Page 108 of Mountain Security

So damned cute.

Her ovaries did a weird back flip.

Her sister smirked, as if she could read Yvette’s mind.

She probably can.

Yvette and her sister had always been close. Close in age, but also close in spirit.

Yvette walked into the kitchen, just in time to see her mother pick up a heavy tray. Yvette stared at it for a long instant. On the tray was a dog-shaped teapot that Yvette had never seen before. The dog stood on its hind legs, and the front paws were the spout.

Yvette stared, then stared again.

In fact, she’d never seen her mother drink tea.

Only coffee.

Cups and cups of coffee every day.

“Where did you find that,Maman?” Yvette asked, taking the tray from her mother’s hands.

“I borrowed it from my neighbor,” her mother whispered. “But don’t tell him.”

“Don’t tell—“ Yvette stopped as she realized what was going on. “You borrowed a teapot from your neighbor … for Alex?”

“Of course,” her mother said. “And some tea. Jeanne assures me it’s the finest tea. After all, he’s English. What would he think if we didn’t have tea at home?”

Yvette didn’t bother replying to that. Her mom’s hospitality was legendary in their neighborhood, after all.

But there was something that struck her.

“But you only just met him,Maman.”

“Yvette … a motherknowsthese things.” Her mother smiled. “Anyway, I like him. I’m glad I went through the trouble of borrowing the teapot.”

“I like him too,Maman.”

“I always worried, you know, that you’d had to grow up with too much responsibility,ma petite. I worried that you’d never be fully able to trust anyone. But I see you know, with this man, and I see I have nothing to worry about.”

“I love him.”

“And he loves you, too.”

“He told you?”

“He didn’t have to tell me, but yes, he told me when he arrived, before we even started lunch.”

Oh.

That was quick.

“It makes my heart glad to see you so happy, Yvette.” Then she shook her head impatiently. “Come on, bring that out to them. Jeanne tells me tea, unlike coffee, has to be enjoyed hot.”

Yvette didn’t have the heart to tell her mother she’d never seen Alex drink tea.

Alex looked up when they walked in. He had one child sitting on his legs, two more over his stomach. He probably shouldn’t be wrestling children. She worried he would hurt his arm. But he looked … happy, so she didn’t say anything.

For a moment, she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like when—and it waswhen, notif—those were their children climbing all over him.

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