Larissa's POV
"Joe managed to convince Harlan that our elderly neighbor's tabby could speak English," I shared, chuckling at the ridiculous memory. "Poor Harlan spent an entire month attempting to hold conversations with that confused animal."
"How did that delusion finally end?"
"Joe secretly recorded himself making meowing sounds and played it back whenever Harlan approached the cat." The memory warmed me. "When Harlan discovered the trick, he armed himself with our Super Soaker and hunted Joe through three backyards."
Carson's features softened into genuine amusement, so different from his boardroom mask. "Your devotion to your family is obvious."
"Absolutely," I confirmed without hesitation. "They frustrate me beyond belief sometimes, but they mean the world to me."
"Which explains your willingness to enter this marriage," he observed quietly. "You did this for them."
I held his steady gaze. "Exactly."
