Page 3 of Tangled Hearts

I stop at the hotel long enough to shower and change clothes, then I’m plugging an address into my phone and hitting the road again. My stomach is a mess, my heart pounding like crazy.

I’m nervous as hell, but I’m excited too. Ready. To either be welcomed or turned away. I know both are a possibility, and I’m ready to face either of them.

I pull up in front of a single-story brick home, and my GPS informs me that I’ve arrived at my destination.

There’s a trampoline in the yard on the left side of the house, bicycles tipped sideways on the grass in the front yard, and what looks like chalk drawings on the sidewalk leading to the front door.

My heart lurches. My brother has kids?

I climb out of my vehicle in a daze, my feet carrying me to the front porch.

I knock on the door, my heart lodged in my throat.

I can hear kids yelling. I can’t make out any words, but it sounds chaotic and fun. Like they’re screaming and running and chasing each other. I wonder if they know how lucky they are.

I’m listening intently, trying to see what I can pick out, when the door swings open. The man who opens the door is shorter than me, with a shock of wavy brown hair, so much like my own that it makes my chest ache. His bright-green eyes are lined in black, and he flashes me a smile. “Hello. Can I help you?”

I’m frozen for a second, my voice caught in my throat, my heart trapped right along with it. “I, um—I’m Nic.” My voice sounds a little weak. His eyebrows draw together in confusion. “Nic Adler,” I say, trying to steady it. “I’m looking for my brother.” I’m pretty sure this manismy brother, but I don’t want to presume. “His name is Holden Foster.”

Chapter 2

Eli

“Lexi, stop running.”

Lexi slows down, but she’s not quite walking yet. I’ll let it go. For now.

Sasha, the woman who runs this place, sidles up to me with a chuckle. “Full of spunk, that one.”

“You’re not wrong.” I watch Lexi as she works valiantly not to run through the group home. Safe Haven is exactly that. A safe haven. It was for me at fourteen. It is for so many of these kids. Lexi included. I turn to Sasha with a grin. “I love it, though. She’s come out of her shell so much these last couple of weeks.”

Sasha pats my cheek. “That’s because of you.”

It’s hardly because of me. I may play a small role in it, but I’m not even close to the only part. My dad, Roman, plays a bigger hand in it than I do. All I know is that I’m never happier or more proud than when I’m at his non-profit or here. The two places that saved me, helping give back with themanwho saved me. “I’m but a small cog in the machine.”

Sasha rolls her eyes. “Get out of here, kid. You’ve been here all day.”

I shake my head. “Nah, I’ve got nothing else going on. Besides, I know you’ve got another intake coming in today, and I’m not missing that.”

I try to be here for all the incoming kids if I can. It helps that Dad tells me when they’ve got one coming. Plus, I haven’t seen either of The Dads in a few days, and I’m not going to miss the chance to now.

Maybe I’ll go stay the night at their house tonight. Yes, I’m twenty, and I still have sleepovers with my dads. Don’t judge me. It’s just… their house was the first place I felt safe, the first place I could be myself. They were the first people to love me wholly and with no conditions.

“Well, if you’re gonna stick around,” Sasha starts, grinning at me. “Can you help me fold some sheets?”

I groan. “You just don’t want to fold the fitted ones.”

“Guilty.”

I give her a little grin. “Fine, but only because Uncle Julian taught me a really cool trick to make it super quick, and I’m stealing Lexi to help me.”

Sasha waves me on with a chuckle, and I hunt down my little partner-in-crime. She’s only six and has been in two foster homes now, but she’s really struggling with adapting. She seems to have blossomed here under Sasha’s care. And mine, although I’m not even close to being the main reason.

“Lexi.” Her big blue eyes land on me and her lips turn up in a grin. “Let’s go fold sheets.”

The smile falls away, and she scrunches her nose up. “That doesn’t sound fun at all, Eli.”

“It’s a lot of fun.” I put my hands on my hips, quirking a brow at her. “Come help me, and when we’re done, I’ll do your makeup.”