CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Kol
IN TRUE ARCHER-FAMILY FASHION, CHAOS REIGNED AS NOVA’S unpacking turned into a family barbeque. We’d migrated from the apartment to the back deck, where Waylon was manning the grill in his Carhartt overalls with a tiny Bigfoot stitched on the bib.
“Order up: One alien burger for Mav, one Bigfoot special for Brae,” he called with a grin.
“You can’t just call it a cheeseburger and a hamburger with grilled chilis?” I complained.
Waylon arched a brow in my direction. “Now where’s the fun in that?”
Skylar let out a squeal of delight as Nova raced after her, wearing a set of Sky’s fairy wings, a sparkly feather boa, and carrying a Nerf gun.
“Down with all alien invaders!” Nova cried out as she sent an array of foam darts in Sky’s and Owen’s direction.
Owen acted out an elaborate dying scene after being hit, while Sky claimed that she was magically healed by her alien powers.
“I think she’s the happiest with them.”
My gaze flicked down to the new voice beside me. Brae watched Nova dart toward Tink the mini-Highland cow and Pepper the goat, both of whom were also adorned in fairy wings. There was a longing in Brae’s gaze, as if she wanted to take part so badly but wasn’t sure she fit.
“Kids accept you as you are. There’s no need to put on any pretenses. You can just be,” I said quietly.
Brae nodded, still watching the scene play out in front of her. “I’ve been putting pressure on her and didn’t even realize it.” She sighed. “Or maybe I did. I just thought I was right. Actually, I was so damn wrong.”
I shifted uncomfortably. I wasn’t good at this sort of thing. Feelings and emotional processing. That was Wylder’s arena.
But the hurt in Brae’s eyes had me wanting to try to help. “Now you know. And you can just be her friend.”
Brae’s gaze flicked up to me. “Just be her friend.”
“I think that’s what she needs the most.” I was trying to remember that myself. Nova needed friends and support. And I needed to keep her firmly in that friend category.
But I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about her, feeling pulled in her direction, hungry for every smile or spark of mischief in her eyes.
My gaze found her in every room. And sometimes, I swore I smelled the scent of sunbaked cherries long after I’d left her presence.
I knew none of that was good, but I kept walking closer to the open flame anyway.
“Order up: I’ve got two alien burgers,” Waylon called.
Sky ran for the back deck. “Me, Grampa Way Way! Me!”
As she hit the steps, I bent, lifting my girl into the air as she shrieked and laughed. I wasn’t sure how many more years I’d be able to do this or how long she’d let me. So I soaked up every delighted moment.
“Daddy!”
I chuckled. “The alien is in flight. Coming in for a landing.”
“And for fuel,” she said, giggling as I swooped her toward the grill.
As I lowered her, I felt eyes on me—on us. I sought out the source. And there was Nova, wearing the ridiculous outfit and standing between a goat and a cow. But it wasn’t all that that knocked me sideways. It was the look of longing on her face.
She sent me a half smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes as she started for the steps. “Waylon, can fairy warrior princesses get alien burgers?”
He chuckled, sending her a wink. “Got some extra fairy magic for you on this one, warrior princess.”
“No hot sauce,” I warned, my voice going hard.
Nova sent me a pointed look. “Maybe I want hot sauce.”
“You hate hot sauce,” I shot back. But it was more than that. It was the fact that her whole system was still recovering from starvation. And things like hot sauce should be avoided at all costs.
She let out a huff of annoyance. “Fine. But you still don’t need to be so bossy, Boss.”
My lips twitched. “What if I add a please?”
“Better,” Nova grumbled as she headed for the grill.
“I know what my girl likes,” Waylon mumbled as he lifted some thin onion rings from a fryer he’d insisted he needed to bring over.
The words my girl sent a wash of annoyance through me. Which was ridiculous. Uncle Waylon was old enough to be Nova’s grandfather. But when her eyes lit and she did a little jump-cheer, a new wave of jealousy shot through me. That wasn’t me. I hadn’t been jealous about a woman … ever.
I hadn’t dated seriously since high school and that fateful day when everything fell apart.
I had the occasional fling when it suited, if our particular interests aligned, but I was always honest about what I was looking for.
After Sky’s mom? There’d been nothing at all.
Because I hadn’t been able to trust a soul enough to let my guard down.
“Onion crisps.” Nova grinned. “My favorite.”
“Welcome home, warrior princess,” he said with a grin as he handed her a plate.
The rest of us got our burgers and headed for the massive outdoor table I had on the deck that spanned the length of my house.
I’d been determined to find a table big enough to fit our entire family because I wanted Skylar to be surrounded by people who loved her.
