“Hello. I need a bear.”

“Great. Bear-Gram is certainly an excellent choice for you then. Any particular kind?”

“Yes.” Gray nodded, though the guy on the other end of the phone couldn’t see him. “A really big one.”

Lila clapped her hands. “Time’s running out, people.”

As if he didn’t know that. Gray pressed his fingertips against his forehead and focused on the voice on the other end of the phone rather than their manager. Lila had moved to the front of the room to command her troops, but he wasn’t in the mood to listen to her latest scheme.

Schemes were what had gotten him into this mess. Why hadn’t he just told Jazz he wanted to get married now? Why in God’s name had he ever made that stupid deal with Molly he’d never truly intended to have to follow-through on?

Because he was an idiot. Plain and simple. And Jazz deserved anything and everything she ever wanted for tolerating his stupidity.

He would never attempt to limit her lunch consumption again.

“Actually, I’d like the biggest bear you have in stock,” Gray decided. “How big is that?”

“Bear? What the hell is he doing?” Nick muttered to no one in particular.

“Six feet, sir. You need that delivered?”

“Six feet is perfect. Yes, can you deliver it today?”

“Surely. What time would you like it?”

Gray glanced at his watch. The day was moving faster than he wished. It was heading toward mid-morning and Jazz still hadn’t returned any of his many phone calls and texts. He hadn’t managed to make it out of the suite to track her down yet with all of the insanity that had erupted with the band’s arrival. But he was going just as soon as he finished making sure that the suite would be ready for Jazz’s return.

Buying trinkets for her felt like a waste of time, but he had to do something. He couldn’t be out looking for her just yet so this seemed like accomplishing a task. Besides, it was better than the other idea that kept floating through his mind.

Digging through Molly’s stuff until he found her weed stash and taking a nice long hit.

But he wouldn’t do that. He’d been clean for months and he wasn’t going to break that streak over a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding exacerbated by his abject idiocy.

That didn’t mean that he wasn’t tempted. Thinking about fighting this battle every day for the rest of his life sometimes wore him out. Not that he had any choice. Even if he occasionally wavered on his own value, his woman and his child deserved for him to be present and sober. For them he would slay any dragon, including the ones in his own head and heart.

And hey, the bear wouldn’t go to waste. If Jazz hated it, they could always put it in Dylan’s nursery once they actually found a house. He’d have to work double or triple-time now to be able to afford the down payment, especially after the price of this trip. Even so, the value of marrying the love of his life exceeded any cost. If Jazz ever spoke to him again.

“How about now?” he asked the Bear-Gram customer service assistant.

“You’d like the delivery now?”

“Well, as soon as possible. Please. It’s kind of an emergency.”

“An emergency that involves a stuffed bear.” Out of the corner of Gray’s eye, he saw Nick nod. “Makes sense.”

“I stuffed a bear once,” Simon mused. “It was just a chick in a bear costume. But man, she was fluffy.”

“Don’t you mean furry? If you do, stop there. I’m getting disturbing pictures in my head.”

Gray tuned Simon and Nick out as the customer service rep explained the increased service charge that would result from a rush delivery. “That’s fine. Just put it on my card. And a twenty percent tip. Oh hey, you do flowers too, right? And chocolate? I need both of those too.”

“Sir, please hold.”

Gray held. What else could he do? He was on the verge of a panic attack, and he’d never even had one to know what they were like. But that had to be what this was, because his heart was racing a mile a minute and he hadn’t taken a full breath for the last hour.

“Oh Lord,” Deacon said to Harper. “He must’ve really stepped in it this time.”

“It’s this,” Harper said, patting Deak’s belt buckle. “This area causes all the problems.”

“Maybe with the two daddies-to-be,” Simon said, stretching out his legs, “but some of us have that all sewn up.”

“Right.” Nick snorted. “The same dude that screws chicks in bear costumes. Hard up much?”

“Shut up,” Lila snapped. “All of you.” She circled her pale pink-tipped fingernails over her temple. “You’re giving me a headache.”

