“Are there going to be male dancers at your party?”

“No!” Dillon barks, and Parker’s frown turns into narrowed eyes on his wife.

“No, no strippers.” I smile. “I’m actually not sure what my cousins have planed but it will be fun, and there will be a party bus so we can drink.”

“Drinking and a girls night out works for me.” She grins as Parker grumbles,

“I don’t like your wife anymore,” to Dillon, making me laugh.

Wrapping her arm around mine Cara starts to lead me inside, mumbling, “Ignore him, he’s crazy.”

“Dillon is the same way,” I mumble back, listening to her laugh as we head toward the sound of the boys and find them in the kitchen sitting on top of the island, each with a cupcake and icing covered faces.

“After you eat those it’s time to shower then bed,” Cara says in a motherly tone, and both boys pout and look at their dad and uncle.

“Do we really have to go to bed, we just got here.”

“Sorry boys.” Parker shrugs as Dillon walks to where they are sitting and picks up a cupcake out the box on the counter and takes a huge bite. Going to the fridge, I grab the gallon of milk and take it over to them then head across the kitchen for glasses.

“Uncle Dillon, isn’t it your house and your rules?” I think Jordan asks, but I could be wrong, it could be Kenyon.

“Yep, my house, my rules. And the number one rule is listening to your mom and dad.”

“That will be a change,” Cara mutters as Parker pulls her into his side, kissing her temple.

“Bite.” Dillon instructs, holding his half eaten cupcake out toward me as I set the glasses down on the island. Leaning forward, I place my hand on the back of his and take as much cupcake as I can into my mouth, listening to him laugh as I close my eyes, chew, and swallow the delicious cake.

“It seems I’ve been missing out my whole life,” I say, opening my eyes. He grins down at me then leans forward, kissing me softly.

“Gross!” the boys shout, making me giggle.

Stepping away from him, I pour milk for the boys then lean against the counter and watch them talk animatedly with Dillon about what they have been up to for the last couple of months, and what they want to do during their visit. They are so adorable and so full of energy; I forgot how different little boys and little girls are.

“Okay, boys, time to shower then bed,” Cara instructs a few minutes later while grabbing a paper towel, and they each turn to pout at her.

“Do we really have to, Mom?” Jordan asks, pulling his jaw from her grasp as she attempts to clean off the cake and icing that has been smeared across his face.

“You really have to, honey,” she murmurs, wiping Kenyon’s face before helping him down off the counter. “If you guys want to go to the zoo tomorrow, you need to get to bed.”

“Oh, all right,” Jordan grumbles, scooting to the edge of the island before jumping down and running toward his dad, who Kenyon is already standing next to.

“Say goodnight to Uncle Dillon and Aunt Ashlyn,” Parker instructs, using the palms of his hands on the top of the boys’ heads to turn them to face Dillon and me.

“Night.” They grin, and then duck their heads and run off, shouting and laughing.

“I’ll be back,” Parker mutters before looking at Cara. “Are you coming?”

“It depends.” She turns to look at me. “Do you have wine?”

“I’ve got wine.” I smile, feeling Dillon’s body shake with silent laughter against my back.

“I guess I’m coming,” she sighs, and I laugh out loud watching them leave, then lean into Dillon and look up at him.

“Are you happy?”

“My favorite people are all under one roof,” he replies without answering, and I press farther into him.

“So you’re happy?” I surmise, but instead of answering again, he kisses me until I’m breathless.

*

Taking a sip of soda, I lean back against Dillon, who pulled me down onto his lap as soon as we got outside, and look across the gas-lit fire at Cara and Parker, who are sitting exactly like we are, and smile. I could hear Cara and Parker arguing with the boys the whole time they were upstairs and knew they would both need a drink by the time they were done, so I had Dillon start up the outdoor fireplace and open a bottle of wine. As soon as they came downstairs, I handed Cara a glass and Parker a beer and lead them to the backyard to relax.

“So tell me, how did Dillon finally convince you to go out with him?” Cara asks, and I bite my lip, trying to figure out how much I should tell her. She told me earlier that Dillon mentioned me to her and Parker during their last visit, but was convinced I wasn’t interested in him.

“I didn’t convince her,” he says, running his fingers along my hip under my sweater, and she frowns. Seeing the confused look on her face, I open my mouth to speak, but then snap it shut when Dillon continues. “When we went to Vegas for the dental convention, I canceled her room so she had to share mine. She got pissed at me and got drunk, so I took advantage of her inebriated state and dragged her to the nearest wedding chapel, where I married her. And the next morning, when she woke up asking for a divorce, I refused,” he finishes, and I know my eyes are as wide as Cara’s, which are staring back at me.

“Wow,” she whispers after a moment, and looks at Parker. “And I thought you were crazy.” Smiling, he tugs her head down toward his and says something I can’t hear, and her face softens before he pulls her even closer to kiss her.