by Kaylee Ryan
Internally I’m fist bumping myself knowing I did that to her. “Never broken one yet.”
“In that case, I’ll be home early.”
“That’s my girl,” I say, kissing her one more time. “Drive safe, babe.”
“Have fun.” She gives me a pointed look.
“Impossible not to with the crew,” I tell her with a laugh. “Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I wait until she’s in her car and pulling out of the garage door, except I don’t get the chance when Kent pulls in and he and Seth climb out. I wait for them to enter the garage before shutting the door.
“My contribution.” Seth holds up a twelve-pack.
“You drinking?” I ask Kent.
“Nah. I’m his DD. Just talked to Ty. He and Ridge are leaving his place now.”
“Come on in.” I walk back into the house with them on my heels. “I ordered pizza and wings. Should be here soon.”
“Where we doing this?” Seth asks.
“Basement. You can take that down to the fridge down there if you want? Unless you want to keep walking upstairs to grab a beer?” I chuckle.
“That would be a big, fat negative.”
Kent and I share a look, but before we can discuss what might be going on with Seth, the doorbell rings. “Food’s here.” I happily pay the delivery kid for dropping off the four large pies and four pounds of wings, making sure to add a gracious tip.
“Fuck, did you invite someone else?” Seth asks.
“Nope. Just the five of us.”
“Is Dawn not feeding you?”
“Like you can’t devour an entire pizza on your own,” Kent says.
Seth grins. “You know it.” He opens the top of the first box and pulls out two slices, adding them to a paper plate.
“It’s been ages since we’ve done this,” Kent comments, helping himself to some pizza.
“Life,” I say, “has a way of getting in the way.”
“Our little group has had a rough couple of years,” he agrees.
The doorbell chimes. “Come in,” I call out, and Ridge and Ty come walking in. They immediately make themselves a plate.
“So, which of you two are next?” Ty asks. “We’ve got this one married off, or close enough.” He points to me and I nod.
“Not against it,” Kent says, before shoving another bite of pizza into his mouth. “Just need the girl,” he says once he’s swallowed. I don’t think he even chewed.
“What about you?” I ask Seth.
“Believe it or not, you fuckers make it look like we’re missing out,” Seth says. “You’re all fucking smiles, giggly babies, and ‘gotta go home to my wife.’ I admit I’d like to have what you have.”
Kent nods. “You do make it look like it doesn’t suck,” Kent agrees.
“It doesn’t suck.”
“How’s that going? With Daisy and Dawn, I mean? Is the adoption started?”
I nod. “It’s in the works. I’m glad we’re going to be married before it’s official so we all have the same last name.”
“You’re a good man, Marcus Adams,” Ridge says.
“Nah, man. I’m lucky to have them.” I’m not just saying that. I’m honored to be able to call both Dawn and Daisy mine.
“What happened with that chick?” Kent asks Seth.
“What chick?” We all know he’s playing dumb.
“The one you wanted. You met her once and she had you all tied up in knots.”
“Not much. I haven’t seen her since.”
“Have you talked to her?”
“We’ve texted a few times,” he confesses.
“And?” Ridge asks.
“Nothing to tell.”
“I call bullshit.” This from Tyler.
“Call it what you want. There’s nothing there. Not yet anyway. We’re getting to know each other slowly. If and when something happens, I’ll be sure you four know first,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Why the sudden interest in my love life?”
“We’re all established,” Tyler says. “Kent isn’t seeing anyone, and you have this girl that we know nothing about. You can bring her around, you know. We won’t run her off.”
“Yeah, I won’t even flirt with her,” Kent says.
“Like you do my fiancée?” I ask him.
“Or my wife,” Ridge adds.
“Or mine,” Tyler chimes in.
“You guys are too easy. I can’t resist,” he says, grinning. He picks up the pizza boxes that are not yet empty. “Grab the wings and let’s play some cards.”
Two hours later, I’m fifty-dollars richer. “Read ’em and weep, boys,” I say, dropping my cards to the table and pulling in the pot of money.
