“Do you think this will work?” James asked, reaching out to give the baby’s foot a little squeeze.
“Yes,” Harper said simply.
“How?”
“However it needs to.” Harper looked up at him. “She needs us, too.”
“Yeah.” Sophie clearly had a complicated relationship with her family. What she needed right now was support. Period. Day to day, what that looked like, might change. But James and Harper were nothing if not flexible. And a great team. “So if she decides to keep him, we’re okay?”
“Not exactly.”
He knew what she meant. He wasn’t okay either. But they could handle this. Together.
“If I can keep you, I’m okay.” Harper leaned over to put her head on his shoulder.
James wrapped his arm around her, feeling his chest warm.
“We will just take care of whoever or whatever comes to us,” Harper said. “Right now, we’re kind of fostering a baby and a teenage girl. And whatever happens tomorrow, we’ll deal with it.”
James kissed the top of her head, feeling his heart swell. “You’re going to be okay with that? Not being able to schedule and plan everything?” He didn’t need Harper to change. He loved her just as she was. But he had to admit that she’d blossomed and seemed so much happier since she’d just started going day to day and taking care of things as they came.
Harper shifted so she could look up at him. “You know what I realized? About opening that door?” she asked.
“What?”
“That I never knew what was going to be on the other side. But I kept opening it. Because I knew you would be there. Whatever else came along with that didn’t really matter.” She gave him the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. “I think you’re the only constant I really need.”
James felt everything in him tighten. With need. He looked down at the baby. He couldn’t do all the things he suddenly needed to do to, and with, Harper because they had a baby. Kind of. For now. But for now was enough.
He could, however, kiss the hell out of her. James cupped the back of her head and pulled her in. “I still want to marry you, Professor. But this time, you can tell me when you’re ready.”
Just before he kissed her, she said, “I’m ready.”
James pulled back, looking into her eyes. “Are you sure? Is it because we have the baby back?”
She shook her head. “I know we might not be keeping him. Or maybe we’ll have him for a year or two and then Sophie might be ready to be on her own. Or maybe we’ll send our girl off into the world after she graduates, and she’ll come back and visit all three of us. I don’t know. But… there will be so many other adventures and people and things that need us. We’re really good together and all of this—the dogs, the babies, the teenage girls, the lizards, and trees—they all orbit around us. We’re the center. Us. Together.”
He kissed her before she could say anything else. This woman… she still made him weak in the knees. She was starting to see how amazing she was, and he was so damned grateful to get to be around to watch her discover all her kickassedness.
Their kiss was interrupted, however. He supposed that if their life was going to be full of pets and kids, he should get used to that.
Though a loud baby fart followed by the unmistakable sound of that baby filling his diaper—and then some—would never be romantic.
Harper laughed and looked down at Isaac. Who was grinning up at them. “Wow.”
The smell hit him a second later, and James shook his head. “I was wondering how to get you naked again.”
“To the shower, then?” she asked.
“And this time you don’t need to keep your pj's on,” he told her with a wink.
“Our hands are going to be kind of full,” she said, tipping her head toward the squirming baby boy who was starting to get uncomfortable in that diaper.
“Yeah, until he’s asleep. But you can just stay wrapped in a towel until then.” James scooped the baby up from her and stretched to his feet.
Harper rose as well and started for the bathroom, stripping her shirt up and over her head. She tossed it to the side and looked over her shoulder. “I’ll get the water warmed up.”
James watched her go then looked down at the baby. “Seriously. Best wingman ever.”
Six months later…
Harper sat next to James on the folding chair, watching Sophie and Isaac. He could stand up if she held his hands, and he was bouncing, holding on to Sophie’s fingers, watching the other kids play.
It was the monthly family get-together for the support group that Caleb, Lexi, Bea, and all their friends were a part of. James, Harper, and Sophie had all started going to the group meetings at Caleb and Lexi’s invitation. Together.
Sophie lived across the landing and spent a lot of time with Isaac. But so did Harper and James. The baby was always with at least one of the three, and they parented him as a unit. They hadn’t started a formal adoption process yet, and James and Harper were happy to give Sophie whatever time she needed. Maybe she’d never decide to give him up. That was okay. They were a family. An unconventional one, for sure, but still a family.