The Bear-Gram guy returned to the line. “All right, sir, what kind of flowers?”

“Everything.”

“Everything?” Doubt tinged the man’s voice.

“Not everything,” Gray amended. “But I need enough to fill a penthouse suite. Or come close to it anyway. Give me really bright flowers that smell good. Don’t care what kind. I also need chocolate. Lots of it.”

“Sir, this is going to add up quickly. Just so you’re aware.”

Gray shut his eyes and slouched into the couch. “I don’t care.” That was a lie. He did, and probably would even more tomorrow. But he couldn’t concern himself with money now. “She’s worth it.”

When he got off the phone, he shoved his cell in his pocket. “Where’s Molly?”

“If that’s the babe with all the blond hair, she ducked out right after we got here. Smokin’ ass,” Nick added, whistling appreciatively.

“She’s seventeen, you fucker.” Gray shoved him hard enough to nearly dislodge him from the arm of the love seat. “She’s also Jazz’s half-sister.”

“Well, that explains it.”

Gray narrowed his eyes. “Now is not the time for you to talk about Jazz’s ass.”

“No more ass talk here.” Nick held up his hands. “Damn, seventeen. That’s unfortunate.”

“Not for her,” Lila said. “She just got the luckiest break of her life.”

Gray stood. He didn’t have time to worry about where Molly had disappeared to. Now that the band had arrived to hold down the fort, he could look for Jazz. He hadn’t wanted to leave if there wasn’t someone reliable to remain in the hotel in case she returned—and Molly did not qualify as reliable—but now he could go. “I’m going to see if I can find her. I’ll check in soon.”

His phone buzzed and he glanced down, hope surging until he saw Molly’s wide grin fill his screen. She must’ve added herself to his contacts when he wasn’t looking. “Where are you?” he asked.

“I’m looking for your girlfriend. Uh, I mean fiancée.”

Yeah, right. He’d believe that when he saw it. “Oh really? How do you know where to look?” He wasn’t even sure, and he would’ve said he knew Jazz better than anyone.

Yet he still did things he knew would cause her stress. Like setting up surprises when she hated surprises, all in an effort to show her that some could be good.

Big ol’ fail whale on that one. Finding out you had been booked without your consent to marry the man who had botched your already sketchy family reunion ranked right up there with the “surprises” of chickenpox and finding a snake in your bed.

“Mama brought us to San Francisco a couple of times when I was little,” Molly said, raising her voice to speak over the traffic noises in the background. “I don’t remember a lot. She took us to Alcatraz once.”

“The prison? Why?”

“They do tours and stuff. It’s a historical thing. I don’t know.” A car honked. “Good luck on finding her to ask her. Last I knew she booked for the Midwest with her new dude.”

He fell silent. Sometimes it was easy to forget what Jazz and Molly had come from, because he was all about the now. But he couldn’t let himself forget. What they’d lived through had shaped them both.

“Where else?” he asked quietly.

“It’s hard to remember. I was pretty little. I remember going to the pier and The Presidio. She loved the Yerba Buena Gardens. We both did.”

His heart galloped. “Check there then. I’ll meet you.”

“Too late, I already did. She’s not there. At least not where I can easily find her. These places aren’t tiny, you know. And they get super crowded. Damn tourists.”

He nearly reminded her that technically all three of them were tourists, since none of them were from San Francisco itself. At the moment, however, he was willing to curse about tourists too. Anything that kept him from finding Jazz.

“But don’t worry. I have another idea. I’m on my way there to check it out.”

“Where is it? I’m on my way.”

“Stay at the hotel. I’ve got this. Entertain your little band friends.” He could almost picture her wiggling her fingers as if she were referring to kindergarten playmates. “Especially Nick. Jeez, he’s even hotter in person.”

“You. Are. Seventeen. He is not. Plus I’m pretty sure he has herpes.”

“If you’re referring to me, I so do not,” Simon called.

“Ew. Gross. Really?”