I hear the garage door open and glance down at my phone. It’s just after ten and Dawn is home. I want to rush upstairs to see her, to see Daisy before Dawn puts her to bed, but I stay in my seat. Seth drains his beer and announces he has to go to the bathroom.
“I’ll be right back. I’m gonna go see if Dawn needs any help getting Daisy in bed.” I don’t wait for a reply before I’m rushing up the steps, taking them two at a time. Dawn and a sleepy baby greet me at the top of the stairs.
“Hey, Daddy,” Dawn says, her voice low.
Hand on her hip, I lean down and kiss her, then Daisy. “How was your night?”
“Good. Ben and Beck were exhausted, and Knox and Everly were already in bed, so we called it a night. This little lady has been fighting sleep. I thought for sure she would crash on the way home, but no such luck.”
“Come here.” I take Daisy from her arms. “You want Daddy to rock you?” I ask her. She snuggles into my chest. Slowly I begin to rub her back.
“Seriously?” Dawn asks.
“What?”
She points to Daisy. “She just closed her eyes.”
“What can I say? I’ve got the magic touch.”
“Is she asleep?” I hear Kent ask.
Turning, I let him get a good look. Daisy must open her eyes because he smiles softly and jiggles her foot around. “You look tired, pretty girl.” Leaning in, he kisses the top of her head. “Let your old man rock you to sleep.” He winks at Dawn and she laughs.
“Old my ass,” I mumble.
“I’m gonna head out. Reagan is on her way home with the boys, so I’m going to go in case she needs help getting them down,” Tyler announces.
“They were fighting it when I left. Amelia was helping her to the car,” Dawn tells him.
“Yeah, they’ve been doing this thing where they fight sleep. It’s like they’re afraid they’re going to miss something. I’ll see you guys later. We’ll do it at my place next time,” he says as he heads for the front door.
“We’re all calling it a night,” Ridge says. He kisses Dawn on the cheek, runs his index finger down the side of Daisy’s face, and leaves.
“Thanks, man,” Seth says. “I cleaned up downstairs. Left the cards on the table.”
“That works. You didn’t have to do that, but I appreciate it.”
“Night,” Kent and Seth say at the same time, and then they’re gone.
“Sorry,” Dawn says. “I didn’t mean to break up boys’ night.”
“You didn’t. We’ve been playing for two hours. I’m up fifty bucks.” I wag my eyebrows and she laughs. “Let me get her down, and then I’ll be in.”
“Thank you.” She covers a yawn.
“I’m coming for you,” I tell her with a wink.
“I’ll be ready,” she says, kissing Daisy on the cheek and rushing off to our room.
It takes me longer to get our girl to deep sleep than I anticipated. Every time I thought she was sound asleep, I’d stand from the rocking chair and her eyes would pop open. So I snuggled and rocked her a little longer. She’s growing so much compared to the day we brought her home. I hate that she’s growing up so fast.
Finally, I’m able to place her in her crib and she stays asleep. “Night, baby girl,” I whisper, and
quietly step out of her room. When I reach our bedroom, Dawn is sound asleep, curled up in a ball on top of the covers. She’s wearing one of my T-shirts and my guess is nothing else. My cock twitches, but he’s not getting any action tonight. Grabbing an extra blanket from the closet, I cover her up, turn off the lamp, and climb into bed. Not exactly what I had planned, but at the end of the day, she’s here in my bed, and Daisy is safe in hers. What more can a man ask for?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Dawn
Girls’ night ends up being a wedding-planning marathon. Kent came over last night and finalized his online submission to be ordained. We printed it off and he said he was going home to frame it. I wouldn’t put it past him.
On Monday, Mark and I went during our lunch breaks and applied for our marriage license and the date is set. Two weeks from today I’ll be Mrs. Marcus Adams.
“Okay, dress,” Reagan says.
“I was just going to wear something I have.”
“Really?” Reagan says, and I can hear the disappointment in her voice.
