The good-natured smile left Rowan’s face, and his expression turned somber. “Mom, no more of that.”

The energy around the table changed.

The smiles dimmed, and everyone seemed to take a collective breath.

Jill was not ready to back down, though.

“All I’m saying is, it’s been five years, and I know his mother—”

“Enough!” Rowan slammed his palm down on the table, and glasses rattled, teetering.

I flinched, but no one else seemed too shaken. Calliope caught her glass before it toppled over then sipped from it casually.

Rowan’s father shook his head.

Kendra whispered to her son for swiping through the frosting on one of the cakes. Keith seemed to be looking at some kind of game that was playing on the TV in the other room.

It seemed only I was disturbed by Rowan’s sudden outburst. I was the only one out of the loop about whatever it was with Kip.

He and his mother stared at each other a beat longer before whatever it was in the air dissipated.

“What do you use to make this cake so rich, Nora?” Kendra asked, licking the tines of her fork. “I’ve never tasted anything like this before.”

I took one more glance at Rowan, worried and curious, before I answered.

Things went smoothly from there on out, but I shelved the conversation for later.

It was hard to hold on to it, though, surrounded by the sounds of the house. The laughter and easy conversation during after-dinner coffee. With the warm hugs from everyone as they said goodbye. Promises and plans made for the future.

Yes, it was hard to hold on to the one black spot in the day.

Hard, but not impossible.

* * *

We were driving home Christmas night. Even though Jill had urged us to stay, Rowan had firmly said no.

When I’d tried to argue about it, he’d pulled me to the side and said, “Wanna fuck you so hard you scream tonight. Not plannin’ on doin’ that under my parent’s roof.”

I did not try to argue any further.

Maggie was sleeping over with her ‘cousins’ who loved her dearly and weren’t yet allowed a dog. The sleepover was a ‘test run’ of them walking her, feeding her and cleaning up her mess.

They were then driving down with Maggie and the entire family to check out my bakery and spend New Year’s Eve with us.

I had been delighted at the news since I found myself utterly at home with each of them and anxious to spend more time with them. But I also had about a million things to do in order to show them the best time.

“Stop,” Rowan commanded.

I stared at him in question since I hadn’t been speaking.

“You’re thinking about spending the next week baking, cooking, decorating, cleaning or whatever the fuck in order to host my family.”

I gaped at him. “I knew you were amazing, but I didn’t know you were also a mind reader.”