“Yeah.” I shift on my feet then motion with my thumb over my shoulder. “I’m going to go get dressed.”

“You want me to bring you a cup in there or you wanna wait until you’re done?”

“I’ll wait,” I tell him, then look at Dayton. “I’ll be back.”

“All right, sweetheart.” He smiles and I spin on my heel and head back into the room hearing him say, “If I knew she was staying here I would have crashed with Miles.”

Closing the door, I cut off whatever Clay’s reply is, then grab my overnight bag and take it with me into the bathroom.

It takes me about forty minutes to get through my full morning routine and after I’m dressed, I slip on my heels and open the bedroom door. When I step out of the room, I find not only Dayton sitting at the island in the kitchen, but Miles and Winter are as well, along with a woman with long dark hair.

As soon as Winter spots me she jumps down off her stool and runs across the room shouting “Willow.”

“Hey, sweet girl.” I smile and cup the back of her head as she wraps her arms around my waist.

“My mom is here.” She jerks her head back to grin up at me.

“Oh yeah?” I lift my head and look at the woman who had her back to me earlier and I’m stunned by how beautiful she is.

“Nice to meet you, Willow.” She slides off her stool with ease and smiles as she walks toward us. “I’ve heard nothing but good things about you from Winter.”

“Your girl is the sweetest.”

“She is.” She smiles down at Winter then holds her hand out toward me. “I’m Hazel.”

“But everyone calls her El,” Winter tells me.

“They do.” Hazel laughs. “I was getting to that.”

“Nice to meet you.” I laugh as Miles calls Winter over to finish her breakfast.

“You, too.” She focuses back on me when Winter is up on her stool. “And I’m sorry about your friend. Miles told me when he got home last night.”

“Thanks,” I say quietly, and she nods.

“Baby, come eat some breakfast.” Clay calls out and I look in his direction.

“So, you locked down the un-keepable Clay, huh?” she asks under her breath.

“Umm,” I mumble, not sure how to respond. I want to think that I’ve got my claws in him as deep as his are in me, but I honestly don’t know if they are.

“Never mind, I don’t think you keep a man like him, I think you just accept that you’re his after he’s claimed you.” She winks at me then walks away.

With a breath, I head into the kitchen and as soon as I’m within touching distance, Clay reaches for my hand, grasps it, then pulls me close enough to touch his mouth to mine. “Love the shoes,” he whispers, before he leans back.

I swallow from the look in his eyes.