I study her silently for a moment, something I tend to do a lot, like I need to remind myself she’s real, that she’s mine, and that I get to have her for the rest of my life. “I’m not a real big fan of waking without you in bed with me.”

Her head comes up at the sound of my voice, and the instant her eyes meet mine, I’m struck by how much love I see shining brightly back at me.

“Sorry.” She smiles, shrugging. “I couldn’t sleep, so I got up and somehow ended up in here writing in her book.”

“You should have woken me up.”

“You need sleep.” She closes the book and then sets it aside. “Since you’re here, do you mind helping me up?”

I push away from the door and go to her, taking both her hands. I pull her up against me and kiss the top of her head. “What did you add to her book this time?”

“Just things about how I’m feeling, what I’m craving, stuff like that.” As she speaks, I move my hands from her hips and rest them over her stomach. The nightgown she’s wearing is one from before she was pregnant, so the soft cotton is stretched over her breasts and pregnant belly that’s becoming more noticeable by the day.

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I lift my gaze to hers.

“You mean the whole marrying you thing we’re doing? No.” Her eyes search mine. ”Why are you nervous about tomorrow?”

“I’m not the one who couldn’t sleep,” I remind her gently.

She laughs. “Your daughter might only be the size of an avocado, but I swear she’s sitting right on my bladder. I got up to pee eight times before I finally gave up on sleep and came in here.” She waves her hand around, and I follow the movement with my eyes.

“After we get back from our honeymoon, Dad and I will paint, get the furniture set up, and we’ll pick you out a chair so you’re not sitting on the floor.”

“I like it in here.” She chews the inside of her cheek. “I know it’s weird, but I feel close to her when I’m in here. Even with it empty, I feel closer to her.”

“It’s not gonna be empty for long. Before you know it, she’ll be here.”

“I know.” She yawns.

“Let’s get you to bed. You have important business to tend to tomorrow, so you need your rest.”

She snorts. “Between your mom and Brie, I won’t be allowed to lift a finger. I was told my only job is to show up and look pretty.”

“I love the way they think.” I swing her up in my arms and carry her to the bedroom. Once I place her in bed, I get in with her and curl my body around hers, resting my hand over our daughter.

“Are you excited?” she asks as I kiss her bare shoulder, and she laces her fingers with mine resting over her stomach.

“About marrying you? Yeah.”

“No, about our daughter,” she corrects softly, and I smile against her skin.

When she told me she was pregnant, I was shocked but knew there was a plan in the works that was bigger than her or me. I won’t lie; I wish we had a little more time just the two of us, because I’m selfish when it comes to her, but I’m looking forward to becoming a father. I’m excited I’m having a girl, even if I am a little nervous about what that means for my future. My parents and family are also excited for us and looking forward to adding another baby to our ever-growing family, and my sister is planning to be here for a month after the birth to spend some time with her niece and new sister-in-law.

“Are you?” Her hand tightening on mine reminds me of her question.

“I can’t wait to meet her. I can’t wait to see you as a mom, and I’m looking forward to our future together and watching our family grow. So yeah, I’m excited.”

I listen to her yawn again then laugh when she groans loudly. “I’ll be right back.” She gets off the bed and rushes to the bathroom. When I don’t hear her getting sick—something that happens on occasion—I relax. The water goes on then off, and a moment later, she comes back and gets into bed, curling herself around me.

“‘Night, baby,” I whisper to the top of her head.

She doesn’t respond, because she’s already fallen asleep. With one hand resting on her stomach, the other curved around her back, I fall asleep with my entire world within my grasp.

December

I watch the happy couple enter the ballroom, along with everyone else, and smile when my cousin lifts his new wife’s hand in the air, grinning huge before he spins her around to face him. When he has her where he wants her, he dips her back over his arm and kisses her. Everyone applauds and laughs, including me. I’m happy for him, but happier for Hadley. Over the last few months, we’ve gotten really close, and I know from her past that she deserves her happily ever after more than most people do.

“I wonder who’s next,” my sister April says, and I look over at her, feeling myself frown.

“What?”

“I wonder who’s next. You know—the next person who’s going to fall in love. It seems to be happening at an alarming rate.” She takes a drink from her beer and glances around. “I’m saying not it. I have no desire to be shot at or kidnapped just to find love.”

“You’re so dramatic.” I shake my head at her.

“Am I?”

Okay, she’s not. There seems to be a theme when it comes to anyone with the Mayson last name falling in love. But still.

“Are you going to drink?” she asks, changing the subject and studying the glass of water in my hand.

“Probably not.” I move to one of the tables that is set up around the dance floor and take a seat, smiling at a few people I know who are already sitting down.

“Good, you get to be my DD for the night,” she says, sitting in the seat next to mine.

“Great,” I sigh, not really looking forward to babysitting her all night to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid. I love my sister, but she tends to push the boundaries of stupid.

“Who’s that?”

I look in the direction her eyes are pointed, and the world around me seems to come to a standstill. Across the room, talking to my cousin Sage and Brie’s husband Kenyon, is a guy. Not just a guy, but the most gorgeous guy I have ever seen in my life. He’s tall, taller than Sage, and almost as tall as Kenyon, who’s practically a giant compared to everyone. His dark brown hair is longer on top and clipped short on the sides. He’s in profile, so I can’t see all of his face, but his jaw, covered in a rough-looking beard, is all sharp edges and straight lines. He has tattoos peeking out from above the edge of his collared shirt, and more on his thick forearms that I can see where his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. His arms are so huge I doubt I could wrap both my hands around one of his biceps.

When he turns his body in my direction and smiles at something Sage says, my breath catches. I thought he was handsome in profile, but I was wrong. Straight on, his look is captivating and mysterious, with thick brows over his dark eyes and full lips surrounded by his beard.

“Whoever he is, I’m taking him home tonight,” my sister says, and my stomach plummets. “God, he’s hot. I can’t wait to.”

I swallow the sudden unexpected jealousy I’m feeling and really wish I hadn’t agreed to be her DD, because I don’t just need a drink; I need a whole bottle of tequila right now.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” I hiss, cutting her off and catching her gaze.

“Getting laid is not stupid. You’d know that if you ever tried it once in a while.”

I bite my tongue to keep myself from saying something mean then look around the room for a place to escape. The sign for the restroom is like a neon flashing light catching my attention. I get up. “I’ll be back,” I mumble, before I scurry away with my head down and my heart lodged in my throat.

Since growing up, my sisters and I have had a rule. If one of us likes a guy, he’s completely off limits, even if he’s not interested in whoever has a crush on him. That rule has saved us on more than one occasion, but now I wish the stupid rule didn’t exist. When I get to the restroom, I go to one of the stalls and stand there trying to get myself under control.