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“Really?” Lay asks, wrinkling her nose.

“Yes, the touring schedule is slowing down in a month, and you’ll be based out of Georgetown. It’s the perfect time to date,” Lenny gushes. “Mav and Atlas also don’t have roots here, so they’ll go wherever, until we all hook back up again to record.”

It’s true, whenever we take breaks, they take off to travel and let loose some steam. We haven’t taken a break really in way too long, and the band is due for one.

“Jordan is trying to make sure we have a healthier touring schedule,” I add. “Burned out artists aren’t very useful or creative.”

“Alright.” Lay sighs. “How the heck is this going to work anyway?”

“Wanna see your dating profile?” Lenny teases her.

Layla squeals, making me chuckle. The twins are completely unbothered as Lennon and she giggle and talk. Maybe she really does need to move on from the guys.

Pulling out my phone, I message them.

I’m currently undoing as much of the damage you’ve caused as possible. Layla is going to break things in a bit while pretending it’s your faces, while I dream of ways to fuck up your day the next time I see you.

Atlas: Do your worst, we’ll deserve it all. We aren’t good enough for her.

I mean, I guess you fuckers will never know now, will you? She’s setting up an online dating profile.

My phone begins to ring, and I turn it off, focusing on the conversation. I guess I didn’t have to wait very long to fuck up their day after all.

Lennon

My sister looks sad at the prospect of moving on from Atlas and Mav. They’re damn good men, have protected me for years, but are acting badly at the moment.

Layla’s cheeks are flushed from the wine, and I grin at her.

“Getting a little tipsy?” I tease her. I don’t want to wrap her in wool. I’m all about her living and enjoying herself.

“Getting there,” she giggles. “What if it’s me? Maybe guys just don’t want me.”

“Absolutely fucking not,” Tori says, stalking into the kitchen carrying her own protective goggles. The guys left us when they texted that they were at the door. No one rings our doorbell anymore because of the twins.

There’s even a note:

Upon pain of death, do not ring this bell. This tired mama will hunt you down.

I thought it was cute.

“Mija, los hombres son pendejos,”Tesa snarls, making my lips twitch. “Okay, most men are assholes. There’s a very small percentage of the population who aren’t.”

“Even then, sometimes we need help pulling our heads out of our asses,” Derek snarks, popping his head into the room. “I’m going to catch a nap, so I’ll be up for the night feeding and diaper change. Enjoy breaking things.”

“We will,” we chorus as he leaves again.

“Wine, ladies?” I ask, opening another bottle as they nod. Just because I’m not drinking doesn’t mean they can’t.

Grabbing travel glasses, we head outside. Roark strung up fairy lights through the trees and on poles surrounding the back yard to illuminate it. It looks beautiful, and I stare at it in awe.

“He really didn’t have to do all of this for me,” Layla breathes. “Wow.”

“You’re just as much their family as you are mine,” I remind her. “Roark and Turner claimed you already. No take backs.”

Chuckling, she takes in all of the stations that Ror set up and the tarp laying on the ground so that he can easily clean it up later.

“This is masterful,” Tori says, admiring. “This would have been awesome when the guys fucked up years ago.”