Page 316 of The Romance Adventure

“No, Brando. Where have you been sneaking off to, anyway?”

Frowning, he tucks his chin, but the faintest hint of rose creeps up his neck. “I haven’t been sneaking off.”

I tap my chin. “You have so. Odd, it hasn’t been reported on the Coconut Wireless.”

“Then it didn’t happen.” As if wanting to take the attention off himself, Brando says, “Ryan, I’m joking around. You’re a great dad. And you’re glowing,” my cousin says to me.

“I’m glowing?”

My husband’s eyes land on me.

My lips play with a smile and it’s then I realize the rest of the crew has gathered around—Ryan’s brothers and their significant others, well, not CJ, obviously, because he’s the lone wolf, wild card of the family.

Harper and Heather study me from head to toe.

“Yep.”

“She’s glowing.”

“If I’m glowing, so are you.”

Heather winks.

Harper shrugs as if she’s keeping her secrets.

“We’re all married women. We can glow, you know. But mine is more of a sweaty sheen after working here all day.” I brush my hand across my forehead.

Then Ryan blurts, “I can’t keep it to myself any longer. Can we tell them, Nugget?”

But Luke beats us to it and points at my belly, yelling, “Ba! Ba!”

“Ba like a sheep?” Brando asks.

“That’s baby speak for baby,” Rosalie says, joining our impromptu gathering.

Brando breaks out into a blush and, flustered, says, “Oh, right. I knew that.”

“You’re expecting?” Isla bounces.

I beam a smile at Ryan. “We are.”

“Baby boy number two.”

Everyone cheers, and we discover that not only are Ryan and I growing the family, but Isla is also pregnant, along with my sisters. Twins and singles, respectively.

“Coco Key is having a population explosion,” I say.

I expect Brando to laugh, but he’s gone. Rosalie, too, though I expect she went to make a report on the Coconut Wireless. Oops. I don’t think I’m supposed to share that she’s behind our gossip messaging system.

The rest of the evening breezes by and it’s only later that night, after Luke goes to sleep, that Ryan and I have a moment together. We’re sprawled on the couch. Completely exhausted. Lights off. Just lying there, chatting and laughing in the darkness.

Then I bolt upright. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you. Glandman stopped me when I was hanging up the balloons.” I describe the interaction.

“That creep.”

Both Ryan and I go quiet when we hear a crunching sound.

“What was that?” I whisper.