“Yeah, I mean, this isn’t a big affair or anything.” I pause and then tell them the other reason. “I always imagined my mom and my sister with me, and I don’t know, I just decided something I have will work.”
“What do you want, Dawn? Do you see yourself in a dress, not one that you already own? Hell, it doesn’t have to be a wedding dress. Maybe just something new he’s never seen before?” Kendall suggests.
“Yeah, I can see the appeal of him never seeing me in it before.”
“Done. We’re going shopping tomorrow.” Her fingers start flying across the screen of her cell phone. “We would go tonight but everything is closed.” She purses her lips as if the stores are wrong for being closed at nine thirty on a Saturday night.
“Who are you texting?”
“Mark and Ridge, letting them know they’re on kid duty tomorrow.”
“Might as well add Tyler to that message,” Reagan tells her.
“And Kent and Seth, just in case they need extra hands.” Amelia laughs.
“Good idea.” Kendall goes back to her phone and again, her fingers fly across the screen. “Done,” she says, finally looking up.
“Okay, dress is tomorrow. What about decorations?” Amelia asks.
“Meh, I figured some fresh flowers or something.”
“Come on, Dawn, you can do better than that,” Kendall says. “How do you feel about letting us take over the decorations?”
“Guys, you don’t have to do this. It’s simple,” I tell them.
“Simple and elegant. It still needs to feel like a wedding. You and Mark deserve nothing less,” she says.
“Oh.” Reagan sits up straighter in her seat. “Add Daisy’s dress to the list for tomorrow.”
Kendall points her finger at her. “I like the way you think, sister of mine,” she says, and they both laugh.
“So, how about it? You going to trust us with the decorations?” Amelia asks.
“Sure. Just don’t go overboard and we want to pay for it,” I say, making sure I make eye contact with all three of them.
“How about it’s our wedding gift to you? Y’all combined two houses so you don’t really need anything. What do you two think?” Reagan asks Kendall and Amelia.
“Love it,” Kendall says.
“What else?” I ask. Although I’m almost afraid to.
“Food?” Amelia asks.
“Sonia, Heidi, and Theresa,” I say, naming Ridge, Kendall, and Mark’s moms. “Theresa said not to worry. They were taking care of it.”
Kendall nods. “The best part is with those three, we know we’re in for some good eats.” She laughs.
“You sound like my brother.” Reagan chuckles.
Kendall shrugs. “There are worse things. Besides, he is my husband.”
“So, we’re good, right?” I ask. I don’t want this to get out of hand. I have to reel them in to keep it small.
“What about music? What are you walking in to?” Amelia asks.
“I-I’m not sure. I was thinking Mark and I could just kind of stand in front of Kent.” My heart aches thinking of walking down the aisle without my father.
Kendall reaches over from her spot next to me and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry,” she says softly.
“Shit, I wasn’t thinking,” Amelia says.
I wipe a tear before it falls. “It’s okay. It’s my life.”
“Do you trust me?” Kendall asks.
“Of course,” I say, and I mean it.
“Let me handle it. The music, the walking, all of it.”
“You have two kids, a husband, and a full-time job,” I tell her. “You don’t need to put this much effort into it.”
“Dawn,” she sighs. “You’re my best friend. Of course I’m going to.” She looks over at Reagan and Amelia. “I would do it for any of you. Please, I want to, and it’s not too much. These two are in on the decorations, so that takes some of the load off.”
“Are you sure?” I look at each of them. “I hate that you’re all doing so much. It’s just supposed to be small and simple.”
“It will be,” Reagan promises. “Let us handle it. We know it’s hard for you, and it’s easier not to than to feel the pain. Let us make your wedding day special.”
“Okay.” I nod, wiping at another tear.
“Shit, y’all better change the subject. Mark’s going to be pissed if he finds out we made her cry,” Amelia says, dead serious, and we all burst into laughter. She’s grinning, which means her comment did what she wanted it to do. Break the tension and mask the sadness.
“Well, that’s settled. Now, let’s talk about something else.” Reagan turns to Amelia. “You’re the only single lady among us. What’s going on with you? Seeing anyone?”
