Table of Contents

Twelve of a Kind
Mission Statement
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Epilogue
More Sizzling Romance
TWELVE OF A KIND
KIND BROTHERS SERIES, BOOK SEVENTEEN
SANDI LYNN
SANDI LYNN ROMANCE, LLC
 CONTENTS
Twelve of a Kind
Mission Statement
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Epilogue
More Sizzling Romance
 TWELVE OF A KIND
(Kind Brothers Series, Book Seventeen)
New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
SANDI LYNN
 Twelve of a Kind
Copyright © 2024 Sandi Lynn Romance, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the publisher's prior
written permission.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author's imagination or are used
fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Photo by: Wander Aguiar
Model: Leonardo
 MISSION STATEMENT
Sandi Lynn Romance
Providing readers with romance novels that will whisk them away
to another world and from the daily grind of life – one book at a time.
 PROLOGUE

Shaun
I was ecstatic when Carter called and asked about the house. It was almost remodeled and
would be ready when he arrived. For now, we both were keeping it a secret from everyone,
for he wanted to surprise his brothers.
“Okay. I’m heading to my mom and dad’s,” Jenni said as she walked down the stairs with
the twins.
I held my arms out, and she handed me Stella.
“I love you, my sweet girl.” I kissed her head and held her tight. “You be a good girl.” I put
her in her car seat. “Come here, little guy.” I took hold of Sawyer and kissed him. “Daddy
loves you. Be a good boy.” I set him in his car seat while Jenni made sure the diaper bag was
packed.
“What about me?” She flirtatiously smiled.
I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into me.
“I prefer you to be a bad girl.” I kissed her lips.
“That can be arranged.” The corners of her mouth curved upward. “Who were you talking
to on the phone earlier?”
“It was just a business call,” I lied.
“A business call?” She cocked her head.
“Yep.” I smiled.
“You’re lying, Kind. What’s going on? Are you seeing someone else?”
“What?” My brows furrowed. “How the hell can you even ask me that question, babe?” I
pulled away from her. “Damn. You know I would never.”
“Do I really, Shaun?” Her eyes narrowed.
I stood there, inhaled a sharp breath, and pointed my finger at her.
“I swear to God, if you tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, you’re getting cut off from sex
for at least a month.”
She let out a laugh. “Oh, I’m scared. Like you can even go that long. Two days is too long for
you. What’s going on?”
“Do you promise me, Jen? I mean, really promise me. You cannot tell the girls, not even
Julia. Swear on your children’s lives.”
“Shaun, you know I—”
“Swear, Jenni!” my voice raised.
“Okay. I swear on my children’s lives that what you’re about to tell me stays between the
two of us and only us.”
“I was talking to Carter. He’s buying the house next door to Gabriel.”
“Shut up!” Her eyes widened. “Oh, my God, Shaun. That’s fantastic news! Everyone is going
to be so happy! But wow.” She shook her head.
“Wow, what?” I asked.
“You didn’t trust me enough to tell me instead of lying that you were on a business call.”
Her right eye narrowed.
“That’s because Carter wants to surprise his brothers. He doesn’t want anyone to know,
and you—”
“I what, Shaun?” Her tone was stern.
“You tell the girls everything.”
“And you don’t tell the guys everything? Seriously?”
I couldn’t say anything because she was right.
“Babe, I love you so much, and we can’t tell anyone, okay?” I wrapped my arms around her.
“I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
“Thank you.” I smiled as I kissed her lips. “Let’s get the twins in the car.
I grabbed Stella’s car seat and put it in the back of Jenni’s car while she put in Sawyer’s.
“Have fun at your mom’s house.” I kissed her one last time before she climbed into the car.
“I love you.”
“We will. I love you too.”
I began to walk away and heard her shout.
“Because you didn’t trust me, you’re cut off. Two weeks, Kind. Two weeks.”
I turned around and smiled at her.
“You are so hot when you threaten me.” I grinned.
“Two weeks!” she shouted as she pulled out of the driveway.
I chuckled, went inside the house, grabbed a couple of beers, and headed down to the
beach.
“What’s up, bro?” Sebastian fist-bumped me when I sat next to him.
“Did Jenni leave for her parents’ house?” Sam asked as he had Elijah strapped on him.
“Yeah. I take it Julia did, too?” I smirked.
“She left about fifteen minutes ago with the girls.”
My other brothers and cousins walked over and sat down.
“I talked to my guys earlier, and they plan on finishing the house by mid-next week,” Stefan
said. “Which is ahead of schedule.” He pointed at me.
“Thanks, bro. I appreciate it. And just in time,” I said.
“In time for what?” Simon asked.
“I have someone interested and wants to Airbnb it as soon as possible.”
“Who?” Gabriel glanced at me.
“I don’t know. My company is handling it.”
“How does this person even know about it?” Conner asked.
“I’ve been advertising.” I smirked. “I have to capitalize on my investment as quickly as
possible.” I smiled.
“It sucks that my brother doesn’t want to move here,” Gabriel said. “It would have been the
perfect house for him.”
“Yeah.” Grayson shook his head. “We’re his family. He belongs here with us.”
“I get that,” I said. “But he has a life and company in North Carolina.”
“So what?” Simon said. “So did you, and you moved here.”
“Grayson and I gave up our lives in Boston to be near our family,” Gabriel said.
“First of all, Boston doesn’t even come close to living in Los Angeles, and second, you
moved here so you could start your own practice.” Simon pointed at Gabriel.
“And also because we’re an awesome family, and you wanted in on the fun.” Sam grinned.
“That is so true.” Grayson chuckled.
“Carter is only a plane ride away,” I said. “We’ll all visit him in North Carolina, and he’ll fly
here to visit us. I told him he can use the plane whenever he wants.”
“Not the same.” Gabriel sighed.
I silently smiled because, in less than two weeks, Carter Kind would be here, fully moved in,
and joining us for all of our family gatherings.
 CHAPTER 1

Carter
I stood in the living room of my penthouse and watched the movers take out my boxes one
by one. Shaun sent me a walk-through video of the house, and I fell in love with it. I was
happy that my sister-in-law, Ava, was an interior decorator because I would hire her to
help me pick out furniture and décor as soon as I got to California.
“Well, this is it.” Auntie Fran hugged me tightly. “You better keep in touch, young man.”
“You know I will, Auntie Fran. You’re not mad that I’m moving, are you?”
She brought her hand up to my face. “Not at all. Although, I will miss you. I think, in some
way, your mother would be proud of you for doing this. I know she hated the fact that she
never told you about your siblings. But she never wanted you to know that your father was
a drug addict who never had plans on sticking around for you or the other two children he
fathered.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. I found out the truth, and now I’ll be where I belong, with my
brothers and family. Shit. That came out wrong, Aunt Fran. You know you’re my family, and
I’m grateful for everything you did for my mother and me.”
“I know that, Carter. I’m not offended in the least. You belong with your siblings. I love you.”
“I love you too, Auntie Fran.” I hugged her one last time before she left my penthouse.
“Mr. Kind, we loaded all the boxes into the truck. Is there anything else?” one of the men
asked.
“No. That’s it.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out some cash. “Thank you for your
help.” I handed him a sizeable tip.
“Thank you, sir. We should have your things to your new home in a few days.”
After they left, I walked around my penthouse one last time. Grabbing my two large
suitcases, I took them to the elevator and pressed the button. When the doors opened, I
stepped inside, and a smile crossed my lips as they slowly closed.
When I reached the lobby, I stepped outside the doors and saw a black limousine at the
curb. The window slowly rolled down, and Shaun smiled at me.
“What’s up, my man?” he asked.
His driver climbed out, grabbed my luggage, and threw them in the back of the limo. Shaun
opened the door and moved over as I climbed inside.
“How are you, Shaun?” We hugged.
“I’m great. How are you feeling?”
“Health-wise or leaving North Carolina-wise?” I smirked.
“Both.”
“I feel great.” I grinned.
“That’s good. I’m happy to hear it.”
“Nobody suspects I’m moving to Los Angeles, do they?” I asked.
“Nope. In fact, they’re all pissed off because I told them someone already Airbnb’d the
house.”
I chuckled. “I know. I spoke to my brothers last night, and they were going on and on about
it.”
“Is your car ready to be picked up?” Shaun asked.
“Yes. It’s at the dealership waiting for me when we land.”
“Excellent. I’ll have my driver at the airport drop you off. Pull it into the garage so nobody
sees it in the driveway.”
“I will. They’re going to be so shocked.” I grinned.
“I know. I can’t wait to see their reactions.” He placed his hand on my shoulder.
“They’re going to be pissed at you for lying to them.” My brow arched.
“They’ll get over it.”
After we landed, Shaun dropped me off at the car dealership.
“I’ll see you later.” He smiled as we hugged. “Enjoy that car.”
“Oh, I will.” I grinned.
I walked into the dealership and found the salesman I’d been dealing with since I decided
to move to Los Angeles.
“Mr. Kind, it’s so nice to meet you in person. Your car is waiting for you right outside.
Follow me.”
We walked out the doors, and the corners of my mouth curved upward when I saw the
black Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible.
“Here are the keys. It’s been a pleasure dealing with you, Mr. Kind.”
“You too, Rob. Thanks for everything.” I shook his hand.
Climbing into the car, I punched my new address into the GPS and drove off.

Istepped into my new twenty-nine hundred square foot home and looked around. Walking
over to the sliding door off the kitchen, I looked at the view and took it all in. My phone
pinged, and when I pulled it from my pocket, there was a text from Shaun.
“We’re all heading down. I told the guys I wanted to show them something I’d done with the
house.”
“Okay. I unlocked the sliding door.”
I went upstairs and stood at the top step. The sliding door opened, and I heard the guys
walk in.
“This looks great, Shaun.” I heard Grayson’s voice.
“Excuse me, but Sammy and I redesigned it,” Stefan said.
“So, what did you do that’s so special you wanted to show us?” I heard Simon say.
I slowly walked down the stairs with a smile.
“I think he wanted to show you me.”
“What the fuck!” Gabriel smiled.
He and Grayson walked over and hugged me.
“What are you doing here?” Grayson asked.
“I bought the house and officially moved here today.”
“Are you serious?” Grayson grinned.
“You’re not fucking with us, are you?” Gabriel asked.
“No, I’m not fucking with you. I’m here to stay.” I chuckled.
All the guys walked over and took turns hugging me.
“Welcome to the beach, cousin.” Simon patted my back. “It’s good to have you here.”
“Thanks. It feels good to be here.”
“I can’t believe this.” Grayson hugged me again.
“Bro, you knew about this and lied to us?” Sebastian glanced at Shaun.
“We wanted to surprise you,” Shaun said. “Surprise.” He grinned.
“What about your company?” Gabriel asked.
“Carter Management Group is partnering with Sterling Capital.” I smiled. “Would it be okay
if I stayed with one of you until I can get some furniture in this place?” I asked my brothers.
“You can stay with me since you stayed with Gabriel last time.” Grayson smiled.
“Thanks, bro.” I hugged him.
Gabriel walked over and grabbed my suitcases.
“Is this all you brought?” he asked.
“Yeah. The rest of my things from North Carolina will be here in a couple of days.”
“Let’s get these over to Grayson’s house and tell the rest of the family you’re here to stay.”
Gabriel grinned.
 CHAPTER 2

Carter
“I can’t believe you moved here.” Ava hugged me. “I’m so happy.”
“Thanks, Ava. Me too. Listen, I want to hire you to help me put the house together.”
“I’d love to, but you’re not hiring me.”
“Ava, I—”
“Don’t argue with her.” Grayson walked over and hooked his arm around me. “Let her do
what she does best.”
“I’m going to go over to the house and look around,” Ava said as she grabbed her large
notepad. “Is there anything specific you’re thinking about?”
“Nope. I’m leaving all the decorating in your hands.” I smiled at her.
“Come on. Let’s go down to the beach and celebrate,” Grayson said as he walked over to the
refrigerator and grabbed a few beers.
All the girls and kids were there when we got to the bonfire. They took turns hugging me
and welcoming me to the beach.
“You have no idea how happy we are that you’re here.” Piper smiled as she gripped my
shoulders.
“Yeah, Uncle Carter.” Riley hugged me. “We’re happy you’re here with us.”
“Thanks, kiddo.” I kissed the top of her head.
I sat down in one of the loungers with my beer and stared at my family.
“So, Carter,” Simon said. “You didn’t bring your girlfriend with you?”
“Girlfriend?” I chuckled. “I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“That’s good because there are plenty of single women in Los Angeles for you to choose
from.” Simon smirked.
“I casually date women and don’t do relationships.”
“Why is that?” Jackson asked.
“Ah, shit. Here we go again.” Simon tipped the beer bottle to his lips.
“I don’t trust women. Plain and simple. I was in a relationship once for about a year. I was
sure she was the one I would spend the rest of my life with. I even bought her an
engagement ring and was going to ask her to marry me. She was out of town with her
girlfriends, and I thought I’d surprise her and pick her up at the airport. While I waited for
her in baggage claim, I saw her with another guy. He had his arm around her, and when she
saw me, she freaked out. Instead of going out of town with her girlfriends, she went with
this guy she’d been sleeping with for about a month.”
“I hope you fucking punched him,” Simon said.
“I did. Right there in the middle of baggage claim. It was a total shitshow. I told her I never
wanted to see her again. After that, I was done with relationships.”
“How long ago was this?” Grayson asked.
“I was twenty-six, so six years ago. Then, I casually started dating this woman back in North
Carolina right before I got sick. When I couldn’t go out or do things because of the
exhaustion, she told me that it was too much for her to handle, and I never saw her again.
So, yeah. I don’t trust women.”
“I don’t blame you,” Jackson said. “My ex-wife cheated on me with my friend on our first
wedding anniversary. After that, I was done with relationships forever.”
“But you’re married and have a baby on the way.” A smirk crossed my lips.
“Exactly.” Jackson pointed at me. “There are a lot of great women out there—ones that heal
the pain in your heart and soul.”
“Maybe, but I’m not interested.”
Simon inhaled a sharp breath. “We all said the same thing. I’ll be ready, cousin.” He grinned.
“Ready for what?”
“To give my speech when that special lady walks into your life.”
“I appreciate it, Simon.” I chuckled. “I’m good. I don’t need a woman to complete me. I have
everything I could ever want—money, success, health, two brothers, and all of you.”
“KIND!” We all heard Ava shout from down the beach. We all turned around.
“Shit!” Grayson said. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”
“What’s wrong with Ava?” I asked.
“That’s not Ava. It’s Kate.”
“Hey, Kate!” Simon waved.
She walked over and grabbed Grayson by the shirt.
“I know what you did. I could smell the stench of that prison on you!”
“Kate, stop!” Grayson said.
“Bro, what did you do?” Gabriel asked.
“He went and visited that woman.” Kate looked at him.
“I didn’t tell her who I was. I swear. I just wanted to meet her. Come on. Let’s talk about this
back at the house,” Grayson said. “By the way. You haven’t met my brother, Carter, yet.
Carter, this is Kate.”
“Nice to meet you, brother-in-law. Let’s go, Kind.” She pulled him up by his shirt.
“Grayson’s getting his ass whipped.” Simon laughed as they walked away.
“Wow. She’s tough.” I smiled.
“One of the toughest women I know besides Grace,” Simon said.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked.
“He’ll be fine. He knows how to handle her,” Gabriel said.
After a while, I went back to Grayson’s house. When I walked through the sliding door, Ava
or Kate smiled. I wasn’t sure who she was.
“I have perfect ideas for furniture and décor for your house.” She grabbed her notepad from
the island. “This is what I drew up for the furniture placement.”
“I love it, Ava. Thank you.”
“Are you free to go shopping tomorrow?” she asked.
“Yeah. I am.”
“Excellent. If you two handsome men will excuse me, I’m going to take a bath. The
guestroom is all made up for you, Carter.” She kissed my cheek.
“Thanks, Ava. I appreciate it.”
She went upstairs, and Grayson leaned against the island and stared at me.
“Everything okay?” My brow arched.
“Yeah. Kate and I talked.”
“Why did you go there, bro?” I asked.
“I needed to meet the woman who did those things to my wife. I couldn’t stand it anymore.”
“Who did you say you were?”
“I told her that I was a journalist doing an article on women in prison, and I picked her
name from a long list the prison gave me.”
“And she bought that?”
“Yeah. I was only there for fifteen minutes. I couldn’t stand looking at her.” He shook his
head. “I should have known that Kate would find out. But we’re good. Don’t be surprised if
Ophelia makes a huge breakfast tomorrow. She likes to impress.”
“I’d like to meet her. I’ve only met Freya and now Kate. How do you do it, bro?”
“I love her more than life. The others aren’t out very much anymore. It’s been quiet until
today.” He chuckled.
“Well, I think Ava is a wonderful woman.” I walked over and placed my hand on his
shoulder.
“Me too.” He smiled.
The following morning, I awoke to an incredible smell that filtered throughout the house.
Pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, I went downstairs.
“Good morning, Carter. I’m Ophelia, and it’s a pleasure to meet you finally.”
“Hi, Ophelia. It’s good to meet you, too. You didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” I said as I
stared at the island full of breakfast foods.
“It’s no trouble at all. Go sit down, and I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”
Grayson walked into the kitchen. “Morning, bro.” He smiled. “Morning, Ophelia.” He kissed
her cheek.
“Good morning, Grayson.”
“This is quite a spread,” he said.
“You know I love my family to have a good home-cooked breakfast. Gabriel, Piper, and Riley
will be joining us.”
The sliding door opened, and the three of them walked in.
“Ophelia, you made my favorite!” Riley exclaimed.
“Anything for you, sweetheart.” She kissed the top of her head. “Dig in, everyone.”
“I could get used to this.” I smiled as I ate the banana pancakes she made.
“Right?” Gabriel grinned. “I love it when she wants to impress.”
After everyone ate, Gabriel and Grayson left for the medical center, Riley went to school,
and Piper headed to the shop. I grabbed the plates from the table and took them to the sink.
“As soon as your things arrive, I’ll be over to help you organize everything.” Ophelia smiled.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. I know it can be overwhelming.” She closed her eyes. “Good morning.” She
smiled.
“Morning. Ava?”
“Yeah. Sorry about that. Ophelia wanted to impress you.”
“There’s no need to apologize. She can cook a mean breakfast.” I grinned. “I’ll go shower,
and then when you’re ready, we can head out to the furniture store.”
“Sounds good. I’ll go get ready now.”
 CHAPTER 3

Zoey
“I can’t believe you’re leaving Sacramento,” Quinton said as he watched me pack. “What
about us?”
“What about us, Quinton?” I turned and looked at him.
“Have you forgotten that we’re in a relationship?”
“Are we? Are we really in a relationship anymore? I barely see you.”
“That’s your choice. You’re always so busy, Zoey.” He threw his hands up in the air.
“My grandmother just passed away.” I stared at him.
“I know, and I’m sorry. I know she meant the world to you.” He tried to hug me, and I pulled
away.
“Anyway, I know about her,” I said. “I know you’ve been sleeping with her.”
“Who?”
“Jessica.”
“Babe, come on. What are you talking about?”
“You know what I’m talking about, Quinton. There is no us. Not anymore. So, I need you to
leave so I can finish packing.”
“It was one time, Zoey. One time.”
“It was more than that. Don’t you dare stand there and lie to me,” I spoke calmly.
“Well, I wouldn’t have had to if you would have paid attention to me!” he shouted. “You did
this to us, Zoey.” He pointed at me.
“Yeah. Okay, Quinton. Bye.” I opened the front door.
“Good riddance, Zoe.” He shook his head and walked out.
I sighed as I sat on the couch and picked up my glass of wine from the coffee table. Quinton
and I had been dating for about six months, and things were getting too comfortable. I
sighed in relief when I found out about his cheating because it was my way out without
looking like the bad guy. There was nothing left for me in Sacramento now that my
grandmother was gone.
I loaded the last of my things and headed to my jeep that I called Finnick. Climbing inside, I
gripped the steering wheel and took in a long, deep breath as I pulled out of the parking lot
of my apartment building to start the new chapter of my life.
I was on the expressway and close to the exit where I needed to get off when my car started
shaking.
“Shit. Not again. Come on, Finnick,” I whined.
Pulling over to the shoulder, it went completely dead.
“No. No. No.” I banged on the steering wheel. “You couldn’t have waited until I was off the
expressway, you piece of shit!” I pounded on the dashboard.
Pulling my phone from my purse, I noticed it was dead. Reaching inside the center console
for my charger, it wasn’t in there.
“UGH!” I’d forgotten I took it out one night when we took Quinton’s car to dinner.
Laying my forehead on the steering wheel, I had to think. Climbing out, I walked around to
the back of the jeep, grabbed the large lug wrench, and stood there with my arms folded,
praying that a nice couple would stop to help me and not some psycho killer. If it were a
psycho killer, I was prepared.
It had been fifteen minutes when a convertible Bentley pulled over. A psycho killer
wouldn’t be driving that expensive of a car, right? Gripping the lug wrench, the car door
opened, and a man who stood about six foot two climbed out.
“Do you need some help?” he asked as he walked over.
I stared at the ruggedly handsome man through my oversized sunglasses, and my heart
leaped into my throat.
“Maybe,” I spoke.
“How long have you been standing out here?” he asked.
“About fifteen minutes.”
“Do you have a flat?” He smiled as he pointed to the lug wrench I held with a death grip.
“Oh, this? No.” I laughed. “This was for protection in case a psycho killer stopped to help
me. You’re not a psycho killer, are you?”
He chuckled. “No. I promise you that I’m not a psycho killer. What happened?”
“My car started shaking and went dead as soon as I pulled over.”
“Did you call anyone?”
“My phone is dead.”
“I can call a tow truck for you.”
“You are a lifesaver. Thank you—”
“Carter.” The corners of his mouth curved upward. “And you are?”
“The stranded girl on the side of the road.” I smiled. “That’s all you need to know.”
“Okay, stranded girl.” He chuckled as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called a tow
truck.
He was sexy—all six foot two, short dark hair, piercing blue eyes, a five o’clock shadow that
I loved on men, and a body that screamed muscular, at least from the way his biceps bulged
in the light blue dress shirt he wore.
“You’re all set. The tow truck will be here in about an hour. If you don’t mind me asking, do
you live out of your car?” he asked as I threw the lug wrench in the back of the jeep.
“No, I don’t live out of my car. Why would you think that?” I turned and stared at him
through my sunglasses.
“All the boxes and clothes piled in there.” He pointed.
“Oh. I was on my way to my new apartment when good old Finnick decided to give out
again.”
“Finnick?” His brows furrowed.
“My jeep. That’s what I named it.”
“As in The Hunger Games?” His brow arched.
“Yes.” I cocked my head. “I happen to love The Hunger Games. Don’t you?”
“They’re good, but I’m not sure I’d name my car after one of the characters.” A handsome
smirk crossed his lips.
“What’s your car’s name?” I gestured with my head.
“Uh, Bentley.”
“Wow. You’re cool.” I smiled. “Anyway, thanks for calling a tow truck.” I took off my
sunglasses and wiped the bridge of my nose, for I was sweating.
When our eyes locked, a grin crossed his face.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. You have beautiful eyes.”
“Thank you.” I bashfully smiled. “It’s hot as Haiti’s out here.”
“Let’s wait in my car with the air conditioning on.”
“That’s okay. I’m fine. You go. You’ve done your good Samaritan deed for the day. The tow
truck will be here soon.” I wiped my forehead.
“Let’s go. It’s too hot to stand out here, and I’m not leaving until the tow truck comes.”
It was sweltering, and an air-conditioned car sounded good right now.
“Fine. Hold on a second,” I said as I reached into the back and grabbed the lug wrench.
“What’s that for?” Carter asked.
“Just in case you are a psycho killer in a nice guy disguise. You know, like Ted Bundy?”
“Okay.” He chuckled as he turned and headed towards his car.
“I will use this if I have to. I’m just putting that out there.” I followed behind.
“I have no doubt you will, stranded girl. By the way. If you have an iPhone, grab it, and you
can use the charger in my car.”
I ran back and grabbed my phone. We climbed into his Bentley, and as soon as he started it,
he put the air conditioning on full blast.
“God, that feels good.” I plugged my phone into the charger.
 CHAPTER 4

Carter
I couldn’t help but smile as she leaned forward and placed her face mere inches from the
air vent. When I was driving down the highway and saw a young woman who stood about
five foot seven, with her hair in a high ponytail, wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a black tank
top, long, lean legs, and oversized sunglasses, I had no choice but to stop. I would have
stopped for anyone who needed help, but she made it extra easy. When she took off her
sunglasses, and I saw her gorgeous blue eyes, I wouldn’t lie and say my heart didn’t beat a
little faster.
“I like your car,” she said.
“Thanks.” I smiled. “You said you were on your way to your new apartment. Where is that?”
“Why?” Her right eye narrowed.
“Just trying to make small talk while we wait for the tow truck to arrive.”
“I’m moving to Los Angeles from Sacramento. I have big plans here.”
“Oh yeah? What kind of plans?”
“Just plans.” A smile crossed her lips. “What is it that you do, Carter?”
I sat and stared at her for a moment. She wasn’t willing to tell me anything about herself, so
I would extend the same courtesy and not tell her a thing about me.
“I work.”
“No, duh. What do you do for work?”
“Just work.” I smiled.
Suddenly, the tow truck pulled up. She flew out of the car and over to the burly man who
climbed out.
“You called for a tow?” he asked her as I walked up.
“Yes. Can I ride with you wherever you’re taking my car?”
“Sorry, ma’am. There isn’t any room. I have my partner with me.” He pointed to the
passenger side of the truck.”
“Well, what am I supposed to do? You can’t leave me stranded here.”
“Isn’t this guy with you?” He pointed at me.
“No. He just stopped to see if I needed help. I don’t even know him.”
“I’ll take you wherever you need to go,” I said. “I wouldn’t leave you stranded here.”
“There’s a rental car place down the road from the auto shop,” the tow truck driver spoke.
“I would suggest you rent a car until this car is fixed.” He looked at his watch. “They close in
thirty minutes. I’m not sure you’ll make it in all this traffic.”
“Great.” She sighed as she placed her hand on her forehead.
“We’ll make it.” I smiled. “Come on. I have to make a phone call first.” I pulled my phone
from my pocket and called Shaun.
“What’s up, Carter?”
“Hey, Shaun. I won’t be at that meeting.”
“Why?”
“I stopped to help this girl on the side of the road. Her car broke down. The tow truck is
here now, but he can’t drive her to the auto shop, so I’m taking her to the rental car shop.”
“That’s nice of you. How old is this girl?”
“I’d say late twenties, early thirties.” I stared at her as she watched the man hook her car up
to the truck.
“Is she hot?”
“Yeah, cousin. She is.” I smiled.
“We’ll talk later. Go do what you have to do. I’ll reschedule the meeting.”
“Thanks, Shaun.”
“Let’s go, stranded girl,” I shouted.
We climbed into my car, and I punched the address to the rental car shop into my GPS.
“We’ll never make it,” she said.
“Sure, we will.” I grinned as I took off.
She looked over at me as I was weaving in and out of traffic and driving faster than I should
have been.
“You drive like a maniac.”
“Do you want to get to the rental car place before it closes?” I smirked.
“Well, yes, but I don’t want to die before we get there.”
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Stranded girl. I already told you.”
“Don’t you think I have the right to know your name since I’m helping you out? After all, I
did have to cancel an important meeting.”
“Fine. My name is Zoey. That’s all you’re getting in case you try to stalk me.”
“You’re paranoid.” I glanced at her with a smile.
“A woman can never be too careful these days,” she said.
“Fair enough. Look at that,” I said as I pulled into the car rental shop. “Ten minutes to
spare.”
She climbed out and ran into the shop when I parked the car. I followed behind.
“Can I help you?” The woman behind the counter glanced at her watch.
“I need a rental car asap,” Zoey said. “But I need something like an SUV.”
“The only SUV we have right now is a Nissan Rogue.”
“I’ll take it.”
“How many days will you be needing it?” The woman glanced at her watch.
“At least five. Listen, lady. I know you’re closing, and I’m sorry I disrupted your plans to get
out on time, but I’m in a bind here.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I’ll need your driver’s license,” she said.
After Zoey handed the woman her license, she turned to me.
“Thank you for your help, but you can go now.”
“You’re welcome. Maybe you can thank me by having dinner with me.” I smiled.
“Oh, you sly dog, you.” She pointed at me. “I appreciate the offer, but I think my words were
good enough.”
“So, I take it that’s a no?” I spoke.
“If you understand English, then yes.” A smile crossed her beautiful lips.
“Okay. Good luck to you and your big plans in Los Angeles. It was nice to meet you,
stranded girl.” I placed my hand in my pocket and walked out the door.
Climbing into my car, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the office.
 CHAPTER 5

Zoey
“Here’s the key,” the woman behind the counter handed it to me. “It’s the black car parked
right over there,” she pointed.
“Thank you.”
“I wouldn’t have turned that man’s dinner invitation down,” she said.
I smiled at her as I walked out the door. Climbing into the car, I headed down the road to
the auto shop. Carter was a sexy, nice guy, and I would have accepted his dinner invitation
if the circumstances had been different. But the last thing I needed was to get involved with
a guy.
I pulled into the auto shop and saw Finnick sitting there. Walking over to him, I started
transferring my belongings to the SUV.
“Is that your car?” An older gentleman walked over with a clipboard in his hands.
“Yes. Any idea when it’ll be fixed?”
“We’re a little backed up, but I’ll look at it tomorrow and call you. I need you to fill this
paperwork out.”
I filled out the paperwork with my name and number and handed him the clipboard. After
my things were in the rental car, I placed my hand on Finnick.
“Be a good boy while they get you fixed up.”
I climbed into the rental car and drove to my new apartment. When I stepped inside, I
looked around the small space. It would do for now until I got my business up and running.
That was my priority and main focus. After bringing up my belongings from the car, I
unpacked a few things, poured myself a glass of wine, and started the bath water. As I was
unwinding in the hot, bubbly water, my thoughts went to the man who stopped to help me
today. There was something about his smile that gripped me. Grabbing my phone, I called
my friend, Cara.
“Hey, you. I’ve been waiting for your call. How’s L.A.?”
“Finnick decided to die on my way here.”
“Oh no, Zoe. I’ve been telling you for months that you need to trade Finnick in for
something new.”
“I know.” I sighed. “The mechanic said he’ll take a look at him tomorrow.”
“What are you going to do? Did you at least get a rental car?”
“Yeah, I got one. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to meet the realtor to look at that space for
the bakery.”
“I hope it’s everything you want, Zoe. I still wish you would have just stayed in Sacramento
and opened a bakery here. This is where all your friends are. You don’t know anyone in Los
Angeles.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s the new adventures of Zoey.” I smiled.
“Okay. Call me tomorrow and let me know how it goes.”
“I will. Talk to you soon.”
I sighed as I set my phone down and lay there with thoughts circling inside my head—new
city, new apartment, no friends, and a bakery I needed to open. As I was sitting at the table
running some numbers, my phone rang. When I glanced at it, I saw my mother was calling.
Taking a deep breath, I answered it against my better judgment.
“Mom.”
“Hello, Zoey. It’s been a while. How are you?”
“It’s been two months, Mom. I’m fine. And you?”
“I’m good. Ethan and I are heading to Sacramento for a few days. I thought we could meet
up for lunch or dinner. You could bring that boyfriend of yours. What’s his name again?”
“His name is Quinton, and we broke up.”
“Oh. Well, then, it can just be the three of us.”
“I can’t, Mom. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t live in Sacramento anymore. I live in Los Angeles now.”
“I see. When did that happen?”
“I just got here today,” I said.
“Were you ever going to tell me, Zoey?”
“Yeah, Mom. I was going to tell you. Things have been crazy busy, and I haven’t had a
chance.”
“Did you get a job there?” she asked.
“Yeah, Mom,” I lied.
“Okay. I guess we won’t be seeing you when we come to Sacramento. I have to go. We’ll talk
soon.”
“Sure, Mom.”
I sighed as I set my phone down. The relationship between my mother and I was
complicated. Picking up my glass of wine, I reviewed some more numbers.

