Page 34 of Puck, Marry, Thrill

When she finally pulled back, breathless and dazed, her eyes caught movement to the side. Zachary stood a few feet away, watching.

Jamie froze.

But the little boy just grinned, shrugged, and walked off—completely unfazed. As if he’d known it was going to happen all along.

Like it was exactly the way things were supposed to be.

“He likes you, you know… and you’re good for both of us,” Kenneth whispered, pulling her back from the whirlwind of thoughts that had been clouding her mind.

Jamie blinked, turning toward him, and found his eyes already waiting for hers—still, steady, and impossibly deep. There was something about the way he looked at her that made the rest of the world hush. He wasn’t a man who demanded attention or filled silence with noise. No, Kenneth was the kind of man who simplywas. Quiet like the woods in the early morning, unshakable like a mountain. Always there. Always watching. Always doing things without being asked—not for praise, but because he justknew.

Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected that from him. Not the words. Not the quiet conviction behind them. Not the way they landed like a soft hand on her back, reminding her she wasn’t alone anymore.

“Take a look around… and there might be something to surprise you in the house,” he added, his voice low and calm as if he hadn’t just unsettled her entire world with a single sentence.

“Oh?” she asked, her voice catching somewhere between curiosity and caution.

Kenneth only gave her one of those rare half-smiles—the kind that felt like it had meaning, like it held a secret he wasn’t quite ready to share. He shrugged effortlessly, then turned to lift a box from the growing tower in the middle of the large living room.

Jamie finally noticed it—the sheer amount of boxes that had appeared as if by magic. Her brow furrowed. She hadn’t heard a delivery. Hadn’t been told they were coming. But now their things were here… their lives tucked neatly into cardboard corners. The couches, mismatched but strangely compatible, sat pushed against the walls like they were still learning to settle in. Furniture was scattered through rooms—not arranged, not finalized—just waiting, like everything else in her life lately.

She didn’t question it. Not really. After yesterday, Kenneth must’ve decided not to push. He let the pieces arrive and left the rest to her.

Wandering deeper into the house, her steps slowed in front of an open door, and something tugged at her—gentle, like a string tied to her heart.

She stepped inside and froze.

It was… enchanting.

A soft gasp slipped from her lips as her eyes drank it all in. Zachary’s laughter echoed faintly, grounding her in the moment. He was already inside, sitting contentedly beneath what could only be described as a tree—an actual tree—rising up from the corner of the room like it belonged there. Her eyes widened in wonder.

The tree wasn’t growing, she realized, walking closer. It had beenbuiltthere. Crafted and placed with care. The walls around it were painted with floating clouds and scattered birds like the sky had stretched down to kiss this little corner of the world. Branches extended outward, tied delicately to the ceiling, stopping just shy of the fan overhead. Low bookshelves lined the room, hugging the walls beneath the canopy.

It was magical. It looked like something out of Sherwood Forest or a fairytale glen where wishes might actually come true.

“I think we should get a beanbag so we can read together under the tree,” Jamie whispered, kneeling beside her son, her fingers brushing a branch like it might disappear. “And maybe we should get a little stuffed squirrel for our tree.”

“This is so nice,” Zachary said with a dreamy sigh, then promptly plopped into her lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her arms closed around him instinctively, her heart full to bursting.

“It really is,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his temple. “I love you, buddy…”

“Love you too,” he murmured back, warm and small in her arms… and then, just as quickly, he was gone. Launching out of her lap with a burst of energy that only a child could summon.

“I’m gonna look at my room now—bye!” he called over his shoulder, already on the move.

Jamie chuckled softly, her heart still fluttering from his words.Zach-Attack, she thought fondly. The nickname fit him too perfectly. She rose to her feet, casting one more glance at the magical tree and the room that already felt like a haven.

Kenneth had done good. No—he’d doneamazing. She hadn’t expected to love this house. Hadn’t expected it tofeellike anything but temporary. But now, walking through it, letting herself explore with new eyes, she realized that maybe, just maybe… this could be home.

She wandered down the hallway, fingers grazing the smooth wall as she passed, and stepped into the master bedroom.

Her breath caught again.

There on the bed, perfectly centered, was a gift bag—tissue paper blooming out of the top like a quiet promise. The bed had already been assembled, standing sturdy and tall along one wall. The room was spacious yet intimate. Safe.

Jamie stood still for a long moment, staring at the bag like it might hold more than a simple gift. Kenneth had bought her something. He thought of her, surprised her, and oh, was she surprised! Peering in the bag, she hesitated and blinked.

---