Page 74 of Ending the Game

“Do I have a choice?” I ask, only half serious—well, maybe three-quarters...

She shakes her head no and grabs the flowers we picked up from the market for her mom and hands me the bottle of wine. “Remind me why we’re being so formal.” I press my hand to the small of her back as we walk up the front steps of the house, knocking once before entering.

“Because I’m nervous, okay?” she admits with a slight tremble in her voice.

I place a chaste kiss on her lips, just as Gracie runs into the room and giggles, then yells, “Uncle Coop kissed Aunt Carys.”

“And so it begins.” Carys presses her forehead to mine. “Wanna make a run for it?”

“Nope. You said we had to be here. Now get ready because I hear more little feet.” I press my lips to her forehead quickly, then catch Callen and Everly under my arms and fly them into the kitchen where Dad, Katherine, Belle, and Declan are waiting for us.

“Here.” Declan hands me a beer after I put the kids down, and Annabelle deposits Nixon in Carys’s arms.

“He’s teething,” Belle sighs and walks away.

“Uh, hi?” Carys looks around at everyone with wide eyes and a fussy baby.

Declan shakes his head. “That little devil was up all night last night and all day today. Which meant the girls were also up all night and all day. Belle’s exhausted, the girls are hyper, and Nixon’s pissed because Belle takes her boobs away every time he bites her.” He hugs Carys, then adds, “Welcome to hell,” and follows his wife out of the room.

Katherine finishes her glass of wine and pours another, filling it to the rim. “Welcome home, guys.”

* * *

Nixon calmed down after they put him in a swing, and he chilled while we all ate dinner.

“Carys.” Belle places her napkin on the table and smiles warmly. “I stopped by the bakery earlier and spoke to Amelia. She mentioned you and Chloe were taking a tour of the empty shop next to Sweet Temptations tomorrow. Are you guys thinking of opening a lingerie boutique?”

My head spins to Carys. “You didn’t mention that earlier.”

“Sorry,” she whispers as a flush covers her face. “We were busy.”

My brother laughs, and I kick him under the table like we’re twelve-year-olds instead of grown men.

“That would be incredible, honey. Main Street has really had a nice revival over the past few years. I think you’d do well there.” Katherine beams at the idea of Carys putting down roots in town, and I can see why. I just wish we’d had a chance to talk about it in private first.

“It really would–”

A loud bang rings out, and I throw myself at Carys, taking both of us to the ground with my body covering hers. Shielding her. “Everybody get down,” I yell.

Chairs scrape as the blood pounding in my ears intensifies.

“Cooper...” Carys braces my face. “Coop.”

Fuck. My stomach drops as I realize no one else is moving.

“Look at me, Cooper.” Her thumb traces my cheek. “Come back to me... We’re safe, Coop.”

“Cooper.” Declan’s hard voice demands my attention. “We’re good. One of the girls pulled the microwave down, trying to get the cupcakes Belles put up there earlier. The girls are fine. Carys is fine.”

Carys presses her lips to mine and whispers, “I’m safe, Coop. I need you to breathe for me.”

I slowly look around as humiliation clutches me in its grips. “I’m so sorry.” I move off her and help her up. “Are you okay?Jesus, did you hit your head?”

“I’m fine. Are you okay?” she whispers to me, while everyone stares intently at the two of us.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I think we should probably just go—”

“No,” Declan and Dad say at the same time.

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