28. Jonas
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jonas
Inotice it before anyone else does. Not because the others aren't paying attention—they always are—but because I'm the one who watches for the quiet shifts, the ones so subtle people don't even realize they’re happening.
Kaia is laughing, and this part is real—but it's softer now, less bright.
It's like the energy it takes to hold this version of herself is starting to wear thin.
I lean back against the counter, watching Finn talk animatedly about the superiority of strawberry poke cake like it's a personality trait.
We had an amazing dinner and even better dessert.
She seemed to love the cake just as much as Finn.
Well, no, that's a lie. He loves that cake more than anything, but she liked it almost as much.
For now, she’s smiling and nodding, playing along. Then, when her shoulders drop just a fraction, I push off the counter.
"Hey," I say lightly, stepping toward her. "Walk with me for a second?"
Kaia blinks. "Okay."
That's it. No hesitation. No careful assessment of whether I'm asking too much or expecting something in return. She just trusts me.
It catches me off guard every time.
I've spent most of my life learning to read the room before anyone speaks—noticing who needs space, who needs comfort, who's about to snap.
It made me good at what I do. Made me necessary.
But it also taught me that closeness comes with conditions.
People depend on me to notice things, to fix things, to make things easier.
They just don't always think to ask what I need.
Kaia doesn't do that. She doesn't brace herself when I approach. Doesn't apologize for needing me. Doesn't make me prove that my care is safe before she accepts it.
She just says okay, and follows.
I don't take her far, just out the back door onto the patio.
Everything's quieter out here. The air moves slower; no one has to keep up.
We stop near the railing, the ocean stretching out in the distance, the sound of the waves steady and grounding.
I lean my forearms against the wood, not looking at her right away, giving her space to settle.
"You're getting overwhelmed," I say finally. It's not a question.
Kaia exhales softly. "Just a bit." She doesn't fight or deflect. She just admits it.
I nod once. "Too much good all at once."
She laughs softly and asks, "Is that a thing?"
"Yeah, especially if you're not used to it."
She stares out at the water. "I don't know how to do this," she says quietly.
I turn my head slightly. "Do what?"
"This." She gestures vaguely. "All of this. You. Them. The house. Not having to be on edge all the time." Her throat tightens. "I keep waiting to mess it all up."
I straighten slowly and close the space between us. "You're not going to mess it up."
She shakes her head. "You don't know that."
"I do."
"How?"
"Because you aren't pretending," I say simply.
She frowns slightly. "What do you mean?"
"It means you're not trying to be what you think we want. You're just being...well, you." There's a pause. "That's the only thing that works here."
Kaia's breath hitches slightly, and my hand lifts, hesitating just a second before settling gently on her lower back.
"Breathe," I murmur.
She does. In and out, and again. I watch her shoulders loosen, watch her come back to herself slowly. "See?" I say quietly.
She glances at me.
"You're already doing it."
I don't notice Finn at first, because Finn doesn't arrive anywhere—he just appears. As loud and chaotic as he is, he's a freaking ninja sometimes.
"Are we having a moment without me?" Finn demands softly, already stepping into Kaia's space.
Kaia smiles immediately. "Never!"
"Rude..." Finn murmurs, sliding his arm loosely around her shoulders. I don't move my hand from her back.
Lachlan follows out a second later. He doesn't say anything, just steps close enough that Kaia can feel him there, which she does, immediately.
Her body shifts just slightly, leaning closer without thinking.
Adrian's last, but he doesn't step in to close the circle.
He just stands outside of it, watching us.
I meet his gaze for half a second. Adrian's expression doesn't change, but something in his posture does, subtly.
Finn lets go of Kaia and says, "Okay, group decision."
"That's never a good start," Lachlan says.
"We need a chill activity," Finn continues, ignoring him.
I raise an eyebrow. "We're literally just chilling."
"More chill," Finn insists. "Advanced chill."
Adrian insists, "That's not a thing."
"It's absolutely a thing," Finn argues, but he's grinning, and we all know he's already won. "The hot tub. Right now. No arguments."
Before anyone can protest, he's already pulling Kaia toward the bedrooms to get changed, and the rest of us follow because—well, that's just how Finn operates.