Gray started to admit he was only kidding, then decided to leave it alone. If it deterred Molly from chasing after yet another older guy, he’d keep right on lying.

More lies and half truths. The toll was climbing.

“Call me when you find Jazz,” he said, clicking off.

He glanced up to find the room had cleared out except for Simon and Nick. “Where did everyone go?”

Simon shrugged and kept playing with his phone. “Lila’s making calls in the bedroom. Harper went off half-cocked, determined to find Jazz on her own and Deacon chased after her yelling about ‘needing a plan’. Nicky—” He lifted his head and smirked. “Nicky has herpes.”

“Bastard.” Nick turned toward Gray. “Did you just tell Jazz’s sister I had herpes?”

In spite of everything, Gray couldn’t fight his grin as he dropped onto the loveseat. He’d already nearly worn a hole in the thick carpet from pacing. “That obvious, huh?”

Nick pulled one booted foot up across his other knee. “Doesn’t mean good things for you if that’s true, brother.”

“Oh, here we go. Back to the threesome heard ‘round the world.” Simon rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t mean good things for me either, because hello, we dipped in the same troughs a few times too. But all the threesomes you had with me don’t count. Just the one with him.”

“I’m starting to think you boys are all a little too close,” Lila said, sailing into the room, clipboard in hand.

Gray could actually feel his ears heating up. “One threesome,” he muttered. “Just one. One and only for my entire life.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon said sincerely. “There’s still time to turn it around. Don’t give up yet.”

“As much as I enjoy hearing about the cesspools of STDs you’ve all happily waded through, I think we should focus on finding Jasmine. Since the wedding is due to take place in oh,” Lila consulted her watch, “approximately two-and-a-half hours.”

Gray laced his fingers between his knees and exhaled. “Not thinking it’s gonna happen, Li.”

“Excuse me? Did I or did I not make all kinds of arrangements to help you make sure this went off without a hitch? Did I or did I not endure having to go pick up your wedding bands with this Neanderthal—” she gestured at Nick, who only smirked, “—along with suffering through a flight’s worth of unfunny toilet humor? Did I or did I not—”

“Hold it.” Gray held up a hand, cutting her off mid-tirade. “You picked up my wedding bands with Nick, of all people?”

For the first time that he could recall in recent memory, Lila actually shifted her gaze away as if she was embarrassed. “There was a sizing issue. I needed a man’s hand.”

“You know, because we’re close to the same size and all.” Nick waggled his brows. “Except in certain notable areas.”

“So your dick’s tiny and covered with blisters. Sexy.” Lila turned her back on Nick while Simon choked out a laugh.

“Anyway, as I was saying. I contacted your parents. I spoke to your priest and doublechecked that the venue was booked. I sent out a press release to make the paparazzi think Oblivion would be anywhere but near San Francisco today. I picked out flowers and a dress for your bride. And the list goes on and on.”

Gray pushed a hand through his hair. Christ, could the boulders of guilt on his shoulders get any heavier? “I know and I really appreciate it—”

“Appreciate my ass.”

“Oh, I do,” Nick said from behind her, which she didn’t appear to hear. Or else she chose to ignore him, as anyone with a brain did.

“My point is that I went to a lot of effort to make this happen, Grayson. It is going to, or by God, you will pay me reparations.”

“Just add it to my tab. Everyone else is.” Gray sagged into the cushions and stretched his arm across the back. He didn’t feel relaxed at all, not one bit, but what the hell could he do? Somehow he’d wandered into a Julia Roberts movie without realizing it.

All they needed was a damn horse.

* * *

“The carousel. Really?”

Jazz stopped digging through her wallet for change for another ride on the carousel at the zoo—her inner child was eight, so what—and glanced up at the sound of the familiar female voice behind her. Great. Just what she needed when she was searching for stress relief.

The junk food she’d scarfed down without Gray to lecture her about proper pregnancy nutrition hadn’t even tasted that good. All it had done was give her indigestion.

Figured.

