“The North babies are throwing it all off,” Hayden said. The family she’d married into consisted of five sons, of whom Faye was the matriarch. Female genes were proving hard to come by even with the newest generation. “Besides Harrison”—she addressed Chloe—“Zane’s brother Mason has Jasper and Calvin. Gabe and Lexie have Wyatt. No girl babies to speak of so far.”

“I’m considering offering a reward for the first granddaughter,” Faye said with a laugh.

“Harrison’s darling,” Chloe said, watching the baby in my arms as I lifted him over my head then made motor noises as I lowered him to my face and kissed him. His giggle was infectious, his hesitancy completely gone.

“Holden needs one of his own,” Hayden said, and Chloe’s eyes popped wider, as if she hadn’t even considered the possibility.

Obviously, we hadn’t had anything resembling the do you want kids someday talk since we knew there was no someday for the two of us.

“Can we just be married first?” I jumped in.

“Of course.” Hayden didn’t miss a beat. “You just went from friends to engaged to married on fast-forward, so…” She shrugged. “You never know. These things happen.”

Everyone at the table laughed, because this chunky, lovable baby in my arms qualified as these things, being the unplanned pregnancy that had brought Zane and Hayden together.

“My unsolicited advice,” my sister continued, “is to take your time and do exactly what you said. Be married for a good bit first. While I love that little man to pieces, he comes with lots of stress.”

As soon as Chloe slid in next to Seth and I sat on her other side, still holding my nephew, Maribella, one of the servers, came by to get Chloe’s and my drink orders. Chloe was looking over the menu, as were Faye and Zane, while the rest of us knew the offerings by heart and talked about Sergio Vega’s new-to-him Lincoln, which he used to drive Nigel, his Boston terrier, around the square every day like clockwork. After Maribella delivered our drinks, she took our orders and disappeared again.

When everyone else was deep in conversation, Chloe leaned over and, peering back at Magnolia’s table, asked in a whisper, “Who’s she with?”

“It’s her fiancé. Rick something. He’s from Nashville.”

“I don’t understand what someone could possibly see in her. She’s pretty on the outside but…”

“Possibly her daddy’s company. I believe he works for her old man.”

“That makes more sense.” She shook her head. “All these years later and she still gets my dander up. I know she’s not worth it.”