“Buddy,” Flynn said, tossing the word out like it was nothing.

The family of four filed out of the hospital and climbed into a modest sedan. Julissa was still wondering why Flynn had slid into the front when she saw his friend hurrying over and sliding behind the wheel.

Dalton shot Flynn a glance, then turned that easy grin on Julissa. “Hey, I’m Dalton Williamson—Flynn’s buddy. Got things squared away with your aunt.”

Julissa’s smile came instantly, warm and genuine. “Hi, I’m Julissa Greene. About what happened back there… I’m so sorry. Please don’t take it to heart.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Dalton said, starting the engine and pulling away from the curb.

The drive home stayed mostly quiet. The two kids entertained themselves, little murmurs and giggles filling the back seat as they sat on their best behavior. Julissa stole a few glances at Flynn, who sat stiff in the front, never once looking back. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. What was she supposed to say, anyway? Flynn’s silence only made the knot in her stomach tighter.

Thankfully, the hospital was close to their apartment complex, and they got there fast. Dalton walked them right up to the elevator, hands jammed into his pockets and a smirk dancing on his lips. “I’ve got some stuff to handle, so I’m not gonna come up with you guys.”

As the doors started to slide shut, Julissa blurted out, “Why not stay for dinner? After everything today, I kinda owe you.”

“Can’t do it,” Dalton said, already pressing the button to close the doors. “Rain check?”

The elevator hummed and sealed them inside. Julissa gave up pressing and risked a glance at Flynn beside her. She swallowed hard, then offered tentatively, “Um… your friend drove us home. You should probably thank him.”

Flynn shrugged off his jacket like the whole conversation bored him. “He didn’t do anything worth thanking.”

“He drove us home.”

“It’s my car,” Flynn shot back. He scooped his little sister into one arm, grabbed the luggage with the other, and strode out of the elevator like he owned the floor—which, honestly, he probably did.

For a split second, Flynn froze in the hallway, like he’d blanked on which apartment was theirs. Julissa rushed ahead, fumbling with the key before swinging the door open.

Inside, the two kids broke free, racing hand-in-hand toward the sofa, their laughter bright and carefree. Julissa checked the time. Still early.

“You hungry?” she asked Flynn. “Should I cook something? I mean, I haven’t been back in days—might not be much in the kitchen.”

She opened the fridge and stopped dead. It was fully stocked with fresh groceries. She spun around, finding Flynn hanging up his coat. “Did you buy all this?”

Flynn hadn’t had time to shop—he’d sent Dalton to do it. He tossed his jacket onto a chair and followed her into the tiny kitchen. “Who else would’ve done it?”

Julissa nodded slowly, piecing it together. She watched him wash his hands at the sink, and suddenly the kitchen felt too small. They were standing so close she could almost feel the heat radiating off him. Her heart jolted, speeding up for no reason she could name.

From where she stood, Flynn looked devastatingly handsome. But there was a hard edge to his jaw, a tightness around his eyes. Was he still pissed about what her aunt had said at the hospital?

Probably.

She opened her mouth to apologize, but Flynn had already turned to face her, something softening in his expression. “You know how to cook?”

Julissa nodded. “Yeah, I do.”

“Never mind, then. Go hang out with the kids. I’ll cook.”

Even though he’d married a girl barely into her twenties, Flynn wasn’t about to treat her like some kind of household servant. He wasn’t the type to let his wife carry all the weight.

Julissa blinked. “Wait—you can cook?”

“No,” Flynn admitted flat-out.

She hesitated, confusion flickering across her face. Flynn caught her eye. “Go. Be with the kids. I might not cook much, but I’m not gonna feed you raw food.”

Cooking was just another problem to solve. He’d pull up recipes, figure it out. There wasn’t a challenge in the world he couldn’t handle.

Still wavering, Julissa tried again. “I can cook, really. Maybe I should just—”

“I said go rest.” His voice came out like a command, sharp eyes pinning her in place.

Startled by the steel in his tone, Julissa scrambled out of the kitchen. Then something occurred to her and she snatched an apron from beside the fridge. She stepped in front of Flynn, rising onto her tiptoes to loop the strap around his neck.

