Page 30 of The Road to Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation #7)

“Did you know your auntie Elle was going to have two babies?”

Juniper doesn’t answer me, but for all I know babies have some weird in the womb sonar and little Miss Junie already knew she was getting two cousins.

“From this point forward, it’s you and me kid. We’re the odd ones out. Your brothers have each other. Your cousins will have each other. I know what it’s like to grow up with twins and feeling left out. That’s not going to be you. I won’t ever let you feel like you’re on the outside.”

I position her on my chest and sigh at the warmth she gives me.

Holding her, it makes me want my own or at least be with someone who wants to share their life with me without reservation.

It really sucks to feel like I’ve wasted years with Nola, that I may have missed an opportunity at finding my forever.

I crack the book open and start reading to her, figuring if I fail at being a rocker, I’ll become an audiobook narrator. The story’s short and knowing my sister, she’s probably read it to her daughter a million times already. I close the book and my eyes, taking in this quiet time.

“Do you want me to take her?” Peyton’s voice whispers in the quiet.

“I’m good. We’re just chilling.”

“She’ll be up to eat soon.”

“I’ll come get you when she starts fussing. If you don’t mind. I’m going to stay in here with her.”

“I don’t mind,” she says. “Is everything okay?”

I let her question sink in and ask myself if everything’s okay. And it is.

I nod.

“Merry Christmas Eve, Quinn.”

“Merry Christmas Eve, Peyton.”

She pulls Juniper’s door, leaving it cracked open. My niece and I continue to rock back and forth. I can easily see why this is the preferred method of falling asleep. It’s fucking soothing and they need to make adult beds that do this shit. I’d probably sleep for days.

“It’s the holidays,” I tell the peanut resting on my chest. “In the morning, I’m going to go buy you and your brothers some gift that you won’t ever remember, but I will because it’ll be the first thing I ever give to you, and then I’m going to come back here because I’d rather be with you, Maverick and Jace, then sleeping in my old room.

You don’t know this yet, but you’re a comfort for me, Juniper. ”

One of the boys let’s out an ear-piercing scream and Juniper whimpers. “Oh no, your brother must be hungry, which means you’ll probably want to eat as well. Your mama did say you were going to be hungry soon. Do you think she’ll let me feed you?”

I hear Peyton in the other room, moving quietly and soothing whichever boy is crying. It doesn’t take long for the other one to let his desires be heard. Noah comes in and starts talking. Listening to these two manage parenthood puts a smile on my face.

The bathroom door moves slightly and Stevie Nicks slinks into the room. She eyes me momentarily and I wonder if she’s going to bark and wake Juniper up. I drop my hand for her to sniff, she does, and the lets out the most dramatic sigh I’ve ever heard.

“I hear ya. I’m sure you don’t much sleep with the babies around.” Stevie Nicks lays next to the rocker and watches me for a bit until she puts her head down. I do the same, soaking in as much as I can before Juniper’s mean mama comes to take her from me.

“Quinn.”

My hand tightens around Juniper as her mother tries to take her from me.

“Go away,” I mumble while keeping my eyes closed.

“She has to eat.”

“She’s not crying.”

“I know but I need her on the same schedule as the boys.” Peyton slips her hand between my chest and her daughters, my grip tightens.

“Can I feed her?”

Peyton pauses. “Do you want to?”

I nod. “I want to help while I can.”

“All right. I’ll go get her a bottle.” Peyton leaves the room just as Noah walks in.

“We didn’t get to talk much when you were here last,” he says as he sits on the floor next to Stevie Nicks. “How are things going?”

“Everyone asks me that,” I tell him. “Is there something written on my forehead that says I’m struggling?”

Noah shakes his head. “But as your friend—an astute one—I might add, I notice things.”

“Such as?” I ask out of curiosity.

“Such as, my wife gave birth a month ago and Nola hasn’t texted her. Your sister expected you to tell your fiancé that the babies arrived, and when Peyton didn’t hear from Nola after a few days, she felt like it would be awkward to send a ‘hey the babies are here’ text.”

Fuck .

With my freehand, I scrub my face. No one wants to have a deep conversation in the middle of the night, let alone one about your love life. Juniper whimpers. Noah starts to get up, but I shake him away. I can do this and pull her higher, onto my shoulder, and hum softly to her.

Peyton comes in with a bottle, stops at Juniper’s changing table, and then comes over to me. She helps me get set up and as soon as I have my niece cradled, Peyton rubs her daughter’s rosy cheek. It lifts a little in a half-smile.

