“Hey.” Crystal nudged her arm. “Who’s to say what’s normal? I think that’s up to each couple to decide. Are you happy?”
Lifting her head, Lydia couldn’t stop the no doubt sappy smile that filled her face. “The last few weeks have been magical for me. I have a husband who comes home at the end of the day and a daughter that keeps me laughing. Jake and I have developed a routine that seems so easy. Which scares the hell out of me,” she finished with a sigh.
“Because you don’t want it to end,” Crystal guessed accurately.
“Bingo.” Lydia nodded. “I’ve taken to this life as if I were made for it. But there’s a big clock ticking, and as soon as Chris backs off and Jake doesn’t feel threatened anymore, then he’ll be ready to get back to however he was living before I came along.”
Crystal put one hand on the steering wheel, and it was then that Lydia realized they were still sitting in front of Jake’s house. Glancing down at her watch, she cried, “Oh crap! We’ve been talking for so long that we’re already ten minutes late! You know how Suzy is—she might lock us out of her house for this.”
Crystal giggled, but promptly put the car in gear and pulled out onto the road. “Yeah, we don’t want to be the last ones to arrive. Luckily for us, Ella is usually always running late now with Sofia, so we may be okay. Anyway, back to your last comment. You and Jake have been sleeping together every day basically since you moved in. Don’t you think he’s forming some attachments to the living arrangement as well? I mean I know that, like Mark, Jake hasn’t really been involved in serious relationships. But that can change for the right person. Don’t assume that he’s not experiencing some of what you are.”
“You’re saying I shouldn’t keep my suitcase sitting at the front door just in case he decides to keep me?” Lydia joked.
Groaning, Crystal said, “That wasn’t exactly the way I would have worded it, but you’ve got the basic message down. If you’re happy with what’s happening between you two, then keep going with it. Don’t start mentioning some kind of expiration date to him. Why plant ideas in his head, where there may well be none? I read an article in Cosmo the other day that said never to point out your flaws to a man because, eventually, they might start to believe your version over their own.”
“Well, I’m not walking around mentioning the size of my butt to him,” Lydia joked.
Snorting, Crystal said, “That’s good to know. But I think you see where I’m going with this advice. Absolutely enjoy yourself and don’t stress over tomorrow.”
“I’m trying,” Lydia assured her. “Grabbing the bull by the horns and all those other things they say to do as a fearless, modern female.”
“Oh, I think you’ve grabbed on to something,” Crystal sniggered, “but it looks like more of a stallion.” They were both still giggling like teenagers when they reached Suzy’s home. She lived only a few miles away from Jake’s house in Garden City Beach.
As they left the car and made their way up the steps, Claire, the wife of Jason Danvers, the CEO of Danvers International, opened the front door. She was a stunning blonde who always had a ready smile for everyone around the office. Lydia had heard that she’d actually been Jason’s assistant at one time. If that didn’t have fairy-tale romance written all over it, she didn’t know what did. “Hey, guys.” Claire smiled brightly. “I’m so glad you could make it.” Lowering her voice, she whispered, “Little John just barfed all over Suzy so there’s a bit of a commotion. She hasn’t quite gotten used to being drenched when you least expect it.”
“I’m not sure anyone adjusts to that,” said an amused voice as Beth Merimon joined them. “I think it’s pretty funny, though. Because every time Henry spits up or poops, she hands him off as if he’s on fire.” Rubbing her hands together in obvious glee, Beth added, “Those days are over for my sister, though. She gets to experience all the delights that motherhood has to offer!”
As they made their way into the foyer, Ella hustled up with her daughter, Sofia, in her arms. Lydia had always thought that Crystal’s sister was gorgeous, and today was no exception. A certain innocence about her made her even more appealing. She could see why Ella’s husband—former playboy Declan Stone—was intrigued by someone so opposite from him. Lydia knew that an overbearing mother in a very restricted environment had raised both Ella and Crystal. It had taken a lot of courage, but they had managed to break away and, in doing so, had found their soul mates. “I was wondering where you were, sis,” Ella called out as she stepped forward to wrap an arm around Crystal. “I missed you so much.”
“It sure doesn’t look like she was pining away for any of us on her honeymoon,” Emma Davis inserted as she joined their group. Emma was engaged to Declan’s brother, Brant, and was soon to be part of the Stone family. “If that satisfied expression on your face is any indication, then you and Mark had a great time. Did you ever actually leave your room?”
“Oh, good Lord, here we go with the sex talk,” replied Ava Powers, a sleek blonde. Truthfully, it had taken Lydia months to match all of the women with the men at Danvers that they were either married or engaged to. Ava was married to Mac Powers, who ran East Coast Security, along with Dominic Brady and Gage Hyatt. Dominic was engaged to Gwen, who was also close friends with Crystal and Mia. Funnily enough, Gwen had once dated Mac before he finally landed the woman he’d loved since childhood—Ava. It was enough to make Lydia’s head spin just trying to keep the details straight. The fact that they all seemed to be a big, extended happy family was equal parts amazing and downright crazy.
“Oh, come on, Ava, everyone here likes to talk smut except for you. And I see the way you roll into the office some mornings, so I know that you and Mac aren’t sitting around knitting in the evening.” Emma was Ava’s assistant at Danvers, and Lydia thought it was hysterical how they bickered like sisters.