Brothers of Paradise Series

“I know, I know,” Parker grumbles. Our parents have been forgiving with their youngest son-his mediocre grades were always compensated for by his athletic prowess-but they’re not lenient about partying.

Faye steps around me and gives Lily a hug. “It’s so nice to see you again.”

Lily smiles at me over her shoulder. “You too. We missed you around here this summer.”

“I did too.”

“And now we’re all here, together again.” Lily shoots us all a wide grin, using her announcement voice. I narrow my eyes at her.

“Rhys isn’t coming?”

She shakes her head. Damn. He’s always had a tendency to go off the rails, to make rash decisions, or retreat back into himself. The last text he’d sent me was just a picture of a sunrise somewhere in Asia from one of his photography trips.

Parker snorts. “He’ll be back. He always returns.”

We all hear the word he doesn’t add. Eventually.

“Yes, he always does,” Lily says, smiling happily, but no doubt she’s worried. She’s always worried about Rhys, despite being the younger sibling. I’ll talk to her about it later and reassure her. “Anyway, we wanted to tell you guys something before Mom and Dad join us outside. We don’t want them to know quite yet.”

Hayden slides an arm around her waist. His face is relaxed, eyes happy, even as they watch both Parker and me intently.

Parker straightens. “Lily…”

Her smile widens. “I’m pregnant. It’s early, still, but I wanted you to know first.”

For a moment, all I can do is stare at her, at them both. I didn’t know they’d decided to start trying. Next to me, Parker seems similarly frozen. Faye is the one who says congratulations and rushes forward, enveloping my little sister in a hug.

“Wow,” Parker finally says. “Congrats. Wow.”

I hug Lily, and she fits neatly into my arms. Her cheeks are rosy with happiness. “Congrats, Lilypad.”

She smiles up at me. “I’m making you all uncles, you know. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Uncle Henry.”

I have to swallow before I can reply. “Yes, it does.”

Parker has his arm around Hayden’s shoulders. “Uncle Parker. Man, do I sound old. This is unreal.”

“I know. Trust me, I know.” Hayden is grinning too, an unusual expression for him. “And amazing.”

“Good thing you guys got married.”

Lily gives me a gentle shove. “Hush, Henry.”

Hayden meets my gaze head-on. He’s a few years younger than me, but his years in the Navy changed something in him. The broken boy I’d once met is gone.

“The house is perfect,” he tells me. “You’re basically the architect of this pregnancy, since you added a nursery to the master bedroom.”

Lily laughs. “We just had to fill it right away.”

Faye leans into my side. “You designed their house?”

“Yeah. Just the remodel, though.”

“That place is gorgeous,” she says, sincerity in her voice.

Lily beams at her. “It is, isn’t it? Henry did a great job.”

“He has a fantastic eye,” Faye agrees. “You should see the project he’s working on now-it’s a skyscraper for a medical company, the most boring client ever, but Henry is making it stunning. Adding details they couldn’t dream of, and all within budget, too.”

My little sister’s eyes widen in excitement, and I ignore the amused looks both Hayden and Parker shoot me. “Really? Henry, you’re designing a skyscraper?”This is the property of Nô-velDrama.Org.

“Well, that’s sort of my job.”

“You never tell us anything,” Lily says, turning to Faye. “He never does.”

Faye’s voice is amused. “Not hard to imagine.”

“How exactly did this conversation swing back around to me? Lily, let me know if you need anything, all right? Anything at all. That goes for you too, Hayden.”

They both nod at me, but if they think I’m being overbearing, neither of them mentions it. They’re grown-ups, but it’s hard to ignore the urge to fix things for them. This is one time where I can’t show them the ropes, though. Lily will be the first of us to try parenting. Faye is smiling beside me, her face the picture of happiness, and my mind immediately wanders to her expecting. To a child with our features mixed together.

She smiles up at me. “What are you thinking?”

“Just about you,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her temple, calming my racing imagination.

The rest of the evening passes in a blur. It’s early September, but the weather is still warm, and we eat on the porch. I watch in amazement as my dad teaches Faye how to grill lobster.

“The claws need to be on the upper level,” he instructs her, “because they need more heat.”

She handles the creepy crawlies like a pro before returning to my side, a glass of white wine in her hand.

“That,” I say, “was very impressive.”

“Oh? A woman by the grill is a turn-on for you?”

I snort. “You by the grill, yes. But I was referring to how you wrangled the beast.”

She laughs. “Your dad can be nice.”

“Yes, because he loves you.”

“So arguing with Marchand men is the way to their hearts?” Her brown eyes glitter, the way they do when she’s teasing me, and my arm tightens around her waist.

“Yes. Be as argumentative, as challenging, and as ambitious as you want, and you’ll have us all wrapped around your little finger in no time.”

“Well, as long as I have you wrapped, I’m happy.”

After dinner, Dad asks me to join him in the study. It’s subtle-one of his looks and a nod-but I recognize it for what it is. So do my siblings, who watch in curiosity as I follow him into the house. Our difference of opinion has lasted for months this time. It’s almost a record.