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guardianship of her about three years ago when our mother died.” Fiona rarely shared that information with anyone, but something felt uneven between them. As if she owed him something, as if his kindness and understanding were gifts she needed to repay.
    He looked surprised at her admission and opened his mouth as if to say something, but then paused. Without warning, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in the tightest hug she’d ever felt.
    And man, was she feeling it.
    “Kieran!” she gasped, and tried to wiggle away from him, but his arms were like steel. She resisted for only a moment or two before sinking into his embrace.

    The moment she did, she discovered she didn’t want to stop. She leaned into his thick arms and smelled the citrus aftershave he was wearing. Her head rested against his shoulder and she felt the coarse graze of the stubble on his chin pressing against her cheek. His heartbeat thumped under her palm, thrilling her and sending waves of warmth with each new pulse.
    Then he moved, and she felt cold again.
    “You’re doing an amazing thing for that girl,” he whispered in her ear as he finally pulled away and caught her gaze.
    Fiona was surprised to find a lump forming in her throat and emotion swelling in her chest. She spent most of her life hiding in the background, doing her best not to be noticed.
    Kieran didn’t allow that. He saw her, and he was telling her he appreciated what she was doing. This was already more than anyone had ever done for her in her life, and this man didn’t even know her.
    “Thanks.” Fiona took advantage of his loosened grip to pull free. She couldn’t break down right now, not in front of him. Not when he thought she was so strong and amazing. “Um…I should probably catch up to Shea.”
    “Fiona!” he called after her.
    She turned slightly to look back at him, blinking rapidly, hoping he wouldn’t notice the tears welling in her eyes.
    His expression was coy but serious as he raised one brow. “I’m still waiting on your answer, flower girl.”
    She felt her cheeks flush in response as she quickly turned and headed into the center. She had already told him she didn’t date, and now he had met the main reason why. The second reason was too hard to admit, even to herself.
    —

    “Go wash your hands, Shea. Dinner will be ready in a few,” Fiona instructed her sister as they entered the small apartment they occupied quite a few blocks away from the flower shop. Shea had spent the entire bus ride home talking about mixed martial arts, fighting, and karate. Fiona had let her play around on her smartphone, so Shea had taken the opportunity to Google the topics and read out loud everything she could find.
    “Not mixed,” Shea reminded her as she dropped her backpack onto the side table and headed to the bathroom.
    “I know.” Fiona sighed. It had been the same every day for years. Six chicken nuggets on the same plate, in two rows of three. Two dots to the side of mustard and ketchup, close enough but not touching. If Fiona accidentally mixed the two together, Shea wouldn’t touch the plate. She tried to entice her sister with some vegetables on a separate plate next to it, but Shea was stubborn in her routine. Thank goodness Shea was fine with drinking pediatric shakes to supplement some of the vitamins the chicken nuggets were missing.
    Fiona busied herself warming up the plate of food and dished some carrots out for Shea as well, depositing it all on their small fold-up kitchen table just as her sister returned.
    “Earmuffs off at dinner.” Fiona motioned for her to remove them. Frowning, Shea followed her instructions and placed them on the table beside her before turning her attention back to her plate.

    “One, two, three, four, five, six.” Shea counted out each one and reordered them before she ate all six in quick succession.
    “Did you have fun at the center today?” Fiona asked, wondering if she was