The support-group members hadn’t even blinked at their unusual situation, and over the past few months, they’d learned that every member of the group had a different parenting setup themselves. Some had lost their spouses, some had divorced, some had never had a spouse to start with, and some had spouses who were gone for long periods of time, like Lindsey’s husband, Matt, who was stationed overseas with his army unit. The thing they all had in common was wanting to be the best parents they could be and the need for support from other parents.
“Wow, he’s getting so big.”
Harper looked up at Dana Trahan, Logan’s wife. She had their youngest daughter propped on her hip. Harper had quickly figured out that Logan Trahan was just meant to have girls. Lots of girls. Everyone thought it was hilarious, but it was obvious that he was a fantastic dad and embraced everything about raising his girls.
“I know. I can’t believe how much they change and learn in the first few months,” Harper said.
“It’s crazy,” Dana agreed. “So, hey, us moms are going out next week for a spa day. Massages, mani-pedis, and lunch. Addison, me, Lexi, Lindsey, Ashley, Roxanne, and Bea, if she can make it. We’d love to have you and Sophie join us.”
Harper smiled at the other woman. “Thank you. It’s so nice that you include us both.”
“You’re both his mom, right?” Dana asked with a shrug. “One thing that we know very well in this group is that families are formed in all kinds of ways. As long as there’s love and support, it really doesn’t matter how the people in the family come together or if they share blood.”
Harper felt tears prickle at the backs of her eyes. “I love that.”
James had told her that all of this was just one more way she was proving she was good at rolling with things, just like he was. She was starting to believe him.
Sometimes she thought she was Isaac’s mom. Sometimes she thought she was Sophie’s mom. Sometimes she didn’t think either of them really needed her. Some nights they both needed her. And having two kids—three if she counted James, which she definitely did sometimes—meant never knowing exactly what the next day would bring.
She loved every bit of it.
James’s phone rang just then, and he glanced down at the number. He frowned slightly.
“So that’s a yes?” Dana asked.
Harper pulled her eyes from James. “Yes, definitely.”
She and Sophie had enjoyed the evenings together when James had been working. Harper had loved getting to know the younger woman better, and Harper really did feel that she was mothering Sophie, too, sometimes. She’d taken care of her when she’d had a sinus infection a month ago. She’d helped with homework. She’d taught her a couple of recipes. It was fun having a new friend-daughter figure. Harper would never have expected that. Nor would she have discover
ed it if she hadn’t been open to bringing Sophie into their lives.
“Saturday?” Dana asked.
“James, do you work Saturday?” Harper asked. Celia had offered to help sit Isaac anytime they needed someone, but so far they hadn’t needed to take her up on that.
“Uh… no,” he said, clearly distracted. “Hang on.” He lifted his phone to his ear. “This is James Reynaud.”
Harper watched his face go from frowning to surprise. He glanced at her.
“I, um… yes.” He paused. Then he nodded, holding Harper’s gaze. “Yes. Definitely yes.” He listened again and then smiled widely. “Great. We’ll be right there.” He disconnected.
“What’s going on?” Harper asked.
“You might not be available next Saturday,” he said. “You’re going to be a little busy.”
“Why?” Harper felt a little thrill shoot through her that she didn’t understand. She didn’t even know what was going on, but she could sense James’s excitement.
“They have a foster kid for us.”
She felt her eyes go round. “What?” They’d just completed all of their paperwork and interviews two weeks ago.
He nodded. “A girl.”
“Oh.” Harper reached out and squeezed his hand. “Wow.”
“Yeah. And… she’s thirteen.”
Harper stared at him. “A teenager?” She hadn’t been expecting that.
His gaze went to something over her shoulder. “Apparently one of the people they interviewed about us said that we’d be awesome with teenage girls.”
Harper didn’t have to look to know he was watching Sophie. She felt those tears prick her eyes again. “She did?”
“I guess so. What do you say? Think we can handle a teenager whose mom just went to jail for child endangerment because her boyfriend was dealing drugs out of their house?”
