Page 109

“They won’t get involved,” Cassian answers. “Not with this.”

“Okay…next question.” I look at Larissa, nervous. “What’s going to keep the two of them from killing me while I sleep?”

Larissa rolls her eyes, but Sophia laughs. “Goodness, Piper. I’m not in the business ofmurderingpeople. I’ve found keeping them alive is far more rewarding.”

“And lucrative,” Cassian adds wryly.

“Well, yes.” She presses her lips together to hide her smile. “That too.”

“I guess it’s okay if they stay here,” I reluctantly tell Noah. “Unless you’ve changed your mind?”

Please say you changed your mind.

He wants to stay—I can tell he does.

“Let’s talk for a minute,” he says.

We leave Cassian, Sophia, and Larissa in the living room. I follow Noah down the hall, past the mudroom, and into the covered back porch. Grandpa took out the screen panels when I was young and replaced them with actual windows, but the room tends to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer. And even though it’s cooling down outside now that the sun has set, it’s still hot in here.

I don’t use the space often, but I might have to put a cot in here for one of my new house guests. Either that or give up my growing room (not happening) or my office.

“I’m not leaving you alone with them,” Noah says. “I know Cassian trusts them, but I don’t.”

I like where the conversation is going.

“He can’t trust Sophia all that much,” I point out. “He almost staked her the other day.”

Noah shoves his hand into his hair. “Your father is going to kill me.”

“This might work out in our favor. If you’re here, I don’t mind if they stay. And I don’t think my parents will care as much if we’re not alone together.”

A grim smile plays over his lips. “I’ll mind.”

“I guess we could just get married,” I joke. “Then there’s not a lot they could say.”

His eyes latch on mine. “An intriguing option.”

I smile. “You can’t marry a woman just because her parents are difficult.”

“What are you talking about? Haven’t you ever heard of a shotgun wedding?”

“One small problem—I’m not pregnant.”

He makes a “meh” face, like that’s a tiny detail.

I laugh to myself, shaking my head. “For the time being, this is the best solution we have.”

“Where are you going to put them?” he asks.

I look around. “They’re going to have to bunk in here, I guess. I’ll see if I can borrow a couple of Max’s camping cots.” When I notice his concerned frown, I ask, “Nowwhat’s wrong?”

“I feel bad making them sleep on cots while I’m in a bed.”

“You need to suppress this chivalrous streak—it’s becoming inconvenient.”

He laughs likeI’mthe ridiculous one, and then he hugs me. “It’s going to be okay.”

I cuddle against his chest. “If you say so.”