If that wasn’t enough, she’d been recognized by a pair of gawking teenagers as soon as she arrived at the zoo. Having fans come up to her was still a novelty and normally she loved talking to fellow music freaks, but when her eyes were grainy from trying not to cry and she had heartburn and felt icky from wandering around in the clothes she’d worn yesterday, she wasn’t all that sociable.

She’d posed for a picture with them and signed some stuff and they’d gone away happy, so obviously she hadn’t been too much of an ogre. But man, she hated feeling bitchy. Dealing with Molly right now probably wouldn’t help even her out, either.

Jazz turned and narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing here?” She swallowed the bitterness in her throat. Whether it was from the corn dog she’d eaten in record time or caused by Gray and Molly’s deception, she wasn’t sure. “Did he offer you extra hazard pay if you added some field work to your list of duties?”

Molly sighed and propped her fists on her hips. “I knew it. I figured you must’ve overheard either that or the whole kissing thing. Either one was—”

“Kissing who?” Jazz snapped the hairband off her wrist to do her hair up in a quick bun and stepped toward her sister. “If you mean what I think you mean, take off your jewelry. This shit’s going down now.”

“Damn, girl.” Molly laughed. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

Growling, Jazz advanced another step.

“Ease up, pitbull. My lips did not touch his lips.”

“Did they touch any other part of his anatomy? Because, believe me, that won’t save you any broken bones.”

“No part of us kissed, I swear. He totally shut me down. Didn’t even notice my tits damn near hanging out of my top.” She glanced down at her breasts and sighed. “They’re good tits. Everyone says so.”

“Yeah, well, he’s played with the prototype model, so you’re out of luck, pal.”

Molly whistled. “The pregnancy thing is so working for you in that area. Not that I saw anything but magazine pictures of you before, but wow, impressive.”

“Thanks. I’m wearing a good bra.” Hearing herself, Jazz shook her head. It was a warm day and evidently she was already suffering the early signs of heatstroke. “Look, don’t change the subject. You came onto Gray? After taking his money to spend the day with me? I mean, seriously, am I that awful?”

“No.” Molly blew out a breath that fluttered her curls. “You’re amazing, and that’s why I hate you.”

As the carousel started up behind her again, Jazz sighed and tugged Molly over to a bench some distance away from the cheerful circus music. “You realize that makes no sense, right?”

“It makes plenty of sense.” Molly flopped at the end of the bench and stared at the revolving carousel horses with something akin to wistfulness, shocking the hell out of Jazz. She’d yet to see even the tiniest hint of nostalgia in her sister.

Jazz, on the other hand, still wore the first piece of jewelry Gray had given her—the guitar pick necklace from a vending machine currently around her neck—and had pressed in a book the corsage he’d bought her for a high school dance. Every note or card he’d ever sent her was tucked into the diary she’d kept as a teenager. She had all of her old yearbooks and even her band uniform from the short time she’d tried to participate in an organized school activity.

Then there were all the other ways she was a sentimental fool. Crying during Hallmark commercials was now a part of her daily routine. She lavished toys and treats on her guinea pig, Ratt, and the kitten she’d bought on a whim from a kid selling them in front of the grocery store. She’d also foisted the other two kittens on Lila and Harper, whether they wanted them or not. Already she was itching to decorate her baby’s nursery—though they hadn’t yet bought a house—and she wasn’t due until the fall. She was a sap, pure and simple.

Yet another way she and Molly were absolutely nothing alike.

“You remember riding the carousel?” Jazz asked, unable to help herself. She was firmly stuck in sap 101, endlessly pursuing kinship with other secret saps.

“Yeah. That’s how I knew to come here. I remember Mama letting us have two rides each when we begged.” Molly stared at the revolving brightly painted horses for another moment. “I bet you can’t wait to put Dylan on one of them.”

Jazz couldn’t hold back a smile. “Actually, I was already thinking about that. Wait, how do you know his name is Dylan?” Then she sighed. “Gray. Your new best friend. Of course.”

