“Oh my God! Congratulations!” I grabbed her hand and looked at the ring on her finger before pulling her in for a hug. “When did he ask?”

“Christmas!”

“Congrats, and nice rock, Aaron,” I teased as I pulled Maddie’s new fiancé in for a hug.

Like I hadn’t known. I’d gone with him to pick out the ring.

“She loves it. Thank you,” Aaron whispered into my ear, and I winked when he pulled back.

I listened to Maddie tell me all the details of the proposal as I accepted hugs from her parents and other family friends. After we’d said hello to everyone, Kash pulled me into his chest and ran his hands over my swollen belly, and I continued talking to Maddie as he talked to Aaron.

Maddie and I had grown incredibly close over the last couple years, and I was so happy to see her with Aaron. Too many guys had burned her before. Aaron had swooped in at the perfect time, and was beyond perfect for her. He was the biggest sweetheart I’d ever met; and though he seemed pretty calm for Maddie’s overexcited personality, they balanced each other really well.

“Where’s my brother?” she suddenly asked.

Kash shrugged. “I don’t know, he said he’d be here. But I haven’t seen him since before we left for California.”

“I haven’t seen him since before Aaron and I got engaged. He keeps saying he’s busy, I want to show him my ring!”

Looking up at my husband, I nudged his stomach with my elbow. “Call him, babe.”

Keeping one hand on my stomach, he pulled out his phone and brought up Mason’s number.

Kash and Mason were still in the gang unit, and things were going as well as they could in that field. Mason was at our house more often than not and loved playing “Uncle Mase” to the girls. Like Candice, Kash and I had been hoping he’d settle down soon . . . but girls came and went from his apartment just as often as they always had.

“Mason’s bringing a girl,” Kash spoke directly into my ear so no one else could hear us.

Apparently I’d spoken too soon.

“Like . . . ?”

“Like a girlfriend.”

“No way!” I hissed and looked up at him. Kash looked just as surprised as I felt.

A shriek filled the living room and I turned to see Kennedy running as fast as her little toddler legs would carry her.

“Jesus,” I whispered and pointed. “Naked baby.”

Kash laughed and kissed the back of my neck. “You are homeschooling the girls.”

“Whatever you say, Kash.” I winked and watched him take off after Kennedy.

Marcy walked up next to me and handed me Kennedy’s forgotten clothes. “How do you keep that girl in these?”

“We haven’t figured out a way yet. Where’s Kira?”

“Sleeping in Rich’s arms.”

I turned until I spotted them, and smiled at my daughter and father-in-law. They were so cute together.

“Okay, well, I’m going to help Kash with Kennedy, be right back.”

Taking the clothes from her, I walked through the halls until I heard Kennedy’s belly laugh and found Kash blowing more raspberries on her stomach.

“I caught the monster.”

“Your mom collected all her clothes.”

After we got her dressed again, I lifted her onto my hip and walked out toward the living room. Marcy was waiting at the entrance of the hall and made grabby hands at Kennedy.

“Come back to Ya Ya, sweet girl, let’s go hang out with Poppi and Kira.”

Handing her over to Marcy, I giggled when Kash pulled us back into the hall and pressed us close as his mouth teased the sensitive spot behind my ear.

“I don’t think so, mister.”

“I can’t help it . . . this is the one time we’re not chasing after our girls and someone else is watching them. And, fuck, Rachel, you look so hot. Swear to God I’m keeping you pregnant all the time. We’re going to have a football team.”

I laughed and elbowed his stomach. “Whatever.”

“Don’t ‘whatever’ me, Sour Patch. You know you’re sexy as hell.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to kiss him before whispering against his lips, “Liar.”

“Never.”

He captured my lips and I moaned into his mouth when his tongue caressed mine.

“Naked baby!” Maddie called and I let my forehead drop onto Kash’s chest.

“Homeschooling those girls, woman.” He kissed me again before taking off after a squealing Kennedy.

I walked to the front of the hall and scooped up a tired-looking Kira as I enjoyed the view.

Maddie and Aaron were talking quietly in a corner. Close friends were gathered in clumps around the living room and kitchen—some talking to their group, others laughing at the circus that was my family. Richard and Mr. Gates were wiping back tears as they laughed over Mrs. Gates, Marcy, and Kash chasing after Kennedy and looking for her clothes. Soon Mason and this mystery girl would be here, and she would get the crash course in meeting everyone while we all individually interrogated her.

I loved my family, and I loved our life. Kash and I had gone through rough times at the beginning, but life was good and I prayed it would stay that way. There was never a dull moment—there were plenty of laughs, and plenty of happy and sad tears. He and I still fought like there was no tomorrow, and pancakes were made a few times a week . . . but we loved each other fiercely, and we helped each other through everything. Most importantly, there were never any lies.

Acknowledgments

AS ALWAYS, a huge thank-you to my husband, Cory! You keep me sane, you don’t make fun of me when I start crying, or screaming, about whatever my characters are doing. (Don’t worry, I know you think I’m crazy, but I love that you hide those thoughts and just smile, like my reactions are completely normal!) And if it weren’t for you, I’m pretty sure we would have starved by now. You’re amazing, I love you!

A big, big thank-you to my editor, Tessa Woodward, and my agent, Kevan Lyon. You two mean the world to me, and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you to talk to about my crazy—and sometimes really horrible—ideas for my books. Kevan, I love that you gag over Kash’s lip ring, and, Tessa, I love that you stop me from trashing my books.

Kelly Elliott, um, I just love you. Plain and simple. What would I do without our weekly lunches? I love that I’m usually crying throughout most of our lunch from laughing so hard, and I love that we rush to claim a name for one of our characters! Like I said, I just love you.

Amanda Stone! I love my Sef! There’s no one else I can sit on the phone with for hours while talking about nothing . . . or just not talking at all, and I love that I can sit there and whine about something I just wrote, and you just tell me to get over it. I will always make sure you approve my posts before I post them. I will always make you pick out my teasers, even if you haven’t read the book yet. And I will always send you snapshots of songs that we’ve listened to a thousand times, just to make you want to listen to it again. Love yewwww.

Jennifer L. Armentrout a.k.a. J Lynn (a.k.a. JL Armentrout when I start mixing your names together! Ha!). I love you and your hilariousness. I love our conversations and appreciate how honest you are with me when it comes to my work. You have no idea how much I love that you aren’t afraid to tell me if something is awful, or demand that a certain character should get his own book. Watch out for the zombies in your backyard!

A.L. Jackson, Kristen Proby, and Rebecca Shea, thank you all for our daily sprints, which keep me motivated, and always start my writing day off with a bang! I love all of you! Kishes!

To all the authors, bloggers, and readers that support me, promote me, and pimp out cover reveals and teasers . . . I love you all so so much. You have no idea how much I appreciate each and every one of you!