Carter
When I arrived home, I changed out of my suit and into more comfortable clothing. My
phone pinged with a text from Grayson.
“If you’re home, get your ass down to the beach.”
“I’ll be down in a few.”
Opening the refrigerator, I grabbed a couple of beers and walked out the sliding door.
“What’s up, my brother?” Gabriel smiled as he held his fist up.
“Not much.” I fist-bumped him before sitting down.
“I’ve rescheduled our meeting for tomorrow,” Shaun said. “Are you sure you’ll be able to
make it?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’ll stop to help another stranded girl on the side of the road.” A
smirk crossed his lips.
“What’s he talking about?” Grayson asked.
I sighed as I tipped the bottle to my lips and sipped my beer.
“I was driving down the highway and saw this woman standing on the side of the road. Her
car broke down, so I stopped to help her.”
“Was she hot?” Simon asked.
“Unfortunately, she was. She was beautiful, stranded, and had a huge attitude. She refused
to tell me her name at first but then caved when she had no choice but to let me drive her to
the car rental shop.”
“What’s her name? Gabriel asked.
“Zoey. I asked her to have dinner with me, and she flat-out refused.”
“Damn.” Simon laughed. “You’d think she’d be grateful for you helping her out.”
“Maybe she’s married or has a boyfriend,” Conner said.
“No. She just moved here from Sacramento. She was on her way to her new apartment
when her car broke down. When I asked her why she moved from Sacramento, she said she
has big plans in Los Angeles.”
“Did you get a last name?” Simon asked. “I can see what I can find out about her.”
“Nah. It was like pulling teeth to get her first name.” I took a drink of my beer. “Whatever.
I’ll probably never see her again. You guys should have seen her.” I shook my head with a
smile. “She was gorgeous.”
“Looks like my brother is smitten.” Grayson grinned.
“Nah. I wouldn’t say that. But dinner and one night with her would have satisfied my
curiosity.”
“What about that chick you brought home the other night?” Gabriel asked.
“What about her?” I glanced at him.
“Are you going to see her again?”
“No.” I chuckled. “She was a psycho. Before kicking her out, I poured her some coffee in a
to-go cup, and she almost threw it in my face. She was pissed that I asked her to leave.”
“Been there, done that.” Sam laughed.
“All of us have.” Sebastian chuckled. “But aren’t you happy I suggested the to-go cups? At
least you can be somewhat of a gentleman before kicking their asses out the door.”
“Don’t forget this Friday night is our gender reveal party.” Simon grinned. “I told Grace we
don’t even need one because we already know it’s a boy.”
“Don’t be so sure about that, bro.” Stefan laughed.
“And don’t be a douchebag, bro.” Simon reached over and slapped the back of his head.
 CHAPTER 6

Zoey
I was up early and finished unpacking before I had to meet with the realtor. My phone rang,
and when I glanced at it, I saw it was the auto shop.
“Hello.”
“Good morning. Is this Miss Morgan?”
“Yes, it is.”
“This is Ron from the auto shop. I looked at your car, and I’m afraid it’s not good news. I can
go over everything with you over the phone, or you can stop in. It’s your choice.”
I sighed. “I have an appointment this morning. I can stop by after.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be here all day.”
“Thanks, Ron. I’ll see you later.”
I knew it wasn’t going to be good news. Finnick had given me a lot of trouble over the past
year, and the last mechanic who fixed him said it would be in my best interest to get a new
car. Glancing at my watch, I grabbed my purse and headed out the door to meet the realtor.
“You must be Zoey Morgan.” The tall man in the dark gray suit smiled as I approached the
building.
“And you must be Ed.” I shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You as well.” He stuck the key into the lock and opened the door to the shop.
Stepping inside, I looked around the space that was once a bakery. It was nice, and I could
see myself being happy here.
“Here’s the listing with the monthly rent.” Ed handed me the white sheet.
I took one look and instantly knew the numbers were off.
“This isn’t right,” I said.
“Excuse me? It is correct.”
“No, it’s not.” My brow arched. “The price per square foot isn’t what was listed on your
website two weeks ago, and the rent isn’t adding up.”
“I’m sorry, but that is what Sterling Capital has it listed as. Perhaps you misread.”
“Trust me. I didn’t misread anything. Please do me a favor and call Sterling Capital. Tell
them it’s wrong, and they’ve made an error.”
Ed chuckled. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. If you’re not interested in the building, I
understand.”
“Fine. I’ll call them myself. Thank you for showing me the space.” I walked out the door and
heard Ed yell.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, lady!”
Rolling my eyes, I climbed into my rental, pulled my phone from my purse, and Googled
Sterling Capital. Punching the address into the GPS, it was about thirty minutes away.
When the elevator doors opened to Sterling Capital, I was greeted by two large security
guards.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” one of them asked.
“I need to speak with whoever is in charge of the property leasing.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No. Do I need one?” I cocked my head.
“Well, you just can’t barge in here demanding to speak with someone.”
The elevator doors opened, and a handsome man stepped out.
“Good morning, Mr. Kind,” one security guard said.
“Morning, Bruno.” He smiled. “Morning, Leo.” He began to walk away.
“Excuse me?” I spoke. “I need to speak with someone in charge of the property leases.
These two won’t help me.”
He stopped, turned around, and stared at me.
“May I ask what this is about?”
“I was just with one of your realtors looking at a space for lease, and there’s a problem with
the numbers.”
He glanced at his watch. “Today is your lucky day, Miss—”
“Morgan,” I spoke.
“Miss Morgan. I happen to have some time before a meeting. I’m Shaun Kind, the owner,
and CEO of Sterling Capital. Come up to my office, and you can tell me why you think the
numbers are a problem.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
I followed him up the stairs and into his oversized office made up of glass windows and
doors.
“Have a seat. Would you care for some coffee?”
“Actually, I would. Thank you, Mr. Kind.”
“Selena,” he shouted.
“Yes, Shaun?”
“Two coffees, please. This is Miss Morgan. Miss Morgan, my personal assistant, Selena.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Selena extended her hand. “I don’t recall seeing your name
scheduled for a meeting today.”
“She wasn’t,” Shaun said. “She was looking at one of my buildings for lease and had an issue
with the numbers.” He smirked. “I have some time before my meeting, so I thought I’d hear
her out.”
“Oh.” Selena smiled. “I’ll be right back with your coffees.”
“So, Miss Morgan.” He folded his hands on his desk. “Which building were you looking at?”
“The one over on Baker Street. It used to be a bakery. First of all, you’re charging way too
much per square footage for the area. Second, the monthly rent amount doesn’t equal the
square footage price. And when I called the realtor two weeks ago and set up the showing,
the rent and price per square foot was much lower.”
Selena walked in and handed me my coffee.
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.” She smiled.
“Selena, can you get me the lease listing for the building on Baker Street?”
She gave him a nod and left his office. When she returned, she handed him a file folder. He
opened it up and studied the paperwork inside. Reaching over to his adding machine, he
began to punch in the numbers.
“I already ran the numbers in my head earlier at the shop. I’m telling you that it doesn’t add
up.”
“You’re right.” He looked at me. “It was a numerical error on our end. Or should I say the
realtor’s end when they typed up the listing.” He grabbed a pen, wrote the new monthly
rent down, and slid the paper across the desk. “All fixed.” He smiled.
“You’re still charging way too much per square footage.” My brow arched.
Leaning back in his chair, he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at me.
“Shaun, Selena isn’t—oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were in a meeting.”
That voice. I slowly turned my head, and our eyes met.
“Stranded girl?” Carter cocked his head.
“Carter?” My brows furrowed.
“Wait a second,” Shaun said. “This is stranded girl? Your name is Zoey?” He looked at me.
“You’ve been talking about me?” I glanced at Carter as he walked over and stood next to
Shaun’s desk.
“Yes.” He smiled. “After all, you were the reason I missed my meeting with Shaun yesterday.
What are you doing here?”
“First of all, I didn’t ask for your help. So, if you missed your meeting, that is not on me.
Second, what are you doing here?” I cocked my head.
A sexy smirk crossed his lips. “Shaun and I work together.”
“So, you work for Sterling Capital?” I asked.
“No. I have my own company called Carter Management Group down the hall.”
“Miss Morgan is interested in leasing one of my buildings over on Baker Street and found
an error in the monthly rent. She also seems to think I’m charging too much per square
footage,” Shaun said.
Carter chuckled as he sat in the chair next to me.
“So, this is the big plan you told me about yesterday? What kind of shop are you looking to
set up?”
“I’m not so sure that’s any of your business.” I smirked as I stared into his gorgeous blue
eyes.
 CHAPTER 7

Zoey
Well, it is my business because it’s my building,” Shaun chimed in.
“A building you’re charging way too much rent for.” My brow arched. “I still don’t
understand how you didn’t realize that the difference in the total monthly rent didn’t equal
the square footage.”
“Like I said, Zoey. It’s okay if I call you Zoey, correct?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
“My real estate department handles that. It was a clerical error.”
“I don’t think it was, Mr. Kind. Two weeks ago, the square footage was not that high. In fact,
I’ll pull up the listing now.” I pulled my phone from my purse. “Interesting.”
“What?” Shaun asked.
“The listing is gone.”
“That’s impossible.” He turned to his computer.
“Morgan, eh?” Carter said.
“What?” I glanced at him.
“Your last name is Morgan.” He smiled. “Zoey Morgan.”
“If you’re thinking about stalking me, you can forget it.” I narrowed my eyes at him, and
Shaun chuckled.
“I don’t stalk women,” Carter spoke.
“Something isn’t right here.” Shaun picked up the phone sitting on his desk. “Ken, I need
you to come up to my office immediately.”
“Let me check something else,” I said as I typed away on my phone. “There was another
building I was semi-interested in over on Lucinda. But after seeing the photos online, I
didn’t like the layout. Yep. Just as I suspected. The price per square foot has been changed.”
“And how do you remember that?” Carter asked.
“I have a photographic memory.” I glanced at him. “Can I tell you, Mr. Kind, what I suspect is
happening here?”
“Call me Shaun. What do you think is going on?”
“Your realty department is stealing from you. Do you approve all the final numbers for your
buildings before they’re listed?”
“Of course I do. And once they’re listed, I approve the listing. I go over everything to make
sure it’s correct.”
“Someone is stealing from you. After you give approval, someone is going in and changing
the numbers after a period of time. They’re charging more, collecting the rent, logging it in
as the original rent, and taking the extra. Most likely, putting it in an off-shore account of
some kind or shell company.”
“You wanted to see me, Shaun?” An older man stepped into the office.
Shaun sat there with his arms folded, staring at me. Then he looked at the man who walked
over to his desk.
“It was my mistake, Ken. I had a question, but I found the answer. Sorry to have interrupted
your work.”
“No problem, boss.” He walked out.
“My guess is he’s in cahoots with someone in your accounting department,” I said.
“My employees don’t steal from me, Miss Morgan. They know better than that.”
I shrugged. “There’s a first time for everything.”
“Tell me why you think what you do?” Carter asked.
“Because I’m a forensic accountant.” I smiled. “Numbers are my thing. They always have
been.”
“Interesting.” Carter cocked his head. “An accountant turned bakery owner.”
“Forget about the bakery,” Shaun said. “Come work for me.”
“Excuse me?” I laughed. “I’m sorry, Shaun, but I’m opening a bakery. It’s been a dream of
mine for a long time.”
“Then work for me temporarily. Listen, Zoey, I’ll make you a deal. If you come work for me
and find out who’s stealing from me and how, I’ll compensate you very well and help you
with your bakery.”
“Help me how?” I narrowed my eyes.
“First off, you don’t want the building on Baker Street. It’s not a good location, and two
bakeries have already been in there and failed. I have the perfect location for you. It’s a
building I just built in Venice next to a coffee shop called Mojo Madness. It’s brand spanking
new, and you can do whatever you want to do with it. In fact, my two brothers can help
with that. They own Kind Design & Architecture, which is one floor up.”
“It is a really nice building,” Carter chimed in.
“But I don’t want to own a bakery in Venice,” I said.
“Why?” Shaun’s brows furrowed. “It’s a beautiful location, and your business will do much
better there. This is what I do, Zoey. I know what I’m talking about. I have no clue who you
are, yet I trust you to help me discover what’s happening here. Believe me when I say that
you can trust me.”
“But I left my accounting job in Sacramento, Shaun.”
“It’s only temporary,” he said.
“How do you expect me to work for you and open a bakery at the same time?”
“You’ll have plenty of help. Right, Carter?”
“Yes. Definitely.” He smiled.
“Did I mention that if you do this for me, the building is rent-free for a year?” A smirk
crossed Shaun’s lips.”
“Rent free for a year?” I asked with surprise.
“Yep.” He stood from his chair. “Come on. Let’s go take a look at the building right now.”
“Now? I have to go to the auto shop and see the mechanic. I told him I’d be in today.”
“You’ll have plenty of time,” Shaun said. “You can ride with me in my car, and then you can
leave when we come back.”
“Okay. I guess I am interested in seeing this building.” I stood from my chair. “It was nice
seeing you again, Carter.”
“Trust me, sweetheart. The pleasure was all mine.” He winked. “I’ll see you later, Shaun.” He
left the office.
“I am not your sweetheart!” I shouted, and Shaun chuckled.
“Selena, reschedule my meeting with Will. I’m heading out for a while.”
“Shaun, he’s already here waiting for you.”
“Give him my apologies and tell him something came up.”
“Why do you always do this?” she spoke with frustration as we walked down the stairs.
“My cousin told me about your car fiasco yesterday,” Shaun said as we drove to the new
building.
“Your cousin? Carter is your cousin?”
“Yes.” He smiled. “Carter Kind is my cousin.”
“Ah, so his last name is Kind.”
“He’s a great guy, Zoey.”
“And you’re telling me this why, Shaun?”
“Because he seems to want to get to know you better. I get the impression you’re hesitant,
and I want to let you know he’s a great guy.”
“I don’t care if he’s a great guy. Besides, you’re his cousin, and you’re biased. I’m not
interested in guys at the moment. I have other things I need to focus on.”
“Like the bakery?” He looked over at me.
“Yeah. Like the bakery,” I sighed.
“Here we are,” Shaun said as he parked the car, and we climbed out.
I looked around the empty new space when we stepped inside the building.
“My sister-in-law, Julia, owns Mojo Madness next door. A lot of traffic goes through there,
which would help increase your business. She does phenomenal.”
“This space is great. I can already envision my bakery here.”
“Excellent. It’s yours. Do we have a deal?” He extended his hand.
“You said that your brothers own an architecture firm?” I asked.
“They do. They’re the best in California. I can call Sam right now and schedule a meeting.”
“That would be great. Thank you.” I smiled.
Shaun walked away to make his call, and I continued walking around the shop, envisioning
where my baked goods would be showcased.
“All set. Sam said it would be better if you could meet at his house tonight. Would that be
okay? He and Stefan have back-to-back meetings tomorrow. I told him we need to get
moving on this quickly.”
“I guess that would be fine. Where does he live?”
“Five minutes from here.” He smiled. “If you give me your phone number, I’ll text you the
address.”
I rattled off my number as he entered it into his phone.
“Can you report to Sterling Capital tomorrow morning at nine a.m.?” Shaun asked as he
locked up the shop.
“You want me to start working for you tomorrow?”
“The sooner the better. I need to know ASAP who’s stealing from me, how much, and how
long it’s been happening. The quicker you finish, the more time you’ll have to focus on your
bakery.”
“Okay. I’ll be there tomorrow morning at nine a.m. sharp.” I smiled.
 CHAPTER 8

Carter
I sat behind my desk as thoughts of Zoey Morgan invaded my mind. She looked just as
gorgeous today as she had stood on the side of the road yesterday, clutching a lug wrench. I
couldn’t believe I saw her again, and of all places, here. She had piqued my curiosity
yesterday, and more so today, now that I found out she was a forensic accountant turned
bakery owner.
“Hey. You have a minute.” Shaun walked into my office and shut the door.
“Yeah. Have a seat.”
“You can go ahead and thank me.” He grinned.
“For?” I cocked my head.
“Zoey is meeting with Sam and Stefan at Sam’s house tonight.”
“Why?” My brows furrowed. “Why isn’t she meeting them in the office?”
“Because I set it up that way. Tonight is your perfect chance to get to know her better.
Maybe take her down to the beach and walk along the shore.” He smirked. “Or better yet,
take her back to your house and show her your bed.”
“And how will I explain why I’m at Sam’s house?” My brow arched.
“I’ve got you covered. Don’t worry. Anyway, she starts at Sterling Capital tomorrow. I’m so
fucking pissed. I can’t believe one of my people would do that.”
“I know, Shaun. It’s a good thing Zoey is smart and caught that when she toured the Baker
Street building. By the way, what did she think of the new building?”
“She loved it. So, soon enough, there will be a new bakery by us.” He grinned.
“Let’s just hope her baked goods are as delicious as she looks.” I grinned.
“Get your head out of the gutter, cousin.”
“Please. That’s one of the perks of not being in a relationship. I can think about how
delicious all the women who catch my attention look.” I grinned.
“You’re a douchebag.” He chuckled as he stood from his chair.
“So were you once.” I pointed at him.
The corners of his mouth curved upward as he left my office.

When I arrived home, I threw my keys on the island, grabbed a bottle of water from the
refrigerator, and went upstairs to change. As I pulled my shirt over my head, I heard the
doorbell ring. Running down the stairs, I was shocked when I opened the door and saw
Zoey standing there.
“Carter?” Her brows furrowed. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here. What are you doing here?”
“I’m supposed to be meeting Sam and Stefan. This is the address Shaun gave me. This isn’t
Sam’s house?”
God, I loved my cousin.
“No. This is my house. Come on in for a second. Shaun must have accidentally given you my
address instead of Sam’s.”
“Why would he do that?” She stepped inside.
“It was probably by accident. You know he’s not thinking clearly after what happened
today.”
“Wow. Your house is really nice.” She looked around. “Wait a second.” She turned and
looked at me. “You live on the beach too?”
“Yes. The whole Kind family does. On our way down to Sam’s, I’ll show you who lives
where.” I smiled. “We call this Kind Beach.”
“And how many Kinds are there?” she asked.
“Well, there’s my brothers Gabriel and Grayson. Then my cousins, Shaun, Simon, Sebastian,
Stefan, Sam, Conner, Jackson, Nathan, and Christian.”
“Seriously?” Her head cocked.
“Yeah.” I chuckled. “Come on. I’ll take you down to Sam’s house.” I opened the sliding door.
I pointed out each house as we walked down to Sam’s. Opening the sliding door, we
stepped inside.
“You just walk in like this?” Zoey asked.
“Yeah. That’s how it works around here.” I grinned. “Hey, Julia.”
“Carter.” She smiled as she walked over, holding Elijah. “You must be Zoey.” She handed
Elijah to me and gave Zoey a hug. Shaun said that you’re leasing the building next to my
coffee shop. It’s so good to meet you.”
“It’s good to meet you too, Julia. Your baby is adorable.”
“Thank you. I’ll let Sam know you’re here. He’s upstairs with the twins.”
As soon as Julia walked away, Zoey glanced at me.
“Twins?”
“Yeah. Twin girls. Lorelei and Lena.”
The sliding door opened, and Stefan walked in.
“Hey, my man,” he said as we fist-bumped.
“Stefan, this is Zoey. Zoey, my cousin Stefan.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Zoey. So, I hear you want to open a bakery.” He grinned.
“I do.” Her lips gave way to a beautiful smile as she shook his hand.
Sam and Julia walked into the kitchen. Sam introduced himself to Zoey, and Julia took Elijah
from me.
“I’ll take the kids over to Jenni’s so you can talk in peace.” Julia smiled as she kissed Sam.
As she walked out the sliding door with the kids, Shaun stepped in.
“Oh, good. You found Sam’s house.” He smiled at Zoey.
“You gave her my address, Shaun,” I said.
“What?” His brows furrowed as he pulled out his phone. “Shit. I did, didn’t I? Sorry about
that, Zoey. Today has been a rough day.”
“It’s okay, Shaun. I get it.”
Shaun glanced at me with a smile and winked. He spread out the floor plan to the shop on
the table, and Sam and Stefan looked at it. Zoey told them her plans, and when they were
finished, Sam took the floor plan and rolled it up.
“I’ll get working on the design tomorrow and call you when it’s finished.”
“Thanks, Sam.” Zoey smiled.
“Once we’re finished, you’ll have the best bakery in Venice.” Stefan grinned.
“Thank you. I really appreciate all your help,” Zoey said as she grabbed her purse.
“That’s what we do.” Sam smiled.
Zoey and I stepped out the sliding door and headed down the beach back to my house.
“What did the mechanic say about Finnick?” I asked.
She let out a long sigh. “It’s time to bury him. It’s going to cost way more than he’s worth.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” I opened the sliding door, and we stepped inside the house.
“Thanks. We had some good times.” A soft smile crossed her lips. “Did you decorate this
place yourself?”
“No. My sister-in-law is an interior decorator.”
“She’s good.” Zoey smiled as our eyes stared into each other. “I should go.”
“You still owe me a thank you for rescuing you yesterday.” I smirked.
“I already thanked you, Carter.”
“Words don’t count, and they’re not good enough. Have dinner with me tomorrow night.” I
walked to the front door and stood in front of it. “I’m not letting you leave until you say
yes.”
She stood and stared at me, narrowing her eyes.
“Listen, Carter. I appreciate the offer, but I’m not looking for anything.”
“I’m not either. What’s the harm with two friends having dinner together?”
“Friends?” She cocked her head.
“Yes, friends. We met yesterday when I stopped and helped you on the side of the highway.
I drove you to the car rental shop so you could rent a car, and I took you down to Sam’s
house. I’d say we’re friends now.”
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll have dinner with you tomorrow night, but that’s all. Are we clear?”
“Very clear.” I opened the door. “Have a good night, Zoey. I’m sure I’ll see you tomorrow at
the office.”
“Bye, Carter.” She stepped off the porch and climbed into her car.
I shut the door and let out a breath. Grabbing a beer from the refrigerator, I went down to
Shaun’s house.
“So, how did it go?” He smiled when I stepped through the sliding door.
“We’re having dinner tomorrow night.”
“That’s my boy.” He walked over and patted my shoulder. “I knew you could convince her.”
“I want to meet her,” Jenni said. “I just can’t believe someone at Sterling Capital is ripping
us off.”
“I know, babe. But Zoey will figure it out.” Shaun hooked his arm around her and kissed the
side of her head.
 CHAPTER 9

