“I miss the beach already.” Harper rubbed her hands together as they walked up the stairs to the house in the Hollywood Hills. More Christmas lights had been added to the railings since they’d been gone, as well as a fat wreath with a huge purple bow. It was also at least twenty degrees colder than Galveston. The last two days of their honeymoon had been unseasonably warm and perfect. So perfect she’d contemplated staying right there through the New Year.

Damn responsible nature had killed that idea.

Deacon opened the front door, dumping their duffel bag into the mudroom. The thing was filled to the brim with sand no matter how many times she’d shaken out their clothes. Music blared from the living room then went silent.

Harper grinned up at Deacon when she heard Jazz’s loud whisper for everyone to be quiet. She took his hand, dragging him into the living room.

“Surprise!” Jazz held up a sign that said, “Welcome home” with precisely seven exclamation points after it. One for every color of the rainbow.

Nick had a party horn sticking out of the side of his mouth. His face was deadpan as he blew into it, making the stupid party favor shriek. “Congratulations on fucking for a week straight.”

“God, you’re such an ass.” Simon rose off the couch, two party hats on his head like horns. “It’s congratulations on making love for a week straight.” He waggled his eyebrows. “As dirty as possible.” He crossed the room and shook Deacon’s hand, then pressed a smacking kiss on Harper’s cheek. “Way to go, blondie. You look sassy and happy.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Gee thanks, Simon.” But she was happy. Still freaking out every other hour or so, but definitely happy.

Gray gave them a halfhearted salute from the couch. “Welcome home, guys.”

Jazz bounded over to them, hugging them both before taking Harper’s hands and dragging her to the couch. “Tell me everything.”

Nick reached next to the sofa and pulled out his acoustic, settling it into his lap. “Are we going to get a blow by blow about the whole week? Because if we are I’m going upstairs. I’d rather watch Guitar Center.”

“Then go, Mr. Rude,” Jazz said.

Nick huffed, but kept his mouth shut and strummed his guitar. Harper didn’t recognize the song. Maybe they’d actually gotten some writing done while she and Deacon had been away.

Deacon popped his knuckles. “Actually, this is really well-timed. I didn’t think I’d get all of you together at once before tomorrow. And I don’t really want to talk about this in the studio.”

Jazz tucked her feet under her legs and couldn’t stop bouncing.

Simon quirked an eyebrow. “Care to share what’s turning you into the human vibrator?”

Jazz stuck out her tongue. “Not my news to tell.”

Nick stopped strumming. “Should I put my guitar down for this?” He pulled the cigarette out from behind his ear and stuck it in his mouth before taking it out again to flip it around at the filter.

Harper moved next to Deacon, linking their fingers. “We’re doing this now?” she asked him out of the side of her mouth.

Simon climbed onto the couch and perched on the back support. “This better be good. I have a very dirty woman waiting for me who’s been sexting me for the last hour.”

They’d gone over how to tell the band at least fifteen times since they’d woken up that morning. She opened her mouth to ease them into it like they discussed.

“We’re having a baby,” Deacon blurted.

Or they could just spit it out. “That is not how we rehearsed.”

Deacon’s cheeks flushed. “Sorry.”

Jazz popped off the couch and jumped into Deacon’s arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and levered herself up to kiss his cheek. “This is so great.” She jumped back down and tacklehugged Harper. “So, so awesome.”

Nick looked from Deacon to Harper, then swung his gaze to Jazz. “Are you high? We’re a band. What the hell you so amped about the idea of a baby on a bus for?”

“Hey, watch it.” Harper’s voice rose.

Nick turned on her. “What, it’s not enough that you guys are married? You gotta bring a kid into this? Now?”

All strong and valid points that she’d lived with for days now. Except everything was different now.

Deacon stepped in front of her. “Look, man, I know it’s not ideal.”

“Ideal? Holy shit, D. What the fuck?”

Harper pushed past Deacon and stalked to Nick. “This wasn’t planned, but you know what? We’re dealing with it. We’re having it. There is no discussion here. I realize this will make things difficult scheduling wise—”

“Difficult?” Nick paced the room. “Difficult is adding a sixth person to the bus. Catastrophic is a fucking…what do you call it? A goddamn playpen.”

She felt Deacon seething at her back, but she held up a hand to him. “You don’t think we’ve thought of that? That I’ve thought of that? The baby wasn’t planned, but it’s a reality. Our reality.”

Nick collapsed back onto the couch. “What the hell happened to my band, man?”

Jazz plopped down next to Nick. “It became our band. Now more than ever.”

Simon crossed his arms and walked over to Harper. “So, a baby?”

“A baby,” she confirmed.

He nodded. “Can I borrow it sometimes? Chicks really dig babies. Makes them think I’m all sensitive and shit.”

Harper laughed. “No way in hell.”

Simon gave her a pouty face. “I’ll wear you down.”

Deacon looked at Gray. “What do you think, Vapor?”

Gray crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s going to be an interesting tour.”

Deacon gently gripped Harper’s shoulders. “Never liked boring anyway.”

Gray gave a rare smile. “But I’m happy for you guys. This is good news.”

Jazz hopped off the couch and went to the side drawer. She waved a book at them. “I’ve been doing some reading.”

Nick flipped open his Zippo and slammed out the back door, a puff of smoke in his wake.

Harper gripped Deacon’s hand on her shoulder, leaning into him. “Not quite as bad as I thought.”

Deacon wrapped an arm around her waist. “Impressive mama bear growl there at Nick,” he said low into her ear. “That was hella hot.”

She laughed. “You’re a sick man.”

“What? I like when you get all territorial about our kid. It’s pretty awesome.”

“Nick brings it out in me.”

Deacon snorted. “He brings it out in most people.”

“So it says here that your boobs get sensitive. Like, you can have an orgasm just from sucking on the nipples sensitive.” Simon looked up from the baby book Jazz had apparently handed him. “Is that true?”

“That’s the first question you ask me?”

Simon shrugged. “Sounds like a perk to me.”

Gray gave a soft snuff of a laugh before standing up. “I’ll be back later.”

Jazz looked up from the book, elbowing Simon out of the way. “Where are you going?”

“Out.” Gray grabbed his coat from the closet. “Don’t wait up.”

“What was that about?” Deacon asked as the door closed.

Jazz brought the book to her chest, arms wrapping tight. “He never stays home anymore.”

Harper frowned. Definite undercurrents there. “You okay?”

“Sure.” Jazz sighed, opening the book. “I am now.”

Harper linked her arm through Jazz’s and peeked over her shoulder. “So, tell me what you’ve learned.” She listened with half an ear as she watched Deacon go out the back door. She hoped he could talk Nick down. A lot of changes were going to happen. She didn’t want to cause another rift within the band. This baby was happy news no matter how Nick reacted. Jazz’s cheerful chatter helped support that.

A few minutes later, Deacon returned with a tiny shake of his head.

Nope, Nick wasn’t ready to talk evidently.

Deacon sat next to her, both he and Jazz spouting off information about babies and pregnancy like they were in a trivia contest.

When Simon sat on the other side of Jazz, a purring George in his lap, Harper finally relaxed a little. This family she’d married into wasn’t exactly what she’d envisioned for herself. But like the baby that was now a part of her, so were they. And she wouldn’t change a thing.

Turn the page for a sneak peek at TWISTED book 2 in our LOST IN OBLIVION series, available now!