Page 52 of Forever To Me

Maggie rolls her eyes but tries to hide a smile behind her drink.

"She already does that," Mack grins.

Walker lets out a low chuckle from behind the bar, his gaze drifting between the three of us. He hasn’t said much all evening, just watched.

Like he likes seeing us all together.

And I love this. Growing up with Maggie for an aunt was super special. Seeing her with Mack and knowing that Mack has that too is a good feeling. The warm and fuzzy kind.

I meet his eyes for half a second, my stomach doing something weird and warm. But then Mack tosses a fry at me, and the moment is gone.

By the time Maggie finally drags Mack home, stuffed with food and still whining about bedtime, Pickles is up and ready to play, and Walker still watches me like he hasn’t quite figured me out yet.

And honestly?

I’m not sure I want him to.

I don't even know what I'm doing.

Chapter 15

Walker

The drive to The Dogwood is quiet tonight.

Violet sits in my truck, legs tucked up, fingers playing with the hem of her sweater. I can tell she wants to say something, but she doesn’t. And I don’t push.

I pull up to The Dogwood, the porch light casting a soft glow over the old wooden steps to her door.

She shifts, undoing her seatbelt. “Thanks for the ride, Walker.”

I nod, watching as she grips the doorhandle, hesitating for half a second before turning back to me.

“I like your kid. And I had fun tonight.”

I glance at her, a flicker of warmth settling in my chest. “Yeah,” I murmur. “She’s something.”

She smiles, soft and real, then steps out into the night.

I wait until she reaches the door until I see her disappear inside.

Then, and only then, do I drive away.

I drive slowly, the engine's hum steady beneath my hands, but my mind’s not on the road. It’s still back there.

Still back on the porch, watching Violet disappear inside her room, still hearing the way she’d said it.

“I like your kid. And I had fun tonight.”

Simple words. Casual, even. But somehow, they settle deep, lodging themselves right in my chest.

I grip the wheel a little tighter, exhaling through my nose. I shouldn’t like this. Shouldn’t like the way she looked sitting across from Mack and Maggie tonight, laughing over fries, tossing fries at Pickles like she belonged there.

But I do like this.

God help me, I really do.

I saw it happen tonight. The way Mack, my impossible, sharp-tongued, full-of-hellfire kid, started gravitating toward her, the same way she does with Maggie. How Violet met her head-on, matching her wit for wit, teasing but never condescending, treating her like a person instead of just a kid.

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