I never wanted her to feel like she didn’t have a whole slew of people in her corner, even though her mom had chosen not to be in her life.
And she had more than her fair share of people who loved and adored her. Now, she even had a new soon-to-be cousin in Owen. And all of those people didn’t just show up for her; they showed up for Nova, too. Everyone had joined in to help today—everyone but Orion.
I’d hoped he’d come around on Nova after our talk in the apartment. Apparently, not standing in her way did not equate to welcoming her into the fold.
Mav pushed back from the table, arguing with Wylder over who got the last root beer. Dex scooped some pasta salad and potatoes onto Owen’s plate as Brae looked on with a tender expression. Waylon got himself his own double cheeseburger as Sky took the seat next to Owen.
There were two chairs left: one next to Mav and one next to Nova. I knew I should’ve taken the one on my brother’s right. I needed to be careful not to let myself get too close.
I didn’t.
I let embers spark to flame and pulled out the chair next to Nova. She grinned up at me as she popped a potato into her mouth. “I adore your family.”
Warmth spread through my gut, and I tapped one of her fairy wings. It was the closest I’d come to touching her since the day I found her. “I like your wings.”
Mav’s chair grated against the deck as he sat back down. “I can’t believe you took the last root beer.”
“You snooze, you lose,” Wylder shot back.
Maverick bit into his burger. He chewed once, twice, and then his eyes went wide as his face turned bright red. He shoved his chair back, sending it toppling backward as he spat his bite into a napkin.
“What the hell did you put in that, Waylon?” he demanded as he choked and coughed.
Nova gave a little finger wave as she smiled sweetly at my youngest brother. “That was me. Just a little reminder that payback’s a … female dog.”
I tried to cover my laugh with a cough. I guessed Nova wasn’t a fan of Mav going behind her back and telling me about the newspaper clippings.
Mav’s gaze shot to me. “This is not funny.” He kept sticking his tongue out as if access to the fall air would help him. “I think my taste buds burned off.”
Owen’s face scrunched. “Why would payback be a female dog?” He shrugged. “I guess Yeti is a trickster. She stole my bacon the other day.”
Waylon thumped a hand on Mav’s shoulder. “It’s good for you. Puts hair on the ole chest.”
“I’m good with the hair I have already.” Maverick reached for Wylder’s soda, starting to chug.
“Hey,” Wy protested.
“Desperate times,” Mav said with a pant.
Dex grinned at Nova. “What’d you put on there?”
Nova flipped her nearly black locks over one shoulder. “One of the hot sauces from Brae’s collection.” She bent, pulling it from her bag. “Death by Chili.”
Maverick’s jaw dropped. “That has Carolina Reaper peppers in it. That’s the second-hottest pepper in the world. You could’ve killed me.” He looked longingly at his plate. “And you ruined my burger.”
Dex snickered. “On the upside, you won the hot sauce competition for the day.”
He glared at Nova. “You’d better make me a trophy, and it’d better be bedazzled.”
“Ooooooh, I’ll help,” Sky offered.
My phone dinged, and I pulled it from my pocket.
God, I hoped it wasn’t Pete. He’d been incessant with his texts about the case, bragging about findings one moment, making giant leaps the next.
By the time we finished with this one, it would be a miracle if we didn’t come to blows. But it wasn’t Pete.
Orion:
Left something on the front porch.
I frowned at my screen.
Me:
It better not be an exploding food dye water balloon. Or a bag of goat shit on fire.
Orion simply replied with a middle finger emoji.
I pushed back from the table and made my way through the house. As I stepped onto the porch, I saw it. A platter of chocolate fudge cupcakes. I grinned.
Orion might not be ready for family gatherings with Nova, but this was his version of a welcome.
I bent and picked up the platter, heading back for the group.
“Whatcha got there?” Waylon asked.
“Orion dropped off some cupcakes.” I set them in front of Nova. “I think they’re for you.”
She gaped at the perfectly frosted cakes. “Me?”
“Did he get those from a bakery? They look amazing,” Brae added.
Wylder’s mouth curved. “He made them.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Brae said. “Orion. Scowls at every outsider. Refuses to let anyone on his property. Booby-traps his house. He’s a baker?”
Dex grinned. “A hell of a good one, too.”
Nova scooped up a cupcake and dipped her finger into the icing. Her lips closed around the digit, and she moaned.
Fuck.
My dick twitched, straining against my zipper. Those were not sounds I needed in my head.
Nova’s eyes sparked silver as they opened. “That is the best chocolate icing I’ve ever tasted.”
Me, too. And I hadn’t had a bite.