by Anne Mercier
“Shit,” I say, then wince.
She lifts a brow.
“Well, hell…”
Dad laughs.
“I’ll work on it,” I tell Tera.
“Have you decided on a name?” Sandy asks.
I look to Tera and she nods.
“We have,” Tera tells her. “Josie Rose Mackenzie.”
“Perfect,” Dad says. “What a way to honor them.”
Mr. and Mrs. Martinez—Jose and Rosa. We wanted to let them know how special they are to us, so we named our baby girl, Josie Rose.
“You’ve got a waiting room full of people,” another nurse says as she walks into the room.
Xan nods. “I’ll go when Tera’s all fixed up.”
Sandy hands Josie to Tera and we both stare at her.
“Wow,” I whisper.
Tera nods. “She’s a beautiful alien.”
I chuckle.
“Her head will get un-cone-like soon,” Sandy tells us with a smile.
“You did good, Mama,” Dad tells Tera.
He’s down there sewing up stuff I don’t want to see, so I redirect my attention to Josie and Tera.
“Maybe she’ll be a musician and name her band Josie and the Pussycats,” I ramble.
Tera looks at me. “You’re so weird when you’re panicking.”
“She may be small, but that’s a whole lot of responsibility,” I admit.
“You’ll be a great dad,” she tells me.
“I gotta be better than Jesse. I mean, he’s afraid of Kiki,” I taunt.
Tera snickers. “He’s so easy to spook.”
“I’m tired,” Tera murmurs.
“Hold her tight, I’ll move so you can lean back and relax,” I tell Tera.
“You just want to hold her.” She smirks.
I nod. “I do. I’m in awe of her, of you. You’re amazing.”
“Well, this amazing person wants some rest. Can we hold off on bringing people in?” she asks.
I nod, taking Josie from Tera’s arms. Tera immediately snuggles into the pillow.
“Good as new,” Dad announces, pulling off his gloves.
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Tera announces.
“We’re going to put these on and a pad for the bleeding,” Sandy advises, helping Tera scoot.
“Will you be breast feeding?” the other nurse asks.
Tera nods.
“We’ll try in a little bit.”
Tera looks at her nervously. “You’re going to help?”
The nurse nods. “I am.”
Tera visibly relaxes. “Thank God. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“It’s instinct. You’ll know even when you don’t think you do,” Dad tells her.
What he gets in return is a snore.
43
LINC
“I’m an uncle!”
“Me too,” Ethan says.
“Hell, we all are,” Kennedy corrects.
“You want to hold her?” Tera asks.
I look down at the tiny human swaddled in a blanket. I swapped out the beanie for one that says ROCKSTAR.
“Yeah but tell me if I do it wrong.” I’m nervous. What if I hurt her? What if I drop her?
“You won’t. Just support her head and…” Tera trails off, then laughs. “She almost fits in your hand.”
I chuckle. “Not quite. My forearm, for sure though. Dang, she’s a cute little thing. What did Mama and Pop say when you told them her name?”
“They cried, then hugged, then cried some more. It was a good moment,” Tera tells me.
I nod.
Xan walks in. “Josie and the Pussycats.”
I cut him a glare and point with my free hand. “No. Stop before you start.”
“Dude,” Kennedy says to Xander, shaking his head. “No.”
Xan looks to Ethan, hope in his eyes—the last bit of it.
Ethan shakes his head. “No. Just no.”
“Aww, man. That could’ve been a lot of fun,” Xan tells us.
“Sure, back when Josie and the Pussycats were cool. They are definitely not cool now,” Tera says.
“Unless you’re watching Riverdale,” Xander replies, with a gleam in his eye.
Tera shakes her head. “Nuh uh. Even in Riverdale they broke up.”
Xan pouts.
“Get over it,” I tell him. “She deserves better than some clichéd cartoon.”
“I’ll come up with something,” he replies.
The little wrinkly baby resting on my forearm and hand, starts to make scrunchy faces.
“What’s that?” I ask. “It’s doing something.”
Ethan laughs, looking over. “She’s waking up. She’s probably hungry or needs a diaper change.”
I hand her back over to Tera. “I don’t do either of those.”
Tera snickers. “You wait and see. You’re going to change a diaper and like it.”
I shudder. “I can assure you, if I do change a diaper, I won’t like it.”
“That’s the truth, brother,” Jesse says as he and Lucy walk into the room.
Lucy ignores everyone and heads straight for Tera.
“Ohmigod, she’s so cute,” Lucy coos, running a fingertip over the baby’s cheek.
Tera looks at Lucy. “He tried the whole Josie and the Pussycats thing.”
Lucy gasps and turns to glare at Xander. He holds up his hands.
“Don’t even start. I was shot down.”
“Lame. That’s what that whole idea was,” Lucy tells him. “I think you might need a nap or something, recharge your brain. I think it short circuited.”
“Very funny. A nap does sound good,” Xan agrees.
“How’d you break free from the Quads?” I ask Jesse.
His eyes widen. “Mama Russo showed up.”
