Page 60 of Heartfelt Goals

Jamie grinned. “Jamie. Apparently, I also qualify for that club.”

“Y’all areallold peeps,” Kendall announced between bites, utterly oblivious to the way every adult in the room stared at her in mock offense.

Laurel shook her head, but her lips twitched at the corners. Kendall was something else—a whirlwind of contradictions, all sharp opinions and stubborn confidence, yet somehow still the same little girl who had once reached for Laurel’s hand in the dark when the thunder got too loud.

A woman hesitated before stepping closer, her voice soft. “I’m Constance.”

Laurel turned to her and immediately recognized her, though it took a second to place where from. “Boucher’s wife, right?”

Constance nodded. “I wasn’t sure if you’d remember me,” she admitted. “I spoke with Irene at the last meeting a couple of weeks ago… mostly while trying to keep my kids from destroying the place.”

Laurel smiled. “I doubt they were that bad.”

Constance grimaced. “Think again.”

Jamie, listening in, chuckled knowingly. “I call it theZack-Attack.” She subtly pointed to a little boy curled up on a beanbag in the corner of the room. “That’s Kenneth’s son, Zachary. Completely tuckered out.”

Laurel glanced over, and sure enough, the child was out cold, his small form lost in the oversized beanbag. There was something undeniably sweet about it—his tiny fingers curledinto his shirt, his peaceful face a stark contrast to the chaos Jamie was implying he could unleash when awake.

Jamie smirked. “I’m not exactly mom material, but I think it’s that weird age where they’re caught between‘naps daily’and‘no naps anymore.’Kid’s gonna be scary when he’s a teenager.”

Laurel exhaled a small laugh. “I knowthatfeeling,” she muttered, side-eyeing Kendall.

Her sister only grinned, then wiggled her fingers at her playfully—right before the door to the lounge creaked open.

Instantly, conversation died. Heads turned. Eyes lifted.Standing in the doorway were Dustin and Kenneth. Neither stepped inside. Neither needed to. Their presence alone was enough to shift the energy in the room.

Kenneth moved first, crossing over to where Zachary slept, his large hands effortlessly lifting his son into his arms. The movement must have stirred something in Jamie because she let out a barely-there sigh—one that sounded a little too wistful for Laurel’s comfort.

Laurel glanced at her, then at Constance, whose expression mirrored the same quiet wishful expression as her eyes glanced at the doorway again in hope.

That kind of peace isn’t for everyone,Laurel thought. At least… not yet.

She shifted her gaze, finding Dustin’s. He was watching her. She knew he was. And in that moment, something warm curled low in her stomach, something hopeful, something hesitant.

I hope it’s in mine soon…

Dustin’s voice was low, even. “Are you and Kendall ready to go?”

Laurel nodded, perhaps a little too quickly. “Yes.”

Beside her, Kendall made a sound of protest, but before she could start, Laurel shot her a look. “Grab a cupcake to-go. And a few more wings. You can eat in the car or at the house.”

Kendall’s mood did a complete one-eighty. “Bout time,” she muttered, already moving toward the food like she hadn’t just been dramatically upset two seconds ago.

Laurel shook her head, fighting back a smile.

One moment, Kendall was acting like it was the end of the world. The next, she was perfectly fine, going along with whatever plan was set before her. Up was down, left was right, and the girl was as fickle as could be…

But not now.

Not tonight.

Go figure.

As they walked out to the private garage, security was waiting by the door to make sure no one had slipped in to corner any of the players.

“Bonne nuit, MonsieurLafreniére…”

---