A slow smile spreads over Elliot’s face as he presses his lips to mine in the sweetest kiss of my life. The one that says future and family and forever. All the things I want more than anything, as long as they’re with him.
We’re interrupted by the sound of the front door flying open and a stampede of feet.
“I hope no one’s naked!” Noah’s voice calls out from the living room.
“If you are, get dressed,” Cooper yells. “Jo brought cinnamon rolls.”
“Sorry, guys,” Jo calls. “I couldn’t stop them, so I figured I would at least bring breakfast.”
“Oh, good, you’re not completely naked.” Jordan grins at us from the bedroom doorway, eyeing Elliot’s shirtless chest pointedly. “Jo Jo got the good cinnamon rolls from the diner, so get your asses out here. I’m starving.”
Pam appears with Rob behind her and slaps Jordan on the shoulder. “What did I tell you about giving them a minute?”
“Like you didn’t barge in right along with the rest of us,” Jordan grumbles.
Pam smiles, hands on her hips. “I raised all of you little shitheads. I reserve the right to barge into any room I want, anytime I want.”
“That’s parenting facts,” Cece says, peering around Pam and looking at us, her face lighting up. “I see an announcement is in order.”
“What kind of announcement?” Noah asks, sauntering into the room.
“That Elliot and Amelia decided to move in together, of course.”
I stare at her. “How did you know that?”
Cece shakes her head. “Oh, honey, I just know what I know.”
Jo squeals and bounces over to me, wrapping her arms around me from behind. “We’re neighbors! Oh, my god, it’s going to be so much fun. Forget monthly book clubs. We need weekly, men-free hangs now that you, me, and Hannah are all living in the same house.”
“I don’t see Hannah anywhere,” Noah grumbles.
Jo waves that away. “She’ll be back. She just had some stuff to take care of in Pittsburgh that took longer than expected.”
Cece pats Noah on the shoulder. “She’s right, sweetheart. Boston isn’t done with Hannah Evans yet.”
“Neither am I,” Noah mumbles, slinking out of the room.
“Eventually we’re going to have to shake him down,” Cooper says from the doorway. “Make him tell us what his deal is with Hannah.”
“He can’t have a deal with her,” Jo says. “She has a boyfriend.”
“For the moment,” Cece says with a smile.
“What does that mean?” Jordan and Jo ask together, and then they look at each other and burst out laughing.
“If you all don’t get in here in the next thirty seconds, I’m leaving and I’m taking all the cinnamon rolls with me,” Noah yells.
“Come on,” Pam says. “Seems like my third son could use some more cheering up. And probably caffeine. He’s an asshole when he works a night shift and doesn’t caffeinate well enough.”
Rob laughs and wraps an arm around Pam’s shoulder, guiding her to the door. “You really shouldn’t call our sons assholes, you know.”
I hear Pam scoff as she walks away, Jo, Jordan, and Cooper following her. “I birthed them. I raised them. I reserve the right to call them assholes when they’re acting like assholes.”
I laugh, and Cece gives us an appraising look, smile playing around her lips. “I always knew it would be the two of you,” she says, before she glides out of the room in a cloud of Chanel No. 5.
Elliot sighs and leans his forehead against mine again. “I guess privacy was too lofty a goal to strive for. Maybe we should reconsider living at your house.”
I snicker, wrapping my arms around his neck in a tight hug. “Never. I love it here.”
