Page 117 of Break My Fall

“Wow! I hope you said thankyou for your gifts,” I reminded her.

“I did, mommy. Can I goes on the bouncy house now?”

“Sure, peanut. Go ahead,” I agreed. She released my hand, but didn’t run off as I expected. Instead she wrapped her arms around my legs and hugged them. I bent down when she released me and hugged her tight.

“Are you happy?” I asked her as I held her.

“Uh-huh. The happiest ever!” she cried. “Are you happy, mommy?”

“Yes peanut. I am,” I assured her as I glanced up to where all four of my guys now stood together with beers in hand, laughing and joking.

“Are you gonna marry them, mommy?” she asked. “I wants to stay wiv them forever.”

“Me too, Willow. Don’t worry. We’re not going anywhere,” I assured her.

“Good!” she squeezed me once more, then released me and ran off to play with Livy and her guys kids. They had all come over for Willows birthday. Livy and her four guys, and their four kids, and Mia and her guys too. They had been staying with us for the last couple of days and as crazy as the house had been, it had been nice to be surrounded with the new family I had acquired.

“You okay, baby?” Hunter appeared at my side as I stood.

“I think Sam went a little overboard,” I laughed.

“Well,” Hunter ran a hand through his hair and looked to me nervously. “Me and the guys might have had a little something to do with this.” As if they heard hm mention them, the others all approached.

“You guys did this?” I asked as I looked around me again.

“You don’t like it?” Kai asked, looking a little crushed.

“Like it? It’s amazing, but it’s a four year olds birthday party,” I laughed. “It’s a lot,” I added when they looked confused.

“We wanted to spoil her,” Nico cut in.

“Well you definitely succeeded.”

“She’s enjoying herself. That’s all I care about,” Cam told me. I turned to follow his eye line and saw Willow holding hands with Livy’s youngest, Eliza. They were jumping up and down together and laughing happily.

“It’s amazing, you guys, and Willow is over the moon. Thank you,” I told them all.

“We lit a candle for Noah too, so he knows we’re thinking about him,” Kai told me as he pointed to the kitchen window, where a candle was lit inside.

“Thank you,” I told him as emotion hit me hard. It was a tradition we had started for Noah, lighting a candle, and putting it in the window when we celebrated a birthday or a holiday, and I knew it would be one the guys would help me maintain in the future. It made him a part of our family and helped me to feel he was still with me in some way. It wasn’t enough, but it was all we could have. That and the pictures that hung in my room, so I could see him whenever I wanted or needed to.

“Daddy Hunter. Quick!” Willow cried excitedly. Hunter looked to her with a huge smile and waved that he’d heard her.

“I’ve been beckoned,” he joked as he handed his beer to Nico and leaned in to kiss me. “Love you, baby,” he told me, then he was running across the garden to Willow.

“I need to check the grill,” Kai said as he turned to kiss me too. “You look beautiful by the way.”

“I need to change,” I laughed as I looked down at my short skirt. It wasn’t exactly child party friendly.

“Well I’ll need to see you in that skirt some other time, sexy lady,” he kissed me again, gave me a wink, then strutted off, leaving me blushing.

“You doing okay?” Nico asked as he stood beside me and wrapped his arm around my back.

“Yeah,” I sighed as I looked around me. Livy and Emilia were sitting at a table with Cole and Matt – two of Livy’s husbands. They were smiling as they chatted. Livy’s other husbands – Kyle and Kade were at the grill with kai, drinking beers and pointing to whatever he was turning, likely critiquing his work. Kai laughed and gave Kyle a shove, looking relaxed.

I wasn’t the only person who had acquired a family when Nico became mine. The guys had too and I knew they were happy about it. They, like me, hadn’t ever truly had family before, except each other. Now we had so many people in our corner, as well as each other. It was amazing.

Willow was happily playing with all four of Livy’s kids, even the two older ones making the effort to join in and play. Sam and Garth were filling plates with food at the buffet table, smiling as they chatted.

To my right Hunt and Cam were chatting with Parker, Emilia’s other guy, and they both laughed loudly at something he had said. They too looked so carefree and happy.

I couldn’t help but think about how far we had come from the lost and lonely foster kids we had all been when we met. We weren’t lost or lonely any more. We had each other and we had family. I wasn’t scared of the future or where it may take us. Whatever came, I knew I would be strong enough to face it with them at my side.