Harper shot to her feet. “Yes. Come on. Let’s go get her.”
James grinned and got to his feet. “That’s what I’d figured you’d say.”
Harper grabbed her purse. “I’m sorry, Dana, I don’t know about next weekend.”
“It’s fine,” Dana said with a big smile. “You guys go. We get it. Spa days can happen anytime.”
“Sophie!” James called.
The girl swung Isaac up to her hip and came over to them. “Hey, what’s up?”
“We need to go meet our new foster daughter,” Harper said, her heart pounding. “Can you get Isaac home all right?”
“Of course,” Sophie said with a nod. “A new foster daughter?”
“Yeah. What do you think?”
“I think that’s amazing.” Sophie gave them a big smile. “I’ll make cookies.”
Harper grinned. “That would be perfect.” She loved that Sophie wanted to be a part of this. A part of making all of this work for whoever needed them, even while she needed them.
“Logan and I will get them home,” Dana offered. She waved to her husband. “Logan will come out and get the baby’s car seat out of your car.”
Instinctively, Harper leaned in and gave Sophie a quick hug, then she kissed Isaac on the head. “We’ll see you later. At home.”
“Yep.” Sophie looked a little overwhelmed but happy.
Exactly how Harper was feeling.
James took her hand and lifted it to his lips. He kissed it and said, “I feel like I should go get her and show up at your door and say, ‘I don’t suppose you know anything about thirteen-year-olds?’”
Harper smiled. “Well, the answer would be the same as it basically was all the other times—’no, but I’ll learn.’”
He laughed. “We’ll learn together.”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “I really like opening these doors together.”
“Me too, Professor. Me too.”
Thank you so much for reading Getting Off Easy! I hope you loved James and Harper’s story!
* * *
And now you can head down to the bayou for more sexy, Louisiana fun in the companion series, Boys of the Bayou!
* * *
Small town, hot-country-boys-with-Louisiana-drawls, crazy-falling-in-love fun!
* * *
My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding
Sweet Home Louisiana
Beauty and the Bayou
Crazy Rich Cajuns
Must Love Alligators
If you want more sexy, single dad romances, check out these titles from Erin!
* * *
Best of Three
Forever Mine
No Matter What
Just A Kiss
Other books in the Boys of the Big Easy series include:
* * *
Easy Going (prequel novella-FREE everywhere!)
Going Down Easy
Taking It Easy
Eggnog Makes Her Easy
Nice and Easy
Getting Off Easy
Find all of Erin’s books here!
www.ErinNicholas.com
About Erin
Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).
* * *
Find her and all her books at
www.ErinNicholas.com
* * *
And find her on Facebook, BookBub, and Instagram!
More from Erin NIcholas
Boys of the Big Easy
Easy Going (prequel novella)
Going Down Easy
Taking It Easy
Eggnog Makes Her Easy
Nice and Easy
* * *
Boys of the Bayou
Small town, hot-country-boys-with-Louisiana-drawls, crazy-falling-in-love fun!
* * *
My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding
Sweet Home Louisiana
Beauty and the Bayou
Crazy Rich Cajuns
* * *
If you love the Boys of the Big Easy
Check out Erin’s Billionaires in Blue Jeans!
* * *
Diamonds and Dirt Roads
High Heels and Haystacks
Cashmere and Camo
Not your typical billionaire romances…
* * *
A tough corporate CEO, a nerdy research scientist, and a globe-trotting party girl walk into a conference room…
* * *
Where the sisters, Ava, Brynn, and Cori, find out they have been named co-heirs to their father’s multi-billion dollar conglomerate. Whether they want it or not.
* * *
But they also inherit a list of conditions that have to be met: One, move to Bliss, Kansas–wherever that is–for a year. Two, run their father’s pie shop together. Yes, a pie shop. Three, follow his edicts for their love lives. Yep, he went there.
* * *
It’s possible Rudy knew exactly what he was doing when he wrote his will.
It’s equally possible that he was completely crazy.
No matter what, everyone can agree on one thing…Bliss, Kansas is never going to be the same.
Getting Off Easy Page 24