Chapter One
Looking around the dinner table, Lucas observed his family. Everyone was laughing about something Jaxson had just said to Christen that made him blush to the tips of his ears. His little brother was adorable even as an adult.
It was their once-a-month Sunday dinner when the family found time to get together. Lucas could honestly admit to himself that he did not seethis continuing for as long as it has. But he should’ve guessed that whenever his mother got an idea in her head, she always followed through with it to the letter.
Lucas and his family had always been a tight-knit group, but oddly enough, they've become even closer since Christen moved to Providence and met his husband, Jaxson Colvin. They had a one-night stand resulting in his little brother getting pregnant and having triplets. Anyone who knew his mother was very well aware that she wanted a large family, including a boatload of grandkids.
It was her utter joy to see her family expanding. Lucas never could have predicted that his parents would pack up and move to Providence to be closer to Christen after the triplets were born. Nor would he ever have guessed thathis dad would turn the reins of Hamilton Enterprise over to him and his twin brother, Tyler.
Their family definitely grew, and Lucas was happy that Jaxson and Christen were blissfully in love with each other. If it wasn’t for them, he wasn’t sure he would have met half the people sitting at the dinner table. What he couldn’t fathom was why the couple wanted to have more kids.
The triplets were a few years shy of being teenagers with three different personalities and the apples of their parents' eyes.From pictures he’d seen of Jaxson’s mother, Madeline shared a striking resemblance to her with a dash of Christen thrown in. Cayden and Alexander were miniature Jaxson’s except for their gray eyes.
“I can’t believe you guys are thinking about having more kids,” he said to his little brother. “Have you really thought this through?”
“Of course, we have. I don’t see what the big deal is. I love the triplets and want a big family,” Christen answered.
“I still think it’s crazy,” Lucas said.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea, the more, the merrier,” his mother added to the conversation.
“You would.” Lucas smiled. “You just love watching us suffer as the kids drive us crazy."
“Yup.” She smiled back and leaned closer to his dad sitting beside her. “I love having them for the day and sending them home hopped up on sugar. It’s the best part of being grandparents.”
Lucas looked at his twin brother, Tyler, and his husband, Ethan, who had announced a couple of weeks ago that he was three months pregnant with their second child.
“At least wait until Ethan and Tyler’s baby is born,” he said leaning back in his chair.
“Can’t promise you that, big brother, Mother Nature waits for no one.”
“I’m with Uncle Lucas,” Raynebow said.
A smile crossed Lucas’ face when he turned to look at his little Raynebow.He’d loved her from the second he held her in his arms. She always surprised him with how smart and grown-up she could sometimes be.
“What do you agree with, my sweet little Rayne?”
“I want more cousins, but can you wait until I go to college or something?”
The entire table burst out in laughter at her insightful but innocent question.
“They can’t wait for you to go to college, Rayne, by then they will be way too old, like older than Gram is now,” Nicholas said shaking his head at his cousin’s ridiculous statement.
Lucas looked over at Brenden who had a pleased expression on his face, with his arms wrapped around Stephen, both were staring at their son with pride. Lucas smiled thinking how well Brenden and his family fit in with the Hamiltons. Nicholas was certainly growing up to be a good kid.
At twelve, he was like any other preteen who would rather hang out with his friends than his family. He was still a curious kid and asked thought-provoking questions that stumped Lucas, his parents, and pretty much everyone in the family, at times.
He loved hearing the kid call him Uncle Luc, it was the same smile his mother wore when Nicholas or any of the other kids called her Gram. Lucas looked to the side, and as usual, a soccer ball was not far from Nicholas’ reach. He was an excellent soccer player and shined on the field. It was a treat, and proud moment, when the entire family showed up to cheer and watch Nicholas play.
“Daddy, are you and Papa going to have another baby?” Lily asked her parents.
“Um . . .” Stephen said while Brenden simply stared at his daughter.
Lily was the spitting image of Stephen down to her attitude and long silver-blonde hair and violet eyes. Lily had a mind of her own, and was quick to remind everyone that although she andRaynebowwere the same age, she was older by a few months. The girls were thick as thieves and were always teaming up on their parents to have more sleepovers so that they could spend more time together.
“Please, say no,” Nicholas begged his parents.
“Why would you say that, Nick? It’s not fair that you have me as a little sister and I don’t have one.”
