Page 76 of Pastel Kisses

But the fear still lingers like a shadow I can’t quite shake.

“Look, I don't want to overwhelm you,” Kam says gently, his eyes searching mine, “but there are a few things we need to talk about—including your agreement to marry us.”

My mouth drops open and closes again like a fish out of water. “Wait… you were serious?”

Kam chuckles, not mocking, just warm and patient. “I told you I was. Every word.”

“But… I thought you were just—” I trail off, shaking my head, unable to form a complete sentence. “That wasn’t just pillow talk?”

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees as the other guys mimic his movements, faces serious, eyes locked on mine. “First, we need to talk about what happens next. Especially once Sarah’s caught. About us. Where we live. How we live.”

I blink, trying to keep up. The air shifts with the weight of something big, and I brace myself.

Jaxton speaks next, his voice calm but steady. “We’ve been holding off on telling you until you were ready. But the truth is… we’re not going anywhere.”

Liam nods. “We stepped away. From everything.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, eyes bouncing from face to face.

Kam answers. “I handed over day-to-day operations of my restaurants. Sold off partial ownership to become a silent partner. Aside from the occasional business meeting, that’s it for me.”

Lennox jumps in, “Liam and I canceled every contract we had lined up. Indefinitely.”

Jaxton shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I know it is. “I told Hollywood to fuck off. Walked away from the next film. Gave back the paycheck and everything.”

I stare at them, stunned into silence. “You… all of you… walked away? Just like that?”

“We didn’t make the decision lightly,” Liam says, his voice steady but full of emotion. “But when you disappeared, everything else faded into the background. Nothing else mattered—not work, not money—just bringing you home.”

Jaxton leans in, brushing his fingers along my jaw. “New relationship or not, you’re it for us, Kitten. Endgame. No backup plan. No doubts.”

Kam squeezes my hand. “We want to be here. Permanently. With you. With Dan. With our baby. Your place? It’s home.”

Tears blur my vision. I try to blink them back, but it’s useless. My throat’s tight, my heart is pounding.

“You really mean that?” My voice cracks, fragile with disbelief. “You’re really doing this? You’re all in?”

Lennox leans his forehead against mine. “We were in the moment you said our names the way only you do. We just had to catch up to what we already knew.”

The laughter that bubbles from me is part joy, part disbelief. “This is crazy,” I whisper.

“But it’s happening,” Jaxton says with a grin. “And you better get used to it.”

I laugh again, wiping my eyes. “I just… I knew what I wanted. I dreamed of this. All of you, staying here. Us building something together. Me working on landscapes, staying close to my dad. I just never thought I’d get to have it all.”

“Well,” Kam says, gently tilting my chin until I’m looking straight at him, “it’s time you start believing it—because you’re ours, and we’re not going anywhere.” His thumb brushes across my cheek. “Actually, we were hoping we could be part of your new business… if you’ll have us? You know, for the heavy lifting.” He grins, but there’s something softer in his eyes—something real. “We spent a lot of time in the yard while you were gone. It was one of the only things that kept us grounded. Kept us sane. We poured everything into it, hoping we were doing it justice, bringing your vision to life.”

I blink, emotion clogging my throat as he continues.

“Don’t be mad that we finished it. We just... we needed to feel close to you. Once we’re cleared to head back, we’ll show you the surprise. But fair warning—we’re all dying for your professional inspection. Fingers crossed we pass.”

My heart squeezes painfully in my chest—in the best way. I blink back more tears, overwhelmed by everything they’ve done—everything they’ve sacrificed—and now this.

My voice comes out barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. “God, I can’t even tell you how much that means to me. If you’re serious about joining my business, I’d say that’s one hell of an interview technique.”

They chuckle, but I’m not joking. “I mean it,” I say, glancing at each of them. “Being this far along in the pregnancy, I won’t have the energy—or let’s be honest, the ability—to do much. And once the baby’s here, I’ll want to soak up every second. There’s no way I would’ve been able to finish the yard myself.”

Lennox squeezes my hand. “We didn’t want you to.”

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