Page 201 of The Perfect Love

I watched the emotion on Trevor’s face and knew he was thinking of his dad’s dream of their family living together and taking care of each other. I said yes before he could.

Liz built the house with two master suites and purposely took the one on the far side of the house. While it’s all accessible, that side is where the back staircase leads and where her library is, so it feels more like her space.

There were some adjustments after Brooke was born—like when Liz needed to take off her grandma hat and walk away so we could be parents, but otherwise it’s been pretty smooth. And on days when any of us needs extra support or help, it’s nice that we’re together.

“Do you want to go play with some balloons with Grammie while we wait for everyone to get here for your party?”

“Balloons! Birthday party! I can have cupcakes?”

“Later,” Liz says. Then she disappears into the living room with Brooke.

Trevor stalks over to me and wraps his arms around my waist. “Well, I won’t complain about a little alone time with my wife.”

“Mm, I love when you call me that.”

His laugh rumbles in my ear. “I think you just like that you can officially call me your book husband. Or better yet, your very own shadow daddy.”

“I think you’re more of a bat boy. I can get you some wings. Halloween costume idea.”

“Anything for my mate,” he teases.

I laugh, but I cut off quickly when his lips press into my throat. He smiles against my skin, slowly dragging his lips up, then he runs his fingers through my hair and slants his mouth overmine, owning all of me with his lips and tongue. And just like always, my mind floats away on a cotton-candy cloud while my love-drunk body melts against my husband’s.

In addition to it being Brooke’s birthday today, it’s also our wedding anniversary.

Once I got pregnant, life was a whirlwind, so while we kept intending to get married, we didn’t even get a marriage license until a month before Brooke was born. While we were in the hospital, waiting for Brooke to make her entrance, we decided to get married right then and there. With my dad, Hilary, Gran, and Robbie there for me and Liz and Hyla there for Trevor, we asked the hospital chaplain to marry us.

It made the day extra special, but we still consider our first date to be our official anniversary, though we’ll take any opportunity to celebrate our love, whether it’s a random Wednesday afternoon or the anniversary of when we got married.

Trevor lifts me onto the counter, somehow not breaking our kiss, and I rake my fingers through his hair. Like always, I’m desperate for more. We’ve been together five-and-a-half years and I still can’t get enough of him.

Which must be why I let out a soft moan like we’re alone in this house when we’re very much not.

“Happy Brooke’s birthday—ah! My eyes! Save me!”

Trevor and I break apart, stifling laughter as we look over at Hyla, who is standing in the entrance to the kitchen. Mackenzie is behind her with her hands covering Hyla’s eyes.

“You’re safe now,” I say.

Hyla reaches up and pulls Mackie’s hands down, resting them on her waist instead.

“Are you determined to scar me for life?” Hyla demands.

Trev shrugs and sends her that classic brotherly asshole smirk. “Figured that’s been handled about ten times over by now.”

Hyla sticks her tongue out at Trevor while Mackie laughs from behind her.

I hop off the counter. “Good to know some things never change.”

“Nope. He’ll clearly never stop harassing me.” Hyla pretends to be miffed.

“I—”

An ear-splitting shriek interrupts me, and we all dash from the room. There’s nothing like your kid screaming like they’re dying to give you a minor heart attack.

But when we get to the living room, we find the reason for thehappyshriek. Sadie. Sarah and Joel’s daughter and Brooke’s favorite person in the whole world. She’s almost a year younger than Brooke, but Brooke doesn’t care. She adores Sadie. Along with Rae and Aaron’s son, Carter, and Miles’s daughter, Emmie, they’re an adorable little foursome.

Trevor puts a hand to his chest and lets out a breath. “Good to know everything’s okay.”

---