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Back Queen Move
Chapters (64)
  1. Book Description
  2. About Kennedy Ryan
  3. Also from Kennedy Ryan
  4. Acknowledgments from the Author
  5. Book Description
  6. Dedication
  7. Prologue
  8. Part One
  9. Chapter One
  10. Chapter Two
  11. Chapter Three
  12. Chapter Four
  13. Chapter Five
  14. Chapter Six
  15. Chapter Seven
  16. Part Two
  17. Chapter Eight
  18. Chapter Nine
  19. Chapter Ten
  20. Chapter Eleven
  21. Chapter Twelve
  22. Chapter Thirteen
  23. Chapter Fourteen
  24. Chapter Fifteen
  25. Chapter Sixteen
  26. Chapter Seventeen
  27. Chapter Eighteen
  28. Chapter Nineteen
  29. Chapter Twenty
  30. Chapter Twenty-One
  31. Chapter Twenty-Two
  32. Chapter Twenty-Three
  33. Chapter Twenty-Four
  34. Chapter Twenty-Five
  35. Chapter Twenty-Six
  36. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  37. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  38. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  39. Chapter Thirty
  40. Chapter Thirty-One
  41. Chapter Thirty-Two
  42. Chapter Thirty-Three
  43. Chapter Thirty-Four
  44. Chapter Thirty-Five
  45. Chapter Thirty-Six
  46. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  47. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  48. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  49. Chapter Forty
  50. Chapter Forty-One
  51. Chapter Forty-Two
  52. Chapter Forty-Three
  53. Chapter Forty-Four
  54. Chapter Forty-Five
  55. Chapter Forty-Six
  56. Chapter Forty-Seven
  57. Chapter Forty-Eight
  58. Chapter Forty-Nine
  59. Epilogue
  60. Author’s Note
  61. An excerpt from The Kingmaker by Kennedy Ryan
  62. Discover 1001 Dark Nights Collection Seven
  63. Discover the World of 1001 Dark Nights
  64. Special Thanks

The weight that’s been heavy on my shoulders since Dr. Granden first uttered the word “perimenopause” feels that much lighter with every person I share it with.

First Kayla. Then Mona. Now Mama.

I’m beginning to think I should have come home a long time ago.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ezra

“I love them!” Noah says, grinning at the tickets Aiko left for him.

“You do, honey?” she asks, her expression concerned on the Skype screen. “They’re passes we can use whenever. We’ve been to the aquarium so often, I thought a trip to Nashville for the planetarium might be fun. And I know you’re really into the stars right now.”

“It’s great,” he assures her. “And the other things were awesome, too.”

Aiko asked me to take a bag full of birthday gifts she’d left to his bedroom first thing this morning.

“I wish I was there.” She blinks hard, and I can tell she’s trying not to cry. She doesn’t want Noah to know. “But so many people are coming to your party today.”

“Yeah, and we’ll jump on the trampoline,” Noah says. “You should see it, Mom. It’s the kind with a net.”

“Your mom actually helped pick it out,” I interject. “She wanted to make sure she saw it before she had to leave.”

“You did?” Noah asks.

“Yup.” Aiko shoots me a grateful look. “Sure did. I wanted this to be the best birthday ever even though I’m not there.”

“And four of the guys from school are sleeping over,” Noah rolls on. “Dad says he’ll make stuffed French toast for breakfast.” He looks at me like I may have forgotten.

“Sure.” I nod. “Tomorrow’s breakfast will be lit.”

“Dad,” Noah groans, obviously embarrassed by my hipness. “Don’t say lit, okay?”

“Got it.”

My phone buzzes on the kitchen counter by the laptop. It’s my mother calling through FaceTime.

“Bubbe!” Noah squeaks. He glances at Aiko uncertainly.

“Oh, baby, answer,” Aiko tells him. “I’ve kept you long enough. Go talk to your grandmother. I love you.”

“Love you, Mom. See you when you get back.” He grabs my phone. “Dad, can I take it outside to show her my trampoline?”

“Sure, but bring it back to me before you hang up,” I tell him. “I need to talk to her about you flying up there for camp.”

He runs off and out the door to the backyard.

“I should be there,” Aiko says despairingly. “I’m missing his birthday, and he’s going off to camp for weeks. What if he—”