Brothers of Paradise Series

“You’re not in my debt. You make my daughter happy, and you’re strong enough to keep her safe. That’s more than repayment enough.” He gives my shoulder a last pat before taking a step back. He opens the lid to the grill, inspecting the lobster tails lined up in a neat row. “I know I haven’t been easy on you. Never tried to be.”

I scoff and take a sip of my beer. “No, you definitely haven’t.”

“I’ll give the boys hell, too, when they bring a woman home, don’t you worry.”

I think of Henry in his ivory tower in Manhattan, working so hard for this man’s approval. Of Rhys’s use of sarcasm as a shield and his nomadic existence. Of Parker’s string of romantic attachments and cheap smiles.

“I can’t wait,” I say, knowing that this time, there’d be someone to have their backs against this man-me.

Epilogue

One year later

Lily

Two ticks.

It’s positive.

I sit down on the edge of the bathtub and put my head in my hands. I’m going to be a mother. I’m going to be a mother.

It’s taking all my effort to stay calm and let my breathing slow. A child. We’re going to have a child. A little mini-Hayden, with dark, shaggy hair and gray eyes. A big smile.

Happiness unfurls inside me. A child. A child.

It isn’t planned, but isn’t exactly a surprise, either. We’d discussed it briefly… and we hadn’t been as careful as you’re supposed to be. We’d slipped on the honeymoon, and not just once. Hayden had whispered to me that it would make him happy, and I’d reacted in kind. But that had been in passion-in moments of bliss.

Now it’s real.

For two weeks, after the wedding, Hayden and I had been on a paradise island in the Caribbean. Just the two of us and crystal-clear water, white sand and a rented sailing boat. It had been like a dream.

His business is doing better than anyone had expected, including himself. The company now has a team of nearly ten consultants whom Hayden regularly receive reports from.

I look down at the engagement and wedding ring on my finger. It still feels odd to look at, even if they complement each other perfectly. I’d worn the engagement ring for almost a year, ever since he proposed last fall, and all through the planning and preparations for a summer wedding.

We moved into a house of our own, with all the planning that came with it. The house next to my cottage had unexpectedly come onto the market just a few months earlier. It had fantastic ocean views and a large backyard.

I’d stood outside it one night, looking at the shutters and imagining painting them dark blue, expanding the upstairs terrace, a children’s playhouse in the garden, a spare bedroom for when Hayden’s half-sister visited. He’d wrapped his arms around me, still warm after his evening run, and kissed my temple.

“Should we get it?” he’d asked, and there had been nothing to say but yes.

It still isn’t fully renovated, but we live here now, together. Married. I stand on shaky legs and look into the mirror in the master bathroom. Carefully, I put the pregnancy test on the counter with trembling hands and look at myself.

I look flushed. Happy. A bit scared.

Hayden still struggles with feelings of inadequacy and dark thoughts. The memories of his childhood run deep, even if he’s a master at hiding it-and pushing it away. And a child… it’s hard to forget the doubts he’s expressed occasionally about being a father himself.

I wash my hands and walk through our master bedroom, down the stairs to the living room. My laptop is open, the spreadsheet with the gallery’s upcoming events still there. It’s gone better than I could ever have expected-so good that I’ve even had to hire someone to help me run it.

The house is empty and quiet. Hayden is at the marina. Rhys and Parker had needed him for something, they’d said, and he’s gone on the Frida for the day. I’d chosen to stay home, because I wanted to work on the gallery’s schedule. And because I had been suspicious, my period over a week late.

I drum my fingers along the kitchen counter. I’d wanted to check it alone, but now I want Hayden here-right away. I don’t want to be alone with this knowledge for a second longer.

So I grab a book and a sweater, and then I head down to the marina. They’ve already been out hours. Shouldn’t be long, now.

The words on the page swim before my eyes as I try to read, sitting by the Marchand dock. I’d brought the book on our honeymoon, but Hayden had been very adept at distracting me from reading it. He’d roll over, slip a hand across my waist and whisper something amusing or loving in my ear, and I would put the book down without a second thought.

It’s a calm day in late August, and the waves are soft against the dock. Our kid will grow up here, just like I did, and just like Hayden. Will she love sailing as much as her father? Or will he want to spend his days painting?

I put the book down and close my eyes. The possibilities are endless. And Hayden… I can see Hayden as a father, a child riding on his shoulders, small hands nestled deep in his thick hair. Always teasing and playing, but he would be the first to pick his son or daughter up if they fell, strong arms lifting up and brushing off.

The image makes me smile.

The Frida sails into the harbor just past five in the evening. They’ve rolled up the sails, and she’s cruising on motor alone. I can see all of them-Henry at the steering wheel, tallest of the lot. Parker’s head of blond hair as he sits at the front, preparing to jump onto the dock to tie the rope. Rhys is standing next to Hayden, the two of them shoulder to shoulder as they spot the distance and shout instructions to Henry.

My family. It’s so rare that all my brothers are together in Paradise Shores at the same time, especially since they’d already been here in July for the wedding. I was the first who had moved back permanently, and if I had my way, I’d make sure they all did the same.

I help Parker tie the knots and anchor the boat along the dock. “Didn’t know you’d be here, Lils,” he calls. “Hayden said you had to work.”

“Changed my mind,” I say, using a half hitch knot. “Was it nice out there?”

He wraps an arm around my shoulder and gives me a half-hug, and we stand watching as the others get off the boat. “It was amazing.”

Rhys’s hair is wet, and when he gets closer, he shakes it like a dog. I laugh as the droplets fly. “You took a swim?”

“Of course I did. The others are cowards.”

“It’s called being sensible,” Henry says, his voice low. “We can’t all be rebels.”

Rhys snorts. “Ignore him. He’s been in a terrible mood all day.”

Both Hayden and Parker laugh, but Henry just shoots them a dark look. I’m not surprised, though. My oldest brother has been acting oddly for weeks. It’s not difficult to guess the reason.

“Is this because of the girl you brought as a date to my wedding?” I frown at Henry. “She was lovely.”

“No, it’s not because of her.”

“Liar,” Rhys says, voice teasing. “Faye unsettles you. Admit it.”

“I am not going to talk about this.” Henry stalks off down the dock, his wide shoulders looking tense. He’s so regimented, so focused, that he sometimes forgets the important things in life.

Parker drops his arm from my shoulders and nods to Hayden. “You going back with Lils?”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“Yes,” Hayden says smoothly, bending to pick up the book I’d dropped on the dock. “It’s getting late.”

“It is,” I agree. “But would you guys want to come over tomorrow night? Board games and wine? We can dig out some of the old ones.”

Rhys grins. “You want revenge?”