Chapter 36
Kayla
Ben’s birthday party is only halfway over, and it already looks like a confetti cannon exploded in the home quarter.
The back porch is crawling with cowboy-booted seven-year-olds chasing each other with Nerf guns.
There’s a half-inflated inflatable steer roping dummy tipping dangerously near the flowerbeds.
Faith is on cupcake patrol. Fletcher is helping three kids build a catapult out of popsicle sticks, and I am getting the parents refills on their adult-only juice.
“Ms. Carson!” Ben’s friend Liam tugs at my dress. “Ben said I can’t ride his horse even though I asked really nice!”
I crouch to his level. “Buddy, I don’t think Ben’s horse wants to be part of this party. He didn’t RSVP.”
He frowns, looking ready to put up a fight, but then Nick hits him with a foam dart, and he runs off on a mission of revenge. I glance out at the chaos and shake my head, smiling.
Inside, the kitchen is its own brand of sticky mayhem. There’s half a dozen juice boxes, plates of half-eaten cake, one spilled bowl of chips, and a surprisingly calm Colter, leaning against the fridge with a red Solo cup in one hand and a small smile tugging at his mouth.
“Don’t say it,” I warn, waving a napkin at him.
He lifts his hands in mock surrender. “What would I say?”
“You were gonna say something smug.”
“I was gonna say you look beautiful today.”
Oh. I smile, a little caught off guard. Colt doesn’t just go around smiling for fun. “Thanks.”
“And I was going to call you out for hiding in the house.” Ah, that’s more like it.
“You’re here too!”
“I’m here waiting for you, not hiding,” he smiles into his cup, staring at me over the rim.
“Well,” I say, grabbing two more beers from the fridge and cracking one open, “if I don’t hide for five minutes, someone’s going to ask me where the toilet is for the third time, even though I put up a sign with arrows. Arrows, Colter.”
He chuckles, setting his drink down and stepping in close. “You’re doing great, Sweets.”
That simple praise makes something warm expand in my chest. I lean into him for just a second, letting the comfort of his body quiet the whirlwind of sugar and chaos vibrating through the house.
A loud thwack echoes against the patio door. We both flinch, but I refuse to turn around and look.
“Should we check?” I hesitate.
Colter shakes his head. “Whatever that was, let’s let one of the other adults deal with it.”
“Good plan,” I sag against the counter, just taking a moment for myself.
“You still not gonna run?” Colt asks, sliding right up against me, so that our arms are brushing. He asks me almost every week, and every week I assure him I have no plans of going anywhere. If it makes him more comfortable, then I’ll be there to reassure him every day for the rest of our lives.
“Ask me when the party is over,” I huff. “I deal with kids all day, every day, but it’s nothing like this.” In the classroom, there’s structure, control. Out there, it’s a free-for-all, chaotic mess.
“You’ll get used to it,” he promises. “We all had to.”
“Thank you for inviting Fletcher and Faith, by the way. Fletch is like a little kid out there.”
Colt shrugs, broad shoulders relaxing. “Figured it was about time Ben met his new aunt and uncle.”
“Aunt and uncle?”
“Are they not?” He asks, watching me, studying my reaction.
When I don’t answer fast enough, he lets the subject drop.
“I got you something when I went to pick up the trailer with all the laser tag stuff,” He leans in, whispering like he’s sharing top-secret information. The tension in the room disperses.
“You did?” I eye him skeptically. Is he about to pull out another dog? Ben was thrilled when he got his present. He's been showing Pippy—the dog—off to all his friends all day, but she’s a lot of work. I don’t think we can take on another dog right now.
“You’ll have to pour it over your own ice.”
“Colt, you didn’t!” I gasp in pleasure, hands flying to my warm cheeks. He pulls the fridge door open, pulling out a trente iced coffee.
“An iced caramel macchiato, ice-free.” Outside, a kid screams, echoing my internal reaction.
“You beautiful, beautiful man. I love you!” I slap a kiss to his cheek, pulling the drink out of his hand and taking a greedy gulp.
His eyebrows flick up. “Are you going to run away now?”
“No.” We never did end up talking about the last time I told him I loved him, two nights ago. I don’t know why he hasn’t brought it up until now, but I know I didn’t because I wasn’t ready to be rejected. I’m still not, but if it’s gonna happen, we might as well get it over with.
“Good,” he nods. “Then I can tell you I love you too.”
“You do?”
“Are you really that surprised?” He scoffs. “Really, Kayla?”
A flush climbs its way up my neck, coating my cheeks. I shrug meekly. “I wasn’t sure. You never said anything.”
“I moved you into my house. I changed mattresses for you. I flew your brother and sister-in-law out for our son’s birthday party.”
