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“You three are my sisters. Of course, I love you.” Great, I’m getting weepy. I blink back the tears.

They all wrap me in a huge group hug.

“We love you, too,” Quinn says.

We hold one another for a minute before letting go. “Alright, we should probably get to work.”

Olivia claps her hands together. “Let’s get this party started. Oh, where’s your datapad? Janik introduced me to the coolest Bohnari music. I’ll play it while we’re packing things up.”

She’s got me curious to hear whatever has her so excited, so I grab the device off the table and pass it over. She fires it up and a couple minutes after fiddling around with the settings a peppy sound pours from the speakers. I pick up the beat and tap my toes to the rhythm.

“I like this.”

Olivia beams. “See? I told you it’s great.”

Instead of starting on the intended project, I reach for Lindsey’s hand and the two of us dance around my living area. Quinn and Liv join in and the dance party continues for another couple songs until we collapse in a fit of laughter onto the sofa and chairs. I throw my head back and try to catch my breath.

“You guys are the best friends a woman could ask for. I’m glad our names were announced that day and I’ve been able to spend the last few months growing close to you all. I’m so lucky to be able to call you three my sisters.”

“Goddamn it, Dev,” Olivia says with a watery laugh. “Now you’ve gone and made me cry. You know how much I hate crying.”

I push myself off the couch with a groan and first pull Lindsey to her feet, then Quinn, and lastly Olivia. “Come on. Let’s drown your sorrows in some good old plyka.”

Linds faux pouts. “No fair. You guys get to drink your feelings while Quinn and I can only eat ours.”

My hands stroke her baby bump. “After the little one comes, you can start drinking your feelings again too.”

“I swear I’m the size of a woman about to give birth, and I’m only a few months along,” Lindsey moans.

“Hey,” Olivia pipes up. “Maybe you’re having twins.”

All three of us gasp, but Lindsey replies. “You take that back Olivia Jean Morrison.”

“Oooh.” Quinn and I exchange amused glances. “Better watch out. Lindsey’s full naming you which means you’re in big trouble.”

Olivia, being the mature adult she is, fists her hip and sticks her tongue out. “I’m just saying, it could be a possibility. You never know. I mean, Carrik and Bannik are twins so there might be a good chance it’ll happen.”

“I do want more than one kid, but not at the same time,” she cries. “I already have this irrational fear that I’m going to do something to mess my child up. God knows how bad it’ll be if I have two of them straight out of the gate.”

I wrap Lindsey in a hug. “Hey. You’re going to be a great mom and we all know it. And, if for some reason, you do end up with twins, they have three aunties who are more than happy to help you out whenever you need it. You don’t even have to ask.”

“You’re right,” she says. “I never even thought I’d be married or have kids so I need to stop whining.”

Quinn lays her hand on Lindsey’s upper back. “Whine whenever you need to. We’ll always be here to listen.”

Olivia joins us. “You know I run my mouth too much. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you freak out.”

“I know you didn’t. This baby just has me on some kind of emotional rollercoaster. They’re up and down all the time.” Lindsey chuckles. “Poor Carrik has to deal with them and me. He’s so patient it gets kind of annoying if I’m being honest.”

“We definitely lucked out with some of the best guys, didn’t we?” Quinn asks.

Olivia and I nod. A dopey smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Yeah, we really did.”

Liv breaks up our moment. “All right ladies, let’s get to work so we can hurry and finish and be back to the palace in time to watch the main event. I, for one, have my credits on Janik. Alik might have the advantage of his beast side with the whole mating madness or whatever, but my mate is sneaky and isn’t afraid to fight dirty.”

“Don’t you dare put that out into the universe,” Quinn scolds her, but I can’t stop my laugh.

“You’re on.” I hold out my hand and Olivia and I shake on it.