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“I just wanted you to know that it takes a special person to handle these Lancaster men, and I appreciate you—caring about my son.” Summer sniffs and even dabs at the corners of her eyes, like she might be crying? “I’ve worried about him and how closed off he can be for years. And now he’s found you and I don’t have to worry any longer.” She laughs before I can respond, sniffing loudly. “I didn’t mean to become so emotional.”

“It’s okay.” I smile at her and she smiles back.

“You’re a nice girl, Sinclair. And don’t worry about tonight.” She stands, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. “Everything is going to be just fine.”

We enter the room together, Summer going to her husband who’s currently standing behind the bar and making everyone drinks. I scan the room, my gaze landing on August who’s sitting on the couch with baby Astrid in his arms.

Something tugs at me deep, watching him smile down athis niece, who reaches for his nose and tries to grasp it in her little fingers. Iris is sitting next to them and bursts out laughing, making some comment about how her baby is getting back at Uncle Augie, but he ignores her. Instead, he pries the baby’s fingers from his nose and she wraps her fingers around one of his, making a cooing noise at her uncle.

My heart melts at the scene. He calls her a monster and a beast, but I see the genuine affection he has for her. I’m about to make my way over to him when my phone buzzes in my hand. I check it to see a text from my mom.

We’re here!!!!

Oh God.

“Sin.” August’s voice makes me look up from the phone. “Come hold the monster with me.”

“You really need to stop calling her that,” his sister chastises with a scowl. “Look at her. She’s a precious little baby!”

“Who’s an absolute beast. Did you see the way she grabbed my nose?” He makes a tsking noise but I can tell he’s joking. “She’s a Lancaster through and through.”

“Hey. I had something to do with making her,” Brooks protests from where he’s standing by the bar.

“Don’t remind me,” August mutters, his gaze only for me as I make my way to the couch, sitting on the other side of him. “Want to hold her?”

Before I can answer he’s dumping the baby in my arms and I wrap them around the squirming baby tight, worried she could slip right out of my hold and wouldn’t that be awful? I’m also concerned she might take one look at me and start bawling.

But she doesn’t do any of that. Astrid stares at me, waving her arm up and down and I take in her dainty features, those bright blue eyes that remind me of August’s. I touch her button nose, which makes her smile.

“She likes you,” August murmurs and I lift my head to find him watching me carefully. “And she doesn’t like just anybody.”

“Oh, come on.” I dip my head, smiling down at Astrid who offers me a toothless grin. “She’s a sweetheart. I’m sure she loves everyone.”

“No. She’s picky and rude, just like her uncle,” Iris informs me. “You must have a magic touch.”

“She does,” August readily agrees, making me laugh while his sister groans.

“I do not need to hear about your weird sexual fetishes, Augie,” Iris warns, her voice a little too loud.

“Why do you always have to take it there.” August sounds exasperated but I ignore their little argument, focusing on the baby in my arms. She shifts her weight around, wiggling in my embrace, and I give her a gentle poke in her stomach.

Astrid is adorable. Someday, I’d love to have a baby. Maybe even a couple of them, but that’s a long way off.

Like…a loooooooong way.

I hear the doorbell ring and my heart drops into my stomach, nerves eating at it like tiny nibbling fish. The moment I’ve been waiting for and dreading all at once. Iris swoops in and plucks Astrid from my arms and I shoot to my feet, shaking out my now sweaty hands. “They’re here.”

August stands, slipping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me in so he can softly kiss my forehead. “Relax. It’s going to be all right.”

“Your mom said the same thing.”

He frowns down at me. “When did you talk to her?”

“Earlier. Before we came downstairs.” I square my shoulders, his arm falling away as I put on a brave face. “Please pray to baby Jesus that my parents won’t say or do something that causes all of us to get kicked out of the house, okay?”

“That won’t happen.” He takes my hand, and I get the feeling he’s trying to present as a united front. Which Iappreciate more than he’ll ever know. I need him by my side to get through this night. “Love your dress, Sin. You look good enough to eat.”

My face goes hot. The dress is a deep green with a simple design, with long sleeves and a short skirt that I paired with knee-length black leather boots. “Thank you.”