“At least wear this. So your shirt doesn’t get ruined.”

Flynn towered over her; she had to stretch just to get the apron behind his back, fingers brushing against his sides as she tied it.

Flynn went quiet, completely caught off guard by the gesture—so warm, so almost… affectionate. Was she trying to reel him in that fast? Ha!

Like he’d fall for cheap tricks. That whole scene at the hospital with her aunt? It reeked of a scheme to squeeze money out of him.

Fine. He’d play along. Let her show her true colors—he’d see how long it took.

Once the apron was secure, Julissa didn’t linger, busying herself elsewhere. She couldn’t ignore the nervous flutter in her stomach whenever Flynn got close.

But even while she kept her hands busy, her eyes kept drifting back to the kitchen. A tiny, traitorous part of her hoped she’d actually get to taste a meal cooked by her husband tonight. After her parents died, she and Abel had stayed with their uncle’s family. She’d never once been on the receiving end of a home-cooked meal. She was always the one in the kitchen, day after day.

Right here, in this modest apartment, she finally felt the warmth of a home that was hers. Once she’d tidied the bedrooms and found nothing left to do, she joined her brother and sister in the living room, her heart still quietly humming.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Flynn had been at it for a couple of hours, eventually setting a family dinner on the table—several dishes, a pot of soup. The presentation wasn’t half bad. The taste? He hadn’t tried it yet.

He pushed the kitchen door open, carrying the food over, and cut a glance at the little crew in the living room. “Come wash up and eat.”

Julissa quickly scooped Kori off the couch, herding Abel toward the sink before they all settled at the table. When she saw the spread, she could barely believe it was Flynn’s first attempt.

It actually looked… good.

Abel licked his lips, eyes wide as saucers. “Sis, it looks so yummy. Brother-in-law’s really something, huh?”

Julissa smiled, getting Abel and Kori seated before reaching for the bread basket—only to have Flynn beat her to it, serving them with a smooth, almost practiced motion. “You sit, too. I’ve never really eaten at home before. This is my first time cooking, so I have no clue how it tastes. We’ll just make do.”

He could’ve easily taken the easy way out—had Dalton bring takeout, or just ordered delivery. But with kids in the house, takeout didn’t sit right. And he couldn’t just lean on Dalton to play delivery guy forever.

Looking around the table, the oldest of them was barely in their twenties. At his age, somebody had to step up. A month, tops. That’s how long he’d hold things down. After that, Julissa would get bored of this little simple life and ask for a divorce, releasing him from the whole arrangement.

He pushed a dish toward her. “Go on, taste it. Tell me what you think.”

Julissa took a bite of Flynn's cooking and was genuinely taken aback by how amazing it tasted. She smiled at the man across the table. "This is seriously good. Are you sure this is your first time cooking? Doesn't taste like it at all."

Flynn picked up the serving tongs, dropping some pulled pork into Kori's bowl and then Abel's, before his gaze returned to Julissa. "Cooking's easy if you've got hands, right? What's so hard about it?" His confidence was impossible to miss.

Julissa let out an awkward chuckle, thinking that cooking definitely wasn't that simple. She remembered the countless times she'd failed before finally getting something right. Even now, she could only manage basic dishes. The braised ribs Flynn had made were totally out of her league. She felt a wave of gratitude for her capable husband. Sure, he could be cold at times—maybe it was just his nature—but he still seemed caring enough. With a quiet smile, she kept eating, noticing that even the plain bread rolls had an oddly sweet taste today.

Abel, beside her, looked like he was starving, wolfing down his food without a single complaint. Kori, on the other hand, had stopped mid-bite, tiny spoon in hand, just watching her brother eat without taking a bite herself.

Flynn noticed and snapped, his patience running thin, "What are you staring at? Eat what's in your bowl."

Kori ignored him completely, still fixated on Abel, spoon not moving an inch.

Julissa quickly stepped in to coax her. "Kori, finish your food and then we can go outside and play, okay?"

"It's gross. I don't wanna eat it," Kori shot back defiantly, dropping the spoon and sliding off her chair to cling to Abel. "Abel, let's play hide and seek," she whispered.

