Chapter 23 #2
Winnie scrambles to her feet as Alex lurches off the washing machine.
They practically shove their mother down the hallway.
By the time the front door swings open, they’re all resting nonchalantly on the living room couches, a bit flushed and out of breath, but her father doesn’t seem to notice.
He takes a moment to meet her eyes with a small yet firm nod, then turns on her brother with a look that says, I’ll get to you later. He gestures toward the kitchen.
“Your mother made lunch.”
Alex takes the out and jumps to his feet, always quick to follow orders when he’s in the hot seat.
Her mother takes her father’s hand and gently tugs him with her as she follows after her son.
Soon, it’s just Winnie, Ty, and the crew, but after so many weeks in front of the camera, it’s easy to forget they’re there.
The second Tyler walks over and settles his hands on her hips, the whole world fades away regardless.
“You don’t look surprised,” he says with his signature half-grin, a spark brightening his features. “Laundry room?”
Winnie pulls her lower lip between her teeth. “Maybe.”
“I should have known.”
“Again, maybe,” she says, this time with a slight smile. He did, after all, listen to many a conversation in there with her and Alex. But those were conversations between her parents about them. This time, she was snooping on him. “Are you mad?”
“How could I possibly be mad? I’m still in shock.” He groans and drops his forehead to her shoulder, burrowing his face against her neck. “I told him to fuck off, Win. How did that— What did I—”
“Hey, he wanted you to. You heard him!” She runs her fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp until he relaxes against her, tense muscles going soft in her arms. “They know, Ty,” she whispers.
With her palm to his cheek, she guides his face up until he’s finally looking at her. “They know. And they don’t care.”
He folds his arms around her waist in a big bear hug and lifts her off the ground so they’re eye to eye. “I love you.”
She practically melts on the spot. “I love you, too.”
He moves his lips closer, teasing her with his breath as their noses brush together.
Then he waits, as if he can sense her pounding pulse and he wants to draw it out, wants to let it build to a frenzy, wants to take all the time in the world because suddenly they have it.
Her heart does a little somersault inside her chest, because he’s so big and strong and solid and sexy and somehow he’s all hers.
She clutches him, her feet still dangling a foot off the ground, but she’s not scared.
She’s eager, for his touch and his lips and the promise within them.
Tyler closes the distance.
Alex’s voice stops him. “Get a room!”
He growls against her lips, the rumble vibrating through her with their chests so close, and halts the kiss before it’s even begun. “I’m going to kill him.”
“Get in line.”
With a sigh he sets her back on her feet, their foreheads touching. “You ready?”
“We should probably figure out a game plan first,” she comments lightly. Tyler looks down at her with a frown. Her grin deepens. “Knife? Poison? You distract my parents while I go in for the kill?”
He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her in, laughing into her hair. “Come on.”
They step into the kitchen still beaming at each other, Winnie tucked up against his side, faces close, their fingers loosely clasped by her collarbone.
Three sets of eyes land on them and they pause.
Thirty seconds pass without a sound, a word, a move.
It’s different. It’s new. Is her family really okay seeing her and Ty like this?
The oven dings.
Her mother turns to gather her mitts, and Alex makes a dive for the cozonac taunting him from the center of the kitchen island.
The nutty sweetbread takes hours to make and is thus usually reserved for special occasions—Christmas, Easter, birthdays, and apparently, television appearances.
The temptation is too much for her brother to handle.
But her mom’s got eyes in the back of her head.
Before his fingers even reach the loaf, she snaps a dish towel like a whip. Alex yelps and snatches his hand back.
“Ow, Mom! Shit!”
“Language,” her father booms. But as soon as her mom returns to the oven, it’s his grubby paws that are reaching for the bread. He tears a piece off before Yetta sees. A devious grin lights his face as he tosses the chunk between his lips.
Winnie shakes her head with a laugh.
Alex glances around in disbelief.
Her mom just rolls her eyes as she nudges the oven closed with her hip, fully aware what went on behind her back. “Tyler, dear, help yourself.”
Alex’s jaw drops even farther.
“Can’t say no to that.”
Winnie folds her lips between her teeth, trying to hide her mirth as Ty leans forward to rip off a piece.
He gives it to her, then takes some for himself before throwing Alex a huge chunk.
Her brother catches it easily and tears off an obnoxiously large bite with his teeth.
Midchew, he finds Winnie’s gaze over his fingers and offers a sly wink.
Just like that, it’s done.
No more awkwardness. No more curious glances.
When Ty grabs her hands again, it’s accepted.
When she leans into his side, no one bats an eye.
Alex does pretend to gag when they swap a quick kiss, but he’s an immature child stuck in a twenty-six-year-old’s body so it fits.
They settle around the table, talking about the show and catching up, forgetting about the cameras unless production chimes in, asking for something to be repeated or explained for the audience.
That part is a bit unnatural, but everything else feels so utterly normal, Winnie almost can’t believe it.
They’re the same little unit, only better, because instead of yearning for Ty from across the room, she holds his hand under the table, squeezing his fingers in silent commentary, and he meets her eyes with an unspoken response.
Every so often, she catches a gleam of approval in her father’s gaze or an edge of contentment in her mother’s smile, and she knows this is right.
This is how they were always meant to be.