“My sweet baby, it’s time to eat,” Peyton says softly. “Take the tip of the nipple and rub it against her lips.”

“Um . . .”

Noah cackles in the corner while Peyton groans. “You two need to grow up.”

“I can’t help it,” I say. “I’m childish.”

“Well, stop or I’m telling mom.” She then looks at Noah. “And then I’m telling your mom.”

Noah stops immediately, but my chest still vibrates even though I’m trying stop. Peyton reaches for Juniper. I block her with my arm. “I’ll stop,” I tell her. “Promise.”

My sister eyes me warily and hands me the bottle, although reluctantly. She sighs and stands, and even though he’ll probably deny it later, I see Noah give her a subtle nod to leave the room. Peyton gives us one last look and then closes the door to the bathroom.

Noah waits a beat and then looks at me.

I stare down at my niece and marvel at home the human body works. She’s sleeping or at least pretending to be and eating. “Does she always sleep through her feedings?”

“No, usually she’s wide awake, giving Maverick a run for his money in the screaming department.”

“She’s barely made a peep since I picked her up.”

“Do they teach you avoidance while on tour?”

I nod and sigh. “Nola’s not going to text or call or send a gift because she doesn’t know unless you’ve posted it on social media.

We’re not together anymore and haven’t been since before the tour.

Turns out, she was having an affair with one of her professors.

Apparently, the musician life is not for her,” I say with a shrug before filling him in on everything, including the note she left, our talk at the park, and what she’s been up to most of our relationship.

“Shit,” Noah says quietly.

“Understatement.”

“So, now what?”

Juniper stops sucking and I look at Noah for help. He instructs me on how to burp her. I move her back to my chest and rub her back and continue to rock in the chair.

“So, now I tell everyone. Probably tomorrow because I’m sure my parents are going to wonder where she is, and then I move on.”

“Are you ready to move on?”

“Yeah, I am,” I say confidently. “It’s like as soon as she told me she’d been cheating for a year, everything just lifted off my shoulders and any feelings I had for her were gone.

I think it’s because I had months of mourning what I thought was a solid relationship, when it in fact, it wasn’t.

I finally feel free. I feel at ease, and I’m not anxious.

It sucked wondering what was going to set her off at any given time. ”

“I can understand that. Sometimes, the tension was so thick between the two of you, it made for awkward times.”

Juniper lets out a belch that could rival Hendrix after a few beers. “Geez, little lady that was loud.”

“Wait until she farts,” Noah adds. “The guys in the locker room ain’t got nothing on her.”

“So, lady like,” I say as I cradle her. Juniper finally opens her eyes. Right now, they’re blue but I think they’ll probably change. I know it’s only my imagination, but the way she looks at me, it’s like she’s attaching herself to my soul. It’s almost as if she knows she’s going to be my favorite.

“I’ve sort of been seeing someone.” I don’t bother to look at Noah.

His daughter is far more interesting. I also don’t wait for him to ask.

“It’s Justine, the lead singer of Plum. She’s sort of been my rock through all of this, a sounding board for my melodramatic lyrics. I like her a lot and she likes me.”

“But?”

Another heavy sigh. “But Elle’s her manager and the last thing I want to do is complicate her life or fuck her shit with Elle. She already has to deal with Hendrix and Dana being exes, I don’t want to add anymore relationship drama to her plate.”

“You’re her brother first. She’d want you happy.”

“Not at the expense of an up-and-coming band. One she’s nurtured from the ground up and taken under wing. Hell, she even has your dad singing on their new album.”

Noah’s quiet for a moment and then stands. “I’m going to go check on my wife and boys. Are you good here with her?”

“We’re perfect.” Juniper grips my finger in her tiny hand.

“You know, if I hadn’t been so worried about what people thought of me, I would’ve started dating Peyton the day she turned eighteen.

I missed out on a lot of time with her. Time, I regret.

Time, I can’t get back. Had we been together, she wouldn’t have been in that accident because she would’ve never gotten into that car.

Don’t make the same mistake I made, worrying about what others think.

If you want to pursue something with Justine, do it. I got your back.”

His words settle over me while his daughter coos. “Thanks, Noah.”

“Anytime.”

He shuts the door, leaving Juniper and me alone. I take my phone out and position Junie perfectly and snap a photo. Being the good uncle I am, I show it to her for approval before sending it off to the only other girl I’d like to be with right now.