“If you’re taking me to see Lola, then don’t bother.”

Killian sighs. “You can’t avoid her forever.”

“Sure I can.”

“She’s dropped by every day to try to see you.”

“I said no. I’m not talking to her.”

His arms tighten around me. “She’s hurting right now. I know you’re angry with her, but she deserves a chance to explain herself at least.”

My heart twinges. “Would you give her a chance?”

“Yeah. I would.”

I haven’t had the strength to face Lola and learn the truth about my mother. If I start to pull at that thread, I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold everything together for Arianna’s sake. I’m already struggling to be a parent as it is.

“Nearly there,” he reveals.

“We’ve barely walked anywhere. Are we at Ryder’s cabin?”

“Nope. Keep your eyes closed.”

Setting me back down on my feet, Killian slowly removes the blindfold, and I keep my eyes squeezed shut. He takes my hand, leading me two more steps before halting.

“Okay. Open them.”

I peel my eyes open and blink hard. We’ve walked across the cobbled road. I’m staring at the abandoned cabin the guys grew up in, but something has changed. I can actually see through the previously grimy windows now.

Glancing around, I realise the overgrown jungle of a garden has been tamed, chopping down huge tufts of weeds and wildflowers that previously made the path impassable. The outside is different too. It looks almost brand new.

The wooden panels of the cabin have been stripped down, sanded and stained a flawless brown colour, highlighting the natural lines of the cherry wood. There’s a massive red velvet bow wrapped around the garden gate.

“What is this?”

“Your home,” Killian says simply.

“I don’t understand. This is your home.”

“We want you and Arianna to live here.”

I gape up at him. “What?”

Ducking down to my height, Killian cups my cheeks in his palms. “It’s yours, Willow. We changed the deeds and everything. This is your cabin now.”

“You… did that? For me?”

“I would do fucking anything for you. We all thought that you should have a space you can call your own. I know living with us three can’t be easy.”

I’m too shocked to form a coherent thought. Killian grins at me, placing another kiss on the tip of my nose. His lips meet mine next and his kiss sets alight fiery butterflies in my belly. He’s giving me a home. My own slice of Briar Valley.

An excited hoot breaks our kiss.

“Babe!” Zach bellows.

Killian takes a step back. “Incoming.”

Jogging over to us in his usual tight blue jeans and plain t-shirt, Zach throws his arms in the air in a dramatic ta dah motion. “So, what do you think?”