I cringe. “Jace?”
Jesse nods and makes like he’s cutting his throat.
“Guess we’re going out,” I tell Ethan.
“Let’s find somewhere low-key,” he says.
“I’m all for that.”
44
ETHAN
“It’s only a week to the premiere for Lucy,” I remind Linc.
He nods. “We’re all over it.”
“By ‘we’ you mean Russo Security.”
“Exactly,” Linc replies.
“How’s it going to work? Will you walk in with us, or be on the sidelines?”
“With you. Close protection is always a good thing.”
I wiggle my eyebrows. “Up close and personal.”
When we’re back in the car, Linc turns to me.
“The Manzinis, Romanos, Contis, and Scozzaris threw in with the Russos.”
I whistle long and low. “And Murphy?”
“Kellys, Walshes, and Connollys. MacNamaras bailed.”
“He’s so screwed,” I declare.
“But he’s also arrogant enough to not realize it. He’s the type to think he can win every time,” Linc tells me.
“Not this time.”
“No,” Linc says. “Not this time.”
He just stares at me.
“What’s on your mind, Knox?”
“Let’s drive to Vegas and get married.”
I stare back, searching for any sign of doubt, any sign he’s joking; but I only find sincerity.
“Let’s do it,” I agree.
“Do you want a frilly wedding?”
“Hell no,” I tell him honestly.
“Then it’s a good thing we haven’t talked to Mama Russo about anything,” Linc reminds me.
“Oh hell, that would be…”
Linc nods. “I need to call Cage. Give him a head’s up.”
“You do that, and I’ll pay for the pizza.”
I watch him walk out of the restaurant, his heavily-muscled upper body nearly as wide as the door.
I finish my water and pay the bill, leaving a nice tip for the waitress. She was nice, and she didn’t give away our location.
&nb
sp; “Miss?” I call her over.
“All set?” she asks.
“Not quite. You’ve been great. You didn’t call the paparazzi and you could have made a lot of money if you had. So, I’d like to offer you tickets to our next show. I’m not sure when that is yet, but I’d like to give you front row seats and back stage VIP passes.”
Her eyes go wide. “You don’t have to do that. I was trying to respect your privacy.”
I rest my hand atop hers. “You’re the first one in a really long time. This is my way of saying thanks. I just need your number and name.”
She scrawls it out on a blank order ticket.
“I promise, I’ll hook you up. As many people you think deserve something like that.”
She shrugs. “I don’t think there are a whole lot who do.”
I nod. “I know that feeling. Just remember, there are people like you out there. You reaffirmed my belief that there are good people out there.”
She leans forward. “Falling Down kicks ass. Keep on rockin’, Ethan. Oh, and your guy? He’s delicious.”
I give her a wink and walk out the door, feeling lighter than I have in a long while.
45
LINC
I just filled Cage in on our plans.
“We won’t need extra security. No one’s expecting us there, and we won’t be out much.”
“Want me to leak it?” he asks.
“Sure. Tomorrow. Not early. I want to be out of here before you do,” I tell him. “And I plan on sleeping in.”
Cage chuckles. “Tomorrow evening it is.”
“Thanks man.”
“Anytime.”
I look up and Ethan’s headed my way.
“Cage suggested having our driver rent a car for us,” I inform him.
“Good plan. Convertible would be nice. Perfect weather for it,” Ethan says.
“Excellent. You need to go home for anything?”
“Nope.”
We climb into the back of the SUV.
Ethan looks at me. “Wait. Whose last name are we going to use?”
I chuckle. “I don’t care. Mine, yours, keep the ones we have. I just want you.”
“Ditto that, babe.”
46
CAGE
I leaked the announcement of Linc and Ethan’s engagement to Margo Phelan and within an hour social media has blown up. No longer are the majority calling them fags. I’m not sure why, but their getting married, for some reason, got a lot of people to recognize that love is love.
WEDDED BLISS!
Well, folks, they did it!
Ethan Ashcroft and Lincoln Ramirez tied the knot.
I’m a little disappointed I didn’t get an invite,
but then again no one did. They eloped, and with
all the hoopla surrounding them,
I can’t say as I blame them.
Lincoln, Ethan:
I wish you many years of love, laughter, and happiness!
~Margo Phelan, Announcements
“That was a smart move,” Sera says.
I nod. “Indeed, but I don’t think that was the intent.”
“Well, no.” Sera moves off the sofa. “Oh, by the way, Xander left you a present.”
I groan. “Another?”
“I think it’s more than one. I’m not sure. I wasn’t involved,” Sera informs me.
“This time.”
“What was that?” she asks, snickering.
I chuckle. “Do I get a head’s up?”
“Nope.” She sighs. “It’s starting to get dark earlier and earlier. I don’t like the end of summer.”
“Happens every year, Fee.”
“And every year I hate it more and more,” she replies.
I walk over and hug her from behind.
“Want to order in?” I ask.
“Chinese?”
I nod. “Whatever you want.”
