“Your home is beautiful,” I compliment Ellen as we stop in the kitchen.

“Thank you, dear,” she replies. “We’ll make sure to give you the full tour tomorrow morning when it’s light out.” Shifting her gaze away from me, she adds, “Time for bed, you three. I let you stay up until your brother arrived, but there’s lots to be done tomorrow to get ready for Thursday, so get some sleep.”

I turn to see a young girl with blonde hair in braids and two boys with identical mops of curly brown hair studying me closely. I smile, and they all look away shyly.

“Come on. Vivienne and Jace will still be here tomorrow,” Jace’s mom tells them. “Patrick, can you herd them upstairs?”

I turn to see Jace’s dad adding a log to the wood stove. He shuts the grate and comes into the kitchen to follow Ellen’s request. “Let’s go, kiddos.” His voice is low, but the three kids listen to him immediately, scurrying out of the kitchen back toward the staircase. Mr. Dawson gives me a kind smile. “Lovely to meet you, Vivienne,” he says before heading toward the stairs himself.

“Let me show you where you’ll be staying,” Ellen tells me once the kitchen has cleared out. “Jace, bring her bags.” I bite back a smile at her bossy tone and follow her out a side door from the kitchen.

We walk down a short hallway decorated with framed photos and crayon drawings until we come to an open door. Ellen steps inside and switches on the light, revealing a small, tidy room. The wall to the right is taken up by a twin bed with a colorful quilt spread across it. The left side of the room holds a washer and dryer with a couple of woven baskets sitting atop them. The entire wall we’re facing is lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves, containing a random assortment of items that includes books, board games, and a sewing machine.

“I’m sorry it’s not larger,” Jace’s mom says apologetically. “We usually use Jace’s old room for guests these days, but with him home, this is the only other option. Good news is it’s the closest bed to the kitchen and the wood stove, so you’ll be warm and have first dibs on food.”

I smile. “It’s great, Ellen. Thank you.”

She smiles back. “I’ll go grab you some clean towels. The bathroom is just across the hall.”

Ellen bustles out of the room, leaving me and Jace standing in the tiny room. He sets my two suitcases down in the corner next to the washing machine.

“So this is where the great Jace Dawson grew up, huh?”

“It is,” Jace replies. “What do you think?” His voice is teasing, but there’s an undercurrent of uncertainty I’m surprised I detect.

“I love it,” I tell him honestly. “Definitely an improvement from my double in Kennedy Hall.” And much homier than the palace I grew up in.

He grins. “I’m beat, so I’m going to head to bed. My room is the one at the top of the stairs, first door on the left. Get me if you need anything, okay?”