“No.” Amelia shakes her head. “Still living with my parents and searching for full-time employment.”
“Human resources, right?” I ask her.
“Yeah. To be honest, I haven’t really been looking. I’m just… in a funk I guess. I mean, I want to be gainfully employed and move out of my parents’ place, but I was gone for college, and I missed them. I don’t hate it at the moment.” Something flashes in her eyes that I can’t read before it’s gone.
“Nothing wrong with that,” Reagan says.
“Hey, maybe talk to Ridge. He moans about all the HR stuff he has to handle. Maybe he’ll be ready to let go and hire someone?” Kendall suggests.
“Yes. My dad was the same way growing up when the company was his. Mom would tell him over and over to hire someone, but he never did,” Reagan tells us.
“I might do that,” Amelia says, not really committing but knowing that will pacify Kendall and Reagan.
Maybe it’s because I’ve spent a lot of time with her while she was with me in the hospital or maybe it’s because I didn’t know her then, but my gut tells me there’s something going on with her. She fidgets in her seat and I know she’s uncomfortable.
“Okay, enough of my wedding high-jacking girls’ night. What next?” I ask.
“Well, we’ve already broke out the wine, so junk food and movies. Oh… dance party?” Reagan laughs.
“Really?” I ask.
“Hell yeah. Girls’ night we let loose and act like we’re fifteen again.”
“All right.” I toss her my phone. “It’s already connected to the bluetooth speaker, pick whatever you want. I’m making some popcorn.”
“We’ll help.” Kendall grabs Amelia’s hand and drags her into the kitchen with us.
“There are only four of us,” I say, looking at the chips, cookies, brownies, candy, and I know there are two cartons of ice cream waiting for us in the freezer.
“Girls’ night, calories don’t count,” Kendall says.
“Good thing. We’ve already demolished two bottles of wine,” I say, holding up the empty bottles as proof.
Amelia waves me off. “We’ll burn that off with the dance part
y.”
“That’s a real thing?” I ask.
Reagan laughs as she joins us. “Yeah, we used to have them all the time, Amelia and me. She was two years older than me, like Ridge, but since she was the only girl, we hung out a lot. We had some kickass dance parties.”
“I’m sorry I missed that,” Kendall says, and she truly sounds disappointed.
“Okay, ladies, let’s do this.” Reagan turns the volume up and “Love Shack” by the B-52s blares through the speakers.
Junk food forgotten, we bounce around the kitchen and living room acting like fools, pulling out our cheesiest dance moves. I can’t wipe the smile off my face, even if I tried. I needed this night more than I knew. It’s a perfect reminder to live in the moment. You never know what tomorrow might bring.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mark
When I woke up this morning, I rolled over to an empty bed. I had to sleep alone last night, which is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. But then I remembered why my lovely fiancée insisted on separate rooms, and my smile cannot be contained.
Today is my wedding day.
We’re not going with the traditional “can’t see the bride the day of the wedding,” but she did insist we sleep in separate rooms. She also insisted she stay in the spare bedroom, which is finally furnished with a queen-size bed. I didn’t fight her on it. Okay, not much. She’s been pretty calm with all this wedding planning and easygoing. This is the first real thing I’ve heard her ask for, so after whining briefly, I conceded.
We’re getting married at noon, which is apparently a time that works with the nap schedule of Daisy and the other littles. I don’t care what time, just that it’s finally happening. Glancing at the clock, I see it’s just after six and Daisy will be up soon. Climbing out of bed, I go ahead and grab a shower, then throw on some basketball shorts and a T-shirt. I don’t bother shaving. I know Dawn likes me with a few days’ growth, and with my parents keeping Daisy tonight, I plan to let her experience it. All. Night. Long.
“Morning, beautiful.” I kiss Dawn on the cheek then bend down to do the same to Daisy, who sits in her high chair. She likes to be where we are, which is a win since we always want her around. “You’re a happy baby this morning.” She grins when my beard tickles her cheek.