Page 121 of Backup Plan

“I like her, too. What’s your name, little bunny?” she asks as she stares at the little bunny onesie I dressed her in this morning.

“Liora Isabella Bradley,” I say.

“Liora,” she repeats, her voice breaking as a fresh wave of tears starts up. She brushes them away. “That’s beautiful. How’d you pick it?”

“The Li like Liam plus the ora sound in Dolores.” I shrug, and Penny’s eyes dart to Dolores.

“You approved that?” Penny asks with a smile.

“The little stinker did it without my knowledge,” she says as she pushes to a stand. “And sweet woman, it’s good to see you.”

Everleigh slings her arm around me. “I’ve never seen you like this, Liam.” Her voice is low. “You two look amazing together.”

“You’re sure you’re okay with it?” I ask as Dolores and Penny marvel over the baby.

“When I see you two together, how could I not be?” Her brows push together and she shakes her head. “Just don’t hurt her.”

“You have my word.”

Everleigh hugs my arm, and then she joins the other ladies as they stare down at Liora. I can’t help but look at four of the five most important ladies in my life.

Dolores, the woman who is there for me through thick and thin no matter what.

Everleigh, my big sister who manages to round up the Bradley siblings when she can, most of whom are already at the restaurant for brunch waiting for the rest of us.

Penny, the woman who stole my heart and will hold it in her hands for as long as she’s willing to.

And Liora, my baby girl, my sweet princess, my little angel who I didn’t know I needed until she plowed into my life just ten days ago.

The only one missing is Ivy, my baby sister—and she’s only missing because she’s already at the restaurant.

Brunch takes forever, mostly because it’s a big group of us. Penny, Dolores, Everleigh, Liora, and I arrived to greet Madden, Dex and Ainsley, Ford and Tatum, and Ivy. Getting most of the Bradley siblings in the same room is no easy feat, and there’s a lot of speculation about what we’ll each be asked at the trial tomorrow—and whether we’ll all have to take the stand or if it’ll mainly be Madden and Archer.

We’re missing Archer at brunch since he has a game in Vegas this afternoon, but he’s flying out afterward with his fiancée, and we have dinner plans with everyone tomorrow night at the Bradley Mansion—now owned by my brother, Ford, and his wife, Tatum. They’re talking about all the details of who’s flying in when and who’s flying out when…all things I’m not really listening to as I keep my eye firmly on whoever is holding my baby and my hand planted firmly and possessively on Penny’s thigh.

I lean over toward Penny when Everleigh is holding the baby. “You doing okay?”

She glances at me and leans in a little. “Haven’t been this good in a while.” Her warm smile makes her whole face light up. “The only thing that would make this better is if the boys were here.”

“I wish they were here, too. I told myself I’d stay away until it was official. It’s official, Pen, and I’m right here. I want you. I need you. Move back into my place. I don’t know what your agreement says, but if you can, come to San Diego with me. You and the boys. I miss them so goddamn much, running around and causing chaos. I want to practice soccer with Benji and play catch with Sammy and have them grow up protecting their little sister.”

“Oh, God, Liam,” she says. She moans my name, actually, and I’m definitely ready to hear that again later.

“And if it’s too much too soon, I totally get that. Move at whatever pace is right for you. You can still move into my place with the boys and not to San Diego. I’ll visit when I can, or you can tell me to fuck off, and I won’t visit but you can still live there—”

“Liam?” she interrupts. My eyes meet hers. “Shut up,” she says, and she pulls my mouth down to meet hers.

I hear Everleigh’s cackle beside us and my siblings whooping at the sight of me kissing Penny in front of everyone here, and you know what?

They can tease and whoop and cheer all they want. Someday, these same people and more will be gathered together once again as Penny stands in a dress and I stand in a tux, and we make our vows to forever. I feel it in my bones. Nothing has ever been this right. But if she doesn’t want to get married again, that’s fine too.

I just want a life with her, Liora, and the boys.

And it feels like it all starts right now.

As if on cue—and as if I’m some sort of magician, really, for making this happen—two little boys and one frazzled grandmother come running up to the table.

“Mama!” Benji yells as Penny lifts to a stand, and at the same time, I lift to a stand as Sammy yells, “Uncle Liam!”