Page 29 of The Agreement

Bryan’s jaw dropped. “Hey.”

Paige fixed him with a look. “Do you want the suit?”

“We’ll do it,” Bryan agreed.

Brooke nodded. “It’s a deal. You can use the card, as long as it’s just for dance outfits.”

“Yay.” Paige clapped.

Bryan’s pleased smile was more reserved, but I suspected he was just as happy.

This was both disturbingly and soothingly sweet. I liked that Brooke managed to be a parent, but still let her kids make a lot of their own decisions. I respected and admired that, even though this whole vibe wasn’t for me.

Conversation faded while we ate. Adam and I both knew the basics of cooking, enough that we didn’t have to get take out every day and didn’t burn the house down when we used the stove, but this was a different level of home cooking than I was used to. It was really good.

“Before I forget,” Brooke said as we were finishing eating. “I may be out late tomorrow, helping Deacon with some wiring in his shop. If I’m not home when you’re done with school, fend for yourselves.”

“Oh, in the basement?” Bryan lit up. “Can we come by and see the new furniture?”

How much did they know about what we’d found?

Brooke shook her head. “Not until the place is up to code. Or possibly never while I’m alive.”

“We already know what’s down there. We saw it on Adam’s channel.” Bryan sounded like he believed his logic was inarguable.

I didn’t have to look at Adam to know he was fighting a smirk at the reach of his newly found fame.

Brooke shot both of us a look that was half-glare, half-help, and I shrugged. “Like you told Travis—they’re antiques. That’s what I sell.”

Paige snorted.

“We need to get some stuff from my shed into Deacon’s truck.” Brooke pushed back from the table. “Dinner was great, thank you, Bryan.”

Both kids looked disappointed at the end of the conversation, but they started clearing the table without prompting.

Adam, Brooke, and I headed outside.

“I’m not prepared for things like my kids exploring sex toys,” Brooke muttered, then looked at me with wide eyes, as if she’d just realized she said that aloud. She cleared her throat and unlocked the shed. “Those are the tools we need.” She pointed to a few larger items, and a large toolbox.

“The twins obviously have the internet.” I should let this go, but I had thoughts on her comment. “As long as you’ve hadthe talkwith them, they’d probably rather just know they can come to you with problems and not have you judge them. If you’ve explainedthis is how babies are madeandconsent good, internet porn unrealistic, I suspect they don’t want to hear you explain sex toys any more than you want to explain them.”

Brooke’s laugh was tinged with exasperation. “You’re probably right. Something to be grateful for, I guess?” She grabbed a smaller, metal box, and followed us outside to load things into the bed of the truck.

“Would it make you feel better if I gave them a PG tour of the basement when things are in a place where the public is allowed down there?” I fitted everything in place without much thought, and we went back for the rest.

“It would make me feel better if they weren’t curious at all, but I suppose they’re too old for me to hope that.” She stopped in the middle of the room and puffed out a sigh, blowing a few loose strands of hair out of her face. “Would you be okay with that?”

“Of course.”

“You’re the best, thank you.”

It was basic praise, but it warmed me from the inside out.

We finished loading the truck and Adam and I headed out. The night played on repeat in my mind, despite me wanting to move on. Brooke’s family wasn’t mine, and I could respect her and her situation without wanting to be a part of it.

I’d moved past wanting that life, and I was happy with what I had.

TWELVE

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