Page 48 of Moonlight & Matrimony (Oak Ridge #2)

As soon as we enter, Sage barrels through the house towards the back door, begging to be set free in her domain. I open the doors to the back porch, avoiding looking at the charred pieces of my life’s work. “I’m sorry,” Ivy whispers, her palm gently sliding along my spine.

“What did I tell you about apologizing?” I ask, a teasing tone to my voice. “I can always rebuild. I’m thankful it’s the only thing we lost that night. I can replace everything in that shed. I can’t replace you.”

The words hang between us as we watch Rylin and Sage make chase around the yard, careful to redirect them away from the roped off area as needed.

Does it hurt a little to see everything I built reduced to ash?

Yes. I won’t lie about that. But it could have been so much worse, and I’m fairly certain the goal was something much more sinister.

“Hello? Anybody home?” My sister’s voice calls from somewhere inside the house.

“We’re outside,” I holler back.

“Hey you,” she says as she pulls Ivy in for a bone-crushing hug. When Paige left Canada, she wasn’t much of a hugger, but knowing what I know now about Ivy, it wouldn’t be out of pocket to assume Paige has overcome her aversion to affection for her best friend.

“What am I? Chopped liver?”

“Ry Ry! Come see Auntie Paige!” She holds her arms out for my best girl, intentionally ignoring my remark. Rylin throws herself at my sister, a tangled mess of limbs and curls that nearly knocks them both on their asses.

“Where’s Sofia?” Rylin asks, her face alight with pure excitement.

“Uncle Cade is feeding her inside. You wanna go see her?”

“Yes!” she squeals in delight, taking off into the house at a sprint.

I narrow my eyes at my hands, turning them over to inspect them. “That’s funny. I could’ve sworn I wasn’t invisible. Ivy, can you see me?”

“Do you hear something, Paige?”

“Nope. Must be the wind.” They both giggle, walking into the house arm in arm. I shake my head in exasperation, whistling for Sage to follow us inside.

I stop off in the kitchen, grabbing a tray of drinks before I follow my ears to the sound of animated voices coming from the living room — mainly Rylin, who's talking Cade’s ear off about the animals at the ranch.

“I saw a goose! Like the bird kind. And he was mean!”

“Ah, the good ol’ Canadian cobra chicken,” he chuckles. “Gotta be careful around ‘em.”

“No, Uncle Cade. Not a chicken — a goose!” The room erupts into raucous laughter and warmth floods my chest. I fucking missed this.

Ivy

“Just one more roller and you’re all set. Hold still, love.” Rylin squirms on the pillow between my feet as I put the finishing touches on her Halloween costume. “There! All done.”

Rylin stands, striking a pose to show off her bright pink bathrobe stuffed with plush kittens. Her hair is twisted around some velcro rollers, and she’s wearing a pair of eyeglasses with the lenses popped out, a pearl chain attached to each arm.

Luca walks into the room with Rylin’s candy bucket in hand. “Well, if it isn’t the cutest crazy cat lady I’ve ever seen. Well, except for your mom,” he jokes. I toss a pillow at him, but he catches it before it can hit its mark. “Hey now, be nice or you won’t get any tootsie rolls!”

I gasp, feigning shock. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me, Trouble.” There’s an edge to his voice that has my kitty clenching.

“Mommy, is it time to go yet?”

I rise from my spot on the sofa, stretching my stiff muscles. Luca’s gaze lands on my exposed stomach, slowly traveling up my body, and I shiver as though his fingertips are brushing my skin. “Patience, love. Mommy and Luca still have to finish getting dressed.”

Fifteen minutes later, I’m standing on the front porch, in full mouse costume, watching trick or treaters of all ages walk up and down our neighborhood, kicking up the leaves along the sidewalk.

Luca, dressed as a triangle of cheese, flicks off our porch light before he takes Rylin’s hand, leading us down the steps as a familiar figure steps onto the curb.

“Aiden!” Rylin squeals. At the same time, Cade and Paige pull in behind Liam’s truck.

Aiden is dressed as the spitting image of his dad, complete with fake tattoos up both of his arms, his signature olive green henley, a towel slung over his shoulder, and a scowl on his face.

It might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, until Paige and Cade come around the side of their truck with Sofia, who’s dressed as a cow.

Cade is wearing his favorite cowboy hat and plaid button down, and Paige is dressed as a scarecrow.

They’re a picture perfect family, and I’m grinning ear to ear, taking in the sight of them together.

Paige’s hulking camera is hanging around her neck, no doubt ready to capture every moment of Sofia’s first Halloween.

“Y’all ready to do this?” Liam asks, looking less than thrilled.

“Come on, Li. You can at least pretend to be excited,” Cade teases.

He grumbles in response. “If I wanted candy, I could just go to the store and buy some.”

“Don’t be a party pooper, Dad,” Aiden chastises. “Come on, Ry! Let’s go!” Aiden reaches out a hand for Rylin and they skip ahead on the sidewalk, leaving the rest of us in the dust.

Paige catches up to me, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

“I can’t believe you got Luca in a cheese costume!

” I laugh, recalling Luca’s face the minute Rylin asked him to dress up with us in a matching costume.

An ache takes up residence somewhere near my heart, thinking back on all the times Austin refused to participate in family activities.

I never thought I would have this, and I don’t know how I’m going to let it go.

“I’d love to take credit for that, but you know your brother can’t say no to his girl.

” It’s true — Rylin could ask him to wear a tutu and glitter lipstick and he’d do it in a heartbeat.

She already talked him into pink nail polish on his toes, but I promised I’d keep that a secret.

He thinks he’s in the clear, when really I've just tucked that knowledge into my back pocket along with the weekly tea parties, waiting for the right moment to drop each little nugget of information.

“He can’t say no to you, either,” she says, giving me a hopeful glance. “I hope you realize that.”

“It’s not like that. He’s just helping me with the Austin thing,” I say, casually brushing her off. And orgasms. Lots and lots of orgasms. “But with Rylin, he’s pretty much head over heels.” The words taste sour on my tongue, though I’m not sure why.

“Sure. You keep telling yourself that,” she snorts.

As if summoned by our conversation, Luca appears at my side. His arm snakes around my waist as he holds out a tootsie roll fruit chew. “Is that a tootsie roll in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” I tease.

“Funny, but I think you know I’m packing more than a tootsie roll,” he whispers, his breath ghosting over my skin.

“It’s a whole handful.” Sure enough, he holds out a fistful of my favorite flavors.

As I’m stuffing one of the delicious treats into my mouth, Rylin’s delighted squeals drifts on the breeze, her small form darting in our direction with Aiden following close behind.

“Look, mommy! Luca! I gots a big one!” she shrieks, holding out a king-size chocolate bar. Her expression radiates pure joy as she tosses it back into her candy bucket. “Trick or treat is the bestest!”

“You’re the bestest, Ry Ry.” Luca says, bending down to boop her little nose.

Don’t fall in love, Ivy girl.