Zoey
On my way home, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things. I needed ice cream
because ever since I was a kid, it was what I ate when I was stressed. My dad always said
that the best remedy for relieving stress was eating cream right out of the container. When
I arrived home, I put the few things I bought away, changed into my pajamas, grabbed the
pint of ice cream from the freezer, and took it over to the couch. As I dipped the spoon into
the Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia, I thought about Carter. Everything that could have gone
wrong with this move to Los Angeles had. Finnick dying, resuming my responsibilities as a
forensic accountant, and meeting a dangerously sexy man named Carter Kind. As I
pondered my thoughts, my phone rang with a Facetime call from Cara.
“Hey, Cara,” I answered.
“Hello, my bakery owner bestie—oh, shit. You have the Ben and Jerry’s out. What
happened?”
“Where do I start?” I sighed. “First, Finnick is no more. So, I have to buy a new car.”
“We knew that was going to happen sooner or later. What else?”
“I went to look at that building, and the numbers weren’t adding up. So, I went to Sterling
Capital, talked to Shaun, the CEO, and confronted him. Come to find out, it’s a scam
someone in his company is running.”
“Someone’s embezzling money?” Cara asked.
“Looks that way. Anyway, he hired me temporarily to work for him, review his accounting
records, and find out. Then he took me to this awesome new building in Venice, and he said
if I agreed to work for him, the first year would be rent-free.”
“Damn, Zoe. That sounds like a great deal to me. There’s nothing to be stressed about. You’ll
have his books figured out quickly, and then you can move on to the bakery in a brand-new
building, rent-free for a year. Think of the profit you’ll make.”
“I’m having dinner tomorrow night with Carter Kind.” I shoved a spoonful of ice cream in
my mouth.
“Who?” Cara’s brows furrowed.
“The sexy guy who stopped and helped me yesterday on the side of the highway.”
“You did not tell me about that yesterday. Details now!”
“Long story short. He stopped to see if I needed help and drove me to the car rental shop. I
saw him today at Sterling Capital. He’s Shaun’s cousin but owns his own company, Carter
Management Group. Sam and Stefan are Shaun’s other cousins who own an architecture
firm. Anyway, I saw Carter again tonight when I went to Sam’s house for a meeting about
the bakery. He asked me to dinner and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“How sexy is he?”
“Like the sexiest man I’ve ever seen. He has the bluest eyes, Cara. Do you understand now
why I’m stressed?”
“Sorry, Zoe. It doesn’t sound stressful to me. You’re stressing yourself out over nothing. It's
a new place, a new car, a sexy guy, and a new business. What’s wrong with you?” Her brows
furrowed. “If anything, I feel sorry for Carter.” She laughed.
“Thanks a lot.” I tapped the screen with my spoon.
“It’s the truth, and you know it. You have major commitment issues, and your track record
with guys proves it.”
“I already told him I’m not looking for anything, and he said he wasn’t either.”
“Okay.” She shrugged. “It’s dinner—big deal. Stop reading too much into it. I have to go.
Keep me posted. Love you.”
“Love you too.” I ended the call and set my phone down. “Shit.” I looked down at my ice
cream and realized I’d eaten almost the entire pint.
The following morning, after getting dressed, I climbed into my rental car and drove to
Sterling Capital. Bruno and Leo greeted me when the elevator doors opened to the offices.
“Good morning, Miss Morgan. Welcome to Sterling Capital,” Bruno spoke.
“Good morning.” Leo nodded.
“Good morning, boys. I’ll take this greeting over the one yesterday.” I smirked.
“Zoey.” Selena smiled when she walked over. “Welcome to Sterling Capital. Come with me,
and I’ll take you to Shaun’s office. Can I get you a coffee?”
“That would be great. Thanks, Selena,” I said as I stepped into Shaun’s office.
“Good morning.” Shaun smiled.
“Good morning.” I took a seat in front of his desk. “Have you decided how you’re going to
have me get into the accounting software without your staff becoming suspicious?”
“I have, and I hope you don’t mind what I’m about to say. After giving it some thought, I
decided it would be best if you didn’t come to the office. I can’t risk Ed seeing you here after
yesterday. I’ll have my people come to your apartment and set up a computer system with
a special login only for you. Nobody on my staff will know you’ve logged into the system
except me. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. That’s fine, Shaun. You don’t want anyone to know who I am or why I’m here. If any
of your accounting or real estate staff gets wind of it, they’ll either modify and try to hide
transactions or run, and your money goes with them.”
Selena walked in and handed me my coffee.
“Thank you, Selena.” I smiled. “When will your people be at my apartment?” I asked Shaun.
He picked up a pen from his desk and leaned back in his chair. “You tell me when you’re
available.”
“I do have to buy a new car today. So, how about this afternoon?”
“What kind of car are you considering buying?” he asked.
“Another jeep.”
“You’re in luck.” A grin crossed his lips. “I have a friend who owns a Jeep dealership. Let me
give him a call.” He picked up his phone and put it on speaker.
“Shaun, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Hey, Barry. I have a friend who wants to buy a new Jeep. I’m sending her over to you. Make
sure she gets a good deal.”
“Will do, my friend. What’s her name?”
“Zoey Morgan.”
“Tell her to ask for me when she gets here.”
“Will do. Thanks, Barry.”
He wrote the dealership’s address on a piece of paper and handed it to me. His office door
opened, and Carter walked in.
“Good morning.” A bright smile crossed his lips.
“Good morning, Carter.”
“My guys are going to set up the computer system at her apartment this afternoon. She
needs to go buy a car first,” Shaun said. “I’m sending her to my Jeep friend.”
“That’s great. So, how are you getting from the car rental shop to the dealership?” Carter
asked as his eyes stared into mine.
“There’s this thing. I’m not sure if you’ve heard of it or not, but it’s called Uber. All you have
to do is pull up the app, tap, and your ride arrives.” I smiled.
“Never heard of it, and it sounds dreadful. I’ll follow you to the car rental shop and then
take you to the dealership.”
“You have heard of it.” I cocked my head. “And don’t you have work to do?”
Shaun chuckled.
“Yes, but it’s my company, and I come and go as I please.” He glanced at his watch. “Let’s
go.”
I sighed as I stood from my chair. “Thanks, Shaun.” I smiled.
“Any time, Zoey. Good luck with the new car.”
Carter and I walked out of Shaun’s office, went down the stairs, and stepped onto the
elevator.
“You don’t have to do this,” I said.
“I know I don’t. I want to.” He winked.
Fuck. I wish he didn’t do that.
“I’ll see you at the car rental shop,” he said as he headed to his car.

“Ilove this one.” I smiled as I ran my hand across the hood of the white Jeep Rubicon.
“Excellent choice,” Barry said. “This one is our special edition. Everything you could
possibly want is in this baby.”
“I’ll take it,” I said.
“I’ll go get the paperwork started if you’d like to sit inside and get a feel for it.”
I climbed in, and Carter walked over to the passenger side.
“Thanks for the ride, but you can go now,” I said.
“I’m going to assume you’re also naming this Jeep?”
“I am.”
“Hunger Games again?” He smirked.
“Yes.” I cocked my head.
“Then I think you should name it Katniss.”
“Why?” My eyes narrowed at him.
“Because it suits your personality. You have a cold exterior at first, but eventually, you
warm up.”
Did he really say that?
“You know what? I think dinner tonight is canceled,” I said.
“Oh, come on. I’m teasing you, Zoey.” He chuckled.
“I don’t think you are, Mr. Kind. And for the record, her name is Primrose.” I arched my
brow.
The corners of his mouth curved upward before he glanced at his watch.
“I have to get going.” He pulled his phone from his pocket. “Number, please.”
“Why?”
“Just give me your phone number, Zoey.”
“Fine.” I rattled off my number.
A few seconds later, my phone pinged. Pulling it from my purse, I had a text from an
unfamiliar number.
“I’m guessing this is you?” I held up my phone.
“Yep. Now, send me a text with your address.”
“I will.” I smiled.
“Now,” he said.
“You’re very bossy.” My brows furrowed as I typed in my address and sent it to him.
“In more ways than one.” He winked. “I’ll pick you up at six-thirty.” He climbed out of the
Jeep.
A soft smile crossed my lips as I watched him walk away.
 CHAPTER 10

Carter
“Uncle Carter?” I heard Riley shout from downstairs.
“Up here,” I shouted.
She walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed while I put on my watch.
“Hot date tonight?”
“Yes.” I smiled.
“With that woman who’s opening a bakery?”
“Yes. Her name is Zoey.”
“I like that name.” She smiled.
I smiled back at her while I grabbed my shoes and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Don’t forget the condoms,” Riley spoke.
I looked at her and furrowed my brows.
“What? Just in case things get hot and heavy. You don’t want any surprises, do you?” She
cocked her head.
“No, I don’t.”
“Exactly.” She stood up and pointed at me. “Have fun tonight, Uncle Carter.” She kissed my
cheek and left the bedroom.
I shook my head and chuckled. Grabbing my keys, I climbed into my car, punched her
address into my GPS, and headed to her apartment. When I knocked on her apartment door
and she opened it, I gasped as I stared and noted how sexy she looked.
“Hi. Come on in.”
“Hi.” I smiled. “I see Shaun’s guys got everything set up.” I walked over to the table where a
large computer and other equipment sat.
“Yeah. They were waiting for me when I got home from the dealership. Just let me grab my
purse, and we can leave.”
“Primrose looks good out there.” I smiled as she hooked her purse over her shoulder.
“She’s Katniss now.” She winked, and my cock twitched. “Where are we going to dinner?”
“Have you ever eaten at Four Kinds?” I glanced at her.
“Have you forgotten I’ve only lived in Los Angeles for two days?”
“Right.” I chuckled. “Sorry. Anyway, my cousin Sebastian owns it. It’s on the water and has
amazing food. He also owns Emilia’s in downtown L.A. and Kind Brewhouse in Santa
Monica.”
I pulled into the parking lot at Four Kinds, walked around the other side of the car, opened
the door, and held out my hand.
“How gentleman-like of you.” Zoey smiled as she placed her hand in mine while I helped
her from the car.
“I am a gentleman, and there’s a lot to like.” A smirk crossed my lips.
“That has yet to be determined, Mr. Kind.”
I chuckled as we walked into Four Kinds. Our waiter walked over after the hostess seated
us at a table outside.
“Mr. Kind, it’s good to see you again.” Greg set down a loaf of bread and cherry butter on the
table.
“And you as well, Greg.”
“What may I get you and the lovely lady to drink?”
“Zoey?” I gestured.
“I’ll have a cosmopolitan.”
“And a scotch, 17 years, for me.” I smiled. “You have to try this bread and cherry butter.” I
cut a slice, spread the butter, and handed it to her.
I watched her face as she bit into the bread and smiled.
“Oh, my God.”
“Right?” I chuckled.
I looked over and saw Alex heading toward our table with our drinks.
“Hey, you.” I smiled.
“Hi, Carter. I knew when someone ordered a scotch, 17 years, it had to be one of you.”
“Alex, this is Zoey Morgan. Zoey, this is Alex, Stefan’s wife.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Zoey extended her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Zoey. Stefan is really excited to get started on your bakery. That’s
great you’re opening up next to Mojo Madness. It’ll do amazing there.”
“Thanks. I hope so.”
“You two enjoy your dinner. I have to get back to the bar. It was great meeting you.” Alex
smiled.
After Greg took our dinner order, I held up my scotch.
“Here’s to new friends, new businesses, and finding out who’s ripping off Sterling Capital.”
A beautiful smile crossed her lips as she lightly clanked her glass against mine.
“What made you want to become a forensic accountant?”
“As I told you before, I’m a numbers person and have been since I was a child. By the time I
was three, I was doing multiplication.”
“Seriously?” My brows furrowed.
“Yeah.”
“What’s 2345x475?” I asked.
“1,113,875,” she said without hesitation.
“Damn. Are you a genius?”
“Only where numbers are concerned.”
“And you have that photographic memory. So, I’d say you are a genius.”
“That’s nice of you to say, but I’m really not.” She sipped her cosmopolitan. “Since I loved
numbers, I wanted to work with them, and forensic accounting sounded fun.”
“Fun?” I laughed.
“Well, as fun as it could be.” She smiled.
“So, tell me how a forensic accountant turns into a bakery owner? You went from numbers
to sweets.”
“My grandmother was a huge baker. She lived in the kitchen because my grandfather was a
huge sweets eater. I remember when I was five years old, I was staying with my
grandparents. I told her I wanted donuts and asked if she’d take me to the donut shop. She
said that if I wanted donuts, I’d have to make them myself. So, she took me to the kitchen
and taught me how to make them. From then on, I stayed with her in the kitchen and
helped her. I told her I wanted to open a bakery when I grew up and that she could help me
run it. She said the only way that would be possible is if I got a good education, a good job,
and saved so I could one day open one.”
“Why didn’t she ever open a bakery?” I asked.
“She and my grandpa never really had much money. He was a factory worker and was laid
off for a few years. After he passed away, my grandma started selling baked goods from her
house to help pay the bills. Then she developed bad arthritis in her hands and had to stop
baking, so I took over and helped when I could. It was easy because I already had the
recipes in my head. I used to bake huge batches of different sweets when I was in college,
and I’d sell them to the students and faculty. I told my grandma that I would open a bakery
one day for us, and she’d help me run it.”
“It sounds like the two of you are really close.”
“We were. She passed away a couple of months ago.”
“I’m really sorry, Zoey.”
“Thanks. That’s why I moved to Los Angeles. I’m opening up a bakery for my grandmother
and me.”
“Have you decided what you’re calling your bakery?” I asked.
“Baked With Love.” She smiled. “When I was little, I always asked why her baked goods
were so delicious. She’d say, ‘Because they're all baked with love. Without love, they would
be just like every other sweet in the world, and that’s what makes them so extraordinary.’”
“I like that.” I grinned. “If you don’t mind me asking, why didn’t you stay in Sacramento and
open a bakery there?”
“It’s complicated. Let’s just say I needed a change of scenery.”
“You haven’t said a word about your parents. Are they still alive?”
“My mother and I have a complicated relationship. My grandparents practically raised me.
As for my father, he has some issues, and he pops in and out of my life every so often. The
last time I saw him was two years ago.”
“Where is he?”
“That I don’t know. The last time I received his postcard, he was in Florida.”
I looked to my right and saw Grayson, Ava, Gabriel, and Piper heading towards us.
“I didn’t know you were having dinner here tonight,” Grayson said as I stood, and he
hugged me.
“Fancy seeing you here, bro.” Gabriel hugged me.
“Why do I get the feeling this isn’t a coincidence,” I whispered.
I kissed Piper’s and Ava’s cheeks and introduced them to Zoey.
“Zoey, this is my brother Grayson and his wife, my sister-in-law, Ava. And this is my other
brother Gabriel and his fiancée Piper.”
Zoey stood from her chair, shook Grayson’s and Gabriel’s hands, and hugged Piper and Ava.
“It’s nice to meet all of you.” Zoey smiled.
“We’ll let you get back to dinner.” Grayson winked at me.
“Talk to you later, bro.” Gabriel patted my back as the four of them walked over to their
table.
 CHAPTER 11

Zoey
Not only were Carter’s brothers just as handsome as he was, but I was confused.
“Are you triplets?” I asked Carter.
“No.” He chuckled. “But Grayson and Gabriel are twins. Another drink?”
“Yes, please.” I smiled.
Carter signaled for Greg and ordered us another round of drinks.
“You look to be the same age as them,” I said as I finished the last of my dinner.
“That’s because we are.” The corners of his mouth curved upward.
Greg walked over and set our drinks in front of us.
“Then you are triplets because it’s impossible to be the same age unless—oh.” My eyes
widened. “Your daddy was a naughty boy.”
“He was.” Carter chuckled. “That’s a story for another time.”
“Why? Just tell me now.” I sipped my drink.
“Are you really interested?” he asked.
“More like very intrigued.” I smiled.
“Good. Then I’ll tell you all about it when I take you out again.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“Who says I’m going out with you again? This was a one-time thing, remember? This is
what you wanted as a thank you from me because, according to you, my words weren’t
good enough.”
“Then I guess you’ll never know the story.” He smiled as he finished his scotch.
That last cosmopolitan was stronger than my first one, and I felt it.
“Alex makes some really strong drinks,” I said.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked.
“Yeah. If you don’t mind.”
Carter signaled for Greg. “Can we have the bill, Greg? We’re ready to leave.”
“Sebastian said your dinner and drinks were on the house tonight.”
“How did he know we were here? He’s over at the brewhouse.”
“I don’t know, Mr. Kind. He called and said the bill was taken care of. Enjoy the rest of your
evening.” He walked away.
“Wow. That was nice of your cousin,” I said as I stood up.
“Yeah. That’s the kind of guy he is.”
As we headed toward Carter’s car, I felt his hand on the small of my back, and a million little
sparks coursed through my body. He opened the car door, and I climbed inside.
“Thank you.” I smiled.
“You’re welcome.” He shut the door and walked over to the driver’s side.
His scent drove me insane all night. It caught my attention yesterday when he stopped to
help me, but it caught me off guard tonight. Earthy, cedarwood, sandalwood, clean, and a
hint of Bergamot radiated from him, making him sexier than he already was.
“Would you mind if I use your bathroom really quick?” he asked as he pulled up to my
apartment building.
“Is that your sneaky way of getting up to my apartment?” I arched my brow.
“No. Not at all.” He chuckled. “It’s just I really have to go, and it’s not like my house is right
down the road.”
“Yes. You can use my bathroom.” I climbed out of the car, and we went up to my apartment.
“It’s down the hall.” I kicked off my shoes and set my purse down.
I stood outside the bathroom door to see if he really had to go or if he was using that as an
excuse. Nope. He really did have to go. As soon as I heard the toilet flush, I ran into the
kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
“Thanks.” He smiled as he walked over to me.
“You’re welcome.” Our eyes locked onto each other. “Fuck it,” I said as I grabbed the sides of
his face and smashed my mouth into his.
“I don’t have sex on the first date,” he said as he broke our kiss.
“You’re a liar. Besides, it’s drunk sex, and neither of us will remember this tomorrow.” I
pulled his shirt over his head.
“We’re not drunk.” He picked me up, and my legs wrapped around his waist.
“Yeah, we are.” Our lips met. “The bedroom is the second door on the right.”
He carried me to the bedroom while our lips stayed locked. Lying me on the bed, he
hovered over me as his mouth traveled to my neck and his fingers traveled up my dress. My
body was on fire, and the flames were out of control. I gasped when I felt his fingers dip
inside me.
“God, you’re so wet,” he spoke with bated breath.
“It’s the alcohol.”
“You’re a liar.” His lips met mine as his finger explored me in ways I’d never been before.
He stopped, took the straps of my dress, and pulled it off me, exposing my bra and panties.
After tossing it on the floor, he stood up, reached down for my panties, and slowly pulled
them down. After kicking off his shoes, he reached into his wallet, pulled out a condom, and
tossed it on the bed before taking down his pants. I silently gasped when he slid his
underwear off his hips and stared at his cock that stood proud and tall. I quivered because,
somehow, I knew this was going to be the best sex I’d ever had. I reached around the back,
unhooked my bra, and tossed it over the side of the bed. The corners of his mouth curved
upward as he grabbed my legs and pulled me toward the edge of the bed. Getting on his
knees, his tongue glided up my inner thigh and then to the area that ached something
fierce. My fingers gripped the sheets as his mouth explored me, causing an orgasm to erupt
within minutes.
“A beautiful orgasm for a beautiful woman,” he whispered as his tongue slid up my torso
and to my breasts. His warm lips wrapped around my hardened peak as my body shot into
overdrive.
He grabbed the condom, tore open the wrapper, and slipped it on. Hovering over me, our
lips met as he pushed himself inside, moans escaping us in between kisses. My legs
wrapped around his waist, and my nails dug into the flesh of his back as he thrust in and
out of me rapidly.
“God, you feel so good,” he spoke in a low raspy voice.
Several moans escaped me as my body was building up for another orgasm. As soon as I
released, his moans heightened as he halted deep inside me and exploded.
“Oh, God,” he grunted before his warm body dropped on mine.
We lay there, our hearts rapidly pounding, as his grip around me tightened. Pulling out, he
rolled over and lay there for a moment with his hand on his chest. With a slight turn of his
head, the corners of his mouth curved upward as I stared at him.
“That was incredible,” he spoke.
“Yeah, it was.” I smiled.
He climbed off the bed, removed the condom, and held it up.
“There’s a trashcan in the bathroom,” I said as I climbed out of bed and slipped on my robe.
He walked back into the bedroom and grabbed his clothes from the floor.
“I should get going. I have an early meeting tomorrow.”
“Yeah, and I have to be up early and get working on the books for Sterling Capital.”
When he was fully dressed, and I walked him to the door, he placed his hand on my cheek.
“I had a great time tonight.” He smiled.
“Yeah. It wasn’t so bad. I’d thank you for dinner, but you didn’t pay for it.” I smirked.
“But you can thank me for the multiple orgasms.” His lips softly met mine.
“Thank you. Too bad I won’t remember it in the morning, being drunk and all.”
“Trust me. You won’t be forgetting this night anytime soon. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He
opened the door and stepped out.
“You mean you’re actually going to call me?”
“Maybe I will.” He winked and walked away.
Shutting the door, I leaned my forehead against it and let out a breath. My body was still
trembling as I stood there and shook my head. I’d only been in Los Angeles for two days,
and I’d already slept with a guy. But he wasn’t just any ordinary guy, and tonight proved
that. Shit. Shit. Shit.
 CHAPTER 12

Carter
I would have stayed if I hadn’t had that early meeting in the morning. I wanted to hold her
and feel her warm body wrapped against mine as I drifted off to sleep. She was just as
incredible as I knew she’d be. By the time I arrived home, it was eleven o’clock. My phone
pinged with a text message from Gabriel, telling me that he and Grayson were on his patio
and to come out.
Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I twisted off the cap, opened the sliding door, and walked
over to Gabriel’s.
“We heard you pull up.” Grayson smiled.
“How did your date go?” Gabriel asked as I sat down in the lounger next to him.
“It went good. I slept with her.”
“Duh.” Grayson smirked. “Why didn’t you stay?”
“I have an early meeting in the morning.” I tipped the bottle to my lips. “Why are you two
out here so late on a work night?”
“Tomorrow is my day off. Besides, we were waiting for your ass to get home so we can
interrogate you.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“We were giving you until eleven thirty,” Gabriel said.
After shooting the shit for a while, I finished my beer and stood up. “Good night, my
brothers. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Don’t forget tomorrow night is Simon and Grace’s gender reveal party at the brewhouse,”
Grayson said.
“I haven’t forgotten. Looking forward to it.” I smiled as I walked back to my house.
As I lay in bed, the smell of her was all over me. A scent that was mixed with peonies and
jasmine. Just thinking about it caused my cock to spasm. Not only was she sexy, but she was
also smart and had a great personality. She could be a woman I would fall for if I weren’t
careful. I needed to tread carefully around her, or I’d break her heart, which was the last
thing I wanted to do. Closing my eyes, thoughts of her swirled inside my head and replayed
tonight’s events. Her soft lips, beautiful body, the feel of her legs tightening around me as
she came, and the taste of her I wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

“Morning, Carly.” I smiled before walking into my office.

“Morning, boss. Coffee?”
“Yes, please.” I set my briefcase down and sat behind my desk. “Did you get the contract
done for the William’s project?”
“I did. I’ll bring it in with your coffee.” She smiled.
“Morning.” Shaun smiled as he stepped inside my office. “How did your date with Zoey go
last night?”
“Good.” I sighed.
“Why the sigh?”
Carly walked in and set my coffee and contract on my desk.
“Thanks, Carly. We slept together,” I told Shaun after Carly left my office.
“I would have been disappointed in you if you hadn’t.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“Shaun.” Selena stood in the doorway. “James Crosswood is on the phone and says it’s
urgent.”
“Everything is always urgent with that man,” Shaun sighed as he stood up. “We’ll talk later.”
I stood from my chair and stepped out of my office.
“Carly, I’m going up to Kind Design & Architecture. I’ll be back.”
“Okay, Carter.”
I went up to see if Sam made any headway on Zoey’s bakery design. When I stepped inside
his office, he and Stefan were talking.
“Morning, cousin.” Sam smiled.
“Good morning.” Stefan smiled. “What brings you up here?”
“I was just wondering if you had a chance to do the bakery design for Zoey.”
“It’s right here.” Sam smiled as he walked over to the table. “What do you think?”
I studied the design. “It looks great. Great job.” I patted Sam’s shoulder.
“Thanks. I’ll call her after my meeting and see when she can come in and finalize the design
so we can get moving on the construction.”
“We heard about your date last night.” Stefan smiled. “We like her.”
“Yeah. She seems like a great woman with a good personality. What do you think?” A smirk
crossed Sam’s lips.
“I don’t know her very well, but from what I can tell, she is a great woman with a great
personality. Don’t you two go getting any ideas.” I pointed at them.
“Who, us?” Stefan asked. “We would never.”
“Bullshit.” I chuckled. “I’ll see you guys later at the party.” I walked out of Sam’s office.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent Zoey a text.
“Good morning.”
“Morning. I wondered if I’d hear from you today.”
“Why? Do you miss me?”
“No.”
I let out a chuckle as I took a seat behind my desk.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m buried in numbers.”
“Then you must be in Heaven.”
“I am.” She sent the smile emoji.
“Good. I just wanted to say hi. Have a good day, Zoey.”
“You too, Carter.”
After the workday ended, I went home, changed my clothes, and headed to the brewhouse.
“Hey.” I smiled when I walked through the door and saw my brothers and some of my
cousins standing up at the bar. “This place looks great.”
“Beer or scotch?” Sebastian asked.
“Scotch. So, Simon.” I hooked my arm around him. “Are you nervous?”
“Nervous? Nah. Boy or girl is fine with me. As long as the baby is healthy.”
“You’re such a liar.” Sebastian chuckled as he handed me my scotch.
“Bro, I’m serious. Since Nora came to live with us, another girl would be fine. There’s
something about them girls that steal my heart.”
“He’s just preparing himself in case it is a girl.” Stefan laughed.
“Shut the fuck up. I am not.” He reached over and slapped the back of Stefan’s head.
“Damn, bro. Knock it off.”
Shaun walked over. “I invited Zoey. She should be here any minute. You’re welcome.” He
grinned.
“Why did you invite her?”
“She called me earlier and said she has some information. I was tied up in meetings all day,
so I told her to come by here first, join us, and then after, we’ll go back to the house and
discuss it.”
“Shaun called and told me, so I brought the design home for her to look at,” Sam said.
“Look, there she is.” Stefan smiled. “Zoey, over here.” He held up his hand.
She walked over, looking as beautiful as ever with a smile on her face.
“Wow. This place looks great,” she said.
Conner walked over just as I introduced her to Sebastian, Jackson, Nathan, and Christian.
“Zoey, this is my other cousin Conner. Conner, meet Zoey Morgan.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Zoey. So, I hear you’re opening a bakery.”
“I am.” She smiled.
“How are your cakes?”
“Here we go.” Simon sighed.
“They’re delicious.”
“How delicious?” he asked.
“They’re made from scratch and baked with love.”
“Love it. And the frosting?”
“Rich, creamy, and melts in your mouth.”
“Damn. Do you, by chance, make a coconut lime cake?”
“Dude, stop with all the damn cake questions,” Simon said.
“Be quiet, Simon.”
“I do make a coconut lime cake with a twist,” Zoey said.
“A twist? What’s the twist?” Conner asked.
“It’s a secret.” She smiled. “Very delicious.”
“Well, Gwen makes the best coconut lime on the planet. But you intrigue me, so I’ll have to
judge myself. Any way you can make me one?” He grinned.
“I will definitely make you one when I get the chance.” She laughed.
“You’re the best. I like you already.” He pointed at her as he walked away.
“Sorry about that.” I laughed.
“I love a man who loves his sweets.”
“Well, in that case—”
“It’s time, everyone!” Jenni shouted. “Gather around.”
We all gathered around the elongated table with the pink and blue tablecloth and the large
white box that said boy or girl written across it. I could see the anticipation on Simon’s face
as he stood next to Grace.
“One. Two. Three!” We all shouted as loud as we could.
Simon and Grace lifted the lid together, and several blue balloons flew up.
“YES! I TOLD YOU!” He pointed at all of us, grabbed Grace, and hugged her tight.
We all shouted and clapped, hugged, and congratulated them.
 CHAPTER 13

