“You were thinking you’re the luckiest parents ever.”

“You know it, buddy,” Nick said with a chuckle.

“Pizza’s here!” Scotty bolted from the room and flew down the stairs.

“How does he know that?” Sam asked.

“There’s an app for that.”

“He’s got a pizza app? For real?”

“Yep, and it comes in handy at times like this. How’d the visit go, babe?”

“Good. Really good, actually.”

“What did she want to tell you?”

Sam sighed. “She’s been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer. Very treatable, great prognosis.”

“That’s too bad.”

“It is. For her—and for us. It puts us at higher risk.”

“I sure do hate to hear that.”

“Like Tracy said, it just means we have to be more proactive. It’s nothing we can’t handle.”

“I’ve begun to think there’s nothing you can’t handle.”

Sam raised her head off his chest so she could look into his eyes. “As long as I have you, I can handle anything.”

“Since there’s nowhere else in this world I’d rather be than with you, then I guess you’re all set.”

Smiling, she leaned in to kiss him and didn’t stop until Scotty’s loud groan ruined the moment.

“I swear to God I’m going to ground you guys if this kissing stuff doesn’t stop.” He’d brought the pizza, paper plates and a roll of paper towels upstairs with him.

As Nick bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud, Sam sat up and took the pizza box from Scotty. “We’re living for the day you get your first girlfriend. I hope you’re prepared for a lifetime of revenge.”

“To quote my mom, the badass cop, ‘bring it on.’”

Laughing, Sam dished out the pizza and settled in to enjoy the picnic with her two favorite people. For once, everything in her world was perfect, and she intended to enjoy the peace while it lasted.

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

“WHEN DO I get my surprise?” Nick asked when they were on the plane heading for ten days alone together in Bora Bora. They were curled up on the sofa in his private cabin, away from the prying eyes of his detail and the flight crew.

“What surprise?” Sam asked, intentionally playing dumb while tingling with anticipation. She knew exactly what he was talking about and had endured the epic humiliation of bikini waxing to make it happen. She’d be having nightmares for years about the entire thing.

“Don’t pull that crap, Samantha. You and your sisters have had my imagination working overtime for a week now, and the fact that I haven’t been allowed to touch you for two whole days hasn’t helped.”

“I’ll give you your surprise as soon as we get there,” she said, intentionally squirming so her back side pressed against his erection.