Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Mariah hears her sister and pushes against Jase’s chest to let her down.
“I missed you, Momma!” she squeals as she throws herself into my arms.
“I missed you both so much,” I whisper through my happy tears.
Since I gave birth to our twin daughters, I’ve made it a point to only travel when necessary. I had an issue at one of the stores in Miami and have been gone for three days. Even with Facetiming them every day and night, it was too much. I cried to Jase every night and told him the next time I go, I’m taking them with me. He laughed and told me I was crazy.
“Before people start arriving, there’s something I need to tell you both,” Skyla says.
“If you’re dating another guy like—” Jase begins, but I cut him off.
“Tell us,” I say nervously. While Skyla knows I would love for her to join me at Leblanc, I told myself I wouldn’t push. I mentioned it once and never again. I want her to follow her own dreams, wherever they may take her. Sure, if she chooses to model fulltime, I’m going to miss her like crazy, but it’s all part of your kid growing up.
“I was accepted into FIT, and I have decided to go. While I love modeling, I want to learn about the business side of the industry and intern at Leblanc.” Skyla traps her bottom lip between her teeth. “So, what do you think?” She holds the letter out for us to see, and I walk over and take it from her.
Skyla Leblanc-Crawford, the letter begins. I smile at her last name. The day I married Jase, I took his last name, keeping mine as well because of my company and reputation. The following month, I legally adopted Skyla and was shocked when she insisted on taking my name as well. “Leblanc is part of you, and I’m part of you now,” she said. I swear I cried for an hour straight. I read through her letter of acceptance into the college of her dreams, my heart swelling at how proud I am of her.
“Well, this is no longer just a birthday party,” I say through my tears. “This is now a celebratory party. I am so proud of you.” I pull Skyla into my arms for a hug.
“You’re okay with me officially interning for you?” she asks.
“Nothing would make me happier,” I tell her honestly.
“Congratulations, Sky,” Jase says, yanking Skyla out of my arms and into his. “You’re going to stay living at home, though, right? FIT is expensive.”
“Jase,” I chide, smacking him in the arm.
“I was thinking we could look into the dorms or maybe an apartment near campus, so I can do the whole college thing. Would that be okay?”
“Of course it is,” I tell her. “We are so proud of you.”
I grab my coffee from the table and take a sip. The coffee hasn’t finished going down my throat when a wave of nausea hits me full force. Dropping my mug into the grass, I run toward the house to throw up, but don’t make it in time. Instead I end up vomiting all over the hedges that surround our back patio.
Jase is right behind me, holding my hair back, until I finish. When I turn around, he’s sporting a huge grin on his face. At first, I’m annoyed that my husband thinks it’s funny I just threw up, but then my mind plays catch up, and I’m grinning just as hard. We don’t have to say the words. I’m pregnant.
* * *
It’s almost five o’clock and Skyla’s party is starting to wind down. The only guests left are a few of her friends she’s lounging by the pool with, as well as a couple of our friends. Jase and I are sitting at the table under the tent watching Melina and Mariah run around and chase Reed, Olivia and Nick’s six-year-old son.
“If history repeats itself,” Nick says, “my poor son is going to have not one, but two of your daughters following him around for years.” He shoots me a playful wink, and I laugh. I’m so thankful for our friendship, but also really glad he met Olivia. Had he not, who knows if we both would’ve found true love.
“It’s not just my daughters,” I point out, watching Killian and Giselle’s four year old daughter, Alice, chase Reed up the stairs of the treehouse.
“Poor kid,” Olivia says. Francesca, her four-year-old daughter, lays against her mom’s chest, sleeping soundly with her thumb in her mouth. “One of us needs to have a boy to attempt to even this all out.”
“Maybe we will,” Jase whispers into my ear, so only I can hear.
Quinn’s gaze meets mine, and she smiles softly, but it’s forced and a little sad. I would like to say that over the years she and I have gotten closer, but the truth is, we haven’t. Not that she hasn’t gotten nicer, because she has. She’s accepted me into their family with open arms. But I worry about her. She married Rick a few years ago, but I don’t think they’re happy. She used to talk all the time about wanting to create a family of her own, but after a couple years of them trying with no success, she stopped mentioning it. I’ve watched the bright light that used to surround Quinn, dim little by little. I watched her put on some weight—not that she isn’t still gorgeous, because she very much is—and slowly hide more and more of her body.