Page 45 of Unravel Me

That’s me right now, and it’s been me since Adam opened his front door and guided Connor and me inside.

Since Connor took one look at the wide staircase and started crawling up it, and then Adam spent fifteen minutes showing him how to go up and down, because we don’t have stairs at home.

Since he showed us the dining room table he and his dad built together when he moved in two years ago, and then played peekaboo with Connor around it.

Since Connor found the TV remote, handed it to Adam, asked forbus, and the two of them watched and sang it on repeat three times.

And right now, as I run my fingers over the rustic brick backsplash, the marble countertops, along the edge of the oversized farmhouse sink, down to the cupboards. From the pristine white siding mingled with large stone, the wooden pillars, the black framed windows, this oversized farmhouse backing onto the mountains in North Vancouver is just…perfection.

But it’s the olive-green cupboards that do me in.

“I’ve always loved the color of these cupboards, but they’ve become my favorite part of this house since I met you.”

My gaze comes to Adam’s as he strolls up beside me. “Why’s that?”

He brushes my bangs aside. “Because they’re the same color as your eyes.”

A happy warmth pools in my cheeks, and I watch my fingers slowly skim the muted color. “My parents and I moved into our house when I was six. The cupboards were solid maple but old, and we didn’t have the money to renovate.” I smile at the memory of my dad dragging us through Home Depot, holding paint chips up to my eyes. “He painted them green to match mine and my mom’s eyes.”

“Mmm…” Adam winds an arm around my waist, pulling me back against his chest, his lips at my hair. “Your dad and I would get along well, I think.”

They really would have. Lord knows he would’ve had my mom eating out of the palm of his hand too.

Connor squeezes between us, pulling on Adam’s shorts. “’nack?”

“Snack?” Adam asks, and when Connor nods, he pulls out peanut butter, bread, and a banana. “Yeah, dude. Let me make you a—”

“Ba-na!” he shrieks, marching in spot, clapping his hands. He reaches for the banana. “Ba-na!”

“All right, banana it is.” Adam chuckles, peeling the banana, breaking it in half, and handing it to him. “That was easy.”

“Where’s Bear?” I ask, suddenly realizing what’s missing.

“I tucked him in my room. I wasn’t sure if Connor would be nervous around him since he’s so big.”

“Oh no. Connor loves dogs.” I ruffle his hair. “Don’t you, buddy?”

“Dog,” he replies, shoving the last of his banana in his mouth. “Oof, oof!”

Adam crouches in front of him. “Do you want to meet my dog Bear? He’s my best bud.”

Connor shoves the last of his banana in his mouth and grabs hold of one of Adam’s fingers. The way Adam’s eyes light, the corner of his mouth quirking as he looks down at the connection, makes my heart flutter.

I follow as they trot up the stairs, Connor staring up at him with wide, wonderous eyes, like he’s enthralled with every word Adam speaks to him. Or maybe it’s the undivided attention Adam lavishes on him. Whatever it is, I think he’s in love.

Adam pushes his bedroom door open an inch, and a black nose nudges its way through, sniffing. There’s a solid, steady thump of a happy tail whipping back and forth, and when Bear’s tongue makes an appearance, Connor starts giggling.

“Bear, sit,” Adam commands, lifting Connor into his arms as he opens the door. “Good boy. Wait.” Bear’s brown eyes bounce between Connor and me. He shifts from paw to paw, whimpering, and Connor starts gasping, wriggling, just as desperate to touch Bear as Bear is to touch him.

“Dog. Dog!” Wild green eyes meet mine. “Mama,dog!”

Adam walks into the bedroom, up to the pristine king-sized bed, and takes a seat. He pats twice and tells Bearupbefore making him lie down. Then he sets Connor on the bed.

“We’re gentle with our pets,” I remind Connor, and he tentatively reaches for Bear, his eyes shining with love. Bear meets him halfway, one ginormous tongue that covers Connor’s whole face in a single swipe, and my little guy throws his arms around Bear’s burly neck. “Hi, dog! Hi, big dog!”

Adam laughs, and my attention wanders around his incredible space, how intimate it feels to be in here with him. I walk across the chestnut brown planks, warm below my bare feet from the sunshine streaming through the double French doors. They’re propped open, letting in the breeze, and I step onto the oversize balcony.

“Wow.” The single syllable escapes on a breath.

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