“Best friend? Yeah, right. The dude hates me, as he probably should. I’ve been nothing been nasty to him.” She swallowed hard and dragged her attention from the carousel to Jazz. “And to you.”

Jazz didn’t reply, just watched the horses go round and round while excited kids laughed and hollered and grinning moms and dads hovered nearby.

Someday soon that would be her and Gray. Fretting over their child’s first words and first steps, applauding him for reaching the smallest milestones. Cheering him on every day of their lives.

“This is the kind of place parents should bring their kids. Mama didn’t do enough of that stuff with us, even in the early days.” Molly lowered her head. “I always figured that’s why you wanted to leave.”

Jazz nearly lost her grip on her wallet. She fumbled it back into her lap, then stared open-mouthed at her sister. “Wanted to leave? Are you crazy?”

Molly didn’t look at her. “It’s okay. I already know.”

“Whatever you think you know, whatever she told you, it was a lie. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I was twelve when she shoved me into foster care. I wanted my damn mommy. I wanted my sister.” Jazz blinked back the tears that rushed into her eyes right on cue, but she didn’t have a hope of stemming the tide. She’d been struggling against them for way too long. “God, I love you, Mol. I thought of you as my baby. I used to push you around in my doll stroller when you were small enough, then I’d carry you on my back everywhere when you got bigger. You’d always yank out my earrings and I’d laugh even though it hurt.” She wiped at her tears. “Do you remember any of that? Please tell me you do.”

“I remember,” Molly whispered, gazing down at her hands. “I remember everything.”

“I never would’ve left you on my own. I hated being away from you. For the first year, I wrote you letters every week. I had to save my lunch money to afford stamps. But you never answered them.” Jazz rubbed furiously at her damp cheeks. “You were too little, but I thought maybe you’d send back a drawing or something once in a while. But nothing ever came. Ever. I kept sending them every month anyway, right through high school. By then you were old enough to write back—”

Molly swiveled to face her, her eyes wide. “She never gave me any letters. Not one. I swear to you. If she had, I would’ve answered every one. Even if all I could’ve managed in the beginning was Strawberry Shortcake stickers and I love you.”

“Looks like we were both screwed over by dear ol’ mom yet again.” Jazz started to say more then realized Molly was sniffling. Her mascara was running from tears. Real ones, not ones used to manipulate.

Jazz tried to speak and found she couldn’t. All she could do was reach out to grab Molly’s hands.

“You said love,” Molly said, her throat working. “You said you love me, not loved. Not past tense.”

“Of course I do. How could I not? You’re my baby sister. I loved you from the minute Mama told me she was pregnant with you. I had one of those I’m the big sister T-shirts that our grandma gave me and I wore it every day.” Jazz smiled through her tears. “I was so proud.”

Molly laughed then released her hands. Jazz tried to take it in stride, to remember that Molly was an independent sort and a few declarations, no matter how heartfelt, weren’t going to erase years of distance. Intellectually, that seemed reasonable. Emotionally, it hurt like hell.

She wanted her sister back, goddammit.

Before Jazz could figure out what to say next, Molly flung herself into Jazz’s arms, hugging her so hard that Jazz gasped. Molly immediately reared back and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Oh God, did I hurt you? Did I squash the kid?”

Jazz laughed. “No. You hurt my boob, not my belly. The kid’s fine.” She looked down at the slight rise under her maternity shirt. “Well, pissy about today’s breakfast of corn dogs, but other than that, perfectly healthy.”

“Corn dogs for breakfast? Seriously? See what happens when I take my eyes off you?”

Jazz went still as that beloved deep voice sent shockwaves over her skin. She glanced at Molly, who gave her an impish shrug. “Had to call and tell him when I found you. Figured I owed him that much since I drove you away.”

“You didn’t drive me away on your own. You both did,” Jazz said, lifting her voice though she still didn’t turn her head in Gray’s direction. She was no dummy. One look into those sexy gray eyes and she’d crumble like a day-old cookie. “How much did he offer to pay you to act like my sister for the day?”

