Page 68

“Less than a month,” Lulu says.

“How can she sleep through all this noise?” Charlie asks, making me smile.

“I’m sure she’s exhausted because she’s been keeping her dad and I up all night,” Lulu says with a chuckle.

Charlie has to go answer the door again, as more and more people arrive. I know all the number twos because they’ve been around forever.

Luke, Rome’s second, kisses my cheek and then introduces me to Scarlett, who is another stunner.

Jack, who’s been in Julian’s organization forever, as far as I know, watches me quietly, his face sober. And when there’s finally a quiet moment, I walk over to him and offer him a smile.

“How are you, Jack?”

“I’m so sorry,” he says roughly. These men are mean. Hard. They can be cruel. So to see so much emotion on Julian’s right-hand man’s face makes my throat tighten. “I should have known something was happening. I should have⁠—”

“Hey.” I reach out and pat his shoulder, side-eyeing my husband to make sure he doesn’t try to stab the poor man because I’m touching him. “Don’t do that to yourself. That’s psychological torture, Jack.”

“I knew your father, and I knew what kind of man he was. How he treated you. I thought you were safe, and⁠—”

“I’m fine. Charlie’s great. And we’re here now. Please don’t do that.”

He shakes his head, rubs his hand over the back of his neck, and then leans in and kisses my cheek.

“Anything you ever need or want, all you have to do is voice it.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s go where all the smells are coming from,” Lulu suggests. “You’ll find out that I love being in the kitchen.”

“I’ve heard. I love that, and I can’t wait to try your amazing cooking.”

Natasha loops her arm through mine, and we all make our way to the kitchen, where Mildred has miraculously set out a little spread of appetizers.

Where they came from, I have no idea. The woman is a sorceress.

“This is Mildred, my best friend and our house manager,” I tell the group, and she nods and gestures to the food.

“Dig in, everyone. Dinner will be ready in about an hour.”

“Let’s make plates and go sit by the pool,” Scarlett suggests, and we all agree that’s a great idea.

Earlier, I saw men setting up umbrellas and sunshades to keep it cooler out there since Charlie likes to spend so much time in the water. Once we’ve all made plates, and I watch as Julian helps Charlie with his, we make our way outside.

“Where’s Mateo?” I ask as I sit at a table, relieved to be off my leg.

“They’re on the way,” Carson says and kisses the top of my head before he sits next to me. “You happy, Sunshine?”

“It feels surreal,” I whisper back and then watch as Charlie digs right into conversation with Rome and Julian, as if he’s known them his whole life. “All this time, I thought they were gone, and here they are. It’s amazing.”

“I’m glad.” He kisses the ball of my shoulder.

And then, my amazing husband picks Sabrina up and rests her on his huge chest, and holy Jesus in a rowboat.

“Carson,” I say softly.

“Hmm?” He kisses her head and pats her back, and I share a look with the girls.

“You guys are seeing this, right?”