“This is Skye,” Dayton tells me, then chuckles when a white ball of fur zooms in out of nowhere and side-tackles PJ. “And that’s Dolly.” Laughing, I pet both of my new furry acquaintances, then watch the three of them run off and disappear into another room, where I can hear the sound of kids screaming and laughing.

“They’ll be okay. Let me introduce you to everyone,” he says, and I turn to find six sets of eyes pointed in our direction, most of them with curiosity etched into the features surrounding them. I remember the couple I met when I was with Dayton down in the lobby, but everyone else is new to me.

Still holding my hand, he leads me toward everyone gathered around the island in the kitchen and starts making introductions as the kids, who had been in the other room, come in laughing with the dogs following behind them.

His brother Clay, with all his tattoos, looks the complete opposite of his wife, Willow, who’s a petite blonde with a kind smile. Their son is an adorable mix of the two of them and obviously obsessed with his dad.

Miles is also a big guy with rugged features and dark hair, and his wife, Emma, is stunning. Their daughter, who Miles shares with another woman, is adorable and obviously the ringleader of all the kids, who follow her wherever she goes.

Tucker and Miranda, who I met and liked the moment I first saw them, grin at me. I can’t help but to notice how perfect they seem together and how sweet their little family is. As I get hugs from the girls and smiles from the guys, I instantly feel welcome. I also have a lot of questions.

Sure, Clay, Miles, Tucker, and Dayton could all be biological brothers, but I know Dayton said he grew up in foster care and that he doesn’t know his family. So it leaves me to wonder what the story is here and how all of them are connected.

As Dayton guessed, it isn’t long before the girls all draw me in to hang with them while the guys go to watch the kids in the playroom. All except Jenny, who Miranda keeps with her so she can give her a bottle.

“Do you have any nieces or nephews?” Emma asks as I watch Miranda burp Jenny, who is half asleep after eating.

“No. Honestly, I’ve never had much contact with babies. None of my friends have kids—or not yet at least—and my cousins who do have younger kids live out of state, so I don’t see them often.”

“Do you want to hold her?” Miranda asks when she finishes burping Jenny, and panic wraps around my insides.

“I don’t know.” I shake my head.