Bergman’s had agreed to usher us in the back, which would help a little. But the truth was the world would know about the courtship by the end of the day. The staff would do their best to head off any photographers, but they weren’t perfect, and it wasn’t really their job.

I tugged on Esme’s ponytail, currently woven through the back of her baseball cap she wore with sunglasses. She was still recognizable, but I recognized her need for armor.

She looked back at me and smiled before holding up her wrist. My heat gift was there. A simple bracelet with five beads which looked like nothing but silver. But they were little scent pods. All five of us had input our scent into one, so if she needed comfort or anything else, she could have our scent near her.

When I picked it up at Nest Inc. I wasn’t sure she’d like it. I was proven wrong when I gave it to her before we left the house. Her eyes turned glassy, and she jumped in an attempt to get her arms around my neck. The rest of them had found us making out against the front door.

Kade’s gift had been silky pajamas she wore last night in the nest since her bed wasn’t ready, and all of us slept in there with her. None of us were quite ready to let it go.

There was a service at the house right now cleaning the nest and the cushions from the heat without completely removing the scent marking on all the fabric.

Esme was fidgeting, her fingers tapping back and forth on her leg. So I scooped her hand up in mine and kissed the back of it. “You’re okay.”

“I know.” She didn’t sound like she did.

Kade looked over his shoulder. “Should have called Addison. She’s going to be furious we did this without her.”

I snorted. “She can be pissed all she likes. This isn’t about her.”

Esme squeezed my hand. “I like your sister.”

“I love my sister. But this is about the six of us. I’m sure she’ll corner you into another shopping trip soon enough.”

“So, where do we start?” Rylan asked. “This place is huge.”

Luke swiped on his phone. “Paint seems like a good place to start.”

“They have paint here?” Esme asked. “House paint?”

“We have everything here.” An imperious voice sounded in front of us, and a man in a suit appeared. “You must be Miss Williams.”

“That’s me.”

“I’m Mr. Syme, the manager. I spoke to your pack on the phone earlier.”

Luke stepped forward and offered a hand. Mr. Syme shook it. “Thank you for helping with discretion.”

The man nodded. “I can’t guarantee anything more.”