I’m...happy. I want to hold on to this moment as long as I can, sharing it with the two people I care about. Everything feels different. Like a puzzle coming together, the last piece fitting just right between us.

Chapter Eighteen

When I get out of the shower the next morning, my bed is empty. I hear Shane thumping around in the kitchen, and the bathroom door closes, letting me know where Penelope is.

We all slept together last night, though we didn’t go for another round. She’s going to need to rest some sore muscles, I think.

I head to the kitchen, following my nose, and pour myself coffee while I watch Shane frying bacon. I don’t know what to say that won’t sound awkward. But I don’t want to not say something because that might be worse.

He sends me a smirk over his shoulder. “So, that happened.”

And just like that, it’s all good.

We don’t normally eat breakfast together. Our morning schedules are all kind of crazy, so most of the time it’s toast on the run, but this is nice. I even set the table. And when Penelope comes in and gives us a shy smile, my heart does an extra beat.

“We’re all okay, right?” Shane asks as he sits down and digs into his plate. I forget sometimes that he’s not always the confident, cocky ass he shows most of the world. It’s not like we sit around and talk about feelings and shit. But he’s obviously not as sure of himself as he pretends to be.

“Yeah. We’re all okay,” Penelope says. “I meant to tell you thank you for the roses. That was very sweet.”

He looks relieved and takes another bite.

“Yeah. Thanks for not burning the house down with the candles too. I think we need to get more in case we get another storm.” I take a bite of my own breakfast. “This is the best fucking bacon ever,” I say. “What did you do to it?”

“Brown sugar,” Shane answers and keeps eating.

But my bacon is paused halfway to my mouth. “When did you start caring about cooking? This is seriously good.”

He shrugs. “I barely passed my last lit test, which got me to thinking that I needed a back-up plan in case I fail out of college.”

“You’re not going to fail out of college.” He’s got both of us right here ready to help him any way we can. Penelope is a superbrain and I’m no academic slouch. “So your back-up plan is cooking?”

He drains his OJ. “Nope. My back-up plan is making sure I’m so damn useful that you never kick me out of the garage apartment. I figure I can be like that lady on the Brady Bunch.” He looks at Penelope. “What was her name?”