Zoey
“How exciting.” I smiled as I glanced at Carter.
“Hello.” An older woman walked over. “I don’t believe we’ve met.” She extended her hand.
“Aunt Barb, this is Zoey Morgan. Zoey, my Aunt Barb.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Barb.” I smiled as I shook her hand.
“Likewise, darling. So, are the two of you dating?”
“No, Aunt Barb,” Carter spoke. “Zoey is doing some work for Shaun and opening a bakery
next to Julia’s coffee shop.”
“A Bakery? How wonderful. I can’t wait to stop in and try some of your baked goods. You
look very well, Carter.” She placed her hand on his cheek. “Are you keeping up with your
doctor’s appointments?”
“Yes, Aunt Barb. All is good.” He smiled.
“What’s going on over here?” Simon walked over. “Is my mother interrogating you?” He
looked at me.
“Simon, darling. I’m so happy for you and Grace. I can’t wait to have another grandson. Let’s
hope he doesn’t turn out like your father.” She smiled as she patted his chest and walked
away.
“Mom, I swear to—can you believe she just said that?”
Carter and I both laughed. I couldn’t help but wonder what she meant when she told Carter
he looked well and asked if he was keeping up with his doctor’s appointments. I wanted to
ask him about it but felt this wasn’t the appropriate time or place.
Carter and I grabbed some food from the buffet and took a seat in a booth. A little girl
walked over and sat next to me.
“Hi, I’m Ella.” She smiled brightly.
“Hi, Ella. I’m Zoey. It’s nice to meet you.” I lightly shook her small hand.
“Ella is Nathan’s daughter, and she’s a genius.”
“You are?” I smiled at her.
“Yeah. I’m going to be a doctor like my dad and uncles.”
“What kind of doctor do you want to be?”
“I’ve narrowed it down to a cardiothoracic surgeon and neurosurgeon.” She grinned.
“Wow. Those are incredible doctors. Which one interests you the most?” I asked.
“I’m getting my Ph.D. in both.”
“Oh. That’s amazing.” I smiled.
“Ella, Zoey is smart like you,” Carter said. “Not only does she have a photographic memory,
but numbers are her thing like science is your thing.”
“Really?” Ella stared at me.
“Yes.” I laughed.
“What is 5,250,346 x 10,758,654?” she asked.
“Let’s see.” I looked up for a second. “5.64867e13.” I smiled.
“Carter, your phone, please.” She held out her hand.
Carter pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to her. After punching the numbers
in the calculator, she looked at me with wide eyes.
“That is so awesome! Can we hang out sometime?”
“I’d love to hang out with you.”
“I’m going to tell my dad!” She climbed out of the booth.
“What an adorable little girl.” I smiled.
“Yeah, she’s a great kid.”
Shaun walked over and slid next to Carter.
“Are you ready to head back to my house?” he asked.
“Are you ready to hear what I found?” A smirk crossed my lips.
“Not really.” He sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”
I followed Carter and Shaun back to Shaun’s house and grabbed the printouts from the
front seat.
“Can I get you a glass of wine?” Shaun asked.
“Sure. Thank you.” I smiled.
“I’ll pour the scotch,” Carter said.
“Make it a triple,” Shaun spoke as he poured my wine.
The three of us took a seat at the table.
“So, my theory was right. Your real estate department and someone in your accounting
department are in cahoots. Who is Raquel Ross?”
“She’s the senior accountant that handles the accounting for the real estate division.”
“And that Ken guy is the head of your real estate division?”
“Yes.” His eyes narrowed at me.
“Well, I think they’re the two in cahoots and most likely having an affair.”
“Ken is married,” Shaun said.
“Then he’s planning on leaving his wife at some point and running away with Raquel and
the money they’ve stolen from you. Once the listing for the property is approved, it’s kept
up for a total of three days. After the three-day mark, it’s delisted, reconfigured, and
relisted at a higher price. Once the rent checks start pouring in at the higher price, Raquel
subtracts the original price from the increased price and puts the difference under a
company called R&K Distributors.”
“I’ve never heard of the company,” Shaun said as he threw the scotch down the back of his
throat.”
“That’s because it’s a shell company Raquel and Ken created. R&K.” My brow arched.
“Those motherfuckers.” Rage stirred in Shaun’s eyes.
“I traced R&K Distributors to an offshore account in Belize. I bet that’s where they’re
planning on running to.”
“How much?” Shaun asked.
I turned the paper around and slid it across the table.
“Are you fucking serious?” he shouted as he threw the paper across the table and stood up.
Carter grabbed the paper and stared at it. “Five million dollars?” He looked at me.
“Yep.” I popped my lips. “I’m really sorry, Shaun.”
“Not as sorry as those two will be once I get done with them.”
“Listen.” I stood from my seat and walked over to him. “You have to approach this with
caution. I’ve seen these thieves flee once they get wind, and they’re never found.”
“How did you find all this information in one day?” Shaun asked.
“I knew what to look for since I discovered I was being screwed in the first place by the
change in price of the square footage for that building.” I smirked. “Besides, I’ve seen this
before. So, it wasn’t that hard.”
Shaun pulled me into an embrace. “Thank you, Zoey. I will never be able to thank you
enough for this.”
“You’re welcome, Shaun. I’m just sorry that it happened to you. Unfortunately, with multi-
billion-dollar corporations, this happens all the time. People get greedy, and when they’re
given a position of power, they abuse it. You have all the original listings, right?”
“Yes,” he said.
“I suspect the revised ones are hidden somewhere in Ken’s office if he’s that stupid. If he’s
not, he has them at his home.”
“If you two will excuse me, I’m going to call Roman at the FBI and set up a meeting with
him.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and walked away.
 CHAPTER 14

Carter
“You’re really good.” I smiled.
“Thanks. Shaun is such a nice guy, and he doesn’t deserve this,” she said.
The sliding door opened, and Sam and Stefan walked in.
“Where’s Shaun?” Stefan asked.
“He’s calling Roman,” I replied.
“It’s that bad?” Sam asked.
“It’s that bad,” Zoey spoke.
“People suck, and he’s going to need us and a lot of booze. I brought the design for the
bakery.” Sam said as he rolled it open across the table.
I walked away and into Shaun’s office, where he was sitting behind his desk.
“Well?” I asked as I stood in the doorway.
“Roman said he’ll drop by tomorrow, and we can discuss it in person. Do you know how
badly I want to hurt Ken and Raquel?”
“Yeah, Shaun. I do. Come on. Let’s light a bonfire, get the guys together, play music, have a
few beers, and just forget about everything for tonight.”
“Good idea, cousin.” He smiled.
We walked out of his office and back over to the table where Zoey, Sam, and Stefan were
talking.
“So, what’s the verdict?” I asked as I stared at Zoey.
“I love it, I’m happy, and I’m opening a bakery.” She grinned. “Are we good, Shaun? Is there
anything else you need me to do?”
“Just one more thing,” he said. “An FBI agent is coming to the house tomorrow. Do you
think you can be here so you can fill him in on what you found out?”
“Of course. Just text me with a time.”
“Thanks, Zoey.”
“I should get going.” She grabbed her purse.
“Excuse me,” I said as I walked over and took her purse. “You’re not going anywhere. The
party is just getting started.”
“What party?”
“Down at the beach,” Sam said.
“You’ll love it, and the girls will want you to join us.” Shaun smiled.
“Okay. I’ll stay for a while. I never turn down a good party.” A beautiful smile crossed her
lips.
“You can keep your purse at my house. I’m going to grab my guitar and a few beers. We’ll
meet you guys down there,” I said as Zoey and I walked out the sliding door.
“You play the guitar?” she asked as we headed back to my house.
“Yeah.” I smiled. “I sing, too. I’ve been told I’m pretty good.”
“So what do you guys do? Sit on the beach, drink, and play the guitar?”
“Basically.” I chuckled as I opened the sliding door, and we stepped inside. “I’ll be right
back.” I ran up the stairs to grab my guitar.
I was happy she decided to stay. With any luck, I’d get her into my bed tonight and
experience more of her beautiful body. After grabbing my guitar, I took it downstairs and
handed it to her.
“Can you hold this for me while I grab some beer?”
“Sure.”
I grabbed a few beers, set them on the island, and pulled out my phone, sending a text in
our group chat.
“Bring the amplifier out.”
“Awesome. Will do,” Sam replied.
“Ready?” I smiled at Zoey as I grabbed the bottles of beer.
We walked down the beach where the bonfire was burning brightly. My brothers, cousins,
and the girls were already there, talking and laughing.
“I’m so happy you’re staying.” Jenni hugged Zoey.
“I hear you guys throw one hell of a party out here, so I wanted to check it out for myself.”
Zoey grinned.
I smiled at her as I took my guitar from its case and plugged it into the amp.
“What are you playing?” Simon asked.”
“You’ll see,” I said as I started strumming the chords and singing More Than A Feeling.
“Fuck yeah! That’s one of my favorite songs.” Conner pointed at me.
As I sang, Zoey sat beside me with a beautiful smile while she sipped her beer. Strumming
the last chord, everyone shouted and clapped.
“Thank you. Thank you.” I stood up and took a bow.
“Shit. I think he can hit higher notes than Shaun.” Simon laughed.
“Shut up, douchebag.” Shaun flung a bottle cap at him.
“You’re really good.” Zoey smiled. “I’m impressed, Mr. Kind.”
“Only by my musical skills?” I arched my brow.
She sat there with a smirk, narrowing her eyes at me.
“It’s getting late. I’m going to grab my purse from your house,” she said.
After saying goodnight to everyone, we headed back to my house. There was no way I was
letting her leave tonight.
We stepped through the sliding door. Zoey grabbed her purse from the table and hooked it
over her shoulder. I walked over and removed it, setting it back on the table.
“Excuse me? What are you doing?” she asked.
“You can’t leave.” I stared into her eyes.
“And why not?”
“Because you’ve been drinking.” I softly ran the back of my hand across her cheek.
“I had one beer.” A small smile framed her lips.
“You had one beer here and a couple of drinks at the brewhouse.” I smirked. “As far as I’m
concerned, you’re in no condition to drive home, which means you’ll just have to spend the
night here.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“I think you do.” The corners of my mouth curved upward as I leaned in and softly brushed
my lips against hers.
“Why do you think you know everything?” she asked as she broke our kiss.
“Because I do.” I picked her up. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her legs wrapped
tightly around my waist as I carried her up the stairs and to my bed.
 CHAPTER 15

Zoey
He thrust in and out of me from behind as my fingers gripped the sheets. The way he made
my body feel was indescribable. I’d come to realize that the sex I’d had over the years was
with boys acting like men who didn’t know what they were doing. Carter Kind was a true
man in every way who knew his way around a woman’s body.
Moans escaped us as his thrusting increased. My second orgasm for the night was on the
rise. My heart raced, and my already heated skin grew with intensity. I let out a scream as
my body tightened, and the release I felt intoxicated me. Carter halted, and with a tight grip
on my ass, he let out a long pleasurable moan. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t turned on by
his sounds.
His hands moved up and down my back momentarily before he pulled out.
“Ah, shit. Please tell me you’re on birth control.”
I rolled on my back. “I am. Why?”
“The condom broke,” he said, walking to the bathroom.
“What if I told you I wasn’t?”
“I’d be very worried.” He climbed into bed.
“Would you do what was right and ask me to marry you?”
He cocked his head and stared at me. “Why are you even asking that?”
I could see the look of fear on his face.
“Relax, big guy.” I patted his chest. “I’m teasing you. Do you have a T-shirt I can borrow to
sleep in?”
“No.” His tone was serious.
“You’re a liar.” I smiled.
“Fine. I do, but I would prefer you slept next to me naked. Let’s try it, and then you can let
me know what you think.” He held out his arm.
I snuggled into his body and took in the warmth and his scent as my head lay on his chest.
“Well? Do you still want one of my T-shirts?”
“No.”
“I didn’t think so.” He chuckled.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?” His fingers deftly moved up and down my arm.
“What did your Aunt Barb mean when she said you looked well and asked if you were
keeping up with your doctor’s appointments?”
“I wondered when you were going to ask me. It’s a long story.”
I quickly sat up and covered myself with the sheet. “I’m not tired.”
He glanced at the clock. “It’s one a.m., and I have to be up in five hours to meet my brothers
and cousins down at the beach to surf. How about I tell you about it tomorrow?” He
brought his hand up to my cheek.
“You surf too?”
“I do.” He smiled. “I’ll try not to wake you when I get up.”
“Just answer me this. Are you sick or something?”
“I was, but I’m better now.”
I snuggled back into him and laid my head on his chest as his arm tightened around me.
“Goodnight, Zoey.”
“Goodnight, Carter.”
I opened my eyes, rolled over, and saw that Carter wasn’t there, but a neatly folded navy
blue T-shirt was on his pillow. I smiled as I grabbed it and slipped it over my head. Walking
downstairs, I went into the kitchen and over to the built-in coffee maker. I noted the to-go
cups sitting in the corner next to the container of coffee beans. Either he took coffee to
work every morning in his to-go cups, or they were for the women who spent the night
before he kicked them out the door. I opted to open the cabinet above the coffee maker and
use a mug.
I wanted to make breakfast, but he only had one egg in the carton. I opened the door to his
pantry and stared at the sparse space. The one thing I noticed was the several cans of
pineapple chunks sitting on the shelf. I furrowed my brows and sighed as I grabbed two
cans and a few other ingredients I was surprised he had. The whole canned pineapple thing
made me shudder. Forty-five minutes later, the sliding door opened, and Carter walked in.
“Morning. I didn’t expect you to be up already,” he said. “Honestly, I thought maybe you
would have already left.”
“And deprive you of the chance to pour me a cup of coffee in one of those to-go cups and
push me out the door?” I smiled.
“That’s not what—”
“You’re a liar.” I pointed at him. “That’s exactly what those cups are for. Actually, it’s a
brilliant idea, and I think I might get some for my place.” I grinned.
He stood on the other side of the island and narrowed his eyes at me.
“What is that smell?” he asked. “It smells delicious.”
“Breakfast,” I said as I sipped my coffee.
“Breakfast? I didn’t have anything here to make.”
“I know, but you have a nice, canned pineapple chunk collection in your pantry.” I furrowed
my brows.
“What’s wrong with canned pineapple?” He walked over to the cabinet, took down a mug,
and brewed a cup of coffee.
“It’s weird,” I said.
“What is so weird about pineapple?” He turned and looked at me.
“Nothing, as long as it’s fresh. Who has ten cans of pineapple in their pantry? Seriously, who
does that?”
“I do. I love pineapple. I don’t get to the store very often. Plus, fresh pineapple is a pain in
the ass to cut up. The canned stuff is easier.”
“I bet you eat it right out of the can, too?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” He grabbed his coffee and took a sip.
The timer went off, so I walked over to the oven and took out the dish I’d made.
“What is that?” Carter walked over.
“Pineapple crisp. I hope you’re not mad that I used two cans of your precious pineapple.
Next time I go to the store, I’ll replace them. I would hate for you to have an anxiety attack
because a can of pineapple is missing.”
“You are quite the smart ass, Zoey Morgan.”
“I aim to please. Anyway, go sit your ass down at the island, and I’ll serve you some.”
Taking a plate from the cabinet, I scooped some pineapple crisp onto it, grabbed a fork
from the drawer, and set it down in front of him.
“Okay. This—this.” He pointed his fork at the pineapple crip. “Jesus, Zoey.”
“You like it?” I smiled.
“It’s amazing. Aren’t you going to have some?”
“Yeah.” I grabbed a plate and scooped some on it. As I stood across from him on the other
side of the island, I leaned over, planted my elbows on the granite countertop, and took a
bite. “Not bad, but I still prefer fresh pineapple.”
“Have you ever made pineapple crisp before?” he asked.
“No.” I laughed. “I just threw it together. You really need to go shopping.”
“I know.” He sighed.
“So, Mr. Kind, tell me about your past illness.”
“I had a condition called Aplastic Anemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. That’s
when I found out about my two brothers. Gabriel was my better match, so he donated, and
I’m better now.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that, but whoa, Nelly. What do you mean that’s when you
found out about your brothers? You didn’t know about them before you got sick?”
“No. And that’s all I’m telling you. I’ll tell you more on our next date.” He smiled and winked
at me.
“First of all, that’s rude. You can’t drop a bomb like that and then refuse to tell the whole
story. Second, I don’t have time for dating now that the work for Shaun is done. I have a
bakery to get ready for and so much work to do, it’s making my head spin.”
“If there’s one thing I know about you already, it’s that you’re a fantastic multi-tasker,” he
said as he took his plate to the sink, rinsed it off, and put it in the dishwasher. “You can
juggle your bakery to-do list and go out with me.” He walked up behind me, gripped my
hips, and whispered in my ear. “I know you’re intrigued, and I have a lot to tell. Your
curiosity will get the best of you.”
My body trembled from his touch as my heart rate increased. Damn him.
“No worries. I’ll just ask Shaun.” I turned around with a smile.
“He won’t tell you. In fact, nobody in this family will.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“The girls will.”
“No, they won’t. I’ll make sure of that. Thank you for the pineapple crisp. It was the best I
ever had.” He kissed the tip of my nose and walked away.
“Is that the only thing that was the best you ever had?” I asked.
He stopped, turned around, and smiled as he stared at me. “Wouldn’t you love to know.” He
went upstairs.
My phone pinged, and when I picked it up, I saw a text message from Shaun.
“Good morning. Roman will be over at my house around one o’clock.”
“Okay. I’ll see you then.”
Walking up the stairs, I stepped into the bedroom to change into my clothes from
yesterday. I had enough time to go home, shower, and change before returning to meet
Shaun.
“Hey.” Carter smiled. “What are you doing?”
“Shaun just texted me and said Roman will be over at one. I need to go home, shower, and
change.”
“Hold on a second. I’ll follow you and then drive you back.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because after your meeting with Shaun and Roman, I’m taking you somewhere.”
“I have things to do, Carter. You seem to dismiss the fact that I moved to Los Angeles to
open a bakery, and I have a million things to do.”
“I’m not dismissing anything, Zoey. It’s Saturday. What can you possibly do?”
“I have a business plan to create!” I spoke with irritation.
“You haven’t done that yet?” His brows furrowed. “That should have been done before you
rented the building.”
“I haven’t had time. Between my grandmother dying, getting her affairs settled, my job back
in Sacramento, the relationship with Quinton I sabotaged, getting settled in my new
apartment, buying a new car, and doing work for Shaun, I haven’t had a chance!”
 CHAPTER 16

Carter
She was visibly upset, and that was the last thing I wanted to do to her. I walked over to
where she stood in the middle of my bedroom and wrapped my arms around her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. I just have a lot to do.” She broke our embrace. “But you’re right. It is
Saturday, and there isn’t much I can do. Where do you want to take me later?” she sighed.
“You’ll see.” I winked.
“I’ll only go with you on one condition?”
“What’s your condition?”
“You fill me in on that naughty daddy of yours.”
“I’ll tell you everything I know. I never met the man myself. I only know what my Auntie
Fran told me about him and my mother, and I only know a little about him from Grayson
and Gabriel.”
“That’s fine. I’ll take what I can get.” She smirked. “Let’s go.”
We stepped into her apartment, and she told me to wait while she quickly took a shower
and got ready. I was thirsty, so I opened the refrigerator for a bottle of water and noticed
she didn’t have any. Opening her cabinets, I found a glass and put it under the ice dispenser.
It sounded like the ice was jammed, so I opened her freezer and stared at the six pints of
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, staring back at me.
“What the fuck? And she had the nerve to say something to me about my canned
pineapple,” I mumbled.
“What are you doing?” I heard her voice from behind.
“I was thirsty and wanted a bottle of water, but you don’t have any. Your ice maker is
jammed, and I was going to fix it until I saw this.” I cocked my head as I stared at her.
“I forgot to pick up bottled water at the store. And what about my Ben & Jerry’s?” Her brow
arched.
“You have six pints in here. Isn’t that a little excessive?”
“Really, Mr. Canned Pineapple Hoarder? For your information, Ben & Jerry get me through
my stressful times.”
“How so?”
“They comfort me. So, I always make sure I’m stocked. I’m unsure what would happen if I
was unbelievably stressed one day, and they weren’t there.”
I stood there with furrowed brows. “You went on a tangent about my canned pineapple, yet
you’re hoarding Ben & Jerry’s in your freezer. That’s not weird to you?”
“Nope. They’re therapeutic for me.” She walked over and shut the freezer.
“You’re weird,” I said.
“Not as weird as your pineapple fetish.” She grinned.
“You’re unbelievable, Zoey!” I loudly voiced as she walked away.
“I know, Mr. Kind. That’s one of the perks of hanging out with me.”
I stood there, shaking my head with a smile, as I opened up the freezer and unjammed her
ice maker.
While waiting for her, I saw a sheet of paper on her table. Picking it up, I noticed it was a
business plan.
“I thought you didn’t make a business plan yet,” I said as I walked into the bathroom with
the sheet where she was doing her hair.”
“It’s a semi-business plan, just a rough draft. It’s not the final one. And why are you going
through my things?” She turned around and pointed her hot curling iron at me. I took a step
back.
“I wasn’t. It was lying on the table, out in the open, for anyone to see. Do you mind?” I
pointed to her iron.
“Oh, sorry. I’ll be ready in five minutes,” she said.
I took a seat on the edge of the bed. Something had been bothering me. It was something
she said back at my house when she went on her little rant about having a million things to
do. I’d ask her about it later.
“I’m ready,” she said as she stepped out of the bathroom.
After the meeting with Shaun and Roman, we climbed into my car, and I drove to the
marina.
“Why are we here?” she asked.
“You’ll see.” I smiled as we climbed out of the car.
I took hold of her hand, and she glanced at me.
“What? I don’t want you to slip and fall on the dock.”
We walked down the dock until we reached my newest purchase.
“Wow. Beautiful.” She smiled.
“Come on.” I helped her up.
“Umm, whose boat is this? Are we allowed to get on it?”
“It’s mine.” I grinned. “I bought it last week.”
“Shut up. You bought this yacht?”
“I did. Come see the inside.” I grabbed her hand and took her downstairs.
“Oh, my God, Carter. This is beautiful.” She looked around. “Jesus, I’ve never been on a yacht
before. How many bedrooms does it have?”
“Four. You don’t get seasick, do you?”
“No. Why?”
“Because we’re taking her out for a while.” I smiled. “I had the refrigerator stocked today
with food and drinks. There’s also a fully loaded bar. So, as soon as I get this baby out on
the water, I’ll make you a drink. By the way. my family, other than Shaun, doesn’t know
about this, so it’s our secret.”
“Why wouldn’t you have told them?” Her brows furrowed.
“Because it’s a surprise for my brothers. Their birthday is next weekend, and we’re having
an all-day party for them. Shaun has a boat for himself and his brothers, and Jackson,
Nathan, Conner, and Christian have their own. When they take them out, they find a spot,
tie them together, and we hop from boat to boat. I wanted my brothers and I to have our
own boat to take out whenever we wanted.”
“Damn, you know how to give some awesome gifts, Kind.” A grin crossed her lips.
After setting sail, I made us a drink, and we went and sat on one of the couches on the deck.
“It’s so beautiful out here,” she said as she stared out into the water.
“Yeah. It truly is. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure. What?”
“Who’s Quinton?”
Her eye narrowed at me as she sipped her drink.
“How do you know about him?”
“You mentioned something about sabotaging your relationship with him in your little rant
back at my house earlier.”
“First, I didn’t rant. Second, he’s my ex.”
“You did rant.” I smiled. “Spill the tea, Zoe. What happened?”
She stared into my eyes, and I could sense the hesitation in her.
“He cheated on me, so I broke it off.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t explain how you sabotaged your relationship.”
“Why are you so interested?” she asked.
“I’m intrigued.” The corners of my mouth curved upward. “You tell me what I want to
know, and then I’ll get into the story of my father and brothers.”
“Fine.” She sighed. “We were together for six months. I wasn’t feeling it and knew it was
time to leave, so I may or may not have made time for him or us, and he got frustrated and
cheated on me.”
“I’m sorry he cheated on you. You must have been really hurt.”
“Oh, no. Not at all. I was happy he did. It was my way out without looking like the bad guy.”
She smiled.
“Somehow, I get the feeling you did it on purpose, knowing he’d cheat.”
She shrugged. “A girl’s gotta do what she has to.” She ran her finger around the rim of her
glass.
“Why not just tell him you weren’t feeling it and call it quits? Why go through all that
trouble with the hope he’d cheat?”
“Enough about Quinton. I want to hear about your family.”
“Let’s get in the hot tub, and we’ll talk. I’ll get us some wine.”
“I didn’t bring my swimsuit,” she said.
“We don’t need swimsuits.” I winked as I stood up and walked over to the bar area.
“Excuse me, but people will see us.” She followed me.
“Look around, Zoey. Do you see anyone around? If you're worried, our towels will be right
next to the hot tub. Go down to the cabin and strip out of those clothes. There are robes
hanging in the closet.”
“I’m not sure I feel comfortable doing that,” she said.
“You’re a liar.” I smiled. “Now, go. I’ll set our drinks by the hot tub.”
 CHAPTER 17

Carter
I’d only known this woman briefly, yet I showed her something personal my family didn’t
know about. I wasn’t sure why I brought her on the boat. All I knew was that I wanted to
share it with her, which had me overly concerned. After stripping out of my clothes, I
climbed into the hot tub and waited for her. The sun was about to set, making it a perfect
moment. A smile crossed my lips as she walked toward me, looking sexy in the robe she
wore. Knowing what was underneath made my cock spasm. As soon as she removed her
robe, I held out my hand and helped her in.
“Oh my God, this feels so good,” she said.
“It really does.” I chuckled. “Look over there.” I pointed at the sunset.
“It’s beautiful tonight.” She smiled. “Spill the tea, Kind.” She picked up her wine glass.
“When my mother found out she was pregnant, she also learned that my father had gotten
another woman pregnant, and she was carrying twins. The woman who told her about it
said that he had no intention of sticking around for the twins, and he wouldn’t for me
either. She was furious because she loved him, even though they only knew each other for
three months. She went over to his place one night to confront him about the other woman,
and when she got there, he was sitting on the couch as high as a kite with a syringe next to
him.”
“Your father was a drug addict?”
“Yeah. I guess so. Anyway, she knew she couldn’t stick around and that he’d be a shit father,
so she packed up and moved to North Carolina, where her best friend lived, my Auntie
Fran. As I grew up, my mother told me that my father was killed in a terrible car accident
right before I was born. She kept the truth from me because she never wanted me to find
him. When I got sick and needed the bone marrow transplant, my Auntie Fran had no
choice but to tell me about my siblings. She didn’t know anything about them, their gender,
nothing. All she knew was my father’s name and that he lived in Hawaii. I hired a private
investigator, and that’s how I found Grayson and Gabriel.”
“So, you haven’t known them that long? You all seem so close.”
“We are. Family is in our blood. I moved myself and my company to Los Angeles a few
months ago because I wanted to be with my family. This is where I belong.”
“What about your father?”
“He passed away a couple of years ago. After my brother’s mother killed herself by
overdosing on heroin, our father saw it as a wakeup call, got clean, and raised them.”
“Oh, gee, Carter. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks. As angry as I was at first that my mother lied to me all those years, I knew she did
it to protect me. But, there’s still a part of me that’s pissed she kept the fact hidden that I
had siblings.”
“I’d be pissed too. But, with that said, you need to be grateful that you grew up with a
mother who loved and protected you.”
I stared at her and brought my hand up to her cheek. “You said before that your
relationship with your mother is complicated. Why is that?”
“It may have something to do with the fact that she didn’t want me in the first place.”
“What?” My brows furrowed.
“She and my dad met while he was in the army. They fell in love within a month of getting
to know each other. She got pregnant and was going to get an abortion, but he talked her
out of it and married her. She’s a hard person to get along with anyway. The relationship
between her and my grandparents was always strained. She would leave me with them for
weeks at a time and disappear. She never wanted to be married or have a kid, and she
always reminded me of that.”
“What about your father? Where was he?”
“He was in Afghanistan for four years. After he came back, he and my mother divorced, and
she told him that he could have full custody and she would visit me when she could. He
tried. He really did, but the scars of his being in Afghanistan were visible. He had PTSD and
some other issues. He sat me down one day and told me that he had to go away for a while
to get his life together and that my grandparents would be taking care of me. At that point, I
hadn’t heard from my mom in months. He promised to call me when he could.”
“Did he?” I asked.
“Yeah. He did call, and we’d talk about life. He always sent me postcards wherever he was
at.”
“And your mother?”
“She popped in and out of my life periodically. It was whenever it suited her. My
grandparents were the ones who raised me and made sure I stayed on the right path.
Honestly, I think my gift of a photographic memory and numbers scared her, and it was too
much to handle. At least, that’s what my grandmother told me.”
“When was the last time you saw your mother?”
“Two months ago, at my grandmother’s funeral. When I first arrived in Los Angeles, she
called and told me that she and her current husband or boyfriend were coming to
Sacramento and wanted to get together for lunch or dinner.”
“You didn’t tell her you were moving?” I furrowed my brows.
“No. There are things she doesn’t need to know. She lost that right a long time ago. Anyway,
I was going to at some point. I didn’t think she’d call the day I moved here. I told her I
couldn’t meet them because I moved to Los Angeles.”
“Are you telling her about the bakery?” I asked.
“Nope. It’s none of her business, and I don’t need her coming here.” She held up her empty
glass.
Reaching over, I grabbed the wine bottle and refilled both our glasses.
“So that, Mr. Kind, is my fucked up childhood story.”
“It wasn’t all fucked up, was it?” I asked.
“No. I loved my grandparents, and they took good care of me. It was really hard when my
grandfather passed away and harder when my grandmother passed. But it’s time to move
on, and that’s exactly what I’ve done. This is what my grandmother would have wanted me
to do. I only stayed in Sacramento because she was there.”
“Why did you want to get away from Sacramento so badly? Don’t you have friends there?”
“I do have friends there, but I wanted and needed a fresh start. I couldn’t get that in
Sacramento. So, there you have it, Mr. Kind. I just handed you my life story as if it were no
big deal. Which, by the way, it is because I’ve never told any man what I just told you.”
“Not even, Quinton?” My brow arched.
“Not even, Quinton. He wasn’t worthy of my life story.” A smirk crossed her lips.
“And I was?”
She looked down as she chewed the bottom of her lip. “You’re an easy guy to talk to. You’re
friend-worthy. Quinton really wasn’t.”
“I’m honored to be friend-worthy.” I took the glass from her hand and set it down. “Even
though I thought you were going to beat me with that lug wrench when we first met.” I
smirked as I stroked her cheek.
“A woman has to protect herself.”
“Definitely.” I smiled as I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers.
 CHAPTER 18

