Page 185 of Holy Hearts
Kai hums thoughtfully. “The Ravage Cultdoes have a nice ring to it.”
I lean into them both, soaking up every second of this. The bookstore. The people. The family we’ve built.
Maybe I’ll tell Mum about the throuple someday.
Or… maybe I’ll save that conversation for another year.
As the afternoon wears on, I mingle with everyone here. I’m introduced to Luna, who works at Ravage Castle, and her lovely wife, Emma. Jackson and Mark show up with a tiny newborn in tow, Theo Parker. He’s adorable and I can already tell he’s the light of their life. Beatrix runs through the store carrying her Batman action figure, making exploding noises as Miles chases after her. When Stella tries to get up, he makes her stay seated, the product of her finding out she’s pregnant with their second child just a couple of days ago.
Juliet and Chase tell us about an old house they just bought across the bridge in Marin County with massive amounts of land. They plan to fix it up before moving in. Zoe and Liam tell us about a possible, tenured creative writing position at NYU for Liam, and Zoe hints at trying for a baby soon, too. Her aunt Carolina is here as well, and I’m grateful for all of the family support.
“Did someone order pizza?” a man jokes as he steps through the front door, grinning. He’s carrying ten boxes of pizza.
Layla and Orion walk over, taking the boxes from him, and Stella nudges me. “That’s Scott, Layla’s dad.”
I nod, watching as Scott claps Orion on the back. I remember the story, how Orion moved in with their mum and Scott as a teenager, making Layla his stepsister.
He notices me, walking over and pulling me into a surprised hug before I can shake his hand.
“You must be Sophie. Orion has told us all about you and your husband.”
I glance at Orion over his shoulder. The youngest Ravage brother just winks as we make introductions, and then Scott is hugging Stella.
“Where’s your old man? Still gallivanting all over Europe?”
Stella laughs. “Of course he is. But he promised to come visit next month. He can never stay away from his granddaughter for too long.”
After Scott congratulates her on the pregnancy—prompting an eye roll at Miles and a muttered “gossiping meddler”—Stella taps her glass of nonalcoholic champagne with a nail, the soft chime cutting through the chatter.
“I’d like to say a few things, as Sophie’s newly appointed favorite person.”
“Um, you’re going to have to fight me for her,” Juliet jokes from the couch, already cradling another glass in her hand.
“Oh, please. Sophie’s heart is big enough for all of us,” Zoe smirks, sticking her tongue out. “If you’re good, I’ll allow you to be her limited-time sidekick when I’m not around.”
Laughter ripples through the room, warm and easy, but the playful banter does more than make me smile, it makes me feel included.
The Ravage family isn’t just something I’ve stumbled into. They’ve claimed me. Just like Julian did all those years ago. Like Kai has, in his own quiet way.
Stella lifts her chin, her eyes scanning the room as if daring anyone to interrupt. “I was here when Sophie came to tour the place for the first time. And let me just say, it did not look this good two and a half months ago,” she starts, drawing chuckles from around the crowded bookshop. I feel my cheeks flush as my eyes dart around the shop—my shop. The soft pink bookshelves, the cascading plants in the window, the little corner with mismatched chairs and a cozy sofa for book clubs… it looks soput together now. Pride stirs quietly in my chest, a fleeting but powerful reminder of what this moment means to me.
“And I know when The Story Nest officially opens tomorrow,” Stella continues, her voice softening just a touch, “there’s going to be a queue around the block?—”
“We call it a ‘line’ here in America,” Orion interjects from the armchair, grinning as Layla elbows him hard in the ribs.
“Queue, line, whatever,” Stella retorts, rolling her eyes dramatically but smirking all the same. “My point is, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who works as hard as Sophie. She put her blood, sweat, and literal tears into this space, and you can see it. You can feel it. This isn’t just a bookshop; it’s a love letter. To the books we devour, to the stories that make us believe in love again, and to the people we choose to share those stories with.”
My chest tightens as she speaks, and I have to blink against the sudden sting behind my eyes.Damn it, Stella.
“I know she thinks she’s the lucky one,” she adds, glancing over at me, “because she’s with Julian and now Kai—and because, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to bang my husband’s ridiculously hot brother?”
Kai barks out a laugh from the kitchen, and Julian arches a brow in mock offense. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was,” Stella replies breezily, lifting her glass higher. “But in reality, you’re not just lucky, Sophie. You’re also brave. I’ve never seen anyone dive headfirst into a new life with so much vigor and heart, with so much passion. And let me tell you,” she adds, looking at Julian and Kai. “Love stories like yours belong in books. The steamy, messy, and beautiful kind. The ones that don’t just have a happily ever after, but the ones thatfightfor it.”
A soft sound escapes my throat, but I swallow it down quickly, forcing out a watery laugh.
She isn’t finished.
