Page 106 of This Kind of Forever

I point to her. “This is your fault.”

Hallie blinks innocently up at me. “I’m not sure what you mean. But that is an excellent question, Abbs. What do you say, Daddy? Can she get a cat?”

The look I give her is full of promise.Later. Her eyes sparkle in challenge.

“Let’s work our way up to a cat when you’re older. We can start with a fish, though. Do we have a deal?”

Abbie holds out her hand. “Deal.”

I grab her hand, pretending to shake it, but then I take the opportunity to tickle under her arm. With a giggle, she pulls away immediately, then jumps on the couch and crawls behind Hallie, hiding.

And for a second, time seems to stop. Wishful thinking, maybe. But if I could freeze this moment right here and live in it forever, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

THIRTY-SEVEN

GABE

Unlike the lastSunday brunch we attended, I feel lighter than I ever have before. Because by the afternoon, my family will know everything.

Abbie runs into the house ahead of us, not bothering to wait. As we ascend the porch steps, I grab Hallie’s hand and interlace our fingers. Her head snaps in my direction.

“We’re telling them today, right?” I confirm. It’s our last brunch before Clara drives our parents down to Toronto to catch their flight to Mexico.

Hallie nods, though her eyes are wide with worry. “Yes, but I thought maybe we would, you know, ease them in.”

I press a kiss to her bare ring finger. “You should know by now that I like to cannonball into the deep end, baby.”

Her irises flare, just like they always do when I call her that. She pushes onto the tips of her toes, leaning into me. I meet her halfway, and our lips meld together. If anyone were to look out the window now, there would be no denying what they saw.

When we break apart, Hallie sighs. “I guess we’d better tell them before Abbs beats us to it.”

I chuckle at that. “When you decided to tell her first, you definitely chose the least likely person in this family to keep a secret.”

She tries to look annoyed, but her smile breaks through. “Yeah, but she’s also the most important. If she wasn’t happy, then nothing else would have really mattered.”

Hallie lets out a noise of surprise when I bend and claim her lips again. That four-letter word is on the tip of my tongue, but I shove it down. One thing at a time. So instead, I let myself savour her.

“What was that for?” she asks, slightly breathless.

I cup her cheek. “Thank you. For never once thinking that Abbie shouldn’t come first.”

Hallie’s brows furrow. “Of course she should. Nothing else ever crossed my mind.”

“I know, and that’s why I lo—” I cut myself off. “Why I’m lucky as hell to call you mine.”

Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to catch on to my near slip. We decide to head into the house before Clara can come looking for us again.

My parents and siblings, along with Delilah and Parker, are already in the kitchen. Abbie is in the other room with Sophia, playing until the food is ready. When Hallie and I enter, conversation grinds to a halt.

Six pairs of eyes lock onto our joined hands, and then they search our faces. Hallie’s grip tightens; I give her a squeeze back in reassurance.

“Oh. My.God!” Clara finally exclaims.

Hallie pales beside me, guilt threaded through her expression. “Clara, listen. I?—”

“Do you have any idea howlongI have been waiting for this day?” my sister shrieks, her body practically vibrating with excitement. “Over a fuckingdecade, Hallie Foster!”

She explodes out of her seat and makes a beeline for Hallie, gathering her in a tight hug. It might be ridiculous, but I refuse to let go of her hand. As Hallie hugs Clara back with her free arm, I can practically see the relief wash over her.