I tapped the top of her head and said in a strained voice, “Thank you.” I wanted to show more gratitude but she was currently depriving my lungs of necessary oxygen.

“Mom!” Matt’s deep voice rumbled along the walls of their entryway as he came up behind her. “Give him some room.”

He lightly touched her shoulder, and she released her death grip. I took a step toward Matt and shook his hand.

Matt was as tall as me, which said a lot considering I usually towered over everyone. If I were anyone else, he would have terrified me. His dark eyes scanned me head to toe, sizing me up—trying to intimidate me. Lucky for me, I knew better than to fall in that trap. James Bond didn’t get nervous around his crush’s older brother. We shook hands and his glare lessened slightly. I scanned the large living room for Olive, but she was nowhere to be found. Before I could ask, Matt answered my question.

“She’s with Taylor in her room.” He jerked his head in the direction of the long hallway covered in family photos. I nodded and made my way past him and Denise.

I glanced at the framed pictures and smiled to myself. There were some of each kid at different events. Graduations, football games, academic awards. It gave me a small pang of jealousy. I had always wished for a single sibling, but having two would’ve been incredible to me. I stopped at a picture of Olive and her sister, Sarah. Posed in front of the same house I stood in, they had their arms wrapped around each other in a tight embrace. Big smiles spread across their cheeks, and Olive appeared to be mid-laugh. She had the prettiest smile I’d ever seen, and the picture made me wish I saw it more.

Laughter filtered into the hall from behind a closed door at the end of the hall. I assumed it was Olive’s, so I leaned closer to the light filtering through the crack to listen.

“You totally should!” Her sister-in-law said, laughing through her words.

Olive’s stern voice followed. “Um. Absolutely not. Please just stop talking.”

I’d heard that same tone before on the plane, when I initially suggested helping her with her family. Out of curiosity, I stepped closer.

“Why not? He would love it. You could go over there and get some privacy.” Taylor’s tone was suggestive, and I grinned.