I scan the backyard from the balcony outside our bedroom, admiring my handiwork. For once, everything is perfect. The aroma of grilled meat wafts up from the barbecue where Crockett is flipping hamburgers. He senses my gaze, grins, and waves. Mom pauses from fussing over the food table to blow a kiss at me. At that precise moment, Braden—like any respectable teenage boy—chooses to cannonball into the swimming pool, splashing Mom, the food, and everyone within a ten-foot radius with a wall of water. A collective cry of good-natured outrage rises from the rest of the group.
All my loved ones came to celebrate Cassidy’s homecoming. It’s the first time we’ve all been in the same place at the same time in years. And believe me; it was no small feat to gather this group together. Vanessa and Cameron have been living in London for the past year. Venetia and Beckett have been consumed with wrangling their six kids. Rockwell and Mom are traveling the country in their new RV, which is currently taking up most of the parking space in our driveway. Rhett now heads up our east coast division, and Bronte, my absolute best friend, found time to visit. They’re staying in our guesthouse. Even Tucker and Fallon, temporarily relocated to Los Angeles for the production of the new movie franchise based on Tucker’s video games, managed to fly back for the weekend.
I am elated.
“There you are.” As always, Sam’s deep voice makes my heart skip a beat. “What are you doing up here? Gloating?” A few seconds later, his arms steal around my waist, pulling my backside against his hard chest. Aside from a bit of gray at the temples and a few more creases around his eyes, he looks exactly like the boy I lusted after in high school. He’s still the hottest guy I’ve ever seen, and it has nothing to do with all the hours he spends in the gym to keep his body fit.
“You’ve got to admit—I’ve performed a miracle,” I reply. “I hope Cassidy likes it.”
“She’s going to love it.” The stubble on Sam’s chin tickles my ear as he bends to whisper, “Do you think we have time for a quickie?”
“What? No!” I turn to face him and shove his chest playfully. “She’s going to be here any minute.”
“That’s all I need. A minute. Maybe two.” To emphasize his point, he presses his erection against my belly.
“Well, I need at least five minutes which we don’t have.”
His hands are already sliding the hem of my sundress up my thighs when Braden’s voice shouts down the hallway. “Mom! Uncle Crockett wants to know if we have more hot dogs.”
Sam groans and lets my dress fall back into place. “That boy. It’s like his only purpose in life is to keep us celibate.”
“Mom?” From the doorway, Braden frowns at us, his soaking wet board shorts clinging to his narrow hips. At seventeen, he’s the spitting image of his father. Tall and blond with an athlete’s body and stunning green eyes that have already broken the hearts of dozens of girls.
“You’re dripping all over your mom’s floor.” Sam points to the puddle forming at Braden’s feet.
“Hmm, I’ll clean it up,” Braden replies, unfazed. “Mom? Did you hear me? Do we have any more hot dogs?”
“Are we out?” I ask. “Did you look in the fridge?”
“Yeah. There isn’t anymore.”
“That can’t be right. I bought more than enough.” I wriggle out of Sam’s embrace, trying not to lose my mind over the demise of my perfect day. “What happened to them?”
“Jordie and I might have stolen a few,” Braden confesses without a shred of guilt. Becket and Venetia’s son Jordan has been Braden’s partner in crime since birth.
“You couldn’t wait for your sister to get here?” The pitch of my voice climbs as I mentally calculate the difficulties of getting more hot dogs at this late hour. “You both had a giant breakfast this morning.”
“We’re growing boys.” Braden flashes his dazzling smile, knowing it never fails to melt my heart. “If I don’t eat once an hour, it will stunt my growth.”
“Don’t panic. This isn’t the end of the world.” Sam drops a placating kiss on my forehead before turning to his son. “Braden and Jordie will run to the store and buy more.”
“Sure.” Braden’s eyes light up at the opportunity to escape adult supervision. “Can I take your Porsche?”
“No,” Sam and I reply in unison.
“Oh, man.” Braden’s shoulders slump in disappointment. Since getting his license, he’s been relentless in his desire to drive Sam’s beloved classic car.
Sam digs in the pocket of his shorts, withdraws a set of keys, and dangles them in front of his son. “But you can take the Aston Martin.”
“Yes!” Braden fist-pumps the air, elated over the rare opportunity to get behind the wheel of our new car. He snakes out a hand to grab the keys, but Sam snatches them back at the last second.
