’t have been more obvious.

Then there’s Fourth of July five years ago, when we took a selfie with the fireworks behind us. We look so happy.

As picture after picture goes by, I wonder how we waited this long. How we ignored something so blatantly clear.

And then there are the newer photos—hugging each other, laughing while we play cornhole in the barn, the one those tourists took of us when we went to Houston, and the selfie we took while cuddled in bed.

It’s beautiful.

“Niall,” I whisper, sniffing back tears. “This is so special.”

“Wait,” he murmurs. “It’s almost done.”

The last photo is my favorite. It’s a selfie from when we were walking around the property and we’re not looking at the camera—we’re just looking at each other with this absolute look of love and joy and wonder that we somehow found each other.

“That’s only a fraction of how I feel about you,” he says.

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