Zoey
My legs wrapped around his waist, and my arms were secured around his neck while he
thrust in and out of me. It started in the hot tub with his strong hands massaging every part
of my body and his fingers exploring my insides while I stroked his hard cock. After lifting
me from the tub, his mouth explored me on the deck, and I was lost in another world, not
giving a damn if anyone saw, which they didn’t because no one was around but us. He
carried me down to the bedroom for the final act. Three orgasms later, he finally gave in
and exploded inside me. To feel him without a condom because they were in his pants,
which were on the deck, was more pleasurable than I imagined it would be.
“We should head back. If you want to go, my family is doing the whole bonfire thing
tonight.”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “Last night was a lot of fun. I like your family. But tomorrow, I have to
spend the day alone and figure my shit out. Deal?”
“Deal.” He smiled as his lips met mine. “Remember, not a word about the boat.”
“I won’t say a word. I promise.”
As soon as we arrived at Carter’s house, he grabbed some beer from the refrigerator, and
we headed down the beach.
“Hey, Zoey.” The guys waved.
“Where have you been, bro?” Grayson asked.
“We went to the Santa Monica Pier,” he said.
“It was a lot of fun.” I smiled.
“Zoey, the girls are at my house if you want to join them,” Conner said.
“Do you mind?” I asked Carter.
“Not at all. I’ll walk you over.” He placed his hand on the small of my back.
He opened the sliding door to Conner’s house, and I stepped inside.
“You’re here!” Piper ran over and grabbed my hand. “We weren’t sure what happened to
you and Carter after your meeting with Shaun.”
“He took me to the Santa Monica Pier,” I said.
“Wine?” Charlotte held up the bottle.
“Of course.” I grinned.
“What did you do at the pier?” Jenni asked.
“Oh, just walked around, talked, and grabbed something to eat.”
“Which restaurant?” Georgia asked.
“Um, I can’t recall the name. We had seafood.”
“Oh, so you must have gone to Crabby Joe’s with those cute little plastic bibs with the
lobsters on it.” Julia smiled.
“Yes! That’s the place.” I pointed at her. “Those bibs are cute.”
They all stood there, narrowing their eyes at me.
“You’re lying,” Jenni said.
“There isn’t a restaurant on the Pier called Crabby Joe’s,” Sofia said.
“The closest one is ten miles from here,” Charleigh chimed in.
“What’s going on, Zoey?” Grace asked as all the girls stepped closer to me.
Shit. They knew I lied.
“What’s so secretive about today with Carter that you lied to us?” Ava asked.
“Ugh. I can’t tell you. I promised Carter.”
“Listen, honey,” Georgia grabbed my hand. “It’s okay. We sisters have a code. And that code
is to tell each other everything, even when our husbands make us promise not to.”
“Yeah. I promised Shaun that I wouldn’t tell the girls that Carter was moving here, but I did
anyway. It was my obligation as a sister. Don’t worry. What we tell each other stays
between us. No one outside of our girl circle will ever know. You can trust us.”
“Besides, the guys tell each other everything, too. Nothing is sacred in this family,” Grace
said.
“I don’t know.” I chewed my bottom lip.
“We like you, Zoey, and you’re in our circle now. We’re your sisters for life, regardless of
whether you’re dating Carter or not,” Alex said.
“I’m not dating Carter,” I said.
“Doesn’t matter. We’ve already adopted you into our family.” Charleigh smiled.
“You promise not to tell?”
“We promise. Let’s all pinky swear, ladies,” Jenni said as we hooked our pinkies around
each other.
“Carter bought a yacht for himself, Grayson, and Gabriel, and he’s giving it to them as a
birthday gift next week at the party.”
“Seriously?” Piper asked.
“Oh, my God. How exciting!” Ava grinned.
“That’s awesome!” Jenni said. “He’s such a great guy. The boys will be thrilled.”
Piper’s phone rang, and she stepped out of the kitchen to answer it. When she walked back
in, she had a look of despair across her face.
“What’s wrong?” Ava asked.
“That was Gwen. She can’t do our wedding cake anymore because her mother passed away,
and she’s moving to Connecticut.” Tears filled her eyes. “What am I going to do?”
“Um.” I raised my hand. “I can make your wedding cake. I have several wedding cake books
I can show you.”
“You do wedding cakes?” Piper asked.
“Yeah. It’s what I’m most well-known for back in Sacramento. I won first place in a wedding
cake competition last year.”
“Oh, my God. You’re a lifesaver.” Piper hugged me. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” I smiled.
“Would you be interested in making Grayson and Gabriel’s birthday cake?” Ava asked.
“I’d love to. I’ll make one big one, and then I’ll make different flavored cupcakes so you can
try out different flavors for your wedding cake, Piper.”
“Again, I love you.” She hugged me tight.
“What’s going on in here?” Conner asked as he walked in and over to the refrigerator.
“Gwen’s moving to Connecticut and can’t do Piper’s and Gabriel’s wedding cake,” Charlotte
said.
“What? Why the fuck is my Gwen moving to Connecticut? Piper, you didn’t try to stop her?”
“Yeah, right, Conner. Her mother passed away.” Her brows furrowed.
“Oh, that’s sad. What the fuck? Now, what are we going to do?”
“Zoey has agreed to make the cake for Gabriel and me, and she’s making the cake for
Grayson and Gabriel’s birthday.”
“But we haven’t tried her cakes yet.”
“Conner!” Charlotte snapped.
“No offense, Zoey.” He looked at me.
“No offense taken. Trust me, Conner. Once you have my cakes, you will never want any
others.”
“Okay. Coconut lime with a twist.” He pointed at me as he walked out the sliding door.
“Ignore him.” Charlotte shook her head.
“It’s fine.” I laughed. “I’m a cake snob, too.”
“No coconut lime for the boy’s cake,” Piper said. “They love white cake with a pineapple
filling,” Ava said.
“Wait a second. Grayson and Gabriel love pineapple?” I asked.
“Yeah. It’s their favorite,” Piper said.
I laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Julia smiled.
“I found out this morning about Carter’s pineapple obsession.”
“You mean the obscene number of cans he keeps in his pantry?” Riley laughed when she
walked into the kitchen.
“You saw those too?” I asked her.
“Yeah. I thought it was weird.” Riley made a face.
“Me too.” I held my hand up for a high five.
 CHAPTER 19

Carter
“It’s a sad day for us.” Conner sighed as he sat down and twisted the cap off his beer bottle.
“Why? What happened?” Jackson asked.
“Piper just got a call from Gwen. She can’t do your wedding cake anymore.” He looked at
Gabriel.
“What? Why the fuck not?”
“Her mother passed away, and apparently, she’s moving to Connecticut.”
“Ah, shit. I better go talk to Piper. I’m sure she’s upset.”
“Oh, no. She’s fine,” Conner said. “Zoey is making your wedding cake now, and Piper is as
happy as a clam.”
“Thank God.” Gabriel sighed in relief.
“You look like you’re going to cry, Conner.” Simon laughed.
“Give me a minute, cousin.” He put his hand up.
“You are such a douchebag.” Jackson chuckled.
“I’m going to miss Gwen’s cakes,” Nathan spoke.
“Me too,” Stefan said.
“Listen. I’m sure Zoey’s cakes are just as good, and Gwen will become a distant memory,” I
said.
“Watch your mouth, cousin.” Conner pointed at me, and I laughed.
“She made an awesome pineapple crip this morning.”
“Excuse me?” Grayson cocked his head. “Did you say pineapple crisp?”
“Yep. She finds my love for pineapple weird.”
“I’m sure it’s not your love for pineapple, bro. I’ll bet it’s the amount of canned pineapple
you keep in your panty.” Gabriel chuckled.
“Yeah, well, you should see her freezer. It’s full of pints of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She
claims she needs it when she’s stressed.”
“You two sound like a married couple.” Simon laughed.
“Watch your mouth.” I pointed at him and brought the bottle to my lips. “We’re friends.”
“You sure, bro?” Grayson asked, glancing at me.
“One hundred percent.”
“Whatever it is, it’s too late now,” Simon said. “The girls already adopted her into the family.
Once they do that, you’re screwed if things go south.”
“There’s nothing to go south. We’re friends, and that’s it. Besides, she came from a really
screwed-up family.”
“Who hasn’t.” Simon laughed. “I know you didn’t know your dad, but my dad trumps yours.
Oh, and let’s not forget my mother.” He held his beer bottle up to Sebastian and lightly
tapped his. “So, actually, none of us can talk about anyone else coming from a screwed-up
family.”
“No, shit.” Nathan took a sip of his beer.
“Shh. Here comes Piper, Jenni, and Zoey,” Christian spoke.
“Hey, babe.” Gabriel held out his arms, and Piper sat on his lap. “I heard about Gwen.” He
kissed the side of her head.
“It’s all good. Zoey is going to make our wedding cake.” She grinned.
“That’s very nice of you, Zoey. Thank you,” Gabriel said.
“You’re welcome. It’s what I do.” Zoey grinned. “I’m ready to go home.” She looked at me.
“Yeah, it’s late.” I stood up. “Night, everyone. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I waved.
“I had a great time today. Thank you.” Zoey smiled as I pulled up to her building.
“So did I. You didn’t tell the girls about the boat, right?”
“Of course not. I told you I wouldn’t,” I lied.
“Okay. Thank you.” I smiled as I brushed my lips against hers.
Our kiss turned passionate, and she quickly broke it, placing her hand on my chest.
“I better get inside before we can’t stop ourselves,” she said.
“Good idea. I’ll call you. Enjoy that Ben and Jerry’s.” I smiled as she climbed out.
“And you enjoy that canned pineapple because I know you’re going to go home and open a
can.”
“Maybe I will.” I laughed.
She shook her head with a smile as she shut the door and went up to her apartment. I
waited until she was inside before heading home. When I climbed into bed, I stared at the
empty space where she lay last night. I didn’t know what was going on, and I didn’t want to.
There was this feeling inside of me I couldn’t describe. It almost felt like the feeling I had
after my brothers left North Carolina after my transplant—lonely. But I wasn’t alone. I had
my entire family with me here, on this beach, and I was happier than I’d ever been. Why
was I feeling this way? I’d spent too much time with Zoey so quickly that it grew on me. She
was busy now with the bakery, which would be my excuse for leaving her alone. I had to. I
had no choice for my own sanity.

Zoey
I woke up, made a cup of coffee, and sat down on the couch to make my official business
plan. I had so much to do—things that should have already been taken care of. I spent the
entire day locked up in my apartment, creating my business plan and looking at bakery
equipment online. Tomorrow morning, I’d present my business plan to the loan officer at
the bank.
Sitting in the bubbly tub, relaxing and unwinding from the mentally number-filled day, I
thought about how I hadn’t heard from Carter. I know I told him I was busy all day, but I
thought I’d at least get a text from him. After I climbed out of the tub and put on my
pajamas, I climbed into bed, and a part of me wished Carter was lying next to me. Damn
him.

“This is a really good business plan, Miss Morgan, but unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll be
approved for a business loan of this size.”
“Excuse me? Why not?” I cocked my head as my belly sank. “I have excellent credit.”
“I know, but you don’t have any assets. From our experience, a lot of bakeries go under just
about as quickly as they start.”
“Mr. Keys, my bakery will not go under. I can promise you that.”
“Everyone thinks that.” He smiled. “But we have to live in reality. If your bakery doesn’t
take off, how are you going to pay back this loan? You need to see this from our business
point of view, Miss Morgan. We just can’t go lending money to every young, beautiful
woman who walks in here with a dream. I’ll tell you what. Revise your business plan, cut
costs, find a smaller space, and come see me. Or better yet, start the business out of your
home.”
I sat there and furrowed my brows at him. “You know what? Maybe this bank isn’t for me.”
I grabbed my business plan from his desk. “If I were a man, you wouldn’t even hesitate to
approve the loan.”
“That is not true, Miss Morgan.”
“Yes, it is, and you know it. Good day, Mr. Keys.” I turned around and walked out of his
office.
Climbing into my car, I gripped the steering wheel and laid my forehead on it. After doing a
Google search, I found a different bank, called, and set up an appointment for tomorrow
afternoon with one of the loan officers. Fuck that bank, and fuck Mr. Keys. I’d show him.
I pulled into the parking lot of the building, where many work trucks were parked.
Climbing out of my car, I walked into Mojo Madness for a cup of coffee and saw Julia behind
the counter.
“Hey, you.” She smiled as she stepped out and hugged me. “What’s wrong?”
“Ugh. I just came from the bank, and the asshole loan officer said they wouldn’t approve my
loan.”
“Why?” Her brows furrowed.
“Because I’m a woman.”
“He said that?” Julia asked.
“Not in those exact words. He told me to revise my business plan, cut costs, find a smaller
space, and come back and see him.”
“You’re not going to do that, are you?” she asked.
“No. I have an appointment at a different bank tomorrow.” I sighed.
“Go sit down at a table, and I’ll get your coffee. Everything will work out.”
While I was waiting, my phone pinged. I pulled it from my purse, and there was a text from
Carter.
“Hi. Dinner tonight?”
I wasn’t in the mood and wouldn’t be very good company.
“Hi. Sorry. I can’t tonight.”
“Why?”
“I already made plans.”
He didn’t reply to my last text, and I didn’t care. Julia walked over and handed me my
coffee.
“Cheer up, Zoey. You’ll get this figured out.” She sat across from me and placed her hand on
mine. “Did you see that Stefan’s crew is working next door?”
“Yeah. I saw the trucks in the parking lot.”
“Isn’t that exciting?” She smiled.
“It should be, but I only have enough money to pay them for their work and some of the
equipment. If I don’t get a business loan, it’s going to sit empty.”
“You’ll get one,” she said, gently squeezing my hand.
“Can I ask a favor?” I said to her.
“Of course.”
“Can I bake Grayson’s and Gabriel’s cake at your house? The kitchen in my apartment is
way too small, and I don’t trust that oven.”
“I have a better idea. You can bake the cake in Sebastian’s kitchen at Four Kinds. He’ll be
there all morning cooking the food for the party. That way, he can have his people bring the
cake when they bring the food.”
“You don’t think he’ll mind?”
“Oh my, God. Not at all.” She grabbed her phone “I’ll call him.” She dialed his number and
put it on speaker.
“Hey, Jules,” Sebastian answered.
“Hey, Sebastian. Would you mind if Zoey used the kitchen at Four Kinds to bake the boy’s
birthday cake?”
“Not at all. She can use my kitchen whenever she wants.”
“Excellent. She’s here at the coffee shop now.”
“Ask her to stop by, and I’ll show her around.”
“Thanks, Sebastian. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Later, Jules.”
“See.” Julia grinned. “Finish your coffee and then go to Four Kinds.”
“Thanks, Julia. You’re the best.”
“You’re welcome. And don’t worry about the loan. It’ll all work out.”
 CHAPTER 20

Carter
What plans did she have? And with whom? She didn’t know anyone here. I wasn’t going to
text her, but I wanted to see her. I closed my briefcase, grabbed my suit coat, and headed
home for the night.
Julia walked through the sliding door, holding Elijah as I poured a scotch.
“Hey.” I smiled as I set my glass down. “Hey, little man.” I took him from her.
“Have you talked to Zoey today?” Julia asked.
“Just a couple of text messages. I asked her to dinner, and she said she had plans. Why?”
“The bank denied her a business loan.”
“What?” My brows furrowed. “Why?”
“She said it was because she’s a woman.”
“I highly doubt it,” I said.
“Nope. I believe it. Anyway, she was really down about it. She has an appointment
tomorrow afternoon with another bank. Don’t you think it sucks that she even has to go
through this? Especially when there is someone standing in front of me with the means to
help her.” Her brow arched. “Come on, Elijah.” She took him from me. “By the way, Carter.
Zoey doesn’t have plans tonight. I’m sure she only told you that because she’s upset and
wants to be alone.”
“Thanks for telling me, Julia.”
“If you happen to go over to her apartment tonight because you care that she’s upset, don’t
tell her I told you.”
“I’ll head over there right now and promise not to let on that I know anything.” I smiled and
kissed her cheek.
I went upstairs and grabbed a few things. Taking my keys, I climbed into my car, picked up
some Chinese food, and drove to Zoey’s.
“Zoey, it’s me.” I knocked on her door.
“Carter, what are you doing here?” she asked as she stood there holding a pint of Ben and
Jerry’s and a spoon in her hand.
“I wasn’t taking no for an answer about dinner.” I held up the plastic bag.
“Carter, I really—”
“Don’t care, Zoey.” I pushed past her and set the bag on the counter. “I can’t believe you
turned down my dinner invitation for two other men.” I arched my brow as I pointed to the
ice cream. “What’s going on? You only eat that when you’re overly stressed.”
“Nothing. I’m just tired.” She sighed as she grabbed two plates from the cabinet. “What did
you bring?”
“Chinese. I hope you like it.”
“I do. How did you know I was home?” Her brows furrowed.
“I didn’t. I took a chance.” A smirk crossed my lips as I took the food out of the bag and over
to the table. I saw her business plan sitting there, so I picked it up. “You finished your
business plan?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you mind if I look it over?” I asked as I sat down.
“Looks to me like you already are.”
I chuckled.
She sat across from me and put some food on her plate.
“Is that all you’re going to eat?” I asked.
“You saw the Ben and Jerry’s in my hand, Carter. I’d already eaten half the pint before you
arrived.”
“This is an excellent business plan. One of the best I’ve seen in a very long time. You have
expensive taste in equipment.” I smiled.
“I want my bakery to be the best, and it’ll cost to make it that way.”
“Have you filed for all of your business licenses yet?” I asked her as I bit into my egg roll.
“Yes. I did all of that today.”
“This number right here.” I pointed. “This is what you have so far to get the business up and
running?”
“Yep.” She looked down as she picked at her food.
I kept waiting for her to tell me about her bank experience today, but she wouldn’t.
“I’ve been thinking about something since you made me that pineapple crisp. I didn’t want
to say anything because I was unsure how you’d feel about it.”
“Feel about what?”
“Carter Management Group wants to invest in Baked With Love.”
“What?” She cocked her head. “You want to invest in my bakery?”
“I do. You’re overly smart, Zoey, and I know the bakery will do well. I’ll give you the money
you need to get this business going and become a silent partner. That way, you don’t have
to deal with the banks.”
“As much as I appreciate the offer, I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not? It’s what I do, Zoey.”
“Julia told you, didn’t she?”
“Told me what?”
“You’re a liar. Don’t lie to me, Carter. I’ve had a shit day as it is.”
“Fine. She told me. But I was going to talk to you about it. You didn’t tell me you had an
appointment with the bank today.”
“And when were you going to talk to me about it?”
“Why do you think I asked you to dinner tonight? I was going to ask you if you had your
final business plan ready.” I smiled. “I’m not sure why the loan officer would turn you
down. As I said, this is a perfect business plan.”
“It’s because I’m a woman.” Her brow arched.
“Who did you speak to at the bank?”
“His name is Mr. Keys. Why?”
“Just wondering. Anyway, it was meant to be because now you don’t have to deal with
them. Accept my offer to invest. You can start ordering everything you need. Before you
know it, your bakery will be up and running. I’ll call my attorney right now and have him
draw up the partnership contract. You can sign it tomorrow, and the funds will be
deposited into your account. Now that it’s settled, let’s eat.” I grinned.
“I haven’t agreed yet.” Her brows furrowed.
“Looks to me like you don’t have a choice. You want your bakery, and I can help. Deal?” I
extended my hand across the table.
She stared at me momentarily before placing her hand in mine. “Deal.”
“Excellent. Let’s finish eating so we can go into the bedroom and celebrate.” I smiled as I
winked at her.
After we ate, I called my attorney while Zoey cleaned up. As she stood at the sink, rinsing
off the dishes, I walked up behind her, grabbed her hips, and softly kissed her neck.
“Everything is all set. My attorney will have the contract drawn up and on my desk
tomorrow at noon. Can you swing by the office and sign it?”
“Yes.” She tilted her head to the side.
“Good.” I grabbed the dishtowel and wiped her hands dry. “We have some unfinished
business in the bedroom.” I swooped down and picked her up.
She quickly stripped out of her clothes and sat on the edge of the bed while I took off my
shirt. She grabbed the waist of my pants and pulled me toward her, sliding them off my
hips. I stood in front of her, hard as a rock, as her hand gripped me and her lips wrapped
around my throbbing cock. I threw my head back and took in the pleasure of her mouth.
The pressure, warmth, and wetness submerged me while several moans escaped my lips.
My hands fisted her hair as I looked down and watched her. It was the most incredible
feeling in the world—an indescribable feeling because it wasn’t just about the sensation
anymore. I stopped her and placed my finger under her chin, staring into her eyes while
she looked up at me. I’d never seen anything more beautiful in my life.
“Why did you stop me?” Her whispered words made me smile.
“Because I need to be inside you, and I can’t wait any longer.”
We both climbed under the covers and lay on our side, facing each other while our lips
intertwined. Her leg wrapped around my waist as I held her tight and thrust inside her. A
subtle gasp escaped her, turning me on even more than I already was. The grip around my
cock was intoxicating as I moved in and out. After a few strokes, I rolled on my back and
brought her on top of me. She sat up, her hands planted firmly on my chest as she rode me.
Her hips ground into me, and it didn’t take long for her to orgasm. I smiled as my hands
played with her beautiful breasts, and I took in the full beauty of her. Her body collapsed on
mine, and I rolled her on her back, thrusting in and out of her, preparing for the big release
that was about to come. I halted and moaned as I exploded. My body slowly dropped down,
and my face burrowed itself into the side of her neck. Her arms were wrapped tightly
around me as we waited for our breathing rate to calm down. I rolled off her and onto my
side.
“Why don’t you have a girlfriend?” Her lips formed a small smile as she stared at me.
“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?” I asked.
“You’re diverting by answering a question with a question. I had one, remember?”
“Ah, yes. Quinton was his name.” I smirked.
“Answer my question, Kind. How is a guy like you single?”
“Are you asking because I’m a God in bed?”
“You’re diverting again.”
“It’s complicated.” I ran my finger along her cheek. “I’ve been burned by women before and
realized relationships aren’t worth it.”
“So, you don’t trust women?”
“Something like that.” I smiled. “I’ll be right back,” I said as I climbed out of bed and pulled
on my pants.
“Where are you going?”
“To my car. I planned on spending the night, so I packed a bag.”
“And if I don’t want you to stay?” Her brow arched.
“I’m pretty confident you do.” I leaned over and kissed her lips.
 CHAPTER 21

Carter
“I have to go,” I said as I sipped the last of my coffee. “Have a good day.” I kissed Zoey’s lips
before walking out the door.
When I climbed into my car, I called my secretary and told her I would be late because I had
a stop to make before heading to the office. When I stepped inside the bank, Gracie, the
bank manager, stepped out from behind her glass office.
“Mr. Kind. Good morning.” She extended her hand with a smile.
“Good morning, Gracie.” I shook her hand.
“What brings you in?”
“I need to speak with Mr. Keys.”
“Oh? May I ask what this is about?”
“It’s a personal matter.”
“Of course, Mr. Kind. Follow me. “Harvey, this is Mr. Carter Kind of Carter Management
Group. He would like to speak with you.”
“Mr. Kind, please have a seat. What can I do for you?”
“A young woman was in here yesterday applying for a business loan for her bakery. You
spoke to her.”
“Ah, yes. Pretty little thing. What about her?” His brows furrowed.
“Why did you turn down her loan application? Her business plan was impeccable.”
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. “She wasn’t a right fit for us. Her dream of opening a
bakery is just that, Mr. Kind. We’ll lend her the money, she’ll open the bakery, it’ll fail, and
then she’ll be in default. In the end, it would just get messy. We’re very careful whom we
lend money to.”
“And you know her bakery will fail, how?” I narrowed my eyes?”
“As I said, she’s a pretty little thing with a big dream. They all have big dreams.”
“You mean women?” I cocked my head.
“Just between you and me, yes.”
“So, she was right. You did deny her because she’s a woman.”
“What is this about, and why do you care so much?”
“She’s a good friend of mine, and I don’t like my friends being discriminated against. She
happens to be a very intelligent woman. Not only does she have a photographic memory,
but she’s also a genius with numbers. She’s one of the smartest women I’ve ever met in my
life. In fact, she was a forensic accountant before she moved to L.A.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Of course you didn’t. Because all you saw was a pretty little thing with a dream. A dream
she shouldn’t have because she’s a woman.”
“I never said that, Mr. Kind.”
“The fuck you didn’t. But it all worked out anyway. Carter Management will invest in her
bakery, which will be very successful.” I stood from my seat. “Shame on you, Mr. Keys. Get
your head out of your ass. This is 2024.” I shook my head as I walked out of his office and
into Gracie’s. “Your loan officer is sexist and denied a friend of mine a business loan
yesterday because she’s a woman. I’m sure if you look back at all the loans he’s rejected,
they were women who came to your bank, asking for help to start their businesses. I’m
thinking that maybe this isn’t the bank my company should be dealing with.”
“Mr. Kind, hold on a second. Don’t make any rash decisions. This bank can and will
accommodate all of your and your company’s needs. I apologize for how Mr. Keys handled
things and will look into it immediately. I promise you that.”
“You better.” I pointed at her and walked out.
When I arrived at my office, I stopped to see Shaun. He was on the phone but signaled me to
come in and sit. After ending the call, he set his phone on his desk.
“Good morning.” He smiled. “I stopped by your office earlier, and your secretary said you
called and were going to be late. Did Miss Zoey Morgan have anything to do with that?”
“She had something to do with it.” I smiled. “She went to our bank yesterday and was
turned down for a business loan for the bakery.”
“What the fuck. Why?” His brows furrowed.
“Her loan officer is sexist and denied her because she’s a woman. I stopped at the bank this
morning to confront him.”
“And he admitted it?”
“Basically. I told Gracie she better take care of it, or I would be banking elsewhere.”
“Sterling Capital will invest in the bakery,” he said. “Fuck. I should have thought of that to
begin with. Especially after everything she’s done for me.”
“No need. Carter Management is. My attorney is drawing up the business contract as we
speak.”
A sly grin crossed his lips. “I thought you didn’t trust women.”
“I don’t. But this is business, and I know it’ll be worth the investment.”
He sat in his chair and stared at me.
“What?” I asked.
“You remind me of me when I invested in Jenni’s business. Look how that turned out.” He
smirked.
“If I recall the story you told me, you had motives when you did that.”
“I did, but I was already falling in love with her and wanted to help her. Maybe that’s what’s
going on here.”
I stood up from my chair. “Maybe you need to get back to work and stop seeing something
that isn’t there.” I pointed at him as I walked out of his office.
“Oh, it’s there, cousin,” he shouted. “It’s there!”
I glanced at the clock. It was noon when Charles, my attorney, stepped into my office.
“Here’s the contract you wanted drawn up, Carter.”
“Thanks, Charles.” I took it from his hand.
“A bakery?” His brow arched. “That’s unlike you.”
“I know. I’m helping a friend of mine. Thanks for doing this so quickly.”
“You’re welcome.” He smiled and left the office.
I picked up my phone from my desk and texted Zoey.
“Where are you?”
“Obviously, in your head, if you’re asking.”
“Why do you have to be such a smart ass?”
“What can I say? You bring it out in me.” She attached the smile emoji.
“Just wait until I see you.” I attached the eggplant emoji.
“Am I supposed to be scared?”
I shook my head as a smile crossed my lips.
“You should be because you know the things I can do to you. Anyway, the contract is ready to
be signed.”
“I’ll be there within the hour, Mr. Kind.”
“See you soon, Miss Morgan.”
As promised, Zoey walked into my office within the hour, looking as sexy as ever.
“Hi.” I smiled.
“Hi.” A bright smile crossed her lips.
“Let’s go over to the table.” I gestured as I grabbed the contract from my desk. “Read it over
carefully first.”
She picked it up and looked it over within three seconds. “Is this where I sign?” She pointed
to the bottom of the page.
“There is no way you read that so fast.” I furrowed my brows.
“Yes, I did. Would you like me to recite it for you?”
“Actually, I would.”
She began reciting the contract, word for word, as she stared at me. I stopped her.
“Okay. You read it.” I handed her a pen. “You sign first.”
She signed her name on the dotted line and then handed me my pen back. As I signed my
name next to hers, my phone rang. Walking over to my desk, I saw the bank was calling. I
answered it and put it on speaker.
“Carter Kind.”
“Good afternoon, Mr. Kind. It’s Gracie from the bank. I just wanted to let you know that you
were right about Mr. Keys. We’ve decided to let him go. If your friend would like to come
back in, we’ll make sure her business loan is approved.”
“No need, Gracie. Carter Management already took care of that. Thank you for letting me
know. Have a good day.” I ended the call.
“What the hell was that about?” Zoey narrowed her eyes as she walked over to my desk.
“I stopped by the bank this morning and had a chat with Mr. Keys. You were right. He did
deny you because you’re a woman. I said a few choice words, went into the bank manager’s
office, suggested she check into the loans he turned down in the past, and told her that
maybe their bank wasn’t good enough for me and my company’s business.”
“Damn. Why would you do that for me?”
“Because what he did was wrong, and if you wrong my friends, you’ll pay the price.”
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Carter.”
“You know your words mean nothing. Come over tonight, and I’ll cook for us. That way, you
can thank me properly.” A sly smile crossed my lips.
“There’s always a motive with you.” She smirked.
“It’s who I am.” I winked. “Be over around six thirty, and make sure you bring extra clothes
because you’re staying the night.”
“I will on one condition,” she said.
“What’s your condition?”
“You make sure that bread and cherry butter from Four Kinds is sitting on the table.”
I chuckled. “No problem. I’ll get the bread and butter.”
“Okay. Then I’ll see you at six-thirty.” She smiled and walked out of my office. “On second
thought.” She popped her head back in. “I’ll pick it up and bring it. I’m heading over to the
bakery right now. Stefan called and has some questions.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.” She smiled.
“Wait. I have an idea. Go home, pack your bag, then head over to the bakery.” I picked up a
pen and wrote the front door code down on a post it. “Since you’re going to be so close to
my house, you might as well just head over there after you pick up the bread and butter.”
“You do realize that I will never forget this code, right?” The corners of her mouth curved
upward.
“I know.” I winked. “Go on. Get out of here. I’ll see you later.”
 CHAPTER 22

