Chapter 109

ODETTE'S POINT OF VIEW

For the first time in a while, my cheeks hurt from smiling.

Dalle's laughter echoed in the room like sunlight bouncing off the walls. He was still giggling after throwing his arms in the air and declaring, "THE ROOM FEELS LIKE PANCAKES!" I hadn't heard him this happy in days, and that alone made me want to cry—but the happy kind this time.

Kiel was sitting beside me on the bed, and even he was laughing. The lines in his face that had been hard the past few weeks softened, melted. The kiss he gave me still lingered on my lips—not just the feeling of it, but what it meant. That quiet, familiar warmth. The kind only he could give.

Dalle curled up between us, still catching his breath. "Now we can have a cookie party later," he whispered before yawning.

I brushed his hair back from his forehead and looked over at Kiel.

"I guess we did alright today," I said softly.