Molly had the decency to seem chagrined. She ducked her head, her cheeks flaring pink. “Uh, we didn’t discuss an exact price.”

“Yeah, because I never intended to pay her a damn dime.”

Both Molly and Jazz shifted in Gray’s direction. He lifted a shoulder. “Sucks when you con a con artist, doesn’t it?”

Rather than getting angry, Molly shook her head and smiled. “Should’ve guessed you’d be a welcher.”

“I wasn’t welching. I know my girl. Anyone who spends five hours in her presence falls in love with her. I figured if you had a whole day to get to know her, you’d probably end up offering to pay me in gratitude.” He shrugged and gestured toward their linked hands. Jazz wasn’t even aware of Molly reaching for hers again, but she must’ve. “Was I right or was I right?”

Jazz set her chin. “You expect me to believe you made a deal to pay her that you never thought you’d have to pay because she’d decide she wanted to be my sister again, all on her own.”

“Yes.” He faced her squarely. “I knew all you two needed was time together, and the promise of paying her was enough to get her in your sphere for more than ten minutes. She wanted us gone as soon as we got to her apartment, in case you didn’t notice.”

“I did notice. Talk about a mixed-up signal. Come see me, then turn around and leave.”

“Because it all came flooding back when we were face-to-face. How you used to sing to me and play your guitar and write these goofy songs about playing in the mud.” Molly sniffled and lowered her gaze to their joined hands. “I couldn’t look you in the eye and try to become part of your life for anything but genuine reasons. And if I couldn’t get money out of you, I needed you gone.”

“You need cash that badly?” Jazz asked gently. Amazing how a few minutes of talking things out had smudged away the worst of the hurt. Now she was back in her natural protector mode.

“Get a job,” Gray suggested.

Jazz narrowed her eyes at him. They’d so be having a conversation later.

“I have a job. I’m in a band. Didn’t you see my guitar? It’s in your damn trunk.”

He crossed his arms and lifted a brow. “Yeah, well, I’m in a band too, so I know how shitty they usually pay. I meant a real job with an actual income. Something you earn for yourself rather than relying on whichever guy strolls through the door promising you the world and delivering nothing.”

Jazz bolted to her feet. “Gray—”

“No, don’t.” Molly grabbed her hand. “He’s right.”

“He is?”

“I am?” Gray cleared his throat. “I mean, of course I am.”

Jazz couldn’t help grinning at the jerk. She also couldn’t help loving him even more for trying to give her a day with her sister, even if his methods were all wrong. “What is this, you trying your daddy training wheels out?”

“He’s right,” Molly said again, tightening her hold on Jazz’s hand. “I tend to trust the wrong guys. I…well, I guess I shouldn’t be trusting any guys right now, period. They only want one thing.”

“Especially don’t trust guys in bands,” Gray added. “They’re fuc—freaking horndogs.”

“Exhibit A,” Jazz agreed solemnly, kicking her foot in his direction.

“Smart ass.”

Jazz glanced at Molly and gave into the urge to stroke her silky curls back from her face. She’d always been beautiful and had only become more so with age. “You should focus on school right now, and yes, a part-time job would be good. The boy thing can wait.”

“Um, I’m not exactly in school at the current time.” Molly bit her lip. “I’m done.”

“What do you mean you’re done? It’s not the end of the school year yet. You shouldn’t be graduating until next year.”

“I dropped out.”

“What? Why?”

“Sit down,” Gray said, nudging her back on the bench without waiting for her opinion on his directive. “You’re all flushed. It’s too hot out here to raise your blood pressure.”

“It’s not hot, and I’m not flushed, and my blood pressure is fine. Mol, why aren’t you in school?” she demanded.

“I dropped out after Mama split last year. School is so fucking lame.”

Jazz sighed and shook her head. “Guess I found one way that we’re alike after all. It’s not a good thing to have in common. I hated school too. Skipped all the time.”

“Really?” Molly’s baby blue eyes lit up. “And you turned out fine. See, school isn’t even necessary. It’s just a big waste of time.”