Zoey
I climbed into my car and gripped the steering wheel. Thoughts about our conversation last
night swirled around in my head. He told me he was single because he was burned by
women before, and relationships weren’t worth it. I suspected he was cheated on. But who
the hell would cheat on a man like him? The feelings I felt for him at this stage frightened
me because I was experiencing something totally new and different. I found myself always
wanting to be with him. He was always on my mind when I wasn't. Even with all the shit I
had going on with my business, he was always at the forefront. His smile, laughter,
controlling words, scent, and how he made my body feel like Heaven was all too
comforting. He felt like home when we were together, and comfort wasn’t my strongest suit
—it was what made me run.
I pulled into the parking lot, climbed out of my jeep, and stepped inside my bakery. I smiled
at all the work that had already been done.
“Zoey.” Stefan smiled when he saw me.
“Hi, Stefan. This is really coming along.”
“Yeah. It’s looking good. Have you ordered anything yet?”
“Just a few things. I’m ordering the rest tomorrow when the money from Carter
Management clears.”
“Carter Management?” His brows furrowed.
“Carter is an investor in Baked With Love.”
“Wow. That’s awesome. Congrats.” He grinned.
“I need you to go start picking out all the light fixtures, paint colors, sinks for the kitchen,
etc. I wrote a list.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Want
some advice?”
“Yes, of course.” I stared at him.
“Ask Ava for some help. You know she’s an interior decorator, and she’ll be able to help you
with some of this stuff, plus get it at a discount.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, Stefan. Thanks. I’ll ask her.” I smiled.
After I left the bakery, I walked next door to Mojo Madness. I saw Julia and Ava sitting at a
table when I stepped inside.
“Hello, ladies.” I smiled as I walked over to where they sat.
“Hi.” Ava stood from her chair and hugged me. “Sit down and join us.”
I hugged Julia first before sitting down.
“Were you just next door?” Julia asked.
“I was. It’s coming along.”
“I’ll go grab you a coffee.” Julia smiled.
“I’m happy you’re here, Ava. I was going to call you.”
“Oh yeah?” A smile crossed her lips.
“Stefan gave me this list of everything I need to start picking out and buying. He said to ask
your advice.” I pulled out the paper from my purse and handed it to her. “I would love to
hire you as my interior decorator for the bakery.”
“Are you serious?” She grinned. “I’d love to.”
“Here’s your coffee, friend.” Julia sat across from us. “So, any word on any loans?” she
asked.
“Carter Management Group is investing, and I know you told him about the loan.”
“That asshole. He wasn’t supposed to tell you. Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not. I’m grateful. Thank you.”
“We girls always have each other’s backs and stick together. Besides, it’s what he and Shaun
do anyway.”
“I asked Ava if she would be my interior decorator for the bakery, and she agreed,” I said.
“Oh, that’s great news.” Julia lightly clapped her hands. “I’m so excited you’re moving in
next door.”
“Thanks for the coffee, Julia. I have to run and pick up some bread and cherry butter from
Four Kinds. I told Carter I would since he’s cooking dinner for me at his place tonight.”
Ava looked at her watch. “I’ll go with you, and then we can go back to my house and discuss
your vision for the bakery, such as colors, theme, and décor.”
“That sounds fun. We can do it at Carter’s. He gave me his door code.”
“Oh?” Her brow arched.
“I bet he’s going to regret that.” I laughed.
I hugged Julia goodbye, and Ava and I headed to Four Kinds. After talking to Sebastian for a
bit, I got the bread and butter, and we went to Carter’s house.
“I’ll be over in a few. I just have to grab my notepad.” Ava smiled.
I reached in the back seat and grabbed the shop design Sam did, punched in the code to
Carter’s house, and stepped inside. A few moments later, Ava walked through the door.
“Wine?” I asked her.
“Of course. Great ideas are always discussed over a glass of wine.” She grinned.
“Or a bottle.” I smiled. “How about a can of pineapple to go with our wine.”
“Uh, no thanks.” She burst out into laughter.
I took our wine over to the table and set the glasses down.
“Tell me your vision,” Ava said.
“Contemporary Modern, white, pink, and gold.”
“Oh! I love it.” She grabbed her pencil. “Oh, my God. I just had the best idea. But I’m not sure
Shaun will go for it.”
“Go for what? Tell me!” I asked with excitement.
“We need to change the front door and window.”
“Do you think he’ll go for that?” I twisted my face.
“Shaun is so easy going and you did save his company from the people who were
embezzling, so he should do what you ask.”
“You’re right.” I grinned. “I thought this wall here would be perfect for a hand-painted
mural. You wouldn’t, by chance, know someone who could do that, would you?” My lips
gave way to a small smile.
“Carter told you?”
“He did. The other day, I was admiring the painting in his office and asked him who painted
it. He told me about Freya and the others.”
“I’m sure Freya would love to paint a mural for your bakery. What do you think?” She
turned her notepad to me, and I stared at the redesign of the outside of the bakery.
“It’s perfect. Now, all I need to do is convince Shaun.”
Ava glanced at her watch. “I better get home.”
We stood from our chairs and hugged.
“Thank you, Ava.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie. I’ll see you tomorrow, and we’ll start shopping for everything.
Let me know what Shaun says about the front of the building.”
“I will.”
 CHAPTER 23

Zoey
Not long after Ava left, Carter walked through the door, carrying a few grocery bags.
“Hi.” He smiled as he set them on the island. “I’m going to run upstairs and change before
starting dinner.”
“Okay.” A smile crossed my lips.
I walked over to the bags and started unpacking them. Pulling out two cans of pineapple, I
rolled my eyes and shook my head. Sticking my hand in another bag, I pulled out a pint of
Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and stared at it.
“You bought ice cream?” I asked when he walked into the kitchen.
“Yeah. I bought it for you to keep here just in case you’re overly stressed and need it.” He
winked as he walked over to the sink and washed his hands.
I couldn’t believe he’d done that. In the six months I dated Quinton, he never once bought
me Ben and Jerry’s to keep at his place.
“What?” Carter laughed as I stared at him.
“That was really sweet of you to do that. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He kissed my lips and took the steaks out to the grill.
I grabbed the design Ava hand drew and stepped onto the patio.
“What do you think?” I showed Carter.
“That looks great. What is it?”
“What do you mean? That’s the front of the bakery.”
“The front of the building doesn’t look like that.” His brow arched. “Did you draw that?”
“No. Ava did. We both have a vision. By the way, I’m hiring her to help me with the shop's
interior design. We’re going shopping tomorrow to start picking things out.”
“That’s great.” He smiled. “But I don’t understand this.” He pointed to the paper.
“It needs to be redone. As my investor, you can clearly see that this new design will attract
more people.”
Carter chuckled. “You want Shaun to replace the door and the window?”
“Yes. Just the front window, though. The others are fine.”
“You realize this is going to cost a lot more money, right?” His brow arched.
“I ran the numbers in my head, and it’ll be worth it.”
“Well, you better talk to him right now and get the approval so you can let Stefan know.”
I stepped inside the house, grabbed my phone, and sent Shaun a text.
“Hi! I’m changing the building's front door and front window to match the aesthetic of the
inside of the bakery.
“Go for it. It’s Carter’s money.” He attached the smiley emoji.
“Thanks, Shaun.”
“Did you text him?” Carter stepped inside.
“He said to go for it because it’s your money.” I grinned.
“Of course, he did.” He sighed.

Carter
I opened my eyes and looked over at the empty side. Glancing at the clock, it was seven a.m.
Zoey had left at five-thirty to head to Four Kinds to bake the cake and cupcakes for my
brother’s birthday party. After showering and getting dressed, my phone pinged with a text
message from Grayson.
“We’re out on my patio. Get your ass out here.”
I made a cup of coffee, stepped out the sliding door, and walked over to Grayson’s.
“Happy birthday, my brothers.” I grinned as I set my coffee down and hugged them.
“Thank you, bro,” they both spoke.
“How’s Zoey?” Gabriel asked.
“She’s good.” I smiled.
“She’s spent the last two nights at your place. Things getting serious?” Grayson asked.
I brought my cup to my lips and took a sip of coffee. “No. I don’t get serious when it comes
to women.”
“You invested in her bakery.” Gabriel’s brow arched.
“Because it’s a business investment, nothing else.”
“And if the relationship goes bad?” Grayson asked.
“What relationship? Zoey and I aren’t in one. We’re friends having fun.”
“Okay. When the fun ends?” Gabriel said.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. What time are we meeting on the boats?”
“Noon. Don’t be late.” Grayson pointed at me.
“I won’t.” I chuckled. “Enjoy your birthday morning. I’ll see you two on the boat.” I smiled as
I stood up, fist-bumped them, and went back to my house.
I was starting to get worried because it was ten-thirty, Zoey wasn’t back yet, and we
needed to leave in forty-five minutes. Just as I pulled out my phone to call her, the front
door opened, and she walked in.
“There you are. We have to leave in forty-five minutes.”
“I know. Sorry. It won’t take me long to get ready.”
I walked over to her, gripped her hips, and kissed her lips.
“You taste and smell like cake.” I smirked.
“The perks of baking.” She smiled. “I’m going to jump in the shower.”
“Now you have forty minutes,” I said.
“Don’t worry, Kind. I’ll be ready.”
I smiled as she ran up the stairs. That was something she did on a regular basis—made me
smile. Forty minutes on the dot, we were out the door and headed to the marina. Stepping
on my boat, I went down into the cabin and saw white boxes lining the counter.
“Cake and cupcakes?” I asked her.
“Yep. Try one.” She opened the lid to one of the boxes and took out a cupcake.
“What kind is this one?”
“You’ll see.” She grinned.
I bit into it and slowly closed my eyes.
“Fuck, Zoey. This is amazing.”
“Thanks. And guess what?”
“What?” I took another bite.
“It’s made with fresh pineapple.”
“Smart ass.” I chuckled. “I can honestly say I think I made the right decision to invest in
Baked With Love. This has to be the best damn cupcake I’ve ever had.”
“Thanks, Carter. That means a lot.” She smiled as she reached up and kissed my lips.
My phone pinged, and when I checked it, there was a text from Shaun.
“All of us just pulled into the lot.”
“Great. Thanks for letting me know.”
“They’re all here. Let’s get up on the deck,” I said as I grabbed her hand.
“I can’t wait to see the look on your brother’s faces.”
“Neither can I.”
Zoey and I stood on the deck. Looking down the marina, I saw my family heading toward
the boats.
“Bro, what the fuck are you doing? Wrong boat.” Grayson laughed.
“Nah. You two get your asses up here.”
“What is going on?” Gabriel asked as he and Grayson stepped on the boat.
“Welcome to the Brothers Kind. Happy birthday.”
“What?” Grayson cocked his head.
“Are you saying what I think you are?” Gabriel asked.
“Yep. This boat is your birthday gift and all ours.” I held out my arms.
“What the fuck!” Grayson clasped his head.
“Thank you, Carter.” Gabriel hugged me tight. “I don’t know what to say.”
“After everything you and Grayson have done for me, this is the least I could do.”
“Have I told you how much I love you?” Grayson grabbed and hugged me.
“I love you too, bro. Happy birthday.”
“Let’s get the other boats ready, and we’ll meet you on the water.” Shaun winked.
“Uncle Carter, I love you so much.” Riley hugged me.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
I looked over at Zoey, who was talking to Piper and Ava.
“I’m going to show the girls around,” Zoey said.
I lightly grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side.
“The girls didn’t seem overly excited. It’s almost as if they already knew about the boat.”
“You think? I don’t know how they would.”
“You’re a liar.” I smirked. “Confess, Zoey.”
“Fine. They tortured me until I spilled the beans. It was awful, Carter. I was so scared.”
I laughed as I shook my head.
“Go take them on a tour.” I kissed her forehead. “I’ll show my brothers around.”
“Did you know that when you kiss a woman on her forehead, you’re letting her know that
you’ll always be there for her and love her with all of your heart?” Grayson glanced at me as
I started the boat.
“Stop being a douchebag. No, it doesn’t.”
“It sure does. And I saw you kiss Zoey’s forehead.”
“You’re making shit up, bro.”
“Ask Ella.” He chuckled. “She’s the one who told me, and you know damn well that kid is
never wrong.” He patted my shoulder.
Once we reached a good area in the open water, we tied the boats together and got the
party started.
“Exceptional boat,” Carter.” Aunt Barb smiled. “It was very thoughtful of you to surprise
your brothers on their birthday.”
“Thanks, Aunt Barb. I have many birthdays to make up for.”
“It wasn’t your fault, darling. Your father was a very broken man back then. To be honest,
your mother did the right thing. It’s exactly what I would have done.” She smiled. “What’s
going on between you and Zoey? I heard your company has invested in her bakery.”
“Nothing is going on between us. We’re friends, Aunt Barb.” I brought the beer bottle to my
lips.
“I’ve been around a long time, Carter, and I know when there’s something there between
two people. I know you’ve been hurt in the past, but when two people are meant to be
together, there’s no stopping it. Ask your brothers and cousins.”
“Hey, you two.” Zoey smiled as she walked over. “We’re going to do the cake soon.”
“Speaking of,” Aunt Barb said. “Have you figured out your employee situation yet?”
“Not yet,” Zoey said. “It’s been weighing on my mind, though.”
“Let me take some of the weight off. I want to work for you at the bakery.” Aunt Barb
smiled.
“Oh, really?” Zoey asked with a confused look.
“Aunt Barb, aren’t you busy enough?” I asked.
“Not these days, Carter. I think a part-time job at a bakery would be fun. Besides, I have a
ton of rich friends who will come in and spend a lot of money.”
“I think it’s a great idea.” Zoey grinned. “Welcome to Baked With Love, Barb.” She hugged
her.
“Thank you, darling. I’ll be the best employee you’ll ever have.” She smiled. “Now, if you’ll
excuse me, I’m going to tell Curtis.”
“Why were you hugging my mother?” Simon asked as he walked over.
“Your mom is going to work at the bakery.” I smirked.
“Are you crazy?” his low voice spoke as he stared at Zoey. “Do I need to call Jackson over
here and have him schedule you a CT scan?”
Zoey laughed. “She’ll do fine.”
“You don’t understand. This is what she does. She’s interested in something, gets bored,
and moves on to something new. Right now, your bakery is her flavor of the month.”
“If she quits, then I’ll hire someone to replace her. I’m not worried.” Zoey smiled as she
walked away.
“Your girlfriend is crazy, cousin.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.” I took a sip of my beer.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He cocked his head. “You invested in her bakery. You’re with her just about
every day. She spends the night at your house more than one night at a time. You spend the
night at her house and randomly kiss her in public. Sounds like a girlfriend to me.” He
patted my shoulder and walked away.
My heart started racing as I stood there and thought about everything Simon said. I finished
my beer, and Piper announced it was time to sing Happy Birthday to my brothers.
We all gathered on the deck of my boat while Zoey set the beautifully lit cake on the table.
We sang Happy Birthday while Sebastian strummed the chords on his guitar.
 CHAPTER 24

Zoey
“Moment of truth.” Conner grinned as he took a bite of the cake I handed him.
“Well?” I smiled.
He set down his plate and hugged me.
“Welcome to the family, Zoey.”
I laughed.
“This is the best fucking cake in the world!” he exclaimed.
“Better than Gwen’s?” A smirk crossed my lips.
“Sadly, yes. But I still have to try your coconut lime with a twist.”
“Then you’re in luck.” I grabbed a coconut lime cupcake and handed it to him.
“Stop it! This isn’t—”
“Yes, it is.” I smiled.
He bit into the cupcake and immediately called his brothers over.
“Try this.” He shoved the cupcake at him.
“Holy shit,” Nathan spoke.
“It’s like an orgasm in your mouth, right?” Conner grinned.
“Fuck, Zoey,” Jackson said. “This is so damn good.”
“Absolutely the best.” Christian nodded. “You’re in.” He winked.
Carter walked over, grabbed a cupcake, and bit into it. I stared at him with a smile.
“Yep. I made the right decision.” He smiled as he walked away.
After sitting around and listening to the guys play some music, laughing, dancing, and
having a wonderful day, it was time to head home.
“God, I love your family so much.” I smiled as we climbed into Carter’s car and drove back
to his house.
“Yeah. They’re great. I’m happy you had a good time today.”
“I had a fantastic time.”
Something seemed off with him.
“Hey, are you okay?” I reached over and lightly rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yeah. I’m fine. Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“Are you feeling okay?” I asked with concern.
“Yeah. What’s with the questions?” He glanced at me with furrowed brows.
“I don’t know. You seem off.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“Okay. Sorry.” I looked out the window.
He reached over and lightly grabbed my hand.
“There’s no need to apologize.”
When we arrived back at his house, we went upstairs and got ready for bed. Pulling back
the covers, I climbed under and waited for him to join me. After he finished brushing his
teeth, he climbed on the other side and stared at me.
“I think we should get some sleep.”
“Yeah, sure.” I gave a fake smile as if I understood. “It was a long day, especially since I was
up so early baking for hours. Good night.” I leaned over, quickly kissed his lips, and turned
the other way.
“Good night, Zoey.”
I lay there, trying to think of what happened or what went wrong today. He was fine during
the party until it was time to head back. Did I say something to him to make him angry? I
didn’t think so. I couldn’t think of anything. Maybe he was just tired, and it made him
grumpy. I’d grown used to being held in his arms at night while I slept, but he didn’t seem
interested in doing that tonight. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
When I woke up the following morning, I rolled over, and my arm hit the empty side of the
bed. I climbed out of bed, slipped on my robe, and went downstairs. I didn’t see him
anywhere, but I did see a to-go cup sitting on the island with a note.
“My brothers texted me to go surfing with them this morning. I have a lot of things to do
today, so maybe when you wake up, you can grab a coffee and head home since I’ll be
heading out when I’m done surfing.”
“Oh, hell no.” I stood there shaking my head. “Nope. I will not be one of those girls, asshole.”
I stomped up the stairs, slipped on my shoes, grabbed my things in the bathroom and my
bag, and flew out the door in my robe. I didn’t give a shit. I was that angry.
All the way home, I gripped the steering wheel as if I was gripping Carter’s neck. Who the
hell did he think he was? I was so angry that I didn’t see the car that pulled out in front of
me as I rear-ended him.
“What the fuck!” I screamed and threw my hands in the air as I climbed out of the car and
saw the little old man staring back at me.
“I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t see you, or I wouldn’t have pulled out,” he spoke in a frail voice.
“Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?!” I shouted as I looked down at myself in my robe. “FUCK,” I screamed and
climbed back inside my car.
Pulling my phone from my purse, I dialed 911 and told them about the accident. The old
man slowly walked over to my window and tapped on it. Hitting the button, it rolled down.
“Again, I’m sorry. It was totally my fault.”
“I’m sorry for yelling at you. It’s been a shit morning.”
The police car pulled up, and the cop walked over to my window.
“Officer, it wasn’t this young lady’s fault. I pulled out in front of her because I didn’t see
her.”
“Ma’am, can you please step out of the vehicle.”
“Please, don’t make me officer.” I gestured to my robe.
He looked inside the car and narrowed his eyes at me.
“Care to explain why you’re driving around in your robe?” His brow arched.
“It’s a long story.” I sighed. “This guy I was staying with started acting weird last night. It
was like he was mad at me. Then, I woke up this morning, and he wasn’t there. He was
surfing with his brothers. When I went downstairs, he set a to-go cup on the island with a
note asking me to leave. I was so angry that I just grabbed my things and flew out the door,
not realizing I was still in my robe.”
“A to-go cup?” he asked.
“Yeah, you know. Those Styrofoam coffee cups with plastic lids. That’s his way of saying,
please have a cup of coffee on me while I kick your ass out of my house.”
“Wow. Guys, do that?” He cocked his head.
“Apparently. Listen, I’m sorry.”
“Officer, this poor woman has been through enough. Clearly, her heart has been broken,
and so is her car because of me,” the old man said.
“Stay in your car, miss, and just give me your license and registration.”
I pulled my license from my wallet and the registration from the glove box.
The officer returned to his car, and I sat there staring at the old man.
“It’ll be okay, sweetheart. He sounds like a disrespectful man, and you didn’t deserve what
he did to you.”
“I didn’t, did I?” I softly smiled.
“No. You deserve better than him.”
The officer handed me my license and registration and told me the police report would be
ready in forty-eight hours. The old man gave me his insurance information, and the officer
told me to be more mindful of my clothing choices before leaving the house in the future.
When I got home, I grabbed my bag from the front seat and looked to make sure nobody
was around to see me. Opening the car door, I quickly ran up the stairs to my apartment,
unlocked the door, and stepped inside. I changed into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt
and went back down to check out the damage to Katniss.
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Katniss.” I ran my hand over the hood.
When I returned to my apartment, I shut off my phone, grabbed a pint of Ben and Jerry’s
and a spoon, and sat down on the couch.
 CHAPTER 25

Carter
After saying goodbye to my brothers, I headed back home. Laying my surfboard against the
house, I stepped through the sliding door, and my eyes went directly to the broken to-go
cup and crumbled note I’d left her. Sighing, I went upstairs, and all of her things were gone.
Standing in the shower while the hot water beat down on me, I placed my hand against the
marble tile and thought about how I couldn’t trust her. She told the girls about the boat
after promising me she wouldn’t. But it just wasn’t about that. What Simon said got to me,
and how much time we spent together, like boyfriend and girlfriend. He was right. Without
thinking, I jumped right into things with her so quickly that it made my head spin.
I knew I hurt her by setting out the to-go cup and writing that note, but I wanted her gone
before I got back because I was afraid that if she weren’t, I’d want her to stay. But the real
issue was that she broke her promise to me and told the girls she barely knew.
I stayed in my office most of the day and worked. I tried to text her several times but
decided not to. It was best that I didn’t. But I knew, at some point, we’d have to talk. I went
into the living room and over to the bar, poured myself a double scotch, and took it out onto
the patio. I saw the light in Riley’s pottery shed and walked there.
“Hey, Uncle Carter.” She smiled when I stepped inside.
“What are you making, kiddo?”
“A vase for my friend to give her mom for her birthday. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I saw the light on and thought I’d come by and say hi.”
“You have the same look my dad gets when something is bothering him.” She smiled.
“Where’s Zoey?”
“She left earlier today. She has a lot of work to do,” I lied.
“She’s so cool. I really like her.” She grinned. “When I’m done with this piece, I’m going to
make her something for the bakery.”
“I’m sure she’ll like that. I’ll let you get back to work.”
When I walked out of the shed, Gabriel stepped out the sliding door.
“Hey, I was just coming over.” He smiled. “The girls are coming over to talk about wedding
stuff with Piper. Grab a couple of beers and meet us down at the beach.”
“I’ll be down in a few,” I said.
After taking two bottles of beer from the refrigerator, I walked down the beach and sat in
the chair next to my brothers.
“Why did Zoey leave?” Grayson asked. “I noticed her car wasn’t in your driveway earlier.”
“She had things to do,” I said as I brought the bottle to my lips.
“I still can’t believe you bought the boat.” Gabriel placed his hand on my shoulder. “God, we
were so shocked.”
“Best birthday ever.” Grayson smiled.
“And the fact that you told Zoey about it, and not all of us, says something right there,”
Christian said.
“Do you think we can talk about something else other than Zoey,” I blurted out.
The beach went silent as my brothers and cousins stared at me.
“Uh-oh. What happened?” Simon asked.
“Nothing happened.” I finished my first beer, grabbed the second bottle, and twisted off the
cap.
Jackson’s phone rang. He raised his hand for us to quiet down while answering it.
“Hi, babe. Are you on your way home? WHAT?! I’m on my way.” He jumped up from his
chair.
“Bro, what happened?” Conner asked.
“Georgia was in the middle of an emergency c-section and went into labor. I have to get to
the hospital. I can’t believe this. The baby isn’t due for another week and a half. I told her
she needed to stop working already.”
“At least she’s in the place she’s supposed to be,” Christian said. “Let’s go get the girls and
head over there.”
We all headed to the hospital and waited in the waiting room.
“Did you call Zoey to let her know about Georgia?” Grayson asked.
“Uh, no. I was going to wait until she had the baby.”
“Are you okay? You’ve seemed off all night?” Gabriel asked.
“I was just going to ask the same thing?” Grayson said.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I hooked my arms around them. “I’m just not a fan of hospitals.”
“That’s understandable, bro,” Gabriel said.
Shaun walked over with his phone in his hand. “I just got off the phone with Roman. Ken
and Raquel have been arrested. The FBI searched Ken’s home office and found everything
they needed to prosecute them. They’ll be going away for a long time.” He smiled.
“Excellent news, Shaun. And the money?”
“All of it will be coming back to Sterling Capital.”
Jackson walked into the waiting room, and we all stared at him.
“You guys go on home. I’ll text you when the baby is born. Georgia isn’t progressing, and it’s
going to be a while.”
“You better text us right when that kid comes out.” Conner hugged him.
“I will. Don’t worry.”
We all said goodbye to Jackson and headed home.
It was six a.m. when my alarm went off. I’d barely slept all night, and I was exhausted. While
I was in the shower, I heard my phone ding. After finishing, I wrapped the towel around my
waist, grabbed my phone, and saw a message from Jackson in our group chat.
“Liam Jackson Kind is here! He and Georgia are doing great, and we can’t wait for you to meet
him.”
A smile crossed my lips as I replied.
“Congratulations, Dad. Tell Georgia congrats, and I’ll be by the hospital later.”
I sent Zoey a text because I knew she’d want to know.
“Hi. Georgia had the baby this morning. I thought you’d want to know.”
I set my phone down and finished getting ready for work. As the day went on, and I was in
back-to-back meetings, I kept checking my phone to see if Zoey had replied to my text
message. She didn’t, and I knew she was pissed at me.
I left the office early and headed to the hospital to meet the newest Kind family member.
When I stepped into the room, I saw Zoey talking to Georgia.
“Carter.” Georgia smiled. “Thank you for the beautiful flowers you sent earlier.
“You’re welcome.” I smiled as I walked over and kissed her cheek. “Congratulations.
Congrats, cousin.” I hugged Jackson. “Hey, Zoey.”
She looked away from me, stood up from the edge of the bed, and grabbed her purse.
“I have to get going. Your son is gorgeous.” She smiled at Georgia.
“Thanks for stopping by, Zoey. And thank you for the baby gift and beautiful flowers.”
She left the room, and Georgia and Jackson stared at me.
“I’ll be right back,” I sighed. “Zoey, wait.” I ran down the hallway to catch up with her.
“I have nothing to say to you, Kind.” She stopped at the elevator and pushed the button.
“We should talk,” I said.
The elevator doors opened. “Oh, hey.” Simon grinned.
“I have nothing to say to you,” Zoey spat through gritted teeth. “Leave me alone!” She
stepped onto the elevator.
“Oh, shit,” Simon said.
“What did you do?” Grace cocked her head.
“Zoey, come on.” The elevator doors began to close. I stopped them with my hand and
stepped inside.
“I’m warning you, Carter.”
“We need to talk about yesterday.” The doors opened, and we stepped out into the lobby.
“You said everything when you left the to-go cup out and a note kicking me out without any
explanation.” She hurried to her car, and I lightly grabbed her arm.
“What happened to Katniss?” I noticed the damage to the front end. “Were you in an
accident?”
“It’s none of your business.” She yanked her arm from my grip. “Go be with your family and
leave me alone.”
 CHAPTER 26

