Juniper Hill (The Edens)

“How do we get past this? How do we get past the worst days?”

“By making more of the best.” He kissed the top of my hair and let me go, shifting to dig something from his pocket. “I was going to wait until tomorrow. Give it to you when we opened gifts. But after everything that’s happened, waiting feels like wasting time.”

I shifted, trying to spy what he had in his fist. But he’d closed it in his palm.

It was only after he dropped to a knee that he loosened his hand, revealing a perfect diamond ring.

“Marry—”

The nights when I’d fallen in love with a little boy. And the woman of my dreams.

The best nights on Juniper Hill.

Two days later, we’d gone to the courthouse, where I’d adopted Drake.

We were all Edens. And I, for one, had been happy to see the Ward name vanish.

With my hand splayed on Memphis’s rounded belly, I locked eyes with my sister. “You’re sure?”

Talia scowled. “Every appointment you ask me if I’m sure.”

“Well? Are you?”

“I wouldn’t say that Memphis and the baby were fine if they weren’t actually fine.”

“I love you too.” He kissed me again. “Until the end of my days, Memphis. You, me, Drake. We’re good, honey. We’re so fucking good. And we’ll add in a bunch of babies to the mix to keep it interesting.”

I laughed. “Oh, really?”

“I want a big, chaotic family to fill this house. I want to step on toys in the middle of the night. I want to break apart fights and bandage up skinned knees. I want the mess. I want the passion. I want to watch you grow our kids.”

Drake squawked the moment Knox’s hand slid beneath the hem of my shirt.

He tore his mouth away and shot a scowl toward the play mat. “Son, we will work on your timing.”

Son. “He is, you know? Your son.”

“I know. We’ll get married, then make him officially mine. Whatever it takes.”

“Okay.” It felt strange to smile after everything that had happened. But I did it anyway. I smiled so wide it pinched my cheeks. “I love you.”

A blond woman about my height. Her hands were handcuffed behind her back.

“I know her.” I shook my head, hardly believing my own eyes. “That’s the FBI agent who came to talk to me.”

“What?” Knox said. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” What the hell?

“Who is his father?” she asked.

I looked to Knox.

Knox was Drake’s father. In all of the important parts of that label, Knox was Drake’s dad.

They just didn’t share the same DNA.

“What the hell is going on?” My heart began to race. “Where’s our kid?”

“Jill, um . . . she just left about thirty minutes ago. She took him to her place for a little bit to change some laundry or something. She promised to be back by five.”

“She took him?” Memphis’s jaw fell open. “She doesn’t have my permission to take my child from this building.”

“It’s just—”

“Next door.” Memphis held up a hand. “That’s what you said last time.”

“Agreed.” If Drake loved Mom, it would be because she was his grandma.

“I feel guilty. I just . . . I don’t like it there. And he’s my son. Not hers.”

Actually, he was ours. But that was a correction I’d make once the ring in my pocket was on her finger.