“I think I’ll tell her next time we visit. She’s always good for a dramatic reaction.”

Once Grace wasn’t worried about me feeling left out, she stopped acting out and has gotten involved in several clubs at school. Her adoption went through a few months ago and we’ve gone to visit her in New Jersey a few times. Unlike what I was expecting, Jim and Enid Barnett weren’t just fostering Grace for money. They really love her.

It was bittersweet to watch her with her new parents.  Once they knew I wasn’t a threat to their adoption of Grace, they were extremely open to more frequent visitation. I’m starting to think of them as extended family.

“Thanks for going with me to visit Grace, by the way. She really likes it when you come with me.”

He gives me a wry look. “I can tell. She pinched my ass when she hugged me goodbye last time.”

I stifle a smile. “Aw, poor baby. I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

His head dips and I shiver when his nose brushes against my neck. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

After a loud, smacking kiss against my neck, he gets up and walks into the kitchen. “You didn’t pack the coffee maker?”

I shake my head. “No, I figured that would be dangerous. I know how you get without caffeine. I’ll unplug it and drive it over this weekend.”

He stares at me for a long time. Then his expression softens in a way I’ve never seen. One side of his mouth lifts slightly. “Want some coffee, baby?”

“Yes. Please,” I manage to get out.

What was that about? My cheeks flush as he finally turns away. He’s never looked at me quite that way before. He disappears into our bedroom and then comes out a few minutes later. I watch as he pulls out a filter and measures the coffee. Then he retrieves his favorite Star Wars mug from the shelf. It’s the only one I didn’t pack yet since he uses it every day.

We don’t speak as the coffee percolates and once it’s finished, he prepares a single cup. One cream. Two sugars. Exactly the way I like it. He carries it to me and then kneels next to where I sit on the couch.

My heart is suddenly beating so fast, like it knows there’s something special about this moment.

“Thank you.” I accept the hot mug, smiling at him through the steam that curls above the rim.

Then he puts out his other hand. On his palm is a diamond ring. A simple solitaire on a gold band.  Exactly what I would have chosen for myself.

He smiles sheepishly. “I always said if I did this, it would be over coffee.”

My breath whooshes out and I take the ring from his hand with shaking fingers. “This? What is this exactly?”

“A promise.” He kisses me, the steam from the coffee warming our lips. “That I’ll love you forever. Marry me, Seven?”

I place the mug down on the table and then pull him closer. My throat is suddenly very tight. “Yes. Yes! There’s nothing I want more than to be with you.”

chapter seventeen

†

LUKE

My eyes follow the curve of Seven’s ass as she moves around our new kitchen. It’s amazing that she only gets more beautiful as time passes. When she stretches up to reach for something in one of the cabinets, I curl a hand around her hip. When she sees the look in my eyes, she gasps.

“Luke! Your whole family is here.” She dissolves into giggles when I corner her, bracketing her against the counter with my hips.

“Can we get rid of them?” I whisper, kissing her behind the ear.

She’s been baking all morning, with my mom’s help, and she smells warm like sugar. I lick delicately at her neck and she shivers.

“They’re here to help us celebrate our new house. We can’t kick them out when we’re the ones who invited them.” Her hands slide up my chest and pull me closer. “Maybe we can sneak away later?”

“Hey guys! Oops—” Sasha spins in mid-step and walks back out of the kitchen.

Seven muffles her laughter against my shoulder. “We can’t hide in the kitchen the whole time. It’s a party.”

“This is a party.” I pop her on the bottom. She rubs up against me, one hand sliding into my hair.

“Is it safe to come in?” Tank sticks his head in the kitchen, the smug grin on his face telling me he knows exactly what we were just up to.

“No, it’s not.”

But Seven ducks under my arm and rushes toward Tank. Well, toward the gorgeous baby he’s holding.

“Max! Oh my god, she’s gotten so big.”

Tank allows her to take the baby without complaint. His daughter, Maxine, is frequently the main attraction at family events and he’s used to being forced to give her up as soon as he walks in.

“How old is she now?” I ask, laughing when Seven takes the baby’s socks off. She’s recently developed an obsession with baby feet.

Even I have to admit it’s pretty hard to resist squeezing those chubby little toes.

“Ten months. Emma’s getting the rest of her stuff from the car. Now that she’s walking we have to travel with a truckload of safety crap to keep her from falling down stairs or sticking forks in the electric sockets.”

“Tank! What did you just say?”

Emma appears carrying a baby gate. I take it from her and place it between the kitchen and the living room. I know the drill. We’ll move it around from room to room to keep the baby contained.

“Nothing baby. Do you need any help setting anything up?”

Emma shakes her head. “I’ve got it. Sasha got here early to set up so I wouldn’t have to.”

Seven glances over. “Thank you again for planning this party for us, Em. If it was up to Luke and me, we’d probably be eating hot dogs.”

Emma sits next to Tank at our long breakfast banquette table. “Anything for you, sis. I’m just going to sit for a minute.”

I stroke a gentle finger over baby Max’s cheek as she gnaws on Seven’s shoulder.  “She’s so cute.”

“Cute and obviously keeping her parents up all night. I think we should offer to babysit again,” Sev whispers and nods her head toward the table.

Emma is fast asleep with her head cradled on her arms. Next to her, Tank is slumped in the corner, his head resting on the wall behind him as he snores softly.

“Wow. I think that’s a new record.”

“I know. Poor things. Oh, can you get the mail? I’m so used to living in apartments and just grabbing the mail on the way into the building. I haven’t checked the mail in three days!”

I can’t even tease her since I’m guilty of the same thing. Living in a house has been quite an adjustment, especially one that’s this big. Originally, we wanted to just buy something already constructed but due to our new security requirements, we ended up building something new.

It’s so big I feel like an idiot getting lost in my own house sometimes but it has tons of land for the two labrador retriever pups Emma convinced us to adopt and a crazy high security fence. The mailbox is all the way at the end of our long driveway.

“Sure thing. I’ll be back.”

Mounds of presents explode off the table in the hallway and just in case anyone missed it, there’s a massive Housewarming Party banner hanging over it. I shake my head. It’s easy to see my sister-in-law’s influence. Emma loves a grand statement.

I pass the living room and raise my hand in greeting when Gabe and Zack look up. They’re helping one of my young cousins put together a model car. Through the back window I can see Finn and Rissa relaxing on our wraparound porch. My mom sits on the couch looking out the window, the widower she’s been dating recently sitting next to her looking uncomfortable.