Page 109 of Garrison's Creed

“Little sister’s a spy. Who’d a thunk it?” Roman laughed, stuffing chips and dip in at the same time. “And from what I’ve seen, she could give James Bond a run for his money.”

“Double-Oh-Seven here can shoot and fight with the big boys,” Cash said, giving her a squeeze.

The guys were bragging on her. Not what she’d expected and her cheeks heated.

“Well, as long as you’re safe, angel. That’s what I tell the boys as well. The three of you are safe out there, right?”

Roman, Cash, and Nicola all nodded some version of, “yes ma’am, yes mom, you got it.” Mom smiled ear to ear.

“Dinner’s ready in twenty minutes. Roman, don’t ruin your appetite. Nicola Beatrice, would you join me in the kitchen?”

Uh-oh.Breaking out the middle name.She was in trouble. No one else seemed to notice as a football appeared out of nowhere, soaring across the living room, and her mom didn’t give her a chance to wiggle out of that request. Nicola walked the familiar path to the kitchen, hearing the same floorboard creak as it had so long ago.

“Why don’t you make the salad?” Her mom pointed to everything lined up on the counter.

“I can do that.” This had been planned, but she was okay with it. The lineup of incoming questions made her nervous, but better to stay busy with her hands than fidget with her shirt.

“Thanks. So I’m going to skip all the boring and sad stuff and skip to you and Cash. That okay with you, angel?”

Nicola choked, spilling all the cherry tomatoes she had lined up to split, salt, and pepper. “Cash?” Her voice squeaked.Yeah.That’s not a dead giveaway of anything hot and heavy.

Rolling her eyes, her mom laughed. “All right. We can dredge up years of missing—”

“I can talk Cash. I ran into Cash and Roman—”

“Angel, I know that already. You think either of those boys can keep a secret?”

I guess not.

Her mom smiled. “The more I feed them, the more they talk. It’s the only way I’ve stayed sane knowing what they run all over the world doing. I’ve also known the two of you have circled each other from afar since you were—honest to God—believers in cooties. And now, he’s holding your hand. Arm around the shoulder. Clearly, cooties aren’t a problem anymore.”

Nic knew her cheeks blazed bright pink. “You noticed?”

“I notice everything. Mothers always do.”

“What about fathers? Do you think dad, um, noticed?”

Her mom laughed. “Maybe. Do you like him?”

“Of course I like him, mom. It’s Cash.”

“Do you love him?”

“Mom!” Nic’s eyes bugged out like she was in the twelfth grade again.

“You know, before everything happened,” her mom gestured to the window. Her dad, Roman, and Cash were outside tossing a football with one hand, nursing their beers in the other. “Cash had called your father. Wanted to talk to us. Without Roman or you there.”

Silence.I had a ring.His voice echoed in her head. She hadn’t doubted him when he threw that jab at her, but—

“Know anything about that?” Her mom cocked an eyebrow, smiling like she knew a secret. “Keep chopping, angel. We have hungry men to feed.”

Nicola stared out the window instead and let her mom remove the knife and salad makings. She watched them in the backyard. Laughing and roughhousing. Cash threw the ball, spun round, and caught sight of her through the glass.

They locked eyes, and her stomach jumped when his half-grin and a half-nod were directed her way. He’d been her best friend her whole life. He was more gorgeous than any man walking the face of the Earth. And here he was, making her tummy flip.

The football hit the side of his head, and Roman cheered his direct hit. She laughed. Cash laughed before he turned and speared her brother, football in hand. Dad laughed. Everything felt like it should.

The doorbell rang. Somewhere in the background, she heard her mother fussing for a hand towel, wiping her hands on the way to answer the front door. Nicola was mesmerized, watching her family. Being home—

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