Page 51 of Before You Go

When we reach the door, he doesn’t knock. He pushes it open, and PJ ducks behind us to hide. But to my surprise, as a big dog that looks like a wolf saunters toward us, he forgets all about being scared and hops toward it excitedly.

“This is Skye,” Dayton tells me, then chuckles when a white ball of fur zooms in out of nowhere and side-tackles PJ. “And that’s Dolly.” Laughing, I pet both of my new furry acquaintances, then watch the three of them run off and disappear into another room, where I can hear the sound of kids screaming and laughing.

“They’ll be okay. Let me introduce you to everyone,” he says, and I turn to find six sets of eyes pointed in our direction, most of them with curiosity etched into the features surrounding them. I remember the couple I met when I was with Dayton down in the lobby, but everyone else is new to me.

Still holding my hand, he leads me toward everyone gathered around the island in the kitchen and starts making introductions as the kids, who had been in the other room, come in laughing with the dogs following behind them.

His brother Clay, with all his tattoos, looks the complete opposite of his wife, Willow, who’s a petite blonde with a kind smile. Their son is an adorable mix of the two of them and obviously obsessed with his dad.

Miles is also a big guy with rugged features and dark hair, and his wife, Emma, is stunning. Their daughter, who Miles shares with another woman, is adorable and obviously the ringleader of all the kids, who follow her wherever she goes.

Tucker and Miranda, who I met and liked the moment I first saw them, grin at me. I can’t help but to notice how perfect they seem together and how sweet their little family is. As I get hugs from the girls and smiles from the guys, I instantly feel welcome. I also have a lot of questions.

Sure, Clay, Miles, Tucker, and Dayton could all be biological brothers, but I know Dayton said he grew up in foster care and that he doesn’t know his family. So it leaves me to wonder what the story is here and how all of them are connected.

As Dayton guessed, it isn’t long before the girls all draw me in to hang with them while the guys go to watch the kids in the playroom. All except Jenny, who Miranda keeps with her so she can give her a bottle.

“Do you have any nieces or nephews?” Emma asks as I watch Miranda burp Jenny, who is half asleep after eating.

“No. Honestly, I’ve never had much contact with babies. None of my friends have kids—or not yet at least—and my cousins who do have younger kids live out of state, so I don’t see them often.”

“Do you want to hold her?” Miranda asks when she finishes burping Jenny, and panic wraps around my insides.

“I don’t know.” I shake my head.

“They look more fragile than they actually are,” Willow tells me gently, and I pull my bottom lip between my teeth. “Come on, sit here.”

“Okay.” I take a seat on one of the counter stools she pulls out, and Miranda places Jenny in my arms. She’s so light but so fricking heavy at the same time, knowing how precious the tiny bundle is, and as I look down at her sweet little face, I try to imagine what it’s going to be like when I hold my son or daughter for the first time.

But it still feels like some false reality, even after the ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat.

“See? You’re a natural,” Willow says, and I meet her gaze. From the look in her eyes, she definitely knows about the baby, and I wonder if she can tell that I’m scared out of my mind. I drop my eyes back to Jenny and watch her eyes slide closed as I gently rock her like I saw Miranda doing.

“So, how do you and Dayton know each other?” Emma asks, and I drag my eyes off Jenny to focus on her.

“We met at one of my parents’ parties and found out that we both live here in the same building.”

“That’s cool.” She studies me for a moment, seeming to weigh something over in her mind. “Are you two?—?”

“No,” I cut her off, already knowing what she’s about to ask. “We’re just friends.”

“Oh,” she mutters, sounding disappointed.

“Do you hold hands with all your friends?” Miranda asks, and the back of my neck starts to tingle with unease.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Willow inserts, giving Miranda a look that I might give Molly, Georgia, or Amelia if they overstepped.

“Sorry, it’s just weird for us because we’ve all known Dayton for years, and he’s never brought a woman around. And he’s for sure never held hands with anyone.”

“Our relationship is a little complicated,” I confess.

“Trust me. I’m the queen of complicated,” Miranda says, then adds, “My now ex-husband was cheating on me with Tucker’s then wife.”

“What?” I’m sure my jaw is on the floor.

“Yep, it was messy, but it all worked out in the end.” She shrugs.

Apparently, since not only does her son consider Tucker his dad—or one of them—but they are also married now and have a new baby. “So, how is your and Dayton’s story complicated?”

---