“I’d like to point out that she just swore in front of Dylan and you said nothing. I detect bias.”

Jazz ignored him. “I turned out fine because I ended up taking college classes and trying again even when I didn’t want to. School is important for your future. You can’t just assume the band thing will work out. The odds aren’t in your favor. They aren’t in anyone’s favor.”

“You did okay. Both of you did,” she said, shifting her head to include Gray. “With an amazing example like yours, why wouldn’t I think I could make it too?”

“Con. Artist,” Gray said under his breath. “A good one, I’ll give you that.”

“You could practice with us now and then, if you wanted. Get a feel for how a working band operates. Maybe come to a show or two. If you wanted,” Jazz said again, hating how tremulous she sounded.

“Really?” She glanced from her to Gray, her cheeks pink with excitement. “That’d be amazing. You’re cool with it too?” she asked Gray.

He sighed heavily. “Yeah. Sure. Why the hell not.”

“Thank you. This is so incredible.” She hurled herself at Jazz again, who was a bit more prepared this time and managed to catch her without losing feeling in her left breast. “I’m sorry we got such a rocky start yesterday. I never should’ve believed Mama,” she said next to Jazz’s ear, low enough for only her to hear.

“It’s okay. We’ll figure it all out.” Jazz patted her back. “We have time.”

“Yeah. We do.” Molly pulled back and aimed a sly grin at Gray. “Guess y’all want some alone time now. I’ll just go look at the giraffes or something til you’re ready to go.” She gave Jazz a sheepish look. “I can catch a ride back to the hotel with you guys, right? My fundage situation is kind of sketchy at the moment.”

“No kidding,” Gray said. “Yeah, we’ll find you.”

“Great. Thanks.” Molly bounded up and probably would’ve kept on going if Gray’s voice hadn’t stopped her cold.

“Wait a second.” He crossed his arms over his chest again, doing his best irritated parental unit imitation. Jazz had to hand it to him. He was kind of a natural. “I believe you have something else to confess to your sister. Involving me.”

She blinked at him, all wide-eyed innocence. “I do. What?” Then her face clouded and she waved her hand. “Oh. That. Yeah, we already talked about how I tried to kiss you. She’s cool. You’re cool, right?” she asked Jazz.

“Well, I wouldn’t say cool exactly, but I’m not murderous about it, so I guess we’re all good.”

“You’re not angry?” Gray asked, clearly perplexed.

“Nah. She won’t do it again.” Jazz looked to Molly for confirmation. “Right?”

Molly nodded with all the sincerity of a Girl Scout. “Absolutely not. It was just a random drunk moment. You know, total beer goggles.” She waved at them and started heading toward the bright sunshine beyond the exit of the carousel building.

Jazz frowned at Molly’s retreating back. “Wait a second. Beer goggles? You were drunk?”

“See ya later, sis,” Molly called, disappearing into the crowd.

“Dear God. I’m not ready for this.” Jazz buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking from laughter or disgust or hell, maybe even joy that she might, just might get her sister back again for real.

“Exactly what I said.” Gray dropped to the bench beside her and stretched his arm along the back. “So how’s my baby?”

“Still irritated at you.”

“Even the fetus is? That’s pretty impressive. I didn’t realize they were capable of—” He laughed when she hit his arm. “Watch it, slugger. I’ve had a long day.”

“You have? What about me? I thought you two were plotting against me.” Saying it out loud drove home how dumb the whole thing was. Molly was still a little bit of a wild card—okay, a lot of one—but she knew Gray, heart and soul. He’d never do anything to hurt her unless he had absolutely no choice.

No one was arguing his methods needed some serious improvement. But the motivation behind them couldn’t be faulted, ever. Not when one glance into the eyes she knew so well told her how much he loved her.

She might still have a case of heartburn from hell, but she was a lucky, lucky woman.

“Plotting, yes. Against you? Never.” He sucked in a breath. “Though now’s probably as good a time as ever to tell you that I hatched another scheme yesterday, and I suppose it serves me right that it’s not going to happen.”