“You changed the mattresses?” Is that why I’ve been sleeping so much better?
“Jesus Christ, Kayla.” He drags his large hand down his face, huffing out a laugh. “Only you.”
“What?” I blink.
“I love you.” He repeats, looking at me expectantly.
“I love you too?” Didn’t we just do this?
“Well, as long as we’re on the same page, then,” he chuckles.
“Aw, man, where’s the big moment? That grand gesture?” Jake whines, popping out from behind the pantry door. “I’ve been waiting in there this whole time, and that’s all I got?”
“You’ve been in there this whole time?” Colt asks, eyebrows twitching.
“I was gonna let you know I was here, but then Kayla walked in. The group chat has been slow recently, so I thought I’d wait for some useful Kayter updates.”
“Wait, what’s a Kayter?” I ask, barely following the conversation.
“Apparently, it’s how the town refers to us,” Colt growls.
“Lemme just type out this text,” Jake mumbles, fiddling with his phone. “Kayter update: Declaration of love was mediocre at best. We may need to work on Colter’s romantic gestures next.”
“Do not send that,” Colt warns. “Jake, I swear to God.” Colter lunges too late. Jake’s already halfway out the door, smug as hell.
“Who did he send that to?” I ask, watching as he practically dances away.
“He’s got a whole group of meddlers that all think they’re matchmakers or something.”
I don’t even get to ask him any more questions about this very juicy topic because Ben comes barreling into the kitchen not even two seconds later.
“Kay! Dad! Come on! We’re doing birthday cake now!”
“And I almost missed it?” I gasp. “Thank God you came and got me. Let’s go.” The little boy grabs my hand and tugs, pulling me out of the kitchen, laughing. Colter follows closely behind us, shutting the door behind him so that no curious partygoers go snooping in the house.
Everyone crowds around the table as Ben makes a dramatic show of blowing out his candles, making a face when one candle is left.
“You have one girlfriend!” Nick cries, laughing at his friend.
“No, I don’t!” Ben argues.
“Okay, okay,” Mandy steps up behind the little boy, stopping a world war from breaking out. “Why don’t we get everyone a slice, hey Bud?”
“Okay,” he grumbles, a little annoyed by his friend but easily distracted by cake.
Who isn’t?
The party winds down an hour later. Parents filter in and out.
Gift bags get passed around. I do a sweep for any stray kids hiding under tables.
Ben and Nick, who’s sleeping over, finally collapse on the living room rug with a Lego set and a half-eaten cupcake.
Colter’s lounging on the couch behind them, talking with Fletcher about some baseball game, or maybe it’s football?
Either way, it’s a conversation I’m okay with missing out on.
Faith corners me by the sink as I rinse off plastic serving trays.
“Holy shit, Kayla,” she murmurs, bumping my hip with hers.
“What?”
“You moved away for four months, and you became a mom.”
I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “No, I didn’t.”
“That little boy loves you,” she tells me.
“I love him,” I shrug. “But I’m just his Dad’s girlfriend. Our relationship is still being built.”
“You’re a teacher, Kayla. You know how quickly kids build relationships. Don’t fool yourself.” She sets a stack of plastic cups in the sink and then goes to join Sylvie and Mandy at the breakfast table. She’s been obsessed with the town gossip, and Sylvie and Mandy have plenty to go around.
I turn back to the sink, letting the warm water run over my hands as I stare out the window at the porch where kids ran wild just an hour ago. It’s quiet now. Peaceful. A couple of balloons bob in the breeze, one tangled in the porch railing like it doesn’t want the party to be over either.
Behind me, I hear Colter’s steps approaching, a mix of heavy steps and smooth movements. A moment later, his arms slip around my waist, anchoring me right where I stand.
“You good?” he asks softly.
I nod, leaning back into his chest. “Yeah. I’m just taking a second.”
He hums against my hair. “You did good today, Sweets.”
I don’t say anything right away. I just close my eyes, letting the weight of his arms and the quiet kitchen settle around me like a promise.
“I never wanted this before,” I whisper. “The house. The chaos. The mess. But now that I’m in it,” I hesitate.
Colter kisses the side of my neck. “Now that you’re in it?”
“I don’t ever want out.”
His grip tightens just a little, and then he gives me my new favorite Colter smile.
It’s past midnight by the time everyone goes to bed.
Colter comes in from the backyard, where he’s just finished getting Ben and Nick set up in the tent.
Scott agreed to camp out overnight in exchange for a day off, so he’ll be close by if they need, but Colt’s still hesitant to leave them out there alone.
“You wanna leave the rest of the cleanup for tomorrow?” he asks.