The warm glow of the fireplace danced across the living room, casting shadows on the rustic wooden walls. The air was filled with the scent of pine and the faint sweetness of their mother's lavender candles. Opal sat curled up on the couch, her legs tucked beneath her, her silver hair cascading over her shoulder as she laughed at Forrest's dramatic retelling of his shift that morning.
"So there I was, in the middle of the woods, completely naked, shivering like a leaf," Forrest said, his emerald eyes wide with mock horror. "And then, out of nowhere, a squirrel ran up my leg!"
Brooks burst out laughing, doubling over as he clutched his stomach. "You screamed like a little girl! I heard you from halfway across the woods!"
Forrest's cheeks turned pink, but he tried to look indignant. "I did not scream. I... I was just startled."
Ridge smirked, his amber eyes gleaming. "Startled? You climbed a tree so fast, I thought you were part squirrel."
