Page 136 of Happily Ever After… Again and Again

He’s not sure if she’s asking or if she’s making a very accurate observation. “Mmm. Very. They’re all…wonderful. Why?”

She looks over his shoulder, so Nix turns her ninety degrees so he can see what’s caught her attention. Celeste is holding up her sobbing father. They’ve come to a standstill on the dance floor. Nix doesn’t speak more than a few words in Greek, but Mr. Stavros is clutching his beloved daughter to him like he’s lost her forever, and like they don’t just live next door.

“I love her, you know. More than anyone or anything. It’s…”

“Scary.”

Her eyes snap to his, “Yeah. I’m petrified. Petrified, I’m going to lose her, or love her too hard, or whatever…it’s a lot.”

Nix can identify with that. He’s got seven mates that he loves in the same way. He won’t tell her it’s sometimes worse with the kids. “But it’s worth it.”

“I know it is. I know. But how do I live with it? It hurts so…good.” Another tear makes its way down her cheek.

Ansel appears behind her shoulder, on the edge of the floor and the familiar song is coming to an end.

Nix pulls the cotton handkerchief Lauren had pressed into his hand when she’d put them into the cars. It had a tiny yellow sun embroidered on it. He dabs at Winnie’s tears before tucking it into her palm.

“You live. You love her every day, the most you can; and youlive. That’s it. Be sure to tell her all the time. Show her how much she has changed your life for the better.”

Nix can’t help the love he sends across his bonds,lighting his mates up wherever they are. He hears Jamie’s gasp from across the room and knows he’s going to have a protective alpha on his hands in ten seconds. Grayson is quicker, hovering behind Ansel, his soulmate filling their soul with adoration and a sizzle of desire.

He hearsNix?across his link with Finn, who has stopped speaking mid-sentence. They’re still working on the two-way nature of the bond, but so far, they can manage this and one other thing.

I’m good, Finnie. Love you.

I love you, too.

He focuses on Winnie again just as the last notes of the song play. She hauls him into her arms and turns so she can kiss him on the cheek. “You make it sound easy, but I think I can do that. Thanks—for everything.”

He kisses her cheek in return, watching as Jamie and Grayson play rock, paper, scissors to see who gets to dance with him next. There’s a soft hand at his waist, and Luca slips up behind him with Gideon in tow.

“Can we have this dance?” Luca asks, smelling of mocha-thunderstorms and satisfaction.Yum.

Gideon already has his hand on Nix’s hip when he hazards a glance at the two distracted alphas, not realizing they are about to miss their opportunity.

Whispering so only he can hear, he chuckles. “Love you, Oswina Stavros-Chappelle.”

“Ditto, Nix Rhodes. I’ll see you later, yeah?” she says, waving the handkerchief at him before walking into her brother’s arms. Her moment of concern is whisked away by an exaggerated tango. Nix hopes her feet survive.

He lets Gideon and Luca hold him close as another song starts up.

“You happy, Kitten?” Gideon kisses his temple.

Just to hear him squeal, Nix nips Luca’s cheek.

Grayson and Jamie finally call time on their game, admitting they’ve been outmaneuvered and deciding to dance together instead. Within moments, they’re jostling for the lead just like Nix and Winnie had.

Finn cuts in with a wry grin and leadsbothenigmas in a surprisingly creative shuffle that makes everyone laugh.

As laughter rings around him, Nix lets his love for each of them unfurl down the threads of their bonds, gentle and warm, reaching even across the distance to Leo and Rowan, who are probably reading bedtime stories and playing video games with their kids.

He feels the love flow right back just as bright.

“Yeah, I’m happy.”