Page 172 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

Bertie peers up at Luke, and I try not to smile. The look on her face reminds me of the way I so adamantly denied my feelings for my wife during those first couple of months. “We might stop by.”

“We?” Rosie can’t hide her grin.

Bertie playfully elbows Luke in the ribs. “Only because he won’t leave my side.”

His fingers graze her hip over her gown.

“Okay, I’ll see you later, then.” Rosie gives her another hug. “We need to go save Sammy from our families.”

I crouch down and wait for her to hop on again, then we’re off. We made plans to meet them at the campus coffee shop, hoping it would be easier to find one another away from the crowd. Keeping a firm grip on Rosie once we’re off the field, I stride quickly down the winding sidewalk.

“You can put me down,” she says. “I’m heavy.”

I snort. “Rosie, you’re the furthest thing from heavy.”

Up ahead, our family members are clustered in a small group. Roman is the only one of my brothers to have come. The longer I go without talking to Cash, the more it hurts, especially because it’s caused strife between me and my other brothers. But I’m not ready to get into our issues just yet, and he hasn’t reached out, so it’s safe to say he feels the same.

As we get close, I set Rosie down, and when Sammy sees us, his face lights up and he reaches out for Rosie.

“Figures my favorite person would also be my kid’s favorite person.” I ruffle Sammy’s blond hair. It’s starting to thicken up.

“Dada.” Sammy claps, and my heart leaps. I’ll never get tired of hearing that word.

I hold my hands out to take him from Rosie if he wants, but he lays his head on her shoulder and smiles, patting her collarbone with his little fist. “No. Mama.”

Her mom clutches her heart. “I can’t believe he calls you Mama.”

Her mom hasn’t been thrilled about the fact that I have a child, but it’s impossible not to love Sammy. It feels good to see that she’s coming around.

“Are we heading back to the house now?” Rosie asks leaning into me when I put my arm around her waist.

Knowing her mom, it’s entirely possible she’s concocted an alternate plan we don’t know about.

“Yeah, can we go to Rosie’s house?” Gracie begs. “This wassoboring.”

“Gracie,” her mom admonishes in a hushed tone. “Your sister only graduates from college once.”

Gracie blows out a breath that has her bangs fluffing. “Twice, Mom. This morning and now. That’s two times.Two.” She drives home her point by wiggling her fingers in front of her mom’s face.

“All right.” She grabs Gracie’s hand and tugs it down. “I get your point. We’re headed back now.”

Due to the size of the graduating class, we have to catch golf carts that take us to our cars. Her mom, dad, and Grace pile into their rented SUV, while my father and Roman are with us in the minivan. And Rosie thought it was a ridiculous choice. But look at us now.

38

ROSIE

We pullin only moments before my parents and are still piling out when my mom hops out of their vehicle, vibrating with excited energy.

Her behavior instantly has me worrying about what we might find inside. I say a silent prayer that it’s not a party and just the dinner she promised us.

“Mom,” I warn in a stern tone. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” she says in a voice that very much meanssomething.

I turn a worried look in Daire’s direction as he’s getting Sammy out of the car. He gives me a confused frown in response.

He’s known my mom his entire life, yet I swear he forgets how she is.

---