“I do, because you don’t even love him. So why would they? They loved me from the beginning because they knew how much Karson loved me. You know I’m right.”

“You’re wrong. You’ll see,” Kacey said as confidently as she could.

Lacey rolled her eyes just as the door opened and Karl King stepped inside.

Before Kacey or Lacey could welcome him, he hooked his thumb behind him and barked, “Who’s the fucking dweeb in the Prius?”

Oh, sweet Jesus, Kacey groaned inwardly as Regina King stepped in behind him.

“Karl! He can hear you, plus, I told you about the cussing. The baby is here. Where is my baby?” her mother asked, pushing past Karl just as Karson entered the kitchen with Mena Jane looking adorable in purple.

“I don’t fucking care. Who the hell is he?”

Lacey glanced over at Kacey and grinned as she said, “Oh, that’s Kacey’s boyfriend, Liam.”

Karl’s face twisted just as Kacey’s stomach did and all she could think was this was going to be a great day.

Not.

“Gorgeous!” Shelli and Posey exclaimed before they held up the mirror for Jordie. Looking at his reflection, his brow rose. They had braided his beard and put little flowers and barrettes in it too. Gorgeous really wasn’t the word he’d use, but the grins on their little faces wouldn’t allow him to use the word he was thinking.

“For sure,” he agreed, moving a piece of hair out of his eyes, taking in their handiwork.

“I think you look handsome, Uncle Jordie. I did the flowers,” Posey said proudly and Jordie leaned over, kissing her cheek.

“Great job. They really bring out my eyes.”

“I did the braid, Uncle Jordie. I’ve been working on it all summer.” Shelli pouted and he smiled before gathering them both up in his arms.

“You can tell. You’re the best braider in the world!”

That had both little girls giggling as they cuddled into his arms, hugging him tightly. In no time at all, the twins, Evan and Owen, were climbing along his neck while Quinn watched from where he was playing with the new train set Jordie had brought over for the boys. Before he knew, which really, he should have expected, it was four against one in a fight to the death wrestling match. For girls, Shelli and Posey fought like men, and it was a bit scary. The twins were little ninjas, but Quinn honestly couldn’t care less. He was too busy playing to worry about them. When Shelli twisted Jordie’s finger back, he hollered out dramatically and all the kids giggled, which made him smile.

“Guys, don’t hurt Jordie. I need him to play this fall,” Elli called and all the kids paused, looking over at their mother, who stood in the doorway, Shea behind her.

“Yes, ma’am,” they all called before crawling off him. That’s when Quinn came over and kicked him in the good knee. But still, Jordie fell off the couch very dramatically, acting as if he was dead.

“Don’t mess with us Adlers!” Quinn called then in his sweet little voice, and Jordie had to hold in his laughter as he hung his tongue out of his mouth.

“We won!” Shelli exclaimed and they all cheered.

But then he jumped up, taking all five of them in his arms and lifting them into the air over the couch in case one fell out. “You can’t kill me! I’m a zombie!”

Their screams were delightful as they squirmed against him, each of them falling out of his arms and hitting the couch with a thud. He went to jump on them when Elli stopped him.

“Please don’t kill my children, I need someone to care for me when I’m older,” Elli said and he nodded.

“You five are lucky,” he said and they all grinned up at him, giggling.

“Lunch is ready,” she said and Jordie shrugged.

“This giant is hungry,” he said, but he didn’t get far before all of them were wrapped around his legs and his middle. As he dragged five little Adlers to the kitchen, he couldn’t help but think of Kacey.

And the baby she lost.

They lost.

And how he really wanted another chance to not only have her as his, but to make another baby.

It was a dream that he felt in his soul. One he had to make a reality.

After lunch, they all gathered in the living room, the boys playing while the girls started on the hair on his head.

“You’re gonna wear it all day, right, Uncle Jordie?” Shelli asked.

“Promise.”

“Pinkie, I do?” she asked, holding out her hand, and he took it, cupping it before she took his pinkie and wrapped it around hers.

“Pinkie, I do,” he said, and she grinned before going back to work.

“You don’t have to,” Elli called from where she was cuddled against Shea, looking blissfully happy. Shea looked like a man who had hit the lottery over and over again, and Jordie couldn’t wait to feel that kind of bliss. To have his wife in the crook of his arm, their kids on the floor, and maybe a dog chasing his tail.

A life worth living for.

To stay sober for.

“I don’t mind,” he waved her off as he cringed from where one of the girls pulled his hair too hard.

“Better you than me,” Shea commented and Jordie grinned. “I want to cry every time they get ahold of me.”

“Daddy is tenderheaded,” Posey informed him.

“But Momma calls him bullheaded,” Shelli added. “And a crybaby.”

Elli grinned as Shea kissed her temple. They had their problems, but no matter what, they had each other. Jordie was green with envy at that moment, but it was all his fault. He could have had all this, but he wouldn’t take ahold of it when it was offered.