the fire between us

chapter 30

The next morning, I woke up to the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the curtains. Stretching in bed, I yawned and glanced at my phone. Nora was already awake, scrolling through her messages with a lazy smile on her face.

"Morning," I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I sat up.

"Morning!" she replied brightly. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a rock," I said, pulling the blankets off. "So, what time are the boys getting here?"

"Really late at night," Nora answered, setting her phone down. "Their flight was delayed, so they'll probably roll in around midnight."

I nodded, processing the update. "Plenty of time for us to relax today then. What do you want to do?"

Nora stretched, thinking for a moment. "Maybe we could go out for brunch or hang out at home and chill. But we definitely need to have a little something planned for when they get here. Surprise them with snacks or maybe a game."

I smiled, already liking the idea. "Yeah, that sounds fun. Let's make it a proper welcome back party, even if it's just us."

With a plan starting to form, I threw on some comfy clothes and joined Nora in the kitchen, ready to tackle the day with a laid-back vibe, excited for the night to come.

The day flew by, a mix of relaxing on the couch, watching random shows, and occasionally brainstorming ideas for the evening. By late afternoon, the house was filled with the comforting hum of easygoing conversation and laughter.

As I stretched out lazily on the couch, I suddenly had an idea. "Hey, let's make them dinner for when they come home," I suggested, sitting up. "Something special, you know? Like a welcome-home feast."

Nora's face lit up. "Yes! And I know exactly what they'd love—tacos. Marcus and Martinus are obsessed with them."

I grinned. "Perfect. Tacos it is. Martinus just texted me that they'll be here in an hour, so we have time to get everything ready."

We jumped up and headed to the kitchen, our energy renewed. I began pulling out ingredients from the fridge—ground beef, tortillas, fresh veggies, and all the fixings—while Nora grabbed the spices and set up the cutting board.

"I'll start on the guac," Nora said, already slicing avocados. "You handle the meat."

We moved around the kitchen with practiced ease, the sizzling sound of the beef cooking blending with the soft music playing in the background. The scent of spices filled the air as I seasoned the meat, and Nora expertly mashed the avocados, adding lime, salt, and cilantro.

As we worked, excitement bubbled between us. "They're going to love this," I said, tossing the tortillas onto the stove to warm them up.

Nora smiled, nodding. "Yeah, and knowing them, they'll probably devour everything in sight after such a long flight."

As we put the final touches on the meal, Nora's phone buzzed on the counter. She quickly glanced at it, her eyes lighting up. "They're here!" she exclaimed with a grin.

"Perfect timing," I said, wiping my hands on a towel. "I'll go get the door, and you finish setting the table."

Nora nodded and hurried to place the tacos, guac, and all the toppings onto the table. The spread looked amazing, colorful and inviting, with the candles flickering softly, adding a warm glow to the room.

I headed toward the front door, my heart doing a little excited flip as I turned the handle. As soon as I opened it, Marcus and Martinus stood there, looking travel-worn but smiling, their bags slung over their shoulders.