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Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for
  3. BOOKS BY KRISTAN HIGGINS
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. CHAPTER ONE
  7. CHAPTER TWO
  8. CHAPTER THREE
  9. CHAPTER FOUR
  10. CHAPTER FIVE
  11. CHAPTER SIX
  12. CHAPTER SEVEN
  13. CHAPTER EIGHT
  14. CHAPTER NINE
  15. CHAPTER TEN
  16. CHAPTER ELEVEN
  17. CHAPTER TWELVE
  18. CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  19. CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  20. CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  21. CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  22. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  23. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  24. CHAPTER NINETEEN
  25. CHAPTER TWENTY
  26. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
  27. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
  28. CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
  29. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
  30. CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
  31. CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
  32. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
  35. CHAPTER THIRTY
  36. CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
  37. CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
  38. CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
  39. CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
  40. CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
  41. CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
  42. CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
  45. CHAPTER FORTY
  46. CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
  47. EPILOGUE
  48. Readers Guide
  49. Questions for Discussion
  50. About the Author
  51. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Like, am I a good mother? Have I been helpful and kind today? Will everyone I love be okay? Can I be doing more?”

“That’s a lot.” Brianna sat down next to her and picked up one of Juliet’s shoes, fiddling with the strap.

“It is.”

“Is being a grown-up hard?”

“Sometimes.”

Brianna started to cry, her sweet little face crumpling. “I don’t want to grow up, Mom. I hate all this, the periods and zits and boobs and boys and the drama. I want to be eight again. Eight was really fun.” Her voice squeaked on the last word, and Juliet gathered her up against her, every molecule in her body wanting to wrap around her child and protect her from every hurt, every bad feeling.

“I understand, honey. I do. I remember how hard it is.” She kissed Brianna’s hair. “But you know what? You’re going to like your body pretty soon. It’s so weird, but you will. This is the hardest time. You’ll get through it. Daddy and I are with you every step of the way.”

“Is there anything good about being a grown-up?”

Juliet laughed. “Sure. You can pick someone really great, like your dad, to be your best friend, and you get to live with each other. You can find a job that you love doing.”

“I don’t know what I want to do. I hate when grown-ups ask me that.”

“You’re not supposed to know. Tell them that. Say, ‘Hey, I’m twelve. Give me some room here.’”

Brianna laughed a little.

“You know what the best part of being a grown-up is?” Juliet asked.

“No.”

“You get to be a mommy if you want.”

“I thought I was a pain in the ass,” Brianna muttered.

“You are. But you’re my pain in the ass. I wouldn’t trade you for anything.”

Brianna didn’t answer, didn’t hug her any tighter, didn’t say, I love you so much, or You always make me feel better, as Juliet would have said to her own mom.

Brianna didn’t have to. Juliet already knew.

A few hours later, when the girls were in bed, and Oliver was “thoroughly shagged” and sound asleep, Juliet went to her computer and typed an e-mail.

To: [email protected]

Subject: job offer

The firm’s name will be Frost/Alexander. I’ll get 33% ownership, the tie-breaking vote if one is needed, head of design. Take it or leave it.

Juliet

A few minutes later, the one-word answer came.

Done.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

John

Dog. Daw. Baby. Bay . . . bee. Barb. Baahr. Juliet. Zhool. Sadie. Say. Tired. Tahr.

No. No. He has this one down.