I narrowly miss crashing into my exuberant little boy and lean against the doorframe. “Do you need any help?”

Riley finishes screwing Nate’s headboard to the frame and looks up. “No, I’m almost done. I’d love a bottle of water though.”

“One water coming right up,” I say.

I make my way downstairs and head over to the kitchen. A noise causes me to stop dead in my tracks right before I cross into the room. I listen for a moment and hear muted whispers and a weird smacking sound. I tiptoe around the corner and am frozen by the sight in front of me. Brody has Lorraine pinned against the fridge and she’s not protesting in the least. In fact, she happens to be running her fingers over the crotch of his jeans.

Brody groans as he presses into her. “Fuck, Rainey. You’re killing me.”

Lorraine leans into him and kisses him briefly before pulling back. “You know you love it.”

He grabs her hips with both hands. “Honey, you know I do. You can touch my dick any time you’d like.”

She takes one of his hands and guides it to her breast. “Mmm. I like that idea.”

What the heck is happening right now? Oh my God, I can’t take this anymore!

I clear my throat. “Hi, guys.”

They break apart so fast it’d be comical if I wasn’t so freaked out right now.

“Devyn!” Lorraine shouts nervously. “What are you doing here?”

I lean against the island and give them a knowing look. “It’s my kitchen. What are you doing in here?”

“Uh…” she stammers.

Brody rips open the refrigerator door so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t fall off the hinges. “Uh…beer. We came to get beer. Right, Rainey?”

I smirk. “It takes two of you, huh?”

Brody looks between the two of us and apparently decides that flight is the best course of action. “Uh…I gotta go…somewhere other than here.”

He quickly shoulders past me and steps out the back door. Lorraine tries to follow but I block her from going anywhere. “Lorraine, what did I just walk in on?”

She blushes. Lorraine never blushes. “Depends. How long have you been standing there?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Long enough.”

She rolls her eyes. “It’s nothing. We’re just having a good time.”

“You and Brody? How long has this been going on?”

She looks over my shoulder. “I don’t know…not long. Please don’t say anything, Dev. We don’t want to make a big deal out of nothing. We’re just scratching an itch. That’s all.”

I look at her skeptically. “Rainey, that doesn’t sound like—”

“Hey, sis, can I fire up the grill now? I’m fucking starving,” Drew says.

Rainey takes his interruption as her ticket to end our conversation. She pats him on the back. “Great idea, Drew! I’ll help!”

“Sweet!” he says. “You get started on the corn and I’ll take care of the ribs.”

She busies herself digging through the fridge. “I’m on it.”

“Rainey—” I start to say.

She holds her hand up. “Not now, Dev. Drew and I have to feed the natives before they get restless. We’ll talk later.”

“This conversation isn’t over,” I warn.

She does an exaggerated eye roll. “Trust me; I know I’m not that lucky.”

Lorraine and Drew cook while Brody finishes assembling the patio furniture. I smile when I see Riley and Nathan coming out to join us on the deck.

Nathan holds out a miniature model of a jet. “Mom, look what Daddy gave me! He said I can make planes just like he does when I grow up if I wanna!”

“He doesn’t make them,” Drew mutters. “He draws pictures of them.”

Riley laughs. “Aircraft design is a little more involved than that, dude.”

Drew rolls his eyes. “Whatever.” He crouches down to Nate’s level. “I thought you said you want to be a big strong fireman like your Uncle Drew when you grow up?” He flexes his ridiculously large biceps for emphasis.

Nathan mirrors the move. “I can be a big, strong fireman and make planes!”

Riley laughs and ruffles his hair. “You sure can, bud.”

Nathan beams. “See Unca’ Drew? Daddy says I can!”

Drew stands up and resumes his position at the grill. “Well, if Daddy says it, then it must be true,” he says dryly.

I smack Drew’s chest. “Behave.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Drew mutters.

The six of us spend the rest of the evening eating, drinking, and sharing plenty of laughter. I smile to myself as I look around. I’m so lucky to have these people in my life. I couldn’t ask for anything more. I keep a close eye on Lorraine and Brody but they’re careful not to slip up again. I find myself wondering once again what is going on between those two. Lorraine is certainly open to exploring her sexuality but she doesn’t take sex lightly. She says they’re just scratching an itch but it’s so out of character for her that I have trouble believing that. Why Brody? Why now? She’s seen him go through a string of meaningless hookups. Why would she want to get involved with someone like that?

I catch Riley’s eye and bite my lip when I realize that he behaved exactly like Brody back in the day. And now look at him. You know that saying that the right person can make anyone change their ways? It took us far too long to figure it out but I’ve learned that it’s certainly true. At least for me and Riley. I don’t know what’s going on with Rainey and Brody—I just hope that she doesn’t get hurt. Things might get a little awkward between me and Riley if I have to remove his best friend’s testicles.

Drew sits at the end of my lounger and nods to Riley. “Are you sure about moving in with this schmuck?”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “I’m positive, Drew.”

He pouts. “I’m going to miss you guys.”

I slide down the chair and pull him into a side hug. “We’re going to miss you too. You’re always welcome here, you know.”

He hugs me tighter. “I’m holding you to that.”

RILEY

NATHAN IS ASLEEP AND everyone but Rainey has gone home. I keep fingering the ring box that’s been burning a hole in my pocket, thinking about what I want to say to her. I need to make this perfect.

Devyn walks Rainey to the door. “I mean it, Lorraine. We’re having a long talk tomorrow.”

“Yes, mother,” Rainey replies. “Goodnight.”

“Night.” After locking up, Devyn turns around and surveys the room. “Man, we’ll be unpacking these boxes for a while.”

I clear my throat nervously. “Uh…yeah. Lots of boxes.”

She gives me a strange look. “Are you okay?”

“Come here,” I say.

She comes closer and smiles sweetly at me. “What’s going on, Rye?”

“I know it might seem fast,” I stammer. “But when you think about it, we’ve known each other for almost ten years. Yeah, we hit some pretty big speed bumps along the way, but we made it through. And now everything’s perfect. I have you, and Nathan…this house. We can be a family. There’s only one thing that’s missing.”

She grabs my hand. “Everything is perfect. I couldn’t possibly ask for anything else.”

I shake my head. “See, that’s where you’re wrong. I can think of one really important thing to ask for.”

She crinkles her brows. “What’s that?” I drop to my knee and pull the ring out of my pocket, opening the box. “Oh,” she gasps.

I take her hand. “Devyn, I meant it when I said that you’re it for me. There’s never going to be anyone else in this world that means more to me than you do. I’ve loved you for almost ten years, even though I was too stupid to admit it until recently. But I know, without a doubt, that we were meant to be together. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to teach Nathan how to play football and drive a car. I want to make more babies with you and watch our child growing inside of you. I want to run out at two in the morning to get you pickles and ice cream or whatever other nasty shit pregnant ladies crave. I want to bounce our grandchildren on my knee and look over at you when you’re old, wrinkly, and gray and still think you’re the sexiest woman alive. I want to be there through it all with you. I want to do it all for you. For us. There’s only one thing I need from you in return.”