Page 186 of Music City Diaries

“We have the best kids,” Grayson said, sighing into my hair.

“That we do.”

“Room for me?” Maddox asked, stepping onto the deck.

“No,” Grayson said while I said, “Yes.”

Maddox ignored Grayson, came to my other side, and sat beside me, wrapping his arms around me.

“Nice try, Pretty Boy,” Maddox teased.

Grayson huffed and laughed, but we both knew it was playful. My guys loved one another and had become a true family of brothers.

We got about fifteen minutes of peace before chaos erupted, per usual. Lennox came around the side of the house, shuffling as she neared. Slade glared at her from behind but knew better than to tell her she couldn’t do something. The girl was wide as a house and was due any day now with twins. She’d been forced to mostly bed rest in her last trimester with only fifteen minutes of exercise allowed a day, which she used to walk across the street to our house.

“Hey, girl,” I said, sitting up.

Lennox collapsed into the lounger and heaved out a long breath. “Hey. I don’t know how you did this three times. I’m so done after these two. I hate being pregnant,” she said, glaring at her husband. Slade glared right back, not at all intimidated.

Simon and Thane came through the backdoor, a giggling Grace on Simon’s hip, as Charlie and Nova, their two-year-old daughter, raced out around them.

“This one was making noise when we came in, so I just had to grab my favorite niece,” Simon said, blowing raspberries on Grace’s neck.

At the announcement of more people, Brooks and Bubba joined us on the deck. All the men said hello as the kids and pets ran around us.

I loved this: our two families intertwined and together, the loud and craziness of it all. It reminded me of the best parts of growing up in an MC. We looked out for one another and helped each other raise our kids. They were as familiar to them as we were, and I loved that. I firmly believe that you could never have too many people love you.

At some point, Bubba lit the grill and made our mouths salivate as he cooked burgers and hotdogs. Grayson worked in the kitchen with Simon, putting together some side dishes. However, if I had to guess, they were scheming up their next beauty product and wanted to discuss it away from Slade’s penetrating glare. Brooks took turns giving Nova, Grace, and Charlie rides on his horse, Pepper, leaving Lennox and me to gossip on the deck. She’d moved over to the swing to stay out of the sun.

Slade and Maddox had gone out to the garage to work on their bikes, and Thane was sitting on the deck with the dog and cats on him. Slade wouldn’t let him bring any more pets home, so they ended up with us when he found one that needed a loving place. I wasn’t sure if it was because he knew we’d take good care of them or so he had visitation rights, but considering he never charged us vet fees, I’d let him do whatever he wanted.

“I’m going out,” Becca said, waving bye before walking to tell her brother. He nodded, and I could hear the ‘be safe and call me’ speech from here. Maddox was a big worrywort, but Becca had made a good group of friends, and they watched over her. She’d blossomed so much once she wasn’t sequestered away.

“Did you ever think we’d end up across the road from one another, pregnant, with multiple husbands, but so happy?” Lennox asked out of the blue.

“You mean when I met you to give me a tattoo?” I laughed. “Nope. At that point in my life, I was just happy to make it to the next day. There weren’t a lot of future plans involved.”

“I’m glad we’re here.”

“Me too, babe.”

“Do you miss music?” I asked.

Lennox had released an EP after their tour with Shadows of Mayhem but ultimately decided the rock star life wasn’t for her. She loved music but wanted her privacy. She’d written several songs with Aspen over the years and would duet with people she’d met when they asked. But that was it. She strictly stuck to karaoke these days.

“Nah. There’s a different type of music in my heart now.”

I smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. Motherhood was a weird and glorious thing. “Have you told the guys the gender of the twins?”

“Not yet.” She smiled. She’d found out, but the guys had wanted to be surprised. Their household was about to get a whole lot more pink.

“I can’t wait to see how Slade gets when they’re all grown up. Whoever they date is gonna need to be tough as nails.”

She laughed. “I think Nova might be okay.” She looked over to where Nova and Charlie sat talking about nonsense, considering they were two and a half and three, and there weren’t a lot of actual words shared. We both smiled at the two. They were quickly becoming best friends. “But you’re right; I have a feeling the twins will run circles around their dads.” We giggled together.

“For some reason, I can’t wait to watch that.”

“Me either.”

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