Page 29 of Knotted

Then there’s adorable little Snooki-Pie, all of five years old, who gives Imani a quick hug before dragging her over to the bookshelf. Nowadays, with Zac comes Hannah, and with Hannah comes her brother Harrison and his brood of kids.

Snook starts scrutinizing books with the serious air of a pint-sized librarian. Jess had thoughtfully placed several books at her height, including her all-time favorite series like,Pinkalicious, Amelia Bedelia,and any and every book with princesses, fairies, and, of course, unicorns.

Their father, Harrison, chuckles from the doorway, a warm, amused glint in his eyes as he watches his kids invade the space. “Don’t mind them. They’re just making themselves at home.”

I nod, a smile tugging at my lips. “As they should.” Having Harrison and the kids meld seamlessly into our Bishop Mountain fold has been so natural, it’s as if they’ve always been there.

“This one,” Snook says, handing it to Imani to read to her. “I’ve never seen this one before.”

That’s because I only just addedThe Care and Feeding of Unicornsto the library yesterday. “Careful,” I caution her. “You know what happens if you make a unicorn a pet?”

Two big eyes look over to me. “What?”

“You have to clean up all the unicorn poop.”

“Ewww.”

Imani takes a seat on the floor next to her. It’s not public, but Imani is a few months pregnant with her own little one on the way, and will happily take a few minutes out of her day to read to Snook.

I pull a new comic from my drawer and toss it to Ollie. His eyes light up as he catches it, an excited grin spreading across his face. “Finally! I’ve been waiting forever to see what happens to Dark Avenger since the last issue!” he exclaims, eagerly flipping through the pages.

Then, I grab the military-grade binoculars from the shelf and hand them to Connor. He takes them with a look of pure fascination, inspecting every detail. “These are insane! I bet I can see people in planes with these,” he asks, already lifting them to his eyes to peer out the window.

When Mom and Dad passed, the torch fell to me to care for Jess and the boys. Which wasn’t easy, but it taught me the fine art of keeping kids busy. Tossing around distractions like confetti is second nature, and it gives Harrison and me a chance to catch up.

“We all had to see you in a suit and tie to believe it,” Harrison teases, a grin stretching across his face as he takes a seat and hands me a brown paper bag. “Here,” he says, chuckling.

The savory aroma wafts up, making my mouth water.

I open the bag and peek inside, my stomach instantly growls in response. Inside the bag are a double cheeseburger and fries from my favorite spot in the city, along with a dozen giant homemade cookies from Hannah.

I bypass the burger and shove a cookie into my mouth, moaning in pure delight. “That is incredible.”

Harrison chuckles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “That’s her latest creation—Chocolate Sea Salt Paradise. She’s been obsessing over it for months.” He pats his belly with a satisfied grin.

The cookie is a masterpiece. Rich, gooey chocolate chunks melt into the chewy dough, the sprinkle of sea salt cutting through the sweetness with just the right balance. The edges are perfectly crispy, providing that satisfying crunch, but the center—mmm, the center—is soft and buttery, dissolving in my mouth with every bite.

I’m about to shove another one in when I pause, holding it up in offering. “Do the kids want some?”

Harrison shakes his head, smirking. “They’ve been at them all day. And I’m pretty sure Snooki’s stashed away a secret hoard somewhere. Like a little squirrel, saving them for later.”

“Jess used to do that.” I laugh, remembering her cookie phase all too well. “Then she’d be up all night with tummy aches, regretting every bite.” I take another bite, savoring the flavor. “You’re a lifesaver.”

Harrison’s grin widens. “Your sister told mine that if I didn’t bring you some, you might just starve to death.”

“Thank God. I was feeling faint,” I reply, shoving another cookie in my mouth and worshiping it for the glorious indulgence it is, considering it’s the only thing I’ve eaten all day.

Harrison leans back, watching me with amusement. “You know, seeing you in that suit, I almost didn’t recognize you. But hey, you clean up nice.”

I swallow, smiling back. “Thanks, man. Just don’t get usedto it. I’d pick my BDUs over this corporate getup any day.” I take another bite, then glance over at Harrison. “So, how are you adjusting to life with the kids? Away from back-to-back deployments?”

Harrison’s expression softens, a shadow of loss flitting across his features. “There are days I ache for it,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper. His gaze shifts to the kids playing nearby, and a deep sigh escapes him. “Then there are days when I wonder if I was out of my damned mind, leaving them behind for as long as I did.” He falls silent, the unspoken grief of losing his wife settling between us.

I reach over and clasp his shoulder. “I’m here for you, man.”

He nods, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Likewise. But tell me, why am I here bringing you food when you’re about to go on a date with the infamous Roxana Voss? Is it because women like Voss don’t actually eat? They just push their food around, hoping it’ll magically turn into gold.”

“It’s not a date.”

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