Zoey
I climbed into my car and drove off. Now wasn’t the time or place to discuss it. He had the
chance yesterday before wanting me out of his house before he returned from surfing.
Whatever he was mad at me for, I no longer cared, even though it kept the tears falling all
night.
I was sitting on the couch, dipping my spoon into Ben and Jerry, when there was a knock at
the door.
“Zoey, I know you’re home. Open up.”
Rolling my eyes, I walked over to the door. “Go away, Carter.”
“I’m not leaving until we talk. I want to set things straight about yesterday. And if you don’t
let me in, I’ll keep pounding and shouting until your neighbors call the cops. I don’t care.”
I hastily opened the door and stared at him for a moment before moving out of the way and
letting him in.
“Whatever you have to say, say it and leave,” I said as I shut the door.
“You broke your promise to me, Zoey.”
“What are you talking about?” I furrowed my brows.
“You told the girls about the boat when you promised you wouldn’t. You broke my trust.”
“That’s what you’re so pissed about? They didn’t say anything, so what’s the big deal?” I
threw my arms out.
“The big deal is I trusted you with something personal, and you promised me you wouldn’t
tell anyone. Yet, you did the first chance you got.”
“That is not how it went down!” I shouted, pointing my finger at him. “I told them we went
to the Santa Monica Pier, we had dinner, and it was seafood. They somehow knew I was
lying because they threw out the name of a restaurant, and I said it was where we ate. How
was I to know that the restaurant didn’t exist there?”
“Then you could have made something up,” he shouted. “But no, you went and told them
the truth of where I took you that day.”
“I’m sorry, Carter. I honestly had no idea that it would upset you this much.”
“I told you that I don’t trust women as it was, and now, you’re just another one I can’t trust
when I thought I could.”
I stood there and stared at him as the tears tried to force their way into my eyes. I refused
to let him see me that way.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Carter. I guess I’m just too untrustworthy to hang around with.
Get out.” I pointed to the door. “And another thing. It’s good this happened because I would
have walked away in less than six months. So, you just dodged a bullet, Mr. Kind.”
“What are you talking about?” His eyes narrowed.
“You heard what I said. Now, get out.”
“Whatever, Zoey.” He stormed out of my apartment and slammed the door.
The tears that I held back came falling full force. I grasped my heart. It hurt. I grabbed my
Ben and Jerry’s and looked at it, and suddenly, I couldn’t bring myself to eat it. I felt sick as
the tears continued to fall down my face. I picked up my phone, called Cara, and told her
everything that happened.
The first thing I did the following morning was go to the bank. Gracie greeted me with
delight and asked how she could help me.
“What can I do for you, Miss Morgan?” She smiled.
“I would like to apply for another business loan since Mr. Keys was a sexist fool and denied
me based on my gender.”
“Mr. Kind told me that Carter Management Group was investing in your business.”
“Things have changed, and I no longer want his money.”
“I see.” She folded her hands on her desk.
“Here is my business plan.” I handed her the folder. “The total on the bottom of the page is
the amount I need.”
“This business plan is very impressive. I see you’re good with numbers.”
“I’m a genius when it comes to numbers. I was a forensic accountant before I decided to
open a bakery.”
“I’ll tell you what. I like you, Miss Morgan. You have my sincere apology for what Mr. Keys
did. I’m going to go ahead and approve your business loan myself. I’ll call you later this
afternoon when the paperwork is ready to be signed.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” I stood up and extended my hand.
“You’re very welcome.” She smiled as she lightly shook my hand.

Carter
I was reviewing some documents in my office when my door opened, and my secretary
stepped in.
“Excuse me, Carter. This was sitting on my desk when I returned from lunch.”
I took the white envelope from her hand and removed the cashier’s check inside, made
payable to Carter Management Group for the exact amount of my investment in Zoey’s
bakery.
“Goddamnit,” I shouted as I stood from my chair. “What the fuck is she doing? I’ll be down
at Shaun’s office.” I stormed out.
“What’s up?” Shaun smiled when I entered his office.
“This.” I threw the check on his desk.
He picked it up and looked at it.
“I don’t understand. What is this for?” His brows furrowed.
“That’s my investment in Zoey’s bakery.” I placed my hands on my hips and paced around
his office.
“Carter, I don’t understand what you mean. What is going on?”
“She must have gone and seen Gracie at the bank. That’s the only way she would have
gotten the money to return to me.”
“Why would she do that? What the hell happened between the two of you?” He stood up.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter. If she doesn’t want me investing, fine. I don’t give a
shit.” I stormed out of his office.
I told Carly I was leaving for the day, climbed into my car, and drove to Zoey’s apartment.
Her car wasn’t in the parking lot, so I went to the bakery. When I stepped inside, I saw her
talking to Ava.
“Really, Zoey?” I shouted over all the noise of the construction.
“I assume you got the check,” she said.
“Yeah. I did. What the fuck are you thinking?”
“What is going on?” Ava asked.
“I’m not discussing this now.” She began to walk away, so I grabbed her arm and stopped
her.
“Let go of her now, Kind!”
I glanced over and stared at Ava. “This is between Zoey and me, Kate.”
“Don’t make me hurt you.” She gripped my shoulder tight. “Grayson will be pissed as hell,
but I’ll do it if you don’t let go of her.”
I let go of Zoey’s arm and stared at her. “Why? Just answer me that.”
“You can’t trust me, so how can you trust I’ll make the right business decisions? I can’t run a
business knowing my investor doesn’t trust me. Now, you don’t have to worry about it
anymore. You’re free of me forever.” She walked away and out of the bakery.
“What is going on?” Stefan walked in. “I just saw Zoey speed out of here.”
“My dork of a brother-in-law hurt her, and it’s taking everything I have not to punch him in
his pretty little face right now.”
“Oh, hey, Kate.” Stefan smiled. “What happened?” He looked at me.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I walked out of the bakery, climbed into my car, and drove
home.
 CHAPTER 27

Carter
The first thing I did when I got home was pour myself a scotch, down it, and poured
another. I never would have expected her to do what she did. There was a knock at the
door. Sighing, I opened it only to see my Aunt Barb standing there.
“What on earth is going on?” She pushed past me.
“Aunt Barb, now isn’t—”
“I don’t give a fuck,” she snapped. “I was next door at Mojo Madness when I saw Zoey run to
her car and peel out of the parking lot. Then I saw you do the same thing. I went over to the
bakery, and Kate told me what happened.”
“She gave me a reason not to trust her, and after we discussed it, she went to the bank, took
out a business loan, and returned my investment.”
“I see. Why does it bother you so much since you don’t trust her anyway?”
“It just does.” I walked over and poured another scotch.
“Did she cheat on you?”
“No.” I brought the glass to my lips.
“Did she steal from you?”
“No.”
“Then what did she do? Because as far as I’m concerned, those are the only two things
where mistrust is warranted.”
“She told the girls something she promised me she wouldn’t.”
“Did it hurt anyone?” she asked.
“No, but that’s not the point, Aunt Barb. The point is I trusted her not to tell anyone, yet she
did. If she couldn’t even keep her word about that, there’s no way I can trust her with
anything else.”
“Then I guess it’s good that she cut ties with you regarding the bakery. You should be
happy. But instead, you’re standing there throwing back alcohol, trying to soothe the pain
and heartache because you know damn well you have no ties to her anymore.”
“You don’t understand. I don’t trust women. I’ve been burned before.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Carter Kind.” She pointed at me. “If anyone knows what it’s
like not to trust, it’s me. I’ve been through the wringer with men over the years, starting
with your Uncle Henry. It wasn’t until I found Curtis that I learned to trust again.”
“But you left him for my father?” My brows furrowed.
“That had nothing to do with my trust. It had to do with the demons I battled inside myself.
Maybe you should talk to Charlotte. She can help you with the demons you’re carrying
inside you.” She walked over and placed her hand on my cheek. “I love you, Carter, and
consider you one of my sons. So, I’m telling you this for your own good. Man the fuck up,
express your feelings and live the second chance of life you were given to its full potential.
Some people aren’t so lucky to be given a second chance.” She patted my cheek and walked
out the front door.
I was sitting on the couch when the sliding door opened, and Grayson and Ava walked in.
“Hey, bro. Kate here has something she wants to say to you.”
“I’m sorry I threatened to hurt you and punch your pretty little face. I know it’s wrong to
threaten family.”
“It’s okay, Kate. I deserved it.” I sighed as I stood up and hugged her.
“We’re meeting down at the beach. Let’s go,” Grayson said.
“Not tonight, bro. I just want to stay in.”
“Kate.” Grayson nodded.
She gripped my arm tightly and twisted it behind my back. “Let’s go, Kind. This is what we
call a family intervention, and you’re going to be there.” She pushed me out the sliding
door.
“Damn, you’re hurting me.”
We reached the bonfire, and she pushed me down in the chair.
“Hey, Kate.” Simon grinned.
“Hello, boys. My job here is done. Until next time.” She walked away.
“Fuck.” I rubbed my arm as I shot Grayson a look while he handed me a beer.
“Sorry, bro. I had no choice.”
“First Aunt Barb, and now you guys?” I stared at my brothers and cousins, who sat there
glaring at me.
“My mother talked to you already?” Stefan asked.
“Shit.” Simon laughed. “I’m sorry about that, cousin. I know it was probably brutal. Anyway,
tell us what the fuck is going on with you and Zoey?” he spoke in an adamant tone.
“She broke my trust.”
“How?” Conner asked.
“I asked her not to tell the girls about the boat, and she did anyway.”
“Are you serious?” Simon laughed. “That’s it?”
“The girls tell each other everything. If we got mad at them every time they did, we’d all be
divorced,” Sebastian said.
“It’s good she told them. That means she fits into our family,” Shaun said.
“I think there’s more to it,” Sam spoke.
“Oh, by the way. Before we get into a serious discussion, did you know that Zoey was in a
car accident?” Simon asked.
“I saw the damage to her car at the hospital,” I said. “She told me it was none of my
business.”
“It happened the morning she left your house. I overheard one of the officers talking about
it. She was so upset that she didn’t even get dressed first before she left. She was wearing
her robe when she rear-ended the car in front of her. Then she told the officer something
about a to-go cup and a note.” He cocked his head.”
“Fuck.” I shook my head. “So the accident was her fault?”
“Yes and no. She did rear-end some poor old man, but he said he didn’t see her and pulled
out. He took full responsibility and got the ticket. Now, go ahead with your story,” Simon
said.
“It was something you said to me Saturday on the boat.”
“What did I say?” His brows furrowed.
“You called her my girlfriend. When I told you she wasn’t, you made me realize that I
jumped in headfirst without even thinking.”
“Douchebag.” Sebastian slapped the back of Simon’s head.
“Ouch, asshole. So, it’s my fault you went all Kind crazy and broke her heart?” He pointed to
himself. “Listen, cousin. Every single one of us has been where you are right now.”
“Here we go. The infamous Simon speech.” Conner grinned.
“That’s right because none of you have the balls to tell the truth. Anyway, Carter. You’re
being a little whiney bitch, and it’s going to stop right now. You’re so anti-relationship. You
have daddy issues, trust issues, blah, blah, blah. We all did until our special women walked
into our lives and turned our entire worlds upside down. You know why you dove in
headfirst without even thinking?” He pointed. “Because it happened naturally. And you
know why it happened that way? Because you felt something in your heart the moment you
pulled over on the side of the highway to help her. Fuck those women who hurt you in the
past. Even though you believe they are, not all women are like them. You were drowning,
suffocating, and you’re using her telling the girls about the boat as an excuse to return to
the surface for air. That has nothing to do with it, and you damn well know it. You’re scared
to commit, just like your father was.”
“Uh, that’s crossing the line, bro,” Stefan said.
“I don’t care. You had the best thing that has ever happened to you standing right in front of
you, and you fucked it up. And don’t try to deny it, either. We all saw the way you looked at
her when you thought no one was looking. You looked at her the way we look at our girls
every single day. You were given a second chance at life, cousin. Don’t waste it on fear. If
you do, you’ll live a life full of regret, and we, as your family, will not let that happen. Even if
we have to have Kate beat the shit out of you to make you realize what you’re doing,”
Simon said.
“And she will, too.” Grayson’s brow arched.
I glanced over at Gabriel.
“Don’t look at me. I came to my senses.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“You can sit there and deny it all you want, but we know you love that woman,” Simon
spoke.
“She told me that she’s glad I didn’t trust her because she would have walked away in less
than six months anyway.”
“Why would she say that?” Nathan asked.
“I’m not sure.” I tipped the bottle to my lips. “Thanks for the talk. I’m going to head to bed,”
I said as I stood up. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”
I climbed into bed, grabbed my phone from the nightstand, and texted Zoey.
“I’m sorry. Good night.”
I waited a few moments for the three little dots to appear, but they didn’t. Setting my phone
down, I attempted to get some sleep. It didn’t happen.
 CHAPTER 28

ONE WEEK LATER

Zoey
When I pulled into the parking lot, I smiled at the new window and shop door with the gold
trim. I’d been here every day for the last week, watching everything come together. I placed
an online ad for help. In addition to Barb, I was fortunate to hire a couple of bakers. Lily and
Riley were going to help out a couple of days a week after school, and when the bakery
became busier, I would hire more help.
I was standing in the middle of the bakery, watching the crew work their magic, when the
door opened, and Carter stepped inside. Instantly, a knot formed in my belly.
“Hello, Zoey. Damn, look at this place.” A smile crossed his lips. “It’s so—pink.”
“What are you doing here, Carter? And how did you know I was here?”
“I didn’t. I took my chances. I didn’t see Katniss in the parking lot, so I went over to Julia’s
and got a coffee. She told me you were here.”
“Katniss is in the shop getting fixed. I have a rental,” I spoke as I stared at the light pink
walls.
“I wanted to give this to you,” he said as he handed me a white envelope.
“What is it?” My brows furrowed.
“Open it and find out.”
I opened the envelope and took out the folded piece of paper. It was my loan agreement
from the bank with a stamp across it that said: Paid in Full.
I stared up at him and shook my head as my jaw clenched. A thousand angry and vile words
were screaming to come out, but the bakery was filled with workers.”
“I know you’re mad, but I don’t care. Carter Management Group paid off your bank loan and
is once again an investor.”
“You are such an asshole,” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“I know I am.”
“I already told you that I cannot operate a business with someone who doesn’t trust me.”
“I do trust you. That’s what I’m here to tell you.”
“Oh, now you do?” I placed my hands on my hips and shook my head. “I highly doubt it.” I
turned and began to walk away. He lightly grabbed hold of my arm and stopped me.
“Please, Zoey.”
I stared into his pleading eyes. “You did yourself a favor, Carter. Let’s leave it at that.” I left
the shop, climbed into my car, and took off.
Tears filled my eyes. The fact was that I missed him, but I knew myself all too well. I
couldn’t trust that my past patterns wouldn’t repeat themselves.

Carter
Sadness consumed me as I watched her leave the bakery. These past couple of weeks
without her were brutal. I’d even go as far as to say they were more brutal than when I was
ill. I was in love with her before I even truly knew her. I knew she still had feelings for me. I
saw it in her eyes when she stared at me. I wasn’t a man who gave up easily. I fucked up,
owned it, and now I would do anything and everything to get her back where she belonged:
with me.
After leaving the office, I went home, changed, and headed down to Conner’s. When I
stepped through the sliding door, he and Charlotte were sitting at the table eating dinner.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I can come back later.”
“Don’t be dumb. Get your ass in here.” Conner smiled.
“Have you eaten yet?” Charlotte asked.
“Yeah. I have.” I smiled as I walked over to Isabella’s high chair and kissed her head.
“I don’t believe you.” Charlotte smirked. “Sit down. There’s plenty of pasta and meatballs.”
“Charlotte, I’m—”
“Sit down, Carter. You’re having dinner with us. End of discussion.”
“You better do what she says, cousin.” Conner smirked.
Charlotte set the plate of pasta and meatballs down in front of me with a bottle of beer.
“This looks delicious. Did you make it?” I asked as I picked up my fork.
“Oh, God, no.” She laughed. “I stopped by Four Kinds on the way home and picked it up.”
“What brings you by?” Conner asked.
“I was hoping I could talk to you, Charlotte, about Zoey.”
“Of course. Have you finally come to your senses?” A smirk crossed her lips.
“I saw her at the bakery today and attempted to apologize again. She wasn’t having it. She
said something that I’ve been trying to figure out.”
“What did she say?” Charlotte asked.
“She told me that I did myself a favor and to leave it at that. Then she walked out. But the
last time we spoke, she said she was happy I didn’t trust her because, in six months’ time,
she would have walked away.”
“Did she ever mention to you what her past relationships were like?”
“The only one I know of is a guy named Quinton. She broke up with him right before she
moved here because he cheated on her.”
“Then she has trust issues like you.” She smirked.
“I don’t think so. She said she purposely sabotaged that relationship by not making time for
them, hoping he’d cheat. She said it was her way out without looking like the bad guy.”
“How long were they together?”
“About six months.” I took a bite of pasta.
“She briefly told us that her grandparents raised her because her mom was always off
partying, and her dad left her because of some issues he had. She didn’t really go into detail.
But I’m suspecting that when things begin to get comfortable in her life, she runs.”
“Sounds like someone else I know.” Conner smirked at me.
“She’s most likely scared of losing control of her life. As a child, she couldn’t control her
parents abandoning her. She depended on them like every child does. But when those
needs aren’t met, people put up a wall of fear, and this need for control takes over. She
fears losing control over her life if she allows herself to depend on someone else. Her
parents seriously hurt her, and she won’t let herself be hurt again.”
“I can understand that, but I don’t care. She belongs with me, in my life, and I’m getting her
back.”
“There’s my cousin.” Conner grinned and patted my back. “I’m proud of you.”
“You need to express your fears as well to her, Carter,” Charlotte said. “You have to be raw
and open, no matter how hard it is for you.”
“I know. The problem is it’s too easy for her to walk away every time I see her.”
“I got you,” Conner said as he picked up his phone from the table.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Sending a group text to the guys for an emergency family meeting. We’ll all figure out what
to do together.”
 CHAPTER 29

Carter
After I helped clean up the dishes, I kissed Charlotte’s cheek and thanked her.
“You’re welcome. We love Zoey and want her back just as much as you do.” She smiled.
“Come on, Princess. Let’s go make some magic happen with your cousin Carter.” Conner
picked Isabella up and opened the sliding door.
“She needs a bath, Conner,” Charlotte said.
“She needs her daddy more, babe.”
I smiled at Charlotte as she stood there shaking her head.
“What’s with the emergency family meeting?” Sam asked as we sat down around the
bonfire.
“Carter finally came to his senses and wants Zoey back,” Conner said. “We need to make
sure that happens.”
“And another epic speech wins.” Simon grinned as he held up his beer bottle.
“Have you spoken to her?” Shaun asked.
“Yeah, I did today when I stopped by the bakery and gave her the payoff letter from the
bank.”
“How did she take it?”
“She was pissed and called me an asshole. Then she walked out like she always does. So, I
need to figure out a way to get her alone and somewhere where she can’t freely leave.”
“The cabin,” All the guys said at the same time, except Gabriel.
“No. I have a better idea. The boat. Take her out to the middle of the ocean. She can run out
the door and into the woods at the cabin.”
“I wouldn’t put that past her.” I chuckled.
“But on the boat, she can’t go anywhere.” Grayson smiled. “Good idea, bro.” He patted
Gabriel’s shoulder.
“And how am I going to do that? The minute she sees me, she’ll jump off on the dock.”
“I have an idea,” Gabriel spoke. “Grayson, Piper, Ava, and I will invite her on the boat
Saturday. We’ll tell her you had other plans. Once we’re out on the water, you guys pull up
on your boat, we’ll climb onto yours, Carter will step onto his, and we’ll take off, leaving the
two of them alone.”
“Great idea, cousin,” Simon said. “It’ll work.”
“What makes you think she’ll go with you?” I said to my brother.
“Ava and Piper will convince her to go,” Gabriel said. “Don’t worry about that. Then she’ll
have no choice but to listen to you.”
“Okay. Let’s do it.” I tipped the bottle to my lips.
Grayson sent a text message to Ava and Piper, asking them to join us so we could explain
our plan.
“It won’t work,” Ava said.
“Yeah. Zoey will just feel weird if it’s the four of us and her,” Piper said. “But, if it’s all of us
girls, she might come. We’ll tell her we want to take the boat out for the day to discuss the
plans for my bachelorette party.”
“Smart. I like that idea.” Grayson grinned.
“Gabriel will be the captain, and then you guys follow,” Piper said.
“She’s going to hate us,” Ava chimed in.
“She’ll get over it.”

Zoey
Julia had texted me earlier and asked if I could stop into the coffee shop because she
wanted to talk to me about something.
“Hey.” I smiled when I stepped inside.
“Come with me.” Julia grabbed my hand and led me to a table where Ava, Piper, Alex, and
Jenni sat.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We want to invite you to come with us on the boat this Saturday. It’s just us girls. No guys,”
Ava said.
“Well, except for Gabriel. He’s our captain.”
“For what?”
“We’re planning my bachelorette party and want to include you.” Piper grinned.
“Really?” I smiled.
“Yes.” Jenni placed her hand on mine. “You’re in our sisterhood now, regardless of what
happened between you and Carter. We want you to be a part of this.”
“And he won’t be there?” I asked.
“Nope. Just us girls and Gabriel,” Piper spoke. “We’ll eat, drink, dance, plan a bachelorette
party, and have a fun day.”
“Okay. Count me in.” I smiled. “What time are you all getting together?”
“We’ll meet in the marina parking lot at nine a.m.,” Ava said. “Have you been to the bakery
yet?”
“No. I’m going after I leave here.”
“Come on.” Ava smiled as she grabbed my hand. “I was over there before I came here. The
crew put the counters in this morning and hung all the light fixtures. Wait until you see
them!”
I walked into the bakery, and suddenly, tears filled my eyes. It was all coming together,
which made it seem real. The kitchen was the first to be completed, and now the front of
the shop was almost finished.
“When is the sign coming?” Ava asked.
“Monday. Along with the tables, chairs, and couches we ordered.”
I spent the next few days stocking the bakery kitchen with everything I needed and
organizing it. Not only did it need to be done, but it was my way of keeping busy and my
mind off Carter. Once I finished with the kitchen, I stood in the middle of the bakery with a
smile as I looked around. Soon, the displays would be stocked with freshly baked sweets,
and my business would be underway.
“This is for you, Grandma. What do you think?”
I locked up and headed home.
Iwas excited to meet the girls at the marina. It seemed like it had been forever since I’d had
any fun. I spent my days dealing with the bakery and my nights sitting alone with Ben and
Jerry and Netflix. I hadn’t heard from Carter since that day at the bakery, and a part of me
was grateful. He made it hard to resist him, but he’d be grateful I did in the end.
Climbing out of the car, I hugged each of the girls and Gabriel.
“You know I’m the luckiest man in the world, right?” He grinned.
“Why is that?” Piper asked.
“Because I’m one man surrounded by all of you beautiful women.” He hooked his arm
around her and kissed the side of her head.
I smiled at how cute they were. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t a bit envious. We climbed on
the boat and stayed up on the deck while Gabriel undocked the boat. Alex made us mimosas
to start our day as we set out to the open water.
“To all of my sisters.” Jenni held up her glass. “May we have the best kid-free, husband-free
day ever.”
We all clanked our glasses together and sat down on the deck. I stared at the hot tub, and
memories of when Carter first brought me on the boat filled my mind. It was such a
beautiful day and one I’d never forget.
“Earth to Zoey.” Ava waved her hand in front of my face.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” I snapped out of my daze and looked at her.
“Are you okay?” Piper asked.
“Yeah. I’m great.” I smiled. “I was just thinking about the bakery.”
“No. No. No.” Jenni shook her finger. “No thinking about work today.”
“Oh, Zoey.” Piper grabbed my hand. “Come with me. I need to show you this dress. I just got
it in at the shop, and the minute I saw it, I knew it would look adorable on you.”
She led me down to one of the rooms and pulled the dress from the closet.
“Babe, I need you for a minute,” I heard Gabriel shout.
“Look the dress over and let me know what you think. I’ll be right back.” She smiled.
The dress was adorable and totally my style. It was taking a long time for Piper to return, so
I hung the dress in the closet and used the bathroom before heading back to the deck.
When I was done in the bathroom, I opened the door and walked down the hallway to the
living area. My heart started racing, and I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Carter
standing there with his hands tucked tightly in the pockets of his black cargo shorts.
“Hi, Zoey.” He smiled.
“Why are you here? I was told you wouldn’t be.”
I walked past him and up the stairs to the deck. It was empty. The girls were gone. I ran to
the railing and looked out at the other boat, pulling further away from the one I was on.
Shaking my head, I turned around and stared at Carter standing there.
“Explain to me what the fuck is going on, Kind!” I shouted.
“Don’t be mad at the girls, but I needed to get you alone somewhere where we could talk,
and you couldn’t run.”
“Wow. This was all a ploy? Seriously? What kind of people do this shit?”
“Apparently, my family.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“There’s nothing to talk about, Carter. We’ve said everything that needed to be said. I’m not
doing this. Turn this boat around and take me back to the marina right now!”
“No. I’m not doing that.”
“Then I’ll just jump overboard and swim.”
“Really, Zoey? You can’t do that, and you know it.”
“Yes, I can. I happen to be a very good swimmer!” I shouted as I walked over to the railing
and leaned over it, looking down at the water with the fear of sharks circling my head.
“You hate me so much that you’d rather risk your life than stay here and talk to me?”
“Damn right, I would. Ugh. I’m scared of sharks.” I slowly turned around.
Carter chuckled.
“It’s not funny. And it’s also not funny that you all tricked me. I will never forgive any of you
for this.”
My phone pinged that was sitting on one of the tables. Walking over to it, I saw a text
message from Charlotte.
“Your life is bigger than your fears. Remember that. By the way, we’re not sorry for what we
did.” She attached the smiley emoji.
“UGH!” I threw my phone down.
“Can we talk?” Carter asked as he stood in the middle of the deck.
“No.” I headed down to the cabin, and when I went to open the door, it was locked.
“You locked the door?!” I shouted at him.
“Well, yeah. You’d go down there and lock yourself in one of the bedrooms or bathrooms. I
had no choice.”
I walked over to where he stood with anger soaring through me. “How dare you!” I got in
his face.
 CHAPTER 30

