A soft knock sounds on the door and we break apart, gasping for air.

“Jace?” Claire’s soft voice comes through the door. “You said you’d be right back to read me the story. Mom says I have to go to bed soon.”

Jace curses quietly under his breath. I slide off his lap, pulling my shirt back down.

“Okay, Claire,” he calls back. “I’ll be right up.” He gives me an apologetic look and stands. “Better than being one of my brothers,” he says, helping me up off the floor. “They would have just barged in.”

I laugh. “Not the impression I want to leave your family with.”

“Get some sleep,” Jace tells me. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

He gives me a quick kiss, but I step closer to him, deepening it. Electricity pulses between us again.

Jace pulls back with a groan. “Viv, that’s not helping.”

I smirk at him. “You’re the one who came to say good night.”

“Best and worst decision I ever made,” Jace says before he opens my door and disappears into the hallway.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The entire Dawson family stands out in the front yard early the following morning. Everyone except for me, Jace, and his parents are wearing pajamas. I took advantage of the long drive as an excuse to put on a comfy pair of yoga pants and the oversized Fulton Football sweatshirt Jace gave me before the game on Thanksgiving as a farewell gesture to a place I’ll never forget.

“I double-checked the whole engine,” Mr. Dawson tells Jace as he loads up the truck’s bed with our bags. “You shouldn’t have any trouble this trip.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Jace replies, giving him a quick hug.

Ellen hands me a heavy paper grocery bag. “Here are some snacks for the road.”

“Thank you,” I reply, feeling a lump form in my throat at the love behind the gesture. The emotion must show on my face, because she immediately pulls me into a hug.

“I’m so glad Jace brought you home, Vivienne,” she whispers to me. “I’ve never seen him happier, and I’ve loved getting to know you. You’ll always be welcome here.”

I’m too choked up to form a response, but I give her an appreciative look I hope conveys my gratitude.

Mr. Dawson hugs me as well, and then I’m passed along through the younger Dawsons. I hug Claire first.

“Will you come back and visit again?” she asks me.

“I would love to,” I reply truthfully, although I know I never will.

Her face lights up. “Even if you don’t marry Jace?”

“Claire, no one else is getting married,” Alden chimes in, giving me a hug next.

“But Mom said boys and girls only stay in the same room at night if they’re getting married, and Jace was in Viv’s room last night.”

Silence follows this announcement. I’m certain my face has never been redder.

“He must have been in her room to read her a bedtime story,” Mike suggests, grinning widely.