Into the Fading Twilight (Starlight Grove, #2) (48)

And she had more than her fair share of people who loved and adored her. Now, she even had a new soon-to-be cousin in Owen. And all of those people didn’t just show up for her; they showed up for Nova, too. Everyone had joined in to help today—everyone but Orion.

I’d hoped he’d come around on Nova after our talk in the apartment. Apparently, not standing in her way did not equate to welcoming her into the fold.

Mav pushed back from the table, arguing with Wylder over who got the last root beer. Dex scooped some pasta salad and potatoes onto Owen’s plate as Brae looked on with a tender expression. Waylon got himself his own double cheeseburger as Sky took the seat next to Owen.

There were two chairs left: one next to Mav and one next to Nova. I knew I should’ve taken the one on my brother’s right. I needed to be careful not to let myself get too close.

I didn’t.

I let embers spark to flame and pulled out the chair next to Nova. She grinned up at me as she popped a potato into her mouth. “I adore your family.”

Warmth spread through my gut, and I tapped one of her fairy wings. It was the closest I’d come to touching her since the day I found her. “I like your wings.”

Mav’s chair grated against the deck as he sat back down. “I can’t believe you took the last root beer.”

“You snooze, you lose,” Wylder shot back.

Maverick bit into his burger. He chewed once, twice, and then his eyes went wide as his face turned bright red. He shoved his chair back, sending it toppling backward as he spat his bite into a napkin.

“What the hell did you put in that, Waylon?” he demanded as he choked and coughed.

Nova gave a little finger wave as she smiled sweetly at my youngest brother. “That was me. Just a little reminder that payback’s a … female dog.”

I tried to cover my laugh with a cough. I guessed Nova wasn’t a fan of Mav going behind her back and telling me about the newspaper clippings.

Mav’s gaze shot to me. “This is not funny.” He kept sticking his tongue out as if access to the fall air would help him. “I think my taste buds burned off.”

Owen’s face scrunched. “Why would payback be a female dog?” He shrugged. “I guess Yeti is a trickster. She stole my bacon the other day.”

Waylon thumped a hand on Mav’s shoulder. “It’s good for you. Puts hair on the ole chest.”

“I’m good with the hair I have already.” Maverick reached for Wylder’s soda, starting to chug.

“Hey,” Wy protested.

“Desperate times,” Mav said with a pant.

Dex grinned at Nova. “What’d you put on there?”

Nova flipped her nearly black locks over one shoulder. “One of the hot sauces from Brae’s collection.” She bent, pulling it from her bag. “Death by Chili.”

Maverick’s jaw dropped. “That has Carolina Reaper peppers in it. That’s the second-hottest pepper in the world. You could’ve killed me.” He looked longingly at his plate. “And you ruined my burger.”

Dex snickered. “On the upside, you won the hot sauce competition for the day.”

He glared at Nova. “You’d better make me a trophy, and it’d better be bedazzled.”

“Ooooooh, I’ll help,” Sky offered.

My phone dinged, and I pulled it from my pocket. God, I hoped it wasn’t Pete. He’d been incessant with his texts about the case, bragging about findings one moment, making giant leaps the next. By the time we finished with this one, it would be a miracle if we didn’t come to blows. But it wasn’t Pete.

Orion:

Left something on the front porch.



I frowned at my screen.

Me:

It better not be an exploding food dye water balloon. Or a bag of goat shit on fire.



Orion simply replied with a middle finger emoji.

I pushed back from the table and made my way through the house. As I stepped onto the porch, I saw it. A platter of chocolate fudge cupcakes. I grinned.

Orion might not be ready for family gatherings with Nova, but this was his version of a welcome.

I bent and picked up the platter, heading back for the group.

“Whatcha got there?” Waylon asked.

“Orion dropped off some cupcakes.” I set them in front of Nova. “I think they’re for you.”

She gaped at the perfectly frosted cakes. “Me?”

“Did he get those from a bakery? They look amazing,” Brae added.

Wylder’s mouth curved. “He made them.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Brae said. “Orion. Scowls at every outsider. Refuses to let anyone on his property. Booby-traps his house. He’s a baker?”

Dex grinned. “A hell of a good one, too.”

Nova scooped up a cupcake and dipped her finger into the icing. Her lips closed around the digit, and she moaned.

Fuck.

My dick twitched, straining against my zipper. Those were not sounds I needed in my head.

Nova’s eyes sparked silver as they opened. “That is the best chocolate icing I’ve ever tasted.”

Me, too. And I hadn’t had a bite.





CHAPTER EIGHTEEN


Nova




CLOSING THE DOOR TO MY APARTMENT, I LEANED AGAINST it. Every part of me was exhausted, from the tips of my toes to the ends of my hair.