“I’d love to.” Syrup coats my words and I glare at Devin.

He grunts in the affirmative.

Sounds like we’ve got a date.

* * * *

Okay, so not a date. More like I’m crashing a family dinner.

“Come in, darling. Come in. Come in!” Mandy, Rob’s wife, tells me as I stand awkwardly in their entryway. She waves me forward and pulls me into a full-contact hug once I’m in arm’s reach. She rocks me back and forth, reminding me of my grandmother. Grannie Allen hugs me like I’ve just returned from the edge of the world after years of toiling to save the human race. Grannie’s arms wrap me in love. And so do Mandy’s.

“We’re huggers,” she explains when she lets me go. “I’m Mandy Reece. Rob’s better half.”

“And she doesn’t let me forget it either,” Rob teases behind her. Without looking, Mandy smacks him on the shoulder.

“Jessie!” Rebecca calls from the top of the stairs, jogging down to greet me.

“Rebecca!” I call.

“Urgh. I hate Rebecca. Everyone calls me Becs.” She slides in between me and Mandy, wrapping me in a hug. “We’re huggers.”

“So I’ve been warned.” I hug her in return, picking her up and shaking her like a ragdoll. When in Rome. I set her down again and look at her. She’s a beautiful young woman. She has Devin’s same olive skin and dark hair, but her eyes are a lighter hazel color. She’s just as striking, but softer and more feminine than her brother. She’ll be a little heartbreaker, no doubt. “Becs Bennett? How alliterative. Tell me, BeeBee”—I pause to let her take in her new nickname—“did your brother bring you so that I’d go easy on him?”

A growl from the end of the hall alerts me to Devin’s presence. My heart drops into my stomach so it has more room to do its compulsory happy dance. He’s leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed and a small scowl on those beautiful lips. He’s cleaned up in a button-down shirt and dark jeans. His face is clean-shaven and his hair is freshly washed and slicked back. My fingers itch to mess it up.

Still tucked into my side, Becs giggles. “Nah. I live here. Rob and Mandy adopted me forever and a day ago. Dev didn’t tell you?”

That explains why Rob talked about her as though she was his daughter, because she is his daughter. The shop is one big family and they’ve welcomed me with open arms. The realization warms my chest. I resist the urge to ask what happened to her parents. Their parents.

“Dev isn’t much of a talker. He’s the strong silent type.”

Becs slides out from under my arm and prowls up to her brother. “I wish. Big brother lives to lecture me!” She pokes him in the side and he curls forward with an exaggerated howl.

“When you need it.” He gives her a gentle shove on her shoulder. She sticks her tongue out at him. They’re sweet together. I love the playful side of Devin Bennett. He catches me staring, my eyes no doubt wide with giddy delight, and nods. “We eatin’ or what?”