Page 141 of Code of Heart

She turned, eyes ringed silver, and found him watching her with that open, vulnerable expression she had only recently begun to see and cherish.

Speechless, she crossed the room and threw her arms around his neck, ignoring the protest of her sore ribs and ankle as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck.

“Thank you,” she whispered against his skin, her voice thick with emotion. “It’s…It’s flawless. More than I could have imagined. I…thank you.”

Levi held her close, his arms strong but careful, his lips brushing against her temple.

“You’re welcome,” he murmured. His voice was rough, full of feelings too big to contain. “I meant it when I said I wanted to earn your forgiveness. This…this is the first step. The first of many.”

He pulled back far enough to look into her eyes, his thumbs brushing her cheeks.

“You deserve the world, Aurelia,” he whispered. “And this fool is going to spend every day proving that to you.”

She smiled through the welling tears, her heart so full it ached.

Levi swallowed hard, his voice lighter now despite the intensity in his eyes. “I’m getting you a new laptop, too. Full setup. But for now…” His lips curved faintly. “I hope the lady of the house is pleased with her new workspace.”

Aurelia looked up at him, her breath catching as the space between them shrank. His lips were so close she could feel his breath on hers, and in that moment—full of gratitude, love, and a thousand unsaid words—she gave in.

Closing the final sliver of distance between them, she kissed him, her lips saying everything she wasn’t quite ready to say aloud.

Aurelia had never hosted more than one person in her home before, but any lingering nerves quickly vanished the moment their friends arrived.

The atmosphere was relaxed, with loungewear as the official dress code and no pretense of formality. In true Owen fashion, he declared that a potluck buffet of fast food was the only appropriate meal for the evening.

Now the kitchen island was a smorgasbord of pure, unapologetic chaos—fried chicken, tacos, burgers and fries, pizza, sandwiches, Chinese takeout, and even sushi, which had somehow sparked a passionate debate about whether it qualified as fast food.

Aurelia and Levi had at least attempted to contribute healthier options, represented by the tragically untouched fruit platter and a lonely house salad wilting in the corner.

“In no way is sushi fast food,” Isaac declared, eyeing the suspicious rolls as he hovered over the pizza boxes.

Owen huffed, already halfway through a plate of fries. “Fast food meansfood you can get fast. I acquired sushifast, which, by definition, makes it fast food. Took me less time than you did picking out your fancy pizzas.”

Isaac shot him a flat look. “Fancy pizzas that you took two slices of and inhaled before anyone else could try them.”

“I’m an equal opportunity food sampler,” Owen retorted, pointing a fry at him like a weapon. “And don’t you dare shame me! You’re the one discriminating against sushi while happily hoarding spring rolls and lo mein.”

“I’m too hungry to debate this nonsense,” Isaac muttered, piling his plate high with his non-sushi selections.

“You’re right,” Owen agreed cheerfully through a mouthful of fries. “We need to fuel up first…so I’ll have the energy to properly educate you on how wrong you are.Again.”

No one even bothered to sit at the dining table. Instead, they congregated in the living room, letting Aurelia keep her injured foot elevated in comfort. The fire crackled in the hearth, and—unsurprisingly—a POLmArK TV Romance was playing quietly in the background. Owen’s doing, no doubt.

Aurelia had invited her new friend, Adelen, to join them, but work had tied her up. She promised to come next time.

Despite everything that happened, she was happy to have everyone gathered together like this. She waded through her thoughts until Grace’s soft voice cut through them.

“Oh, honey…what’s wrong?”

Heads turned toward her, concern instantly replacing the easy smiles. That was when Aurelia felt the wetness on her cheeks. Tears. Happy tears.

She laughed, wiping them away as she shook her head. “Sorry. I…I was thinking about how happy I am to know every one of you. How effortlessly you accepted me as one of you, and I guess that…snuck up on me. This whole ‘not burying your emotions’ thing is a wild ride.”

Grace reached for her hand, her smile tender. “Time heals all wounds, my friend. But even when the pain fades, the scars stay. You’re handling it beautifully.”

Ivy smirked and raised her glass. “And if you don’t heal like a delicate flower, you do it like a bad bitch. Either way, we’ve got your back.”

“This,” Owen declared dramatically, placing a hand over his heart, “this is what it means to have a squad. Just like inCheering for Lovewhen the cheer squad rallied around their coach after the kelp farmer she fell in love with broke her heart—”