Page 21 of Wherever You Are

My chest swells, and I wish I had that reminder in my room. I glance at the photograph of us on my nightstand. We’re both lounging on the dock at the lake house, the sun setting, and he’s kissing my cheek.

Garrison places the laptop on the dresser, the spot that lets me see most of his room. He grabs a hoodie from a box and tosses the clothing in a trash bag. He already told me he’s throwing away every hoodie he owns.New start. New look.“How’s school?” he asks.

I’m about to answer but the door opens abruptly. “Uncle Garrison!” The dark-haired toddler rushes in and belly flops onto Garrison’s bed.

“Heyheyhey!” Lo calls out from the doorway. “What’d we say about knocking?”

Maximoff picks himself up from the mattress and turns to his dad. “I have to knocks before I enters,” he slurs the words a little.

“Try again, bud,” Lo says and then gives Garrison an apologetic look.

Garrison is full-on grinning.

Maximoff goes outside and knocks on the door. I hear Lo say, “And now what do you ask?”

“UNCLE GARRISON?!” Maximoff screams at the top of his lungs. “CAN I COME PLAY WITH YOU?!”

Garrison laughs. “Yeah, kid, come on in.”

Maximoff just started calling Garrison his uncle. Even though they’re not related. He’d be his actual uncle if Garrison and I got married, but we haven’t really discussed that possibility. It can’t be on Garrison’s radar if he’s thinking I’m going to break up with him.

I wouldn’t.

The door opens and Maximoff bounds back inside. “Can I—can I help you unpack?” he asks with these big green eyes that are so Lily—it’s impossible not to fall prey to them.

Garrison nods.

Lo notices the laptop screen. “Is that my sister?” Lo asks me, brows raised.

“I’m here in the…not-so-flesh,” I say.

“Just a bunch of ones and zeroes,” Garrison adds, and while standing behind Lo, my boyfriend winks at me. It’s sexy enough that I blush.

Lo frowns and looks over his shoulder. “Are you two flirting in nerd?”

“Man, we’re not nerds,” Garrison snaps. “Aren’t the nerd stars a few houses down the street?” Lily affectionately refers to Connor and Rose as the “nerd stars” but the Cobalts are so far from what you’d picture a stereotypical nerd. If anything, I fit the bill the most. Glasses, comic-book loving introvert.

Lo touches his chest. “Forgive me, you two are flirting in geek.”

Garrison raises his brows. “That’s you and your wife.” Lily and Lo are the superhero-obsessed ones, sometimes even more than me.

Maximoff picks up a pillow and tosses it at his dad. Lo dodges it like it’s nothing, his focus on Garrison. “Christ, you and words. Fine, you’re flirting in computer shit or whatever you youths calls it.”

“Binary,” Garrison says.

“What?” Lo’s brows knot.

“It’s a binary numer—you know what, never mind.”

“Good, I was thinking this was going to turn into a lesson,” Lo smiles his half-smile. “You do know I dropped out of college.”

“You tell us every chance you can get,” I say lightly.

Lo turns back to the computer. “My sister with the jokes.” He cracks another smile. “London is going well then?”

“Yeah, really well.”

Lo’s phone rings and he excuses himself to answer the call. Just as he leaves, I hear him say, “Hey, Dad.”