“Do not break the speed limit or any traffic laws,” Sam says in his best I’m-not-kidding-around voice. “If I find a single scratch on it, you’re grounded for a month.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Braden rolls his eyes. “I know.”
“Change out of your swim trunks. I don’t want you ruining the interior.” Sam places the keys in Braden’s palm with a stern glare. “And don’t dawdle. I expect you back here in thirty minutes and not a second later. Understand?”
Braden doesn’t answer because he’s already halfway down the hall.
“You know we probably won’t see him for the rest of the afternoon, right?” I smile up at my gorgeous husband, suddenly grateful for the family he’s given me.
“Nah, he’ll be back,” he smirks. “The gas tank is almost empty.”
I lift on tiptoe to wrap my arms around his neck. His soft, warm lips meet mine in a kiss filled with familiarity but never lacking in sizzle. I moan as his hands slide down my back to grip my bottom. Maybe we do have time for a quickie.
“They’re here!” Someone shouts from the backyard.
My heart leaps. Sam’s eyes meet mine, glowing with anticipation at seeing our daughter for the first time in months. He grabs my hand. Together, we sprint down the stairs as fast as our middle-aged bodies will safely take us. We reach the patio when Cassidy passes through the gate to the pool area. She’s wearing cutoff jean shorts that show off her long legs, a cropped tee, flip-flops, and a giant smile.
“Baby!” I snatch her to me, unable to hold back tears. The tension I’ve carried since she traveled overseas fades from my body. She’s here, and she’s safe. I bury my nose in her hair, inhaling her familiar scent. “Oh, my goodness. I’ve missed you so much.”
“Mom, you’re squashing me.” The laughter in her voice is music to my ears.
“My turn,” Sam says.
I step aside to let him share in this joyous reunion. His tall frame bends to envelop her in a bear hug. I’m crying too hard to hear whatever he’s murmuring in her ear, but I’m sure it’s words of love, relief, and happiness. Father and daughter make a beautiful picture. I drink in the sight of them, committing the image to memory. The rest of the family gathers to give her hugs. I’m so blessed to have these people in my life. If my heart swells more, it’s going to explode.
Once the crowd breaks, I grab Cassidy’s hand. “Let me look at you.” She’s a few pounds thinner, but her skin has a healthy glow, her eyes sparkle, and there’s a bounce in her step. “You look amazing. How was Japan? Was your flight okay? Are you hungry? Crockett, fix her a plate, would you? No baked beans. She doesn’t like beans.”
“Mom! Chill!” Cassidy’s grin spreads from one ear to the other. “Can I at least catch my breath before you start smothering me?”
“Sorry.” I exhale through pursed lips, forcing a lid on my enthusiasm. “I’m just so thrilled to have you home. It feels like you’ve been gone forever.”
“You act like I’ve been gone for years instead of two months.” Although she rolls her eyes, I can tell she’s as thrilled to be home as we are to have her back in the nest.
Sam says something to her in Japanese. She snickers. Like her father, she’s fluent in many languages, a talent they use to share secrets. I don’t mind being excluded from their inside jokes. It makes me happy to witness their extraordinary father-daughter bond. Although Sam loves both of his kids equally, he dotes on Cassidy to a fault. It’s evident to everyone who meets them that she has her dad wrapped around her little finger.
“Holy crap, Cassie!” Vanessa exclaims. “What’s that on your finger?” She grabs Cassidy’s hand and lifts it into the air.
“Nothing.” The grin fades from Cassidy’s face. She curls her fingers into a fist and hides her hand behind her back. “Crockett, where’s my burger? I’ve bragged about your grilling talents to anyone who listens.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Venetia steps forward, eyebrows raised. “Let me see. Right now.”
A tide of red rushes up Cassidy’s neck. Reluctantly, she holds out her left hand. The diamonds on the third finger glitter in the midday sun.
“What is that? Three carats? Four?” Vanessa pulls her hand into the space between us to get a better look.
“It looks like a wedding set,” Tucker chuckles. “Did you marry a Japanese billionaire while you were over there?”
Everyone laughs but Cassidy. She casts a fearful glance at her father. “He was born in London. But his mother is from New York. And his dad—” She pauses as if gathering her courage. “His dad was a Russian prince.”