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I fight my smile.

Beckett, somehow, doesn’t react to her pinch. “And trust me, now that she’s fallen, I’m not letting her go.” He squeezes her ass. She pinches him again.

“I can’t believe in a town this size, it didn’t leak out,” Hayley says.

“Well, if it wasn’t true, would I do this?” Andi asks. Then she turns in Beckett’s arms, cups the back of his head, and kisses him.

And she really kisses him.

I can’t tear my eyes away even though it’s my brother and my best friend.

That kiss is not only extremely realistic, but it doesn't look like a first kiss.

And Beckett is all in. He immediately cups the back of her head too and deepens the kiss.

Lawson finally clears his throat, and they pull apart. They stare at one another, breathing hard, and then Andi somehow remembers Hayley is the reason they kissed in the first place and looks at the younger girl.

“He’s taken. So, thanks for helping him feel loved and wanted, but I’m sorry, you need to back off now.”

Hayley opens her mouth, but her friend takes her arm and tugs her away. “Come on.”

Hayley shoots another glare at Beckett and Andi. “I need my body wash back. That was a brand-new bottle and I buy the good stuff.”

“It really is nice,” Beckett says. “It smells really goo⁠—”

“We’ll leave a box of your stuff on his front porch,” Andi interrupts. “You can stop by and pick it up.”

Hayley and her friend walk off and disappear in the crowd.

The crowd that is all in a half circle, staring at Beckett and Andi.

Beckett gives Andi a very cocky grin. “Well, now you’ve done it.”

Andi sighs, “You owe me so big.”

“Big is not a problem,” Beckett starts.

“Oh my goodness!”

Yet another new voice comes through the crowd as a woman pushes to the front and steps up in front of Beckett and me.

“What an exciting night! Sutton, I love your new studio, sweetheart. This is just beautiful. And you’re both in love! I’m so happy!”

I stare at the woman, then look at my brother.

Beckett looks as stunned as I feel. “Mom?”

I feel Lawson tense.

My mom gives us all a huge smile. “Hi!”

My mother is standing in front of us. What is going on? I look at the man behind her. Greg. Her husband. My stepfather. My sister’s oncologist.

He’s got a little boy on his hip and is holding the hand of a little girl.

The boy is about two, the girl just turned three. Except they’re not just some little boy and little girl. They’re my half-siblings.

“Mom,” I finally say. “What…are you doing here?”