Abel set his fork down and gently took his sister's hand. "But we gotta eat first. Eating good food helps you grow big and strong."

Seeing Flynn's irritated expression, Julissa quickly scooped Kori up and settled her on her lap, trying again. "Come on, Kori. Let me help you eat."

"But it tastes yucky," Kori whined.

Kori was notoriously picky, and even though Flynn's cooking was perfectly seasoned, it just didn't appeal to her. It was a direct hit to Flynn's usually unshakable confidence, his brow creasing in frustration.

Julissa glanced at him and shifted Kori on her lap, keeping her voice bright. "It really is yummy, just give it a try."

Abel, sweet as always, grabbed another piece of pulled pork and put on a show, acting like it was the best thing ever. "This is soooo good, Kori! I've never had a meal this amazing. Better try some before I eat it all up."

Motivated by her brother, Kori reluctantly took a tiny bite, but she still wasn't impressed. She ate just a little before hopping off Julissa's lap to wander around the room.

Julissa trailed after her, plate in hand, sneaking in a bite every time Kori paused. Kori's picky eating was clearly getting on Flynn's nerves, and he said coolly, "If she won't eat, leave her be. When she gets hungry enough, she'll eat."

But Julissa felt Kori was just too little, and being finicky was normal. She kept at it patiently, eventually managing to get half a plate into her by the time dinner ended, even though the food had gone cold.

As Julissa started clearing the table, Flynn took the dishes right out of her hands. "Sit down. I'll handle the cleanup."

Guilt washed over her, and she protested, "I should do it. You cooked, so I'll do the dishes. It's only fair."

"Your job here is to look after the kids. You don't need to worry about anything else," Flynn stated firmly, already heading to the kitchen with the dishes in hand. He hated the time-consuming chores, but he'd rather do them himself than add to her load while she had her hands full with Kori.

Julissa watched him go, a fluttering, unexpected joy blooming in her chest. Taking his advice, she returned to the living room to spend time with the kids.

Just as Flynn finished wiping down the kitchen, his phone buzzed. It was Dalton. "Boss, I looked into it. The woman at the hospital really is Ms. Greene's aunt. After Ms. Greene's parents died in that crash a year ago, their house got sold to cover debts, and the siblings have been living with her since."

"Her aunt's a real piece of work. She showed up at the hospital demanding Ms. Greene come back home because of some thirty-thousand-dollar dowry. When I blew her off, she started haggling over the cash. Should we just pay her?" Dalton asked.

Flynn hadn't expected the hospital scene to be legit. His jaw tightened. "Pay up, of course. But why the hell should her aunt get a dime?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll hand the money over to Julissa. She can decide what to do with it. As for her aunt? There's no need to cater to her demands."

Ending the call, Flynn stood on the balcony, gazing at Julissa as she played with the kids on the sofa. Their laughter filled the room, a warmth he couldn't deny. Yet, the cynic in him warned against being fooled by appearances. Sometimes the most innocent faces hid the biggest agendas. Why else would someone so young rush into marriage if not for a safety net?

He'd wait. Her true colors would show themselves sooner or later.

Julissa, catching Flynn's eye, picked up Kori. "They didn't really get proper baths at the hospital. I'm gonna give them a good wash now."

Flynn nodded, settling onto the small living room sofa in the cozy space. Despite the modest surroundings, his presence felt larger than life, almost out of place.

Julissa's heart brimmed with contentment as she herded the kids to the bathroom. Two hours passed before they were done, and it was nearly ten p.m.

Abel darted over to Flynn, eager to sneak a peek at his phone. Julissa quickly called out, "Abel, bedtime. You've got school tomorrow, early."

Abel obediently slid off the sofa, following her but stopping to ask, "Sis, there are only two beds. Where am I sleeping?"

Julissa decided quickly, "You'll sleep with Flynn, and I'll take Kori."

Abel glanced back at Flynn, who sat there stony-faced, glued to his phone. Unnerved by his stern look, Abel shook his head firmly. "No way. I wanna sleep with Kori. You sleep with your husband."

