Lila hasn’t invited me to spend the night, so I keep talking about anything and everything. Whatever I have to do to keep the night from ending.

“The party was probably a bit overwhelming with so many people,” I continue. “The MC likes to have a big get-together at least once a month at our house.”

She doesn’t answer. Her hesitation tells me that she’s being careful about what she’s getting ready to say.

“I liked your family,” she says. “Kendra and Trish were both super nice to me and went out of their way to make me feel like part of the group.”

Her voice sounds wistful and almost sad.

“That’s the way those two are,” I say. “It seems like they’ve always been a part of my family. Sometimes I wonder how Jesse and Flint got so lucky to find women willing to put up with all their shit.”

I can’t help thinking about how the girls are going to react once the truth comes out about Lila. They will hate her with a vengeance. They’re both fiercely protective of the people they love.

“And what about the kids?” I ask.

“Josh is super cute,” Lila says with a laugh. “He tried to cram my whole hand in his mouth and bite me. Kendra warned me and I didn’t believe her. His little teeth are sharp.”

“They’re both going to be spoiled rotten, especially Missy in a family full of men,” I say. “I can’t wait until Christmas this year. Missy will be too little to enjoy it, but Josh will be old enough to play with toys.”

She pulls her head up from my chest and looks at me.

“You really like kids, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I love kids. I hope to have a bunch one day. At least three. I plan on having a great big family. What about you?”

“I’ve never given it much thought. Any thought at all, actually. I don’t know.” She shrugs. “I never saw myself as a parent.” She idly traces a tattoo on my arm with her fingers.

“Why? Too permanent for you?”

The comment sounded nastier than I meant for it to.

Her eyes fly back to my face.

“Where did that come from?”

“Gut feeling, I guess. Not every woman wants a pack of kids to weigh them down.”

“No, it’s not that. I don’t have any siblings and my family is small. There aren’t any nieces or nephews or even little cousins that I see on a regular basis. I don’t know how to take care of kids. I might make mistakes and screw them up for life.”

“I doubt that. Where do you go on holidays then? Don’t you have any family to be with?”