Page 128 of At the Edge of Surrender

Be careful. She doesn’t know who I am yet.

“I didn’t even got an uncle, but then I got Uncle Theo and an Uncle River?” Her cheeks grew pink with all of her adorableness rippling out.

“Well, think you’re going to have a whole bunch of them now.” River gestured to the group who had gathered behind them.

A group I’d been too caught up to notice since I’d been watching the interaction.

Shock widened my eyes when my attention locked on one of the women there, the same kind of shock that dropped her jaw with a gush of surprised air.

“Oh my gosh, I cannot believe this. I know you!” Eagerness blazed from her as she touched her fingers to her chest. “Do you remember me? I’m Raven. I met you outside my flower shop, Moonflower.”

Oh wow.

I couldn’t formulate a response before Maci squealed and jumped with a hand high over her head. “Me, me! I remember! I remember! You’re the lady who gots all the flowers!”

Gleeful laughter rolled out of Raven.

Goodness, she was really beautiful.

Strikingly.

Sleek, shiny black hair twisted into a loose knot with a few flowers tucked into the plaits. Midnight eyes rimmed in black liner and mascara, wearing bright red lipstick and a floral dress that hugged all her curves.

“That’s right. I have all the flowers. And I told you I have a nephew who I thought would really like to meet you, and it turns out he definitely does.”

She set a tender hand on Nolan’s head.

“Wait, Nolan is the good friend you got for me?”

“That’s right.”

Maci released a dreamy sigh. “Ifinkit’s meant to be.”

“You think you were meant for me?” Nolan peeped, his blue eyes wide.

I tried not to laugh, but a soft sound came out of me, anyway.

The child was so cute it would be impossible not to be captivated by him.

Clearly, Maci was.

“Ifinkso since I got here and I found you.”

“Then you better come on so I can show you all my stuff. I bet you’re gonna like it,” he told her as he snatched her by the hand and hauled her across the large, covered patio and down the steps, the dog hot on their heels as they ran into the backyard.

It had clearly been set up with a child in mind.

A fort and a swing set and a big grassy area where he could run and play.

It was enclosed by a high wooden fence that would keep him safe and contained.

A small amount of ease filled me.

It didn’t last long since Kane returned his hand to the small of my back.

A shiver streaked down my spine. That energy that dragged between us thick and suffocating.

Something about the way he did it this time felt possessive.

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