His words brought a rush of heat to Julissa's cheeks. Her gaze darted to Flynn instinctively, and he looked up at that exact moment, their eyes locking. His stunningly handsome face sent her heart racing.

Caught in his direct stare, Julissa quickly averted her eyes and insisted to Abel, "Abel, be a good boy. Sleep over here."

"Nope. I like sleeping with Kori. You go sleep with Flynn," Abel replied, waving his hands before pulling Kori close and whispering, "We'll sleep together, okay? Let them share a bed, and maybe they'll make us a little sibling to play with. How about that?"

Kori's eyes lit up at Abel's idea—it sounded like a fun game to her. She giggled and nodded eagerly. "Sure! I want a little monkey."

"Alright then, off to bed we go."

Without even a backward glance at his sister and brother-in-law, Abel took Kori's hand and led her into the second bedroom. As he closed the door, he shot the adults a mischievous grin. "Goodnight, you two. Go make that little monkey!"

Julissa and Flynn were left in a sudden, awkward silence—caught somewhere between discomfort and amusement.

Julissa finally broke the silence, drawing in a deep breath before turning to Flynn with a tentative smile. "You can take the master bedroom. I'll squeeze in with Abel and Kori."

It wasn't that she was against sharing a bed with her husband. She'd only just met him, though, so everything felt a little too fast. Better to let things happen naturally.

Just as Julissa was about to slip away to the second bedroom, Flynn's quiet voice stopped her in her tracks. "The bed's not that big. How exactly are you planning to fit in with them? We're married now—aren't we past the whole shy-about-sharing-a-bed thing?"

Julissa froze, her feet rooted to the floor as uncertainty took hold. Flynn assumed she was waiting for him to make the first move. Was she playing hard to get? If he caved first, she might get bold enough to start making demands.

Not about to give her that satisfaction, Flynn simply said, "I'm going to shower," and brushed past her into the bathroom.

As the bathroom door clicked shut, an image flickered through Julissa's mind—a tall, gorgeous man standing under the shower, water streaming over his sculpted face and toned body. The thought was so vivid it sent warmth rushing to her cheeks, and she quickly shook it off.

She took a steadying breath. Sleeping beside a man she'd just met? Intimidating didn't even cover it. When she tried to join Abel and Kori, she found them already cuddled up in the small double bed, taking up every inch. There was no room for her.

So with no other option, Julissa headed back to the master bedroom. She sized up the bed—it was big enough for two, plenty of space to keep a respectful distance.

Steeling herself, she slipped under the covers on one side and waited for Flynn to finish his shower. They were married, after all. No point in pretending at propriety now. It was just... practical.

Flynn stepped out of the shower wrapped in a bathrobe and found the living room empty. Towel-drying his hair, he walked into the master bedroom and stopped short at the sight of Julissa already tucked under the covers.

He stood at the foot of the bed, just watching her. He could sense she was waiting for him. Mixed emotions churned in his chest, almost making him second-guess himself.

Julissa's soft voice broke through his thoughts. "Do you want me to find a hairdryer for you?"

"No, I'm fine," he said, hesitating. But why should he leave? This was his house, his bed. Was he really about to end up on the couch?

Determined to figure out her real intentions, Flynn started to change right then and there, not bothering to be discreet.

Julissa caught on to what he was doing and fought the urge to look away. She knew full well she had every right to watch—he was her husband—but a fierce blush still burned her cheeks. In the end, she gave in to the embarrassment and ducked her head under the covers, hiding her eyes.

Flynn noticed her retreat and let out a soft chuckle. He didn't mind. He quickly pulled on his pajama pants and climbed into bed beside her, tugging at the blanket. "Seriously? You're just gonna sleep like that?"

"No," Julissa murmured, peeking out from beneath the cover. She risked one quick glance at Flynn, then turned over, giving him her back, and whispered, "Goodnight."

Flynn felt a little thrown. That was it? No move to reach out or break the ice? Could she really be that restrained? He found it hard to believe. Bet by the end of the night, she'd be shifting closer, maybe even touching him.

Should he stay? Or was the couch the smarter move after all?