Page 63 of Seen Knot Heard

Blake scoops the little girl into his arms with a laugh, nuzzling her nose with his. “Hey there, princess. What’ve you got?”

“My story! I wanna tell Chloe all about the stories I’m writing. Can I, Uncle Blake? Pretty please?” She turns the full force of her pleading gaze on her uncle.

“That’s a great idea.” Blake winks at me over Quinn’s head. “Why don’t you tell Chloe all about it over breakfast? If she’s up for it, of course.”

Twin pairs of puppy-dog eyes land on me, making me wonder who taught who that expression and knowing I’ll be in trouble with these two. “I would love to hear all about it.”

As we walk toward the door, I lean closer to Quinn, whispering conspiratorially, “I used to have a notebook just like that at your age. I filled it with all sorts of stories.”

Quinn’s lips form an O of surprise. “Really?”

“Really. How about I grab some coffee, and then you can tell me all about your story?”

She wiggles in Blake’s arms. “Yes, yes, yes! Let’s go!”

Blake sets her down with an indulgent grin, and she grabs my hand, tugging me toward the door that leads out into the guest part of the cabin.

As we head down the stairs, Blake’s fingers brush the small of my back, sending sparks zinging up my spine, and he mouths,Thank you.

But there’s nothing to thank me for. It’s clear Quinn is every bit as much a part of this pack as Holden, Nathaniel, and Dominic are. They come as a package deal.

The rich aroma of coffee rises from below as we descend the stairs, mingling with the mouthwatering scents of sausage and maple syrup. Cheerful chatter and laughter echo from the kitchen, turning the grand cabin into a warm and inviting space.

Quinn releases my hand to skip ahead, but I stay at Blake’s side, enjoying the warmth of this pack.

For a moment, I let myself imagine this is my forever. That I belong here, with them.

And it feels like coming home.

Chapter Twenty

Blake

With everyone settled around the dining table, I help Holden bring out the food, snagging the platter of vanilla pancakes and leaving him the sausage and eggs.

I serve Chloe first, laying three fluffy rounds onto her plate.

Then I frown down at the serving platter. “Hmm, what do you think this funny-shaped pancake is supposed to be?”

Chloe giggles. “I think that’s a mouse.”

“A mouse?” I shake my head. “Who would want to eat a mouse?”

“Me!” Quinn bounces in her chair. “That’s for me!”

I grin as I slide the pancake onto her plate. “You know, I can totally make mouse pancakes.”

Quinn shakes her head, sending her long pigtails swinging. “No way! Yours aren’t as good as Uncle Holden’s. He makes the bestest pancakesever.”

I clutch my chest. “Defeated once again by Uncle Holden!”

Everyone around the table chuckles while Holden ducks his head, his curls falling across his forehead as a blush colors his freckled cheeks.

My focus shifts to Chloe, still cozy in her sleeping shirt. Someone had given her one of Nathaniel’s quilted jackets to wear, and she let me pull her pink hair into adorable buns on top of her head after I finished wrangling Quinn’s second pigtail.

As we dig into breakfast, Chloe leans toward Quinn, giving my niece her full attention. “So, tell me more about your story.”

Quinn’s entire face animates as she launches into elaborate tales of her unicorn sleuth alter ego. “Well, you see, Detective Stardust’s horn is a magic magnifying glass, and it lets her find all the hidden clues! And she interviews other animals to get to the bottom of each mystery…”

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