Page 24 of Rescuing Erin (Red Team #5)

“Sweet Jesus, I was going to pray for your vagina if that were the case.”

“Um. Not sure what I just walked in on.” Jaxon chuckled when he joined the group. “Violet, Ivy, and Jas are up in Zane’s office. I’ve been sent to tell you that they’re going to eat without you.”

“Damn. You people are serious about your food.”

Liv grabbed my left hand and stared at my ring. “I was getting ready to tell you to hurry up so we could tell you the latest gossip, but it looks like you have some explaining to do, missy.”

“I’ll be in the conference room if you need me,” Colin told me.

“Okay. Love you. ”

“You, too, sunshine. Please be careful.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her.” Leo and Colin both groaned. Liv twisted her lips trying to hold back her smile. “What? It’s not like we can get into any trouble in here. This place is like Fort Knox.”

Liv and I left the men standing near the elevator, both of them chuckling and shaking their heads.

And just like that, we picked up where we’d left off.

Like no time had passed. True friendship can weather time, hurt feelings, and words unsaid.

I knew Liv loved me, and she knew I loved her.

At the end of the day she was my best friend—my sister. No matter what.

“What took you so long? Ivy wouldn’t tell us her secret until you got back.” A beautiful brunette said.

“Keep your pants on. Vi, Ivy, this is my best friend in the entire world, Erin Anderson, soon-to-be Mrs. Colin Doyle. Erin, this is Ivy, Zane’s woman, and Violet’s man is Jaxon.” Liv pointed to each woman in turn.

That was one of the many things I loved about Olivia. I was simply me, not the first daughter. She never introduced me as anything but Erin.

“And my cousin returns,” Jasmin said from the couch where she sat with the twins on her lap.

She looked damn good for having two babies not too long ago.

I hadn’t grown up with Jasmin. As a matter of fact, I hadn’t known she existed until recently.

Before her parents, my Aunt Erin and Uncle Robert died, they’d drawn up their will and asked my dad to let their close friend, Noah, raise Jasmin in case anything happened to them.

My dad had already begun his political career, and ironically, they didn’t want Jasmin to grow up the way I had.

Stuck with guards and living behind a fence.

He’d reluctantly agreed and had kept his promise to his sister and hadn’t contacted Jasmin.

I never knew Erin and Robert had any children and Jasmin hadn’t known anything about her parents.

Now that the secret was out, she and Lincoln had been to the White House a lot.

My dad was thrilled she was in our lives, and so was I.

“Hey, Jas. How are my baby cousins?” I smiled at her, then turned to Violet and Ivy. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”

“Getting big. Come take one.” Jasmin held out one not so tiny bundle.

I took the baby and looked down at his face, and his father, Linc’s, green eyes stared back at me, and I felt a pang of jealously.

I wanted this. I always had. Even when I was in college and my friends were talking about grad school, politics, and careers, I’d thought about wanting a family.

I didn’t need a huge salary or letters after my name to make me feel important.

Motherhood was what I’d always dreamed of.

I knew in today’s world it wasn’t the most popular aspiration, but it was what I wanted.

“Which one is this?”

“Asher,” Jas told me. “So. You and Colin, huh? Last time I saw the two of you together he was shaking his head and you were calling him an ass.” The big smile on her face took the sting out of her words.

“Yeah, well, he turned out to be a loveable ass.”

“Glad you’re back. Linc said it was a shit show. Sorry I missed it. I’m still not cleared for duty for another month. Also heard my cousin is quite the badass.”

“Colin’s not too happy. He thinks I should’ve stayed in the corner, out of sight.”

“Ha! That’s what they all think. It’s part of their DNA—me man, you woman. I protect, you look pretty.” Jasmin chuckled. “Fuck that noise. I can kick some ass and still look good doing it. I’m proud of you and I know Colin is, too. You handled yourself well.”

“Thanks. ”

“My team is dropping like flies. Now all we have to do is marry off Dec, and the family will be complete.”

“I wouldn’t bet on my brother settling down anytime soon. I think he’s making up for lost time,” Violet said. “Yes, congratulations. I adore Colin.”

“That’s right. Declan is your brother.”

I remembered Colin telling me about Declan and the rest of team while we were sitting on the porch before .

.. I shook my head trying to dislodge the memories of that day.

I was here to enjoy my day with Livie and the rest of the women, not think about being kidnapped.

Thankfully, Violet spoke before the recollection could take over.

“Yeah, my twin.” Something that looked a lot like sadness passed over her face, and I decided not to ask any further questions. “Our parents died when we were young, and we were separated. I didn’t see him for a really long time.”

“That ...” I didn’t know what word I was trying to find.

“Sucks?” she helpfully supplied. “It sure did. But we found each other. It all worked out.”

“What’s the big secret?” Jasmin asked, changing the subject.

All eyes zeroed in on Ivy. “So ... Zane and I did something.” She smiled so big I couldn’t help but to smile with her. “We, um, got married.”

“What?” the other three women said in unison.

“When?” Liv asked.

“Yesterday at the courthouse. But we’ll still have a big wedding. In about nine or ten months depending on how soon I can fit into a dress.”

