Ellie POV
The knock came just as I was finishing breakfast with the twins.
I glanced toward the door, the soft clink of the spoon in my hand against the tiny bowl filling the silence. The boys looked up from their oatmeal with wide, curious eyes — Ian mid-giggle, August gnawing contentedly on his spoon.
When I opened the door, Kieran stood there with his usual easy smile, a bouquet of wildflowers in one hand and a familiar glint of calculation in his eyes.
“Morning,” he said smoothly, leaning in to kiss my cheek. The contact left me feeling cold.
“Morning,” I replied, stepping aside to let him in. “You didn’t have to bring flowers.”
“I wanted to,” he said simply, setting them on the table. “It felt too quiet here without them.”
I smiled faintly, my focus shifting back to the boys.
