Page 99 of His Greatest Treasure

Hair wet from our shower and draped over her shoulder, she watches me with her lip between her teeth while the FaceTime call rings.

“They don’t have to know you’re even here. But if I don’t call soon, they’ll cancel all their plans for the next two weeks and book emergency flights,” she says.

I hold her thigh over the blanket. “I know your parents, princess. Just because I haven’t seen them in a while doesn’t mean I’ve grown too scared of them to say hi.”

“It’s been a decade, not just a while. And they’re not going to be happy with just a hi. I haven’t told them about us yet, and one look at you here with me and they’ll know. Well, at least Mom will.”

“I want them to know.”

She lets go of her lip and smiles. “Okay.”

The ringing cuts off, and I watch the screen as it turns from black to a slightly fuzzy picture of her parents. They haven’t changed much in the years since I’ve last seen them. Apart from the natural signs of aging, Matt looks eerily similar to the last time I saw him. His brown hair is short and wavy, and his wide jaw is sporting a silver-speckled beard that’s trimmed neatly.

Morgan is like my mother. The only signs of aging on her features are the crinkles at her eyes and beside the corners of her mouth from years spent laughing. There’s a wisdom to her that I can only hope to have one day.

It isn’t wisdom in Matt’s eyes when he notices me sittingbeside his daughter, though. It’s protectiveness. Every inch of his expression puts his tense curiosity on display.

“Varför är det en man i ditt vardagsrum?” he asks sternly.

Avery rolls her eyes at him. “Don’t try to intimidate him by not speaking English, Dad.”

“I wasn’t. Your accent is hardly noticeable now. I was testing you.”

“I hadn’t even spoken yet,” she points out.

Matt frowns, clucking his tongue. “Too much time in Canada has taught you how to backtalk.”

“I’m pretty sure that was you, actually. Now, say hello nicely. I’ve missed you.”

He darts his eyes in my direction, and they tighten at the corners before going back to Avery and softening. “Hello,mitt hjärta.I missed you more.”

The name is the same one she uses with Nova. My heart.

I squeeze Avery’s thigh. “It’s nice to see you again, Mr. Miller. You as well, Mrs. Miller.”

“Oliver Bateman? Oh, you’re a spitting image of your father now. He used to have the same scowl lines,” Morgan says, smiling warmly. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you.”

“And I can’t say I expected to see you in my daughter’s living room this morning,” Matt grumbles.

His wife pinches his chest. “Ignore him, Oliver. He hasn’t had dinner yet, and he’s just so old now that he gets a bit grumpy if he doesn’t eat during seniors hour.”

Avery snorts a laugh and sets her hand over mine, rubbing it gently. I thread our fingers and tug them into my lap as she looks over at me, eyes sparkling.

Speaking to her parents makes her happy, and I’m already half out of my mind thinking of how hard it would be to plan a trip back home for her so she can see them in person and how I could get it done no matter the difficulty.

“Why are you in my daughter’s living room,Oliver Bateman?” Matt asks, kissing his wife on the cheek instead of feeding into her dig.

“Boyfriends usually hang out at their girlfriend’s house during the day, Dad. Or have you forgotten how dating works?” Avery answers for me.

Matt full-on glares at me now, and I hold it, not giving an inch. I’m not a teenager he can intimidate, and I want him to see that. He’s known me since the day I was born, even if he hasn’t seen me in a decade.

“Boyfriend? Why?” he asks tightly.

“Why?” Avery echoes.

“Why do you need a boyfriend? My heart can’t take it. It would be very thoughtful of you to break this relationship off before it grows any weaker. I’m too old and fragile for this type of news.”

Morgan shakes her head at him, sighing. “And everyone always called me the dramatic one. You’re worse than I ever was.”

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