“Holy shit!” Jasmin laughed. “Are you telling us there’s going to be a mini Zane Lewis running around?”

Ivy nodded.

“You’re pregnant?” Violet asked.

“Yeah. Only nine weeks. It’s still early, and I know you’re not supposed to tell people until after twelve weeks, but you’re not people, you’re all family.”

Violet started to giggle and soon the others were laughing at her as she waved a hand in front of her face trying to stop herself. “I ... I ... I am, too.” She laughed.

“Wait, what? Did you just say you are, too?” Ivy asked.

“Yes. Ten weeks.”

I stood to the side, rocking Asher in my arms, and watched the three standing women hug each other. I was super happy for them but felt a little out of place.

“Holy shit. I can’t believe you two are going to be pregnant at the same time. This is gonna be so awesome to watch Jaxon and Zane. Now all we need is to get Erin knocked up and it’ll be even better.”

“Yeah. That’s not happening anytime soon.”

“Why’s that? Colin put a ring on your finger in like two-point-five seconds. And don’t think I don’t want to hear about how that happened,” Liv said. “Does he not want kids?”

“He does. I think his mom is expecting him to provide her with like ten of them.”

“Girl ...” Jasmin laughed. “You better get on that soon. I’ve met Colin’s mom, she’s not kidding.”

“What’s wrong?” Violet’s happy face fell.

“Nothing.” I quickly waved her off. “Congratulations to both of you. That’s really exciting. All four of you are gonna have little ones at the same time.”

“Erin ...” Liv started. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Maybe it’s my concussion.”

Jasmin barked a laugh. “You’re a shitty liar. Something’s wrong. Spit it out already, before Olivia gets whiny.”

“I don’t get whiny.” Olivia crossed her arms over her enormous chest.

“You do, Liv. And be careful you’re getting ready to lose a boob out of your V-neck,” I told her .

“Jesus, I’ll be happy when these things go down.”

“Um. Don’t they fill with milk? Hate to tell you, friend, but they’ll get bigger.” I motioned toward her boobs.

“Don’t remind me. Leo says ... hey ... stop trying to change the subject by talking about my boobs.”

Shit. I almost had her. She was so easily distracted, I could normally steer her away from a topic I didn’t want to talk about.

Four sets of eyes pinned me in place. Using all of my telepathic abilities, I silently pleaded with Olivia to change the subject. I even raised an eyebrow, but she didn’t get it. She tapped her foot impatiently and waited me out.

“We haven’t ... we don’t ... there hasn’t been a place ... ah, fuck it, I’m still a virgin. We haven’t had sex yet.”

Four jaws dropped, and it was so quiet in the room you could hear a pin drop.

“How in the actual fuck is that possible?” my cousin asked.

“Um, hello, president’s daughter here. Secret Service. Personal bodyguards. Kinda hard to have sex when there is, literally, a man dressed in a black suit, armed to the teeth, standing next to you at all times.”

“I just assumed you and Colin had. I mean, that he’d taken ... you still haven’t?” Liv stuttered.

“No! First, we were in a shitty motel room, and he refused to do anything with me there because he said I was too special to have my first time in a thirty dollar a night motel. Then we got to the cabin, and he took his sweet ass time doing really great stuff to me. Then he said he didn’t want to go all the way until we got home, and I had time to think without the fear of being kidnapped on my mind.

He said he didn’t want me to regret it. It didn’t matter what I said to him, he wouldn’t budge.

Then the fucking house exploded, he was shot, I was drugged, he was beaten nearly to death, I was scared, I stabbed someone, have a concussion, and now he says I have to wait until my head is healed.

” I finally took a breath after my rant and realized all the women were staring at me with a weird look on their faces.

Well, everyone but my cousin, Jasmin was smirking. “What?”

“He said you were too special for your first time to be in a shitty motel?” Liv asked.

“Yes.”

“He wanted to wait so you had time to think?” Violet asked.

“Yep.”

“Really great stuff, huh?” Ivy giggled.

I nodded.

“Who the fuck knew Colin was such a romantic fool?” Jasmin added.

“Did anyone hear me? I’m in my mid-twenties and a virgin. I don’t want to be a virgin. I’ve tried to not be one. But I can’t get him to have sex with me. I think I’m like a golden unicorn or something, no one still has their V card at my age.”

Liv broke out in a fit of laughter, and the rest followed. I didn’t see what was so funny about my current predicament, but they sure found it hilarious.

When the laughter started to die down it was Ivy who finally spoke.

“Never in all my life, growing up the way I did, did I ever think I would be in a room with the President of the United States’ niece and daughter laughing.

Never did I think I would find a man like Zane and friends like all of you.

Never, ever, did I think I would become a mother.

I’m grateful for everything I have, but all of you, your friendship is the cherry on top of my really awesome sundae.

And, Erin, that includes you. Welcome to our crazy family. ”

My eyes met Liv’s and I forgot all about sex or the lack there of and realized the only real friendship I’d ever had was with Olivia. Her circle had grown, and now mine had, too.

The five of us spent the afternoon getting to know each other. We ate, we laughed, we poked fun at one another. We talked about babies, and marriage. Nothing all that important or earth shattering, but deep down I knew with every word spoken, everlasting friendships were being built.