“Definitely Chinese food.”
“Better eat all that MSG while you can,” I tell her.
She groans. “You’re not going to be like that are you?”
I stare.
“Oh man. I should have known you’d be all bossy about what I eat when I get preggers,” she whines.
I chuckle because her tone is hilarious. I smile because she said when instead of if.
“I’ll call it in,” she informs me.
I nod and make my way to the bedroom to change out of my suit. I walk into the bathroom and our toilet seat cover is glowing with a yellow bat symbol. I can’t help but laugh, though I’ll keep that to myself.
When I lift the lid, the inside of the bowl has one too. “How the hell…” Nope. I don’t want to know. I can only imagine what else is in store.
I step back into the bedroom and sit on the chair to put on my socks, that’s when I see it. A large Batman figurine on the dresser. The Batman throw rug next to the bed. I turn and see a utility belt.
“For real?” I ask, hearing Sera padding toward me.
She laughs. “Isn’t this fun?”
“I don’t want our house to be all Batman,” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “No way. Not until we have kids. Then we can decorate…”
I put my hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry to inform you, Serafina Nichols, but I am not Batman.”
She licks my hand and I pull away with a chuckle. She hugs me tight.
“You’re the closest thing to Batman I’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t even have a Batmobile,” I tell her.
She looks up and smirks. “That can be arranged.”
47
LUCY
I look at Xander. “You went to Cage’s and put Bat signals everywhere and didn’t invite me?” I point at him. “You. You’re on my list.”
He winces. “I take it it’s not your most favorite person in the world list.”
“Not even close.”
I turn and spot Linc and Ethan trying to escape.
“FREEZE!”
They stop and slowly turn.
“And you two!” I look at Summer and Jace. “You four! You got married without me! Without us! What is happening?”
“Luce,” Ethan starts.
I sniff. “I suppose I can sort of understand you and Linc, but Summer and Jace…”
“Your mother was driving me insane,” Summer answers. “I couldn’t take it anymore. Everything was lacy and frilly and not us.”
I give her and Jace a look. “Do you know how long it took me to calm her down? I swear she invented Italian swear words.”
“Sorry, Luce,” Jace says.
I sniff again.
“Tell me. Who’s going to skip out on the premiere, hmm?” I turn to Summer. “You are completely excused.” I turn to Tera. “You are as well. There’s a scene where a baby cries and your boobs would leak all over the place.”
Tera’s eyes widen. “That can happen?”
Lucy nods. “Oh, yeah. It’s not a fun time.”
“Yikes,” Xander mutters.
“Meggie called. Her and Trace are coming,” Jesse tells me.
“Sera and Cage are as well,” I tell everyone.
Ethan steps forward. “Linc and I will be there.”
I look at him. “Whose last name did you choose?”
“Uh, we just kept our own,” Ethan tells me, nervously.
“Good choice.”
“We’re forbidden,” Ben tells me.
I nod. “For good reason. You and your family, Nicole, you all come first.”
I look at Kennedy. He smiles. “I’m so there, Cupcake.”
Jesse growls. “Find your own nickname.”
“Why would I do that when I like yours so much already?” Kennedy asks Jesse.
Jesse’s nostrils flare.
“Turn down the caveman,” I tell him. “We’re going to have wardrobe, hair, and makeup. There’ll be limousines and red carpet. Photographers galore, some magazines who may want a word or two. Only go with ones you know are
reputable. Aiden’s going to be there.” I look to Jesse. “Don’t punch him.”
“I make no promises.”
“Jesse.”
“Lucy.”
“You’re so frustrating,” I tell him, and he chuckles. “I’m sorry I’m being a hard-ass, but you all know how I get when the press is involved… and they’re involved. I’m trying not to swear because I already owe Kadi twenty bucks for last week. I haven’t made it to the bank to get cash, and I don’t think she’s going to keep that IOU legit too much longer.”
The doorbell rings and when I open it, there stand Cage and Sera. I hug Sera tightly, clinging like a baby koala.
“A little tense?” she asks.
I nod.
“Relax, this is easy. You’ve done this how many times already?”
I shrug. “And every time I dreaded the red-carpet walk.”
Cage clears his throat. “Since you’re all here, we have doubled security even though Nicole won’t be on site. We’ve also doubled it here, just in case.”
Nicole gasps. “You don’t think they’d come here?”
“I can’t be sure. Better safe than sorry,” Cage tells her.
She nods, now biting her lip.
“Don’t forget Spenser, Carmen, and Simone. They’ll be coming here to help us get ready, and they’ll also be attending the premiere with their dates.”
“Got it,” Cage says. “Now, let’s discuss the rules.”
I hate rules.
48
ETHAN
I flop down on the bed. “Ugh. That’s crazy shit.”
Linc agrees and flops next to me. “They’re good, though. No cracks in the armor.”
“That’s good. I feel better with all of us going, and with leaving Nicole here. I admit I’ve been worried. Not just for Nicole, but for those kids. They’ve been through enough.”
“They have. And so have we.”