Jazz frowned. “What do you mean the wedding’s not going to happen?”

“Look at the time. We’re running out of it. We still have to—” He broke off and locked his jaw. “How do you know about the wedding?” He slapped a hand against his forehead. “Christ, why am I even asking? The motormouth from San Jose, right?”

“Nope. It wasn’t Molly.” She shouldn’t feel smug that he’d guessed wrong. Besides, she shouldn’t even be having this conversation. Harper had sworn her to secrecy.

“Then who? Lila?”

“No way. Lila’s like a drill sergeant. She never violates protocol.”

He rubbed his jaw. “Well, then, how the hell—” He groaned. “Fucking Harper. You damn women can never be trusted.”

“Hey, hey, hey.” She cupped her stomach. “Little ears.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “See? Biased.”

“No bias. It’s just the baby knows your voice. In fact, I’m pretty sure—” A sudden ripple through her stomach made her stop and rub her belly. “Huh. Weird.”

“What weird? What? What’s wrong?”

She grabbed his hand and placed it where hers had been. “Feel that?”

From the wrinkle between his brows, she knew he was concentrating hard. He heaved out a breath and shook his head. “No. I don’t feel anything. What’s happening?”

“I think the baby just kicked. Either that or I’m never eating corndogs again, because I think one’s alive inside me and trying to get out.”

He laughed again and slid his hand down over the slope of her belly. “No. Nothing. What did it feel like?”

“It’s hard to explain.” She shrugged helplessly and guided his hand back to where she’d felt the first sensation. “It feels like…that,” she said triumphantly when it happened again.

“That’s a kick? That ripple?”

“Well, I haven’t been pregnant before, but from my reading it seems possible.”

“It’s early.”

“Tell your son that,” she said drily, nudging him back. “Anyway, if we’re running late, we better get a move on. I’m not doing this twice.”

But he wasn’t paying attention to her any longer. He dropped to his knees between her legs and slid his long-fingered hands over her stomach, sculpting the small bump. “Hey Dylan, it’s your daddy. Your mom thinks you’re just a corndog. Kick her again and prove her wrong.”

“Watch it,” she said, but she couldn’t help laughing. God, he was so cute and she was so ridiculously in love with him, no matter what bonehead moves he made or silly stunts he tried to pull off.

Except their wedding. That was no stunt. This was the most important day of her life.

“I think you’re trying to let us know that you don’t approve of us fighting or worse yet, your mom walking out without talking to me and making me practically sick with worry all day. So sick that I spent your college fund on bears and bouquets and enough chocolate to fill the Titanic.”

“Sick with worry?” She brushed his long dark hair out of his eyes. “Really? And what bears?”

But he wasn’t finished. “She was right to walk out on me though, because I was an ass—assorted names she could call me, and probably will later. I’ll take them. I shouldn’t have offered her sister money, even if I didn’t think the bill would ever come due. I shouldn’t have planned a wedding without talking to her first and getting her input, but see, the thing is, I just want to be married to her so damn bad that I don’t want to wait another hour, never mind another day.”

“Gray,” she warned, sniffling. “I have cried enough today. I am not getting married with red eyes.”

He glanced up at her. “You still want to marry me?”

“Are you fucking stupid?”

His lips quirked. “At times, yes. As yesterday and today have proven without a doubt.” He lowered his head and kissed her belly button. “But I love you with everything I am and everything I hope to be, and I gotta hope that’s enough.”

“It is. More than.” She smiled mistily and covered his hands with hers. “I shouldn’t have walked out on you. I should’ve talked it out.”

“You should have. And if you do that again, there will be punishments.” His smile turned naughty. “I have a whole brown bag of things to torment you with now.”

“Hmm.” She pretended to think. “And I’m supposed to want to be good, right?”

“Whether you’re good or bad, I’ll always be waiting for you to come home.”

That right there was everything. He was her home, and she was his, and together they’d build one for their child. Nothing could be better than that.

Grinning, she squeezed his fingers. “Let’s go get married.”