Chapter 9
I was on my way to the kitchen when I heard Daniel’s and Hudson’s voices drifting to me from behind a small open door we had skipped during the tour.
I peeked through the doorway and stepped into what I expected to be a storage closet. But it wasn’t just that.
The room had clearly started as a utility space. One side contained shelves lined with buckets, cleaning supplies, and plumbing tools. But the rest had been completely transformed.
A large, custom-built table occupied most of the space, and on it sat an entire miniature village—not a quick weekend project, but a whole world.
Snow-covered mountains, winding train tracks, a station with blinking lights, rows of tiny houses and shops.
There was a town square with market stalls, dogs in the park, and people mid-conversation.
The details were so rich, it looked like the figures would start moving at any moment.
Daniel and Hudson were standing over the village, completely absorbed. They were so excited, they looked like little kids.
“Look at this,” Daniel said, glancing up as I stepped farther inside. “Hudson added a whole mountain village.” He pointed to a cluster of wooden huts nestled high in the faux snow. Each hut had its own chimney and windowpanes painted with frost.
I moved closer. There was just so much to see.
“This is incredible. You two built all of this?” I asked.
Daniel nodded. “It was my escape. I loved working on it with Hudson.”
“When I started all this for Daniel, I thought it was just a kid’s toy,” Hudson said. “But once we got the trains running, I got hooked. Now it’s my favorite thing to do in my spare time. Every piece in here is hand-painted.”
“Wow.” I leaned over the edge to take in the tiny faces of the people at the market. Some had red cheeks and even makeup. Others were waving or carrying grocery bags. The detail was incredible.
I straightened up and looked around the room again. The light was dim, with just one bare bulb overhead, casting a warm glow across the scene. It still felt like a utility room. I couldn’t help but wonder: why hide something this beautiful in here?
Daniel seemed to hear the question out loud.
“My dad wasn’t a very warm person,” he said, picking up a small figure of a woman in a summer dress. “He didn’t really like kids. Hated seeing toys around. It actually made him angry. So we built it in here. Kept it quiet. He had no idea all this even existed.”
Hudson rested a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. There was something in the gesture that said more than words could.
“I’ve had some of my best memories right here with you,” he said. “Some of them will replay in front of my eyes when I leave this world. That’s how much they mean to me.”
Daniel smiled at the figure in his hand, but I knew the smile was meant for Hudson.
Something in my stomach sank, heavy and sharp, like I’d swallowed a stone.
We had been at the Breakers for less than an hour, and I had already learned more about Daniel’s past than I had in nearly four years together.
I’d never imagined his father had been cold or unloving.
I had no idea Daniel needed to hide joy in a storage room.
Hudson cleared his throat. “Of course, I’ll also never forget the time you cried for days because one of your favorite socks went missing in the laundry.”
Daniel burst out laughing. “We searched the entire house. Even the maid’s panty drawer.”
“To this day, I can’t believe you made me do that,” Hudson said. He shot a look at me. “He blackmailed me. Swore he’d cry for another week if I didn’t. With her permission, I looked for his sock. It was awful. I felt like a terrible human.”
Daniel was still laughing, but his voice softened. “As a grown man, I now understand why you fought me on that so much. I kinda almost can’t believe you actually did it. You could’ve told me to suck it up. To go to my room and cry it out.”
“Ah,” Hudson said. “The maid laughed it off. She didn’t mind. She felt bad for you. We all did. You thought those socks gave you superpowers. How was I supposed to take that from you, considering everything you went through with your—”
His voice cut off.
The room fell quiet. I looked between the two of them, sensing the weight of what hadn’t been said.
Daniel turned to me, his voice light. “This room used to be my safe zone. My little escape. But I think it’s time we move all of this out of the closet and into the library.”
Hudson nodded slowly. “I agree.”
“We said five minutes,” Tara said from the doorway, her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised. “Just so you know, I’m not reheating lunch for grown men who ditched a homemade meal to play with trains. Emily, come, sweetheart. I won’t let them hold a hungry woman hostage for toys.”
“My apologies, ma’am,” Daniel replied, mock-formal. “We’re coming right away.”
I couldn’t help but giggle, and I threw a look at Daniel as we followed Tara down the hall.
The dining room looked beautiful: simple but elegant.
In the center of the table sat a vase of fresh white flowers.
The vase was surrounded by wine glasses, tall water pitchers, and plates.
A colorful salad, buttered vegetables, and a bubbling casserole were laid out buffet-style for us to help ourselves.
“Wine, anyone?” Tara asked, reaching for the bottle.
Everyone shook their heads.
“All right, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything,” she said, turning to go.
“You’re not eating with us?” Daniel asked.
Tara hesitated, glancing at Hudson like she needed permission or guidance.
“You eat with Hudson, don’t you?” he asked.
She nodded slowly.
“Well then, you’ll eat with us too.” Daniel was already pulling out a chair.
“The more the merrier,” I added, smiling.
“Plus, you’re the only one who can keep Hudson in check,” Daniel joked.
That made her laugh. “That is true. All right then, I’ll get my plate.”
She returned a moment later and set her plate and silverware beside Hudson’s seat.
I glanced at Daniel. He was already digging into the casserole. A sense of quiet pride stirred in my chest. He had a way of treating everyone—staff, strangers, anyone, really—with real kindness.
I filled my plate and took a bite. Tara’s vegetables were tossed in something buttery and herby. Thyme maybe? And the casserole was just the right kind of crispy on top.
“This is so good,” I said.
Daniel and Hudson chimed in with compliments of their own.
Tara lit up with pride. “Oh, this is nothing,” she said, waving them off. “I basically threw it together in a few minutes.”
Hudson scoffed. “You were in that kitchen all morning. Everything’s from scratch.”
“As if you know what I do in there,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I did scramble this together in no time, and it’s okay. But wait until you all try my honey-roasted turkey legs. This casserole will seem like barn feed compared to those.”
“Of course. Yes, ma’am,” Hudson said.
Daniel and I exchanged a grin across the table. He cleared his throat, a playful glint in his eye. “I was thinking we could take a little boat ride along the coast after lunch.”
I perked up immediately. “That sounds amazing!”
“The water’s calm today,” he said. “We could cruise down the coast to Rockport or Rockland. Walk around, explore a little.”
I looked at him like he’d just handed me a wrapped gift.
“Only if you want to,” he added.
“Oh my God. I’m so excited,” I said, taking another bite of casserole. Then I grabbed the water pitcher and topped off everyone’s glasses. “This was such a good idea, coming here.”
I didn’t remember the last time I’d felt this calm. Or this peaceful. Being here with all of them, it just felt right. Like the family I’d always wanted and never had.
My chair creaked softly as I sat back down and did my best to ignore the burning sensation behind my eyes. I wasn’t going to cry over lunch. Not over a meal with a group of people I’d only just met. That would look ridiculous. So I swallowed the tears and forced myself to smile.
But Daniel noticed. I saw it in the way he paused mid-bite, his eyes lingering on me. Then his gaze drifted, just slightly, toward the hallway. His expression shifted for a moment, like something flickered behind his eyes. It was a flicker of worry, or maybe something else entirely.
Whatever it was, he shook it off quickly and looked back at me with his wide, easy smile.
“Glad you like it here,” he said.