Justin’s grandmothers—Barb and Zoë’s mom—and his honorary abuela and bisabuelita—my mom and grandmother—are clustered around him with their gifts like the magi. Ever since Brody and I came home, the four of them have been competing for most-favored grandma status, and it’s a fight to the finish, with each of them desperately trying to one-up the others—gifts, activities, food, sweets. Brody and Zoë and I do everything we can to hold back the flood of excess so Justin won’t become totally spoiled.

But it’s a lost cause.

Like now, for example, Caridad has a giant pink stuffed pig for him and Barb has given him a bright-colored plastic garbage truck, and Rena found shoes that squeak and light up when he walks, and my mom gave him one of those handheld kiddie computers.

Brody is watching the cluster of hovering women with amusement, and when I drift to his side, he puts his arm around me and squeezes me close.

“Happy?” I ask him.

“Yeah.”

As if it’s not totally obvious from the fact that I haven’t seen him scowl in weeks. I know some women would miss the bad-boy scowl… but I don’t. Seeing Brody happy melts me inside. And there’s just enough bad boy left to Brody—motorcycle included—to meet my needs.

(Plus I know exactly how to get him to scowl. It involves putting on teeny tiny black lace panties and bra while he watches, then layering on a thick sweater and jeans. “Wait!” he says. “You’re wrapping all that up?” “Yup.” “Can’t I lick it first?” “Busy, later!” Lots of scowls. And then, when I get my fill of grumpy Brody, I give in. Because, the licking.)

He ducks his head and nuzzles my neck, as if he can read my thoughts. “Are you exhausted?” he asks.

I was up late last night, studying for an exam. I’m getting my MSW—master of social work—degree online, as well as a certificate to be a licensed sex educator. It’s basically taking the work I did helping my mom to the next level, so I can offer women even more support. And as part of that, I’m also starting my own business, selling sex toys—but not through another reseller. No, I’ll be my own business, curating and choosing only the best.

When Brody heard that we’d need to do a whole bunch of testing and experimenting to find only the best, he was not at all bummed out.

It’s been tons of fun, and the perfect counterpoint to way too much time spent hitting the books.

Amanda scoots close to me on my other side and drapes an arm. “Need a third wheel?”