Carter
“You already know I’m an asshole.” I smiled as I gripped her shoulders.
“Do not touch me!” She took a few steps back as she pointed her finger at me.
“Fine. No touching.” I put my hands up.
She stared at me, and all I saw was the anger raging in her eyes. The more I stared back, the
softer they became.
“Do you promise to take me back after we talk?” she calmly asked.
“Yes. I promise I will. Let’s go sit down.”
She walked over to one of the couches, and I sat beside her.
“I’m sorry for everything. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I really didn’t, and I need you to believe
that. Everything happened so fast when I first met you. We met, had dinner, had sex, more
sex. I was staying the night at your place. You were staying at mine. I invested in your
bakery and gave you the code to my front door without even thinking twice about it. Then,
when Simon called you my girlfriend on the boat that day, I freaked out. I used you telling
the girls about the boat as an excuse.”
“Why?” she asked.
“I guess I was protecting myself. I told you before that I’ve been burned by women.
Someone I truly cared for lied to me about a trip she was going on with her girlfriend. Come
to find out, when I went to pick her up at the airport, as a surprise, she was with another
man. Then, there was my mother, who lied to me my entire life about my dad. I know why
she did it, but a part of me still felt betrayed. Especially since she knew I had two siblings in
the world. I’m trying to say that I have internal struggles that I’m dealing with, just like you
are.”
“I don’t have any internal struggles. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She looked
away from me.
I reached over, cupped her chin, and turned her head so she was looking at me. I prepared
myself to get slapped for touching her.
“You’re a liar.” I smiled.
She gently removed my hand and sighed.
“Okay. I may have a few internal struggles.”
“All I want is for us to be raw and open with each other, Zoey—the total truth. So, I’m going
to ask you a question, and I want an honest answer.”
“What?”
“What did you mean when you told me that I did myself a favor that day in your shop?”
“I never get involved with anyone for longer than six months. Even six months is pushing it
for me. When I start to get comfortable and life seems good, I run.”
“Why do you do that?” I asked.
“Because then I won’t be disappointed. You know I barely grew up with a mother and
father. My mother barely came around. When she did, she left just as quickly as she came.
My dad had me for six months before he left—oh my, God.” Her eyes widened. “That’s
where the six months comes into play. I never figured that out before. That’s why I get all
cringy when it rolls around. Instead of waiting for the shoe to drop on my life, I get the hell
out of dodge before it can.”
“See what having a good talk does?” I grinned. “It helps you realize things you never
thought of before. You were so close to your grandparents, though.”
“I know, and I loved them both more than anything. But their love wasn’t enough to erase
the fact that my parents abandoned me.”
“So that’s what you meant when you told me that you would have walked away in six
months.”
“Yeah. That’s what I meant.” She looked down as she played with her hands.
“Zoey, look at me.”
Her eyes darted up to mine.
“I miss you like crazy. I’ve never missed anyone like this before in my life.”
“Not even the woman who cheated on you?” she asked.
“No.” I breathed out a laugh. “Not even her. I want to be your Ben and Jerry.”
She put her hand up. “Hold on there, Kind—”
“Just listen to me.” I smiled as I interrupted her. “I want to be the one you run to when
you’re feeling stressed. I want to be the one to comfort you and tell you that everything’s
going to be okay. I want to help you heal and to forget the six-month shit. I want you to find
comfort in me and be okay with it, not scared. I’m not going anywhere.” I brought the back
of my hand up to her cheek. “I love you, Zoey Morgan. I’m so in love with you that I no
longer fear anything, and I one hundred percent trust you.”
“You shouldn’t,” she said.
“Too bad. I do.” I smiled as I softly stroked her cheek. “Do you trust me?”
“Unfortunately, I do.”
I chuckled. “So, if I ask you to be my girlfriend, will you promise to stick around longer than
six months?”
“I think I might be able to promise you that.” A beautiful smile crossed her lips.
I stood up from the couch, got down on one knee, and took hold of her hand.
“Zoey Morgan, will you be my girlfriend?”
“You dork.” She laughed. “Yes, I would be honored to be your girlfriend.”
I stood her up with me, kissed her lips, and pulled her into a warm embrace.
“One more thing, Carter.” She broke our embrace.
“What is it, babe?”
She brought her finger up and lightly swept it over my forehead.
“I love you too.”
“Shall we go celebrate our newfound relationship?” I grinned, swooping down and picking
her up.
“You bet.” Her arms tightened around my neck.
When we reached the cabin door, I set her down, pulled out the key, unlocked the door, and
carried her to our bedroom.
Our clothes were off in a flash, and my lips wrapped around her hardened peaks that I
longed for. Her skin trembled under my fingers as they made their way down until dipping
inside her. The soft moans I missed were music to my ears as I brought her an orgasm. My
tongue traveled down her body and to her wet opening that welcomed me with each flick
of my tongue. She tasted sweeter than ever, and I couldn’t wait to be buried deep inside.
I hovered over her, our lips intertwined, and our fingers interlaced as I thrust inside her.
Her warmth enveloped my cock, causing me to move in and out at a rapid pace.
“I love you so much,” I breathlessly spoke as I stared into her eyes.
“I love you too,” she shouted as her body tightened, and she came once again, causing me to
do the same.
I dropped my body on hers as I let go of her hands and her arms wrapped tightly around
me. Closing my eyes, I took in the scent of her. The scent of this woman who was all mine.
Rolling off her, I lay on my back with my hand over my heart and stared at her. She climbed
out of bed, turned, and looked at me.
“Are you coming?” A wide grin crossed her face.
“Where are we going?”
“In the hot tub, silly. Last one there has to get the drinks.” She ran out of the room.
I laughed as I slipped on my shorts, grabbed a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses from
the bar, and took them up to the hot tub.
“I’m going to help you with the bakery,” I said as I softly traced her shoulder while we sat in
the hot tub.
“You already have.” She smiled.
“No, I mean, I’m going to help out at the bakery. Just until you can afford to hire more staff.”
“And what are you going to do? Bring your collection of canned pineapple and attempt to
bake something.” A smirk crossed her lips.
“You’re a smart ass.” I chuckled. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”
“You have a company to run, Mr. Kind.”
“And I have plenty of staff who can oversee it. Besides, I always oversee my brand-new
investments. And you’re the best investment I’ve ever had the pleasure of making.” I
winked.
“Is that so?” She leaned in and brushed her lips against mine.
“Yeah. It is so.” Our passionate kiss continued.
“I’m starving,” she said.
“Me too. Let’s go get some food.”
“Where?” She laughed. “Oh wait, I see a Taco Bell right over there.” She pointed out to the
open water.
“Smart ass.” I grinned. “The refrigerator is stocked with food. Come on.” I helped her out of
the hot tub.
After we dressed, I opened the refrigerator and took out the fresh fruit tray.
“We can start with this,” I said.
“Oh, look at that. Fresh pineapple.” She smiled as she picked up a piece. “Open up.”
I took a bite, and it was so damn good.
“Better than that canned shit, right?” She grinned.
“You really need to stop talking about my canned pineapple like that.”
“Or what?” She cocked her head.
“Or this.” I picked her up, threw her over my shoulder, took her into the bedroom, and shut
the door.
 CHAPTER 31

Zoey
As I was wrapped in his arms, I glanced at the clock, and it was ten-thirty p.m.
“You’re a liar.”
“What did I lie about?” he asked.
“You said you would take me back to the marina after we talked. It’s ten-thirty, and we’re
still on this boat.”
“Are you complaining?”
I lifted my head and smiled at him. “Not at all.”
“Good, because it’s too late to head back now. So, I guess we’ll have to spend the night on
this beautiful yacht and head back in the morning.”
“Or afternoon.” I grinned.
“Tomorrow afternoon it is.” He smiled.
“My sign is being hung Monday, and the furniture is coming.”
“Oh yeah?” He pushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. “What furniture did you order for
a bakery?”
“Small table and chairs and a couple of couches.”
“Couches?” His brow arched.
“Yeah. Those elongated couches. I’m going to have tables in front of them where people can
sit and talk and eat sweets.”
“Let me guess. Pink?”
“How did you know?” I grinned.
“I took a wild guess.” He winked. “Promise me something, Zoey.” His tone grew serious.
“Of course, anything, Carter.”
“Promise me that if you start to feel like you’re suffocating or feel the need to run at some
point, you’ll talk to me about it.”
“Carter, I won’t feel that way.”
“But you might because you still need to work on your issues with your parents.”
“I hate that you’re worrying about that.” I pressed my lips against his. “I love you, and if that
should happen, which it won’t, I promise to talk to you about it.”
He pulled me into him and pressed his lips against the top of my head.
“That’s all I’m asking.”
As Carter was making breakfast the following morning, my phone rang from an unknown
number.
“Hello?” I answered and put it on speaker as I picked up my coffee cup.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
My heart began to race. “Dad?”
“It’s been a while. How are you?”
“It’s been two years. That classifies it longer than a while. I’m fine.” I looked at Carter as his
brow arched.
“Good. I’m happy to hear that. I went to Sacramento to visit you and discovered not only did
your grandmother pass away, but you also moved to Los Angeles.”
“Cara told you?” I asked.
“Yeah, sweetheart. She did. I kind of forced it out of her, so don’t be mad at her. Where are
you in Los Angeles? I’d like to see you.”
I swallowed hard. “You know what, Dad? Now isn’t a good time. I’m really busy trying to get
my business up and running.”
“Listen, I know you’re upset with me for not reaching out sooner.”
“Yeah, Dad. Two years is a long time not to talk to your kid. But I’m doing really good.” I
stared at Carter. “Really good, Dad.”
“I’m happy for you, Zoey, but I’d still like to see you.”
“And you will someday. But now isn’t a good time. Bye, Dad.” I ended the call and took in a
deep breath.
“Are you okay?” Carter walked over and wrapped his arms around me.
“I’m fine. You’re burning the eggs.”
“Oh shit.” He ran over to the stove, took the pan from it, and threw it in the sink. “Well, I
guess I fucked that up.” He smiled.
“You’re a dork.” I laughed. “Sit down and let me make pineapple crisp with fresh pineapple.
It won’t take long.
“Um, you can’t,” he said.
“Why?” I furrowed my brows.
“I ate all the pineapple.”
“What?” My brows raised. “All of it?”
“Yep.”
“When?”
“This morning, while you were getting dressed. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ll make us a frittata.”
“You can make that?” he asked.
“Yes.” I laughed. “I can cook, too.”
“Then why the hell was I trying to make breakfast?”
“I think you were trying to impress me?” I grinned as I walked over and sat on his lap.
“Did it work?” The corners of his mouth curved upward.
“Can I let you in on a little secret?” I leaned in. “Stick with the sex.”
“Now that I can’t fuck up.” He stood up and carried me to the bedroom.
“I thought we were eating breakfast?”
“I am,” he growled, throwing me on the bed.

We docked at the marina around six p.m.

“Oh, by the way. You have to drive because my car isn’t here,” Carter said.
“I have to drive you home?” My brow arched.
“Yep. But first, we’re stopping at your place so you can pack some things. You’re staying at
my house tonight, and possibly tomorrow night too. Maybe even Tuesday night.” He
grinned.
I threw my keys at him. “You drive.”
“Ah, good idea. I would hate for you to rear-end somebody again. But at least you’re
dressed this time.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“How do you know about my robe situation?” I narrowed my eyes at him as we climbed
into the car.
“Simon told me. He overheard the officer talking about it at the station.” He laughed.
“It’s not funny. And it’s your fault. All your fault, Kind.” I smacked his arm.
“I’ll take responsibility for you rear-ending someone because I pissed you off. But as for you
running out of the house in just your robe. That’s on you.” He continued to laugh.
“Shut up,” I said, shaking my head. “I’m so embarrassed.”
“Aw, don’t be, babe. Did you get out of the car after you rear-ended that poor old man?”
“I did,” I shamefully spoke.
“Oh, man. I would have loved to see the look on his face. I’m sure you gave him a boner.”
“Knock it off.” I smacked him again. “It isn’t funny.”
“Oh, yes, it is, babe.” He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips.
After stopping at my place so I could pack a bag, we headed to Carter’s house.
“Everyone is waiting for us down at the beach,” Carter said.
“Did you text them and tell them we were back?”
“Yeah. They wouldn’t stop blowing up my phone.”
He grabbed a couple of beers from the refrigerator and my hand. We walked out the sliding
door and headed down the beach as we heard the shouting, clapping, and whistling coming
from his family.
“There they are,” Grayson shouted.
“You two are officially a couple now?” Riley ran up to us.
“We are, Riley.” Carter grinned.
“That makes me so happy.” Riley hugged me.
“Are you mad at us?” Piper pouted.
“No. How could I be mad at my sisters.” I smiled as I hugged her and the rest of the girls.
“We’re stealing her, Carter,” Jenni said as she grabbed my hand.
“Okay. I love you, babe.” Carter’s lips met mine.
“I love you too.” I smiled as the girls whisked me away.
 CHAPTER 32

Carter
“Look at you, bro.” Gabriel hooked his arm around me. “You’re happy.”
“I am. I’m very happy.” I smiled.
“Welcome to the world of love.” Simon held up his beer. “I told you it wasn’t such a scary
place.”
“Shut up.” Sebastian reached over and slapped the back of his head.
“Do that one more time, bro, and I swear to God I will take your ass down.”
“Oh yeah.” Sebastian stood up from his seat. “Let’s go, bro. It’s been a long time.”
“You’re on.” Simon stood up and faced him.
“You two sit your asses down right now!” Aunt Barb’s voice shouted.
“Ah, shit. She’s always ruining the fun,” Simon said as he and Sebastian sat down. “What are
you doing here on a Sunday night, Mom?”
“Curtis and I were driving by and saw Zoey’s car in Carter’s driveway. I knocked, nobody
answered, so I knew they’d be down here.” She smiled as she walked over to me and
cupped my chin. “Everything good?”
“Everything is great, Aunt Barb. “My girlfriend and I are very happy.”
“That’s my boy. I’m happy for you both. Where is Jackson?” She looked around.
“Home with his wife and newborn baby,” Simon said.
“Good. I need some cuddle time. Sebastian and Simon, I’m warning you. Behave
yourselves.” She pointed at them. “You’re far too old to be behaving that way. You’re not
teenagers anymore.”
“Says her,” Simon mumbled. “Now, where were we?” He stood up and cocked his head at
Sebastian. “Or are you too scared your mommy will ground you?”
“That’s it.” Sebastian stood up and tackled Simon to the ground. We all laughed as we
sipped our beer.

Itightened my arm around Zoey when the alarm went off. “Don’t move,” I said.
“I have to turn it off.” She giggled.
“Fine. Turn it off and get back here.”
She reached over to the nightstand and shut off the alarm. She snuggled her naked body
into mine, and I held her tight.
“We have to get up and back to reality,” she said.
“I know.” I sighed. “Just let me have a few more minutes with my girlfriend.”
“If you insist.”
I was so relaxed and comfortable that I fell back asleep, and so did she. Our activity level
was off the charts last night, and we were exhausted. My eyes flew open as the ringing
sound of my phone woke me up. Grabbing it from the nightstand, I saw Shaun was calling.
“Hello.”
“I just went by your office, and Carly said she hasn’t heard from you. Do you know what
time it is?”
“Not really. Oh shit!” I jumped up.
Shaun chuckled. “We have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Get here as soon as you can. I’ll stall
the meeting.”
“Thanks, Shaun.”
“What time is it?” Zoey sleepily asked.
“Nine-thirty.” I threw the covers back and climbed out of bed.
“What!” Zoey exclaimed. “The sign guys are coming at nine-thirty! Fuck, Carter.” She flew
out of bed.
“Exactly! That’s what got us so tired that we couldn’t get out of bed this morning,” I said. “At
least you can just throw on some clothes and drive five minutes up the road. I have a
meeting in fifteen minutes. You’re a bad influence on me, Morgan.”
“You’re the one who wanted to go a third round last night, Kind.” She raced to put on some
pants and nearly fell on the floor. “Screw this.” She pulled a maxi dress from her bag and
slipped it on.
I walked over to her and gripped her hips. “But that third time, right?” I grinned.
“Yeah. That third time was—wow.” She smiled as she kissed my lips. “I love you. I’ll see you
later.”
“I love you too, babe.”
I raced into the building and to the conference room, where Shaun and Bobby Licht were
waiting for me. After our meeting, Shaun placed his hand on my shoulder as we headed to
our offices.
“Rough night?”
“Yeah.” I grinned. “A really rough night.”
“Been there, cousin.” He patted my shoulder and walked away.

Two Weeks Later

Zoey
“What if nobody comes?” I said to Carter as he placed the freshly baked cupcakes in the
case. “What if I open the doors at nine a.m. and not one person walks in?”
“Babe, people are going to come. You know all of my family will be here.”
“They’re family. They don’t count.”
He walked over and wrapped his arms around me. “Look around. When people walk by,
and all this pink catches their eye, they’ll walk in.”
“Why do you keep bringing up all the pink?” I cocked my head at him. “You don’t like it?”
“I love it.” He smiled. “It’s fun. People like fun. Stop worrying.” He kissed my forehead.
“You’re right.” I turned and grabbed one of the cakes from the rack. “By the way. Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“I’ll move in with you.” I smiled as I placed the cake in the case.
“I haven’t asked you to move in with me.” His eyes narrowed.
“You’re going to, so I’ll save you the asking.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I overheard you talking to your brothers last night.”
“You were spying on our conversation?”
“Pretty much.” I grinned. “It’s not like you were whispering, and the windows were open.”
“What if I had a special plan to ask you? What if I wanted to do it over a romantic dinner or
in the middle of having sex? Now, you ruined it.”
“I can’t think of a more romantic way than right here, in my new bakery, as we’re getting
ready for the grand opening.”
He grabbed my hand, pulled me close to him, and stared into my eyes.
“Zoey Morgan, will you move in with me?”
“Yes, Carter. I’ll move in with you.” A smile crossed my lips. “I’d much rather drive five
minutes up the road than the thirty it takes me from my place.”
“Is that the only reason?”
“No.” I stared into his beautiful eyes. “I love you, Carter.”
“I love you too, babe.” Our lips met before he embraced me.
There was a knock on the bakery door. Looking over, Barb, Riley, and Lily stood there
staring at us. I smiled as I unlocked it and let them in.
“You two are adorable.” Barb smiled. “We are ready to get to work.”
I glanced at my watch, and the door to Baked With Love would officially open in thirty
minutes. Barb, Riley, and Lily took their places behind the counter. I trained them on the
register last week and reviewed everything with them. I still needed to hire a couple more
associates, but I wanted to wait to see how busy the bakery would be.
Walking into the kitchen, I spoke to Lila and Carrie, my two bakers who had been working
with me side by side the past week to get everything baked and ready for today’s opening.
They were a Godsend, and I knew I’d made the right decision hiring them.
“I wish Cara could be here.” I pouted, walking to where Carter stood.
“I know, babe. I really want to meet her.”
“It sucks she had to go and get COVID the day she was supposed to come.”
“Well, thank God she found out before she came here. That’s the last thing we’d need.” He
kissed me. “My family is here.” He smiled as he walked over and unlocked the door.
I hugged each of them and welcomed them to Baked With Love.
“It’s beautiful in here, Zoey.” Sebastian kissed my cheek.
“Thank you, Sebastian.”
“I think I’ve died and gone to Heaven.” Conner grinned as he stared inside the case where
the cakes were displayed.
“Mom, this is weird,” Simon said.
“What is, darling?”
“Seeing you behind the counter. I’ve never seen you work a day in my life.”
“Go away, Simon.” She waved her hand.
He walked away, laughing.
Carter looked at me with a smirk, shaking his head.
 CHAPTER 33

ONE MONTH LATER

Zoey
“If there are any issues at all, call me,” I told my staff.
“Zoey, darling. The bakery will be fine.” Barb smiled as she hugged me. “You’re only going
to Vegas for three days. And one of those days, the bakery will be closed. Stop worrying and
have fun. You deserve it after all the hard work you put in.”
“Babe, come on. We have to go,” Carter stepped inside the bakery.
“I’m coming.”
We climbed into the limo that Carter got for us to drive us to the hangar where Shaun’s
plane was waiting.
“Let’s get this bachelor/bachelorette party started!” Grayson shouted as the plane took off.
I looked over at Georgia sitting on one of the couches, holding Liam.
“I’m going to talk to Georgia.” I placed my hand on Carter’s arm.
“Okay, babe.” He smiled.
Walking over, Jackson got up, and I sat beside her.
“He’s so adorable.” I took his tiny hand in mine.
“Thank you. Here, hold him.” She smiled.
I took baby Liam in my arms and stared down at him. He was sound asleep and looked like
an angel.
“I’m happy you brought him.”
“Me too. I just couldn’t leave him. I’m so happy June agreed to come with us to watch him.”
“I don’t know her very well yet, but from what I can tell, she’s a wonderful woman.” I
smiled.
“She is. She and the boys are really close. She’s been with them since they opened the
medical practice.”
Carter walked over with a smile when he saw me holding the baby.
“Here, hold him.” I lifted my arms and handed Liam to Carter.
“Hey, little man.” He smiled. “You are just too cute. Thank God you don’t look like your
daddy.”
“I heard that.” Jackson walked over.
As soon as we landed in Vegas, each family climbed into the limousines waiting for us, and
we headed to the Bellagio to check-in.
“Let’s all get settled in our suites and meet down in the lounge in an hour,” Grayson said.
“What suite are you?” he asked Carter.
Carter showed him his keycard, and Grayson smiled. “We’re right next to you.”
We took the elevators up to our suites, and when Carter and I stepped inside, I was in awe
of its beauty.
“Wow. This is beautiful.” I smiled.
“What do we have here?” He set down our bags, walked over to the table, and pulled a
bottle of champagne from the bucket of ice. “Let’s open it and have a glass before we go
down to meet the family.”
“Sure. You pour, and I’ll take our bags to the bedroom. I have to use the bathroom.”
I set our bags on the bed, unzipped mine, and stared down at the box that contained a
pregnancy test. Grabbing it, I took it into the bathroom and shut the door. After peeing on
the stick, I set it on the counter, washed my hands, and gripped the marble counter,
lowering my head and looking away from the test as it processed. I was scared and unsure.
Unsure of how Carter would react to the news if I were pregnant. Everything happened
with us so quickly; a surprise pregnancy wouldn’t surprise me. Was I ready to be a mother?
I never thought about a family of my own because I couldn’t even manage to stick around in
a relationship long enough. But with Carter, I saw my future for the first time, and it was a
future of love, happiness, and children. Shit. I didn’t know if he even wanted kids because
we never talked about children before. But I saw how he was with the children in the
family, and I knew someday he’d make a great dad. That day may be sooner than both of us
thought.
“Babe, what are you doing in there?” Carter asked from the other side of the door.
“The toilet seat is heated, and it feels so good. My ass is in heaven. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“You’re weird.” He chuckled.
I slowly diverted my eyes to the test strip and saw the two pink lines staring back at me.
Tears filled my eyes, and I wasn’t sure if they were tears of joy or tears of fear. I had just
moved in with Carter and opened a bakery, and now there was a baby in my belly. If there
was ever a time when I needed Ben and Jerry, it was now.
Grabbing the stick, I tucked it into the waistband of my leggings and opened the door.
When I walked out into the living area, Carter was on the phone with someone.
“You tell that motherfucker that I’m coming after him and his company. Got it? Thanks,
Tony. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“Just business, babe.” Carter smiled. He walked over to the table, picked up my glass of
champagne, and handed it to me.
“To us, Vegas, and fun times.” He smiled as he held up his glass.
“Cheers.” I clanked mine against his. He took a sip. I didn’t.”
“Taste it. It’s really good,” he said as he finished off his glass.
“We’re late, Carter,” I blurted out.
He glanced at his watch. “Late for what? We have thirty minutes before we have to be
downstairs.”
“Let me rephrase that. I’m late.”
He cocked his head and raised a brow. “You’re late for what, babe?”
“See this champagne?” I held up the glass.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll drink it in about nine months. Do you think it’ll still be good?”
He stared at me momentarily, and I could see the wheels spinning in his head.
“Nine months? Zoey, what are you saying?”
I lifted my shirt, removed the test strip from my leggings, and held it up.
“Surprise. It’s positive.” I fearfully grinned.
“You’re pregnant?” He took it from me and stared at the two pink lines.
“Yeah. It looks that way. Are you okay?”
“I’m going to be a father?”
“That’s the title you get when you impregnate a woman.”
“How did this happen?” I heard a hint of excitement in his voice. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean. Let’s see.” I looked up at the ceiling. “Life’s been crazy with the
opening of the bakery and moving in with you. With that said, I may or may not have
messed up a pill here or there due to all the chaos in my life. But I always doubled up.” I
held up my finger. “Are you mad?”
“Are you kidding?” He grinned. “You’re having my baby.” He picked me up and spun me
around as our lips met. “How can I be mad about that?” He set me down. “How do you feel
about it?”
“I’m happy, Carter, but I’m scared. What if I’m a shit mother?”
“Oh, babe. You’re going to be the best mother to our child. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” My arms tightened around him.
 CHAPTER 34

Carter
I couldn’t believe she was pregnant. I never expected it so soon, and I wasn’t complaining.
Having a baby with the woman I loved more than anything in the world was just another
blessing in my life. I knew what I had to do, and there wasn’t a moment to waste.
“Zoey?” I broke our embrace and cupped her face in my hands. “Will you marry me?”
“Excuse me?” Her brow arched.
“Marry me. We’ll get married while we’re here in Vegas with my family. It’ll be beautiful. I
don’t want to wait. We can get married here and have a beautiful reception when we return
to L.A. after Gabriel and Piper return from their honeymoon.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Her eyes stared into mine.
“There is nothing in my life that I’ve ever been so serious about except when I told you that
I loved you.”
“Yes, Carter. I would love to be your bride and marry you.” She smiled as tears filled her
eyes. “I’ll even marry you at the courthouse.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re going to have a proper wedding. I’ll make sure of it.” I kissed her lips.
“Oh, my God. We’re here for Gabriel and Piper’s bachelor/bachelorette party.”
“We’ll still have time for that, and they’ll understand. Come on. Let’s go tell everyone the
good news.” I grabbed her hand, and we left the suite.
Grayson and Ava stepped out of their suite as we entered the hallway.
“Perfect timing.” Grayson smiled as he hooked his arm around me. “Let’s get this party
going.”
We met the rest of the family down in the lounge.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” I voiced loudly. “Zoey and I have some news.” I glanced
at her with a smile.
“I’m pregnant.” She smiled, hooking her arm around mine.
“AH!” The girls squealed, ran over, and hugged her.
“Congratulations, my brother.” Gabriel hugged me.
“Come here.” Grayson grabbed me. “I knew something was different about you two. I just
thought you had wild sex before coming down here.” He smiled. “Congratulations.”
After my family congratulated both of us with many hugs and kisses, I asked for their
attention again.
“There’s something else,” I said. “I asked Zoey to marry me. She said yes, and we want to get
married here in Vegas before we leave on Sunday. We’ll have a reception back home after
Gabriel and Piper return from their honeymoon.”
“Damn.” Simon grinned. “You move fast, but you have our full support. My mother won’t be
happy about it, and I love it. Anything you need us to do, let us know.”
Sebastian hooked his arm around me. “This reminds me of when Emilia and I got married
here in Vegas. It’s a beautiful thing