“And besides . . . I don’t want to leave you. Er, you guys.”He smiled, and it lit up his whole face. “Well, ‘we’ are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I’m also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you’re in St. Louis.”I grinned back.”

“Boyfriend?” He was smiling slightly.Karl rolled his eyes. “Not if you’re going to be like that about it.”“What, happy?” Aiden teased. “You supposed to want your boyfriend to be happy, you know.”“I want you to be happy,” Karl muttered. “I just don’t want you to be a smug little bastard about it.”

“So," I said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while."He smiled. A real smile that lit up his whole face."Good,”

“Kieran’s grin didn’t waver as he explained, “I’m not a darling type of guy, pumpkin.”“Well, I’m not a pumpkin type of girl, darling,” Jenny shot back.”

“Don’t you want to go outside and… shag?” It was a strange word, but much better than fuck. A quick grin lit his face before he responded. “Oh no. Right here. Love to do it in a truck.”

“She smiled and her whole face lit up. Or maybe it was mine. All I know for certain is that smile lit up even my darkest days.”