Page 142 of Down Knot Out
Holden breaks the tension, rising from the sofa, and Quinn scoots over to cuddle at my side. “Can I get anyone a drink? Water? Coffee?”
“Coffee would be wonderful.” Mrs. Reynolds straightens her spine. “Black, please.”
Sadie bites at her chapped lip. “Water for me.”
Holden disappears into the kitchen, and the clatter of mugs on the countertop drifts out, followed by the rush of water from the tap.
“Your home is beautiful.” Sadie takes in the room again. “So much natural light.”
“Dom designed it.” Blake straightens slightly, pride in his expression. “It was the first structurewe built. There are fifteen rooms we can rent out at the Homestead, in addition to the cabins you saw being built down by the water. Phase Two will have more cabins for guests who want to glamp or who enjoy hiking more than playing in the water.”
“It’s lovely.” Sadie fidgets with the sleeve of her coat. “Quinn, Kyle says you caught a fish?”
Quinn’s face brightens a fraction. “A salmon. It washuge. We ate it for dinner last night.”
“Wow, that’s impressive.” Sadie leans forward, interest sparked. “Did you cook it yourself?”
“Uncle Holden helped me.” Quinn perks up. “We made it with lemon and dill.”
Holden returns with a tray of drinks and catches the end of the conversation. “She’s quite the chef in training.”
Sadie’s throat works as she swallows. “You always wanted to help Mrs. Reynolds in the kitchen.”
Mrs. Reynolds clears her throat. “She was always a good little helper.”
Quinn beams at the compliment before she remembers herself and draws back, expression shuttering.
Holden passes out the drinks and sets a plate of shortbread on the coffee table, then comes around to sit beside me.
Sadie’s attention shifts to me, lingering again on the Marks visible on my neck. I resist the urge to touch the raised edges of the bite where her brother claimed me. “Blake mentioned you just joined the pack?”
“Yes.” My fingers curl around my water glass. “We registered our intent a few weeks ago and finalized it earlier this week.”
Holden’s palm slides over the back of my neck, beneath my hair, and Dominic reaches out to take my hand. “It’s a true bond.”
Wistfulness flickers across Sadie’s face. “Congratulations.”
Her sincerity catches me off guard. “Thank you.”
Blake shifts on the arm of the chair, his weight making the wood creak. “Chloe’s a writer. Her best friend and agent, Grady, is also living here for now. You’ll meet him at lunch.”
“A writer?” Sadie’s eyebrows lift. “What do you write?”
“Romantic fantasy novels.” I brace for the dismissive reaction I often get about how romance isn’t a real genre, but Sadie surprises me.
“With happy endings?”
“Always.” I hold her eyes. “I believe everyone deserves them.”
She nods, as if confirming something to herself. “Good. Quinn enjoys stories with happy endings.”
Quinn perks up. “Aunt Chloe helps me write my own stories.”
“Does she?” Sadie’s expression softens, genuine interest lighting her features. “What kind of stories do you write?”
Quinn, never one to give up a chance to talk about her stories, bounces on her cushion. “Mysteries about Detective Stardust, who has a magic magnifying glass for a horn that helps him solve crimes.”
“Detective Stardust is a unicorn,” I add when Sadie appears confused. “The newest one is about an escaped crab.”
