“You’re not dressed.” She props her hands on her hips and watches me with amused eyes. “Mark?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not dressed.”

“You’re so fucking beautiful it hurts to breathe.”

She blinks in surprise and crosses to me. “Are you okay?”

I take her hands in mine and kiss her knuckles softly, then stand and hug her close. “So fucking beautiful,” I whisper and tilt her head back and place an easy kiss on her lips, before I pull away to dress.

She looks shell-shocked as I quickly dress and lace up my shoes, then take her hand in mine and lead her to the car.

“What was all that for?” she asks.

“It wasn’t for anything. It’s how I feel.” I shrug and lace our fingers as I drive us to my mom and dad’s house.

***

As we pull up to the house that I grew up in, Sam and Leo pull in behind us in Leo’s black Camero.

“You’re late,” Sam says and glares at me.

“What does that make you?” I ask and clap Leo on the shoulder as he laughs at Sam.

“Fashionably late.”

She offers Mer a real smile, and Mer returns it happily.

“It’s good to see you, Sam.”

“Don’t let Mark make you late for everything. It’s a bad habit of his.” Sam links her arm through Mer’s and leads her into the house with Leo and me bringing up the rear. “How did it go with Starla?”

Meredith glances at Sam in surprise. “How did you know Jax and I were working with Starla?”

“Mark told me,” Sam replies.

“It was fun, but I’m happy to be home.”

But for how long are you going to be home?

“Hello, everyone!” Mom is holding a sleeping Keaton on her shoulder, swaying her hips back and forth, rocking him soothingly as Livie and Luke sit on the floor playing with a toy kitchen.

“Hi, Mom,” I say and kiss her cheek, then gesture to Meredith. “You remember Mer.”

“Of course. Hello, darling. I’m so glad you came.”

“Thank you for inviting me.” Mer grins and kisses Keaton’s head, then Mom’s cheek.

“My turn,” Dad announces as he joins us from the kitchen. He collects hugs from Sam and me and then lifts Mer off her feet in a big bear hug. “It’s so good to see you, Meredith.”

She grins and blinks back tears as he sets her on the ground, then moves on to shake Leo’s hand.

“You okay?” I whisper down to her. She replies with a quick nod and a brave smile.

“Hi, guys,” Nat says and waves from the dining table off the kitchen. She’s drinking a glass of wine and smiling happily.

“You must be done breastfeeding,” Sam guesses and joins her.

“Yes, ma’am. I figured it was for the best, especially with the Vegas trip this weekend.”

Liv stands and walks over to the bookshelves by the television in the family room that opens up to the kitchen.

“No, baby, you can’t have those,” Luke says and catches her before she can pull Mom’s glass bells off the shelf. “Mom, you have to babyproof this room. She’ll break these.”

“She’s never paid any attention to them before. I guess it’s time to pack them away for a while,” Mom says and kisses Keaton’s cheek. I hold a chair out for Mer then sit next to her and pour her a glass of wine. My phone buzzes in my pocket, so I pull it out to find a text from Isaac.

Take the rest of the week off. See you Friday at the airport.

“Everything okay?” Mer asks as I set my phone on the table.

“Yep. Isaac just gave me the rest of the week off.”

“I like him so much,” Mer says with a grin. I can’t help myself, I lean in and kiss those lips before taking a sip of my wine. “Me too.”

“Okay, men, I need you in the kitchen,” Dad announces as he starts pulling stuff out of the fridge.

“That’s my cue,” I whisper and kiss Mer’s cheek before joining Dad and Luke in the kitchen. To my surprise, Leo joins us too and smirks when I raise a brow at him.

“What? I can cook.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Want to wear one of Mom’s aprons?” Luke asks and then laughs when Leo flips him off.

“Livie!” Nat jumps up and runs after her daughter who has gone straight for Mom’s bells again.

“Okay, troublemaker,” I say and scoop Livie into my arms. “You’ve wrecked enough havoc today. You can come cook with me.”

“Unca Mawk,” she says and grins. “Cook wif you.”

“That’s right.” I plant her on my hip and set about getting the rice ready and glance over to see Mer laughing with Nat, Sam and Mom.

She fits perfect here.

And then I remember Logan’s remark at the airport and all of the air leaves my lungs.

Leo blows a raspberry on Liv’s cheek as he walks by, making her giggle and pulling me out of my depressing as fuck thoughts.

“Daddy’s cookin’,” she says and points at Luke.

“He thinks he is,” I reply and whisper in her ear, “but he’s not as good as Uncle Mark.”

Liv giggles and Luke flips me off behind her back.

“So, Nat,” I begin and watch Luke with a smug smile. “When are you going to run away with me?” I cross to where she’s sitting at the table and rest my hand on her shoulder. Mer’s pursing her lips, but her eyes are laughing at me.