We spent the afternoon with the movers, getting everything into the house. I went on a shopping spree that week and picked out everything I wanted for the two-story house. Since the house was hundreds of years old, I specifically selected furniture with that antique style, keeping the tone the same.

Two of the guest rooms were filled with antique furniture and king-size beds. I picked tones of blush, gray, and white to fill the rooms, bringing light colors to capture the subtle beauty of the home.

I left the third guest room empty on purpose.

Bones and I hadn’t talked about it much, but within the next year, I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to have a baby and put the crib and furniture into this room. Didn’t make sense to fill it with furniture only to replace it in a year.

When Bones didn’t ask why I kept it empty, I assumed he knew exactly why.

My family came over for dinner that night, a housewarming party to break in the new home. I didn’t help Bones in the kitchen since I pretty much couldn’t do anything anyway, and I took my family on a tour of the house.

“It’s so beautiful,” Mom said, and Aunt Adelina nodded. “And it’s so you. I can see the two of you growing old in this house.”

“What about this room?” Carmen asked, stepping into the empty bedroom.

“That’s the baby’s room,” I explained.

Carmen’s eyes immediately darted to my stomach. “What?” she shrieked, her voice becoming high-pitched in no time. “You’re pregnant?”

“No.” I covered her mouth so she would be quiet. “I just mean, when we have a baby…this is the room.” I lowered my hand and rolled my eyes. “You’re going to make everyone freak out.”

“Sorry,” Carmen said with a laugh. “It seems like you’re preparing for a baby…just assumed.”

“I just didn’t want to fill it with furniture and then replace it all in less than a year.” I pictured myself being pregnant, a belly that slowly got bigger until I had to stay home because I couldn’t drive or work anymore. Bones would stay home and take care of me, his large hand resting on my belly.

“Less than a year?” Carmen asked. “Does he know about this?”

I shrugged. “I think he does.”

“I wonder if he’s going to ask you to marry him soon.” Carmen moved closer to me and my mom. “I’ve been waiting for it for a while.”

I wanted to be married, but having a ring on my finger wasn’t that important to me. “Whether we’re married or not, we’re committed to each other for the rest of our lives. I don’t care if he’s my husband when we start a family. Being in this house makes me want to fill it with children, and that’s something he already agreed to.”

Mom wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “That’s a good perspective on love. When you’re really in love, the specifics don’t matter. As long as you’re together.” She rubbed my back before she stepped into the hallway. “And the fact that the man cooks makes him a keeper. Your father may get a bull’s-eye every time, but he doesn’t know the difference between a pan and a pot.”

We headed back down the stairs and into the backyard. Sapphire was sitting on the patio furniture with Reid resting in her arms. Conway was beside her, his arm draped over her shoulder.

My father was in the kitchen with Bones, drinking scotch while he watched him prepare dinner.

The doorbell rang from the other side of the house. “That must be Carter.” I walked to the front of the house and opened the door, coming face-to-face with my cousin, who looked a lot like Conway.

But he wasn’t alone.

Mia was with him—along with a young boy.

“Mia?” I blurted, surprised to see her at a family event. “How are you?” I ignored my cousin and hugged her first.

“I’m great,” she said. “Better than I’ve ever been. When Carter told me you were having a get-together, I asked if we could come along. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

“We’re happy to have you here. And who’s this little guy?” I already knew he was her son, based on the things she’d told me about him. I kneeled down in front of him, giving him a friendly smile to make him feel welcome.

The boy was shy, giving me half a grin before he waved. “Luca.”

Carter placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Luca, this is my cousin, Vanessa. Show her what we learned.”

Luca extended his right hand to shake mine. “Nice to meet you.”

I chuckled as I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you too. Please come in.”

Carter walked inside with Luca, keeping his hand on his shoulder. “I’ve got a few other family members here I want to introduce you to.”

“Anyone my age?” Luca asked.

“No,” Carter answered. “But I have a new cousin that’s a baby.”

Luca shook his head. “I’m not friends with babies.”

Carter chuckled as he guided him farther into the house. “Alright, let’s start with my dad. He’s pretty cool.”

Mia watched the two of them walk away, emotion and joy in her eyes. She sighed as she watched them leave the hallway and join the rest of my family on the patio. Like she forgot I was there, it took her a few seconds before she turned back to me. “I hope we aren’t intruding—”

“Absolutely not.” In that short interaction, I gleaned everything I needed to know. Carter seemed to help Mia in the beginning out of the goodness of his heart, but based on this, there was nothing just friends about their relationship. Carter took Luca under his wing like a son, and Mia looked on as she watched the two men she loved get along so well. “You guys are family too.”

She turned back to me, her eyebrows slightly raised.

“I’m very happy for you.” I didn’t need to ask what had changed to understand the scene right in front of my eyes. There was a connection between the two of them, something that bonded them so close together that Carter, an infamous playboy, had taken a young boy under his wing. That was not something he would do for just anyone.

“Thank you.”