Chapter 26 #2
I draped an arm over the back of the booth, and Beckett’s grin turned devious—but for once, he kept his commentary to himself.
Our server dropped off two pitchers of soda and a stack of red plastic cups. The kids abandoned pinball the second the garlic knots and cheese sticks hit the table. Junie climbed into the booth between Molly and Jace, already lecturing them on the physics of a cheese pull.
“The mozzarella has to hit two hundred and thirty degrees to stretch like that,” she said, demonstrating with a cheese stick. “My mom and I tested it last year.”
Molly pointed a garlic knot at her. “This is the information I like. Keep it coming, Rook.”
Daisy laughed, low and warm, sounding genuine even though it touched on a memory of her sister. My hand drifted to her back, settling on her hip as I pulled her closer. She leaned into me without hesitation.
The first round of za-cos hit the table—golden, sizzling, leaking cheese and salsa onto wax paper. Delgado took one bite and groaned loud enough to earn a glare from the old couple in the corner.
“Smash,” I said. “Inside voice.”
“Can’t,” he mumbled. “This is religious.”
Pickles adjusted his glasses, studying his food. “On paper, this should not work. Tortilla. Pepperoni. Salsa. It’s chaos.”
Daisy tore off a corner and popped it into her mouth. “It tastes exactly how I remember it.”
The bell over the door jingled again, and we all looked up.
Two men walked in, broad and rough-edged in a way Linwood didn’t see often. Dirty blond hair, leather vests, heavy boots.
It took me half a second to recognize Cash and Colton Wilder, Shannon’s older brothers. I hadn’t seen them in over a decade—not since we were kids sharing ice time. They’d been mean back then. Cheap shots. Cruel mouths. Not caring that their decisions cost us the game.
They looked meaner now.
Shannon went rigid. “Nope.”
Cash sauntered over, kicking the leg of her chair until she sat facing him. Colton hung back, eyes sweeping the room.
“Shan,” Cash said. “I thought that was you who walked in here.”
“I'm kind of shocked that brain of yours was capable of that much,” she said, then turned back to the table. “Leave.”
“We just need a little help,” he said. “Dad’s not doing great. You know how he gets.”
“She asked you to leave,” Beckett said, standing from the booth.
Cash backed up a step, and a wicked smile carving his face. “Relax, Conway. This is a family matter.”
“You’re not getting money from me, especially not for him,” Shannon said, staring hard at the table. “Not now. Not ever.”
“You always were selfish,” Colton said from behind his brother, and I stood to join Beckett.
Cash smirked. “Still playing the hero, Hudson?”
I stepped between him and Shannon, voice calm and cold. “Door’s behind you.”
Cash walked backward toward the door, Colton turning to leave. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten all we’ve done for you, baby sis. We’ll see you around.”
They left, the door slamming hard enough to rattle.
Beckett stayed standing, eyes still on the door. “Are they a problem?” he asked quietly.
“No,” Shannon said.
“Because if they are—”
“You don’t get to fix everything for me, Beckett.”
Beckett nodded once. “Okay.”
“I’ve got it,” she said, looking away.
I wasn’t so sure she did—but I kept that to myself.
When Beckett and I sat back down, his phone lit up on the table. He reached for it, then said, “Oh, good. Mikko landed in Helsinki.”
“And what’s this about a daughter?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Someone dropped off a toddler with his mom, claiming she’s his.”
Shannon sat up straight, looking more bothered by this than she had been by her brothers moments ago. “Define dropped off.”
“You know as much as I do.”
Her gaze flicked to the kids crowded at the end of the booth, Junie safe and laughing, then she stood and walked out.
“Fuck,” Beckett said. “I should have thought about that before I said it. I’m sure that hit a nerve with her, considering her own mom walked out when she was a kid.”
Emmy chewed her lip, staring at the door. “We should let her cool off right? Swing by the house to check on her later?”
“Yeah, peach.” Beckett kissed Emmy’s temple, looking at her with open adoration. “I like that idea.”
Maybe some guys would’ve bristled at their best friend falling for their sister, but I approved of anyone who looked at her like that.
Junie hopped down from the kids’ table and padded over, climbing onto the bench between Daisy and me.
“So, is Mikko going to be a dad?” she asked. “I bet he’ll be a good one. Like mine.”
The table went quiet. My throat tightened, love hitting me so hard it almost knocked the air from my lungs.
Daisy’s hand found mine under the table and squeezed. “I bet you’re right,” she said softly.
I cleared my throat. “Trivia machine’s free. Who’s brave?”
Junie shot up. “Me!”
The kids scrambled, laughter echoing as they rushed the machine.
Outside, the sun dipped behind the mountains. Inside Slice and Spice, the lights glowed. Daisy leaned into my side, Junie laughing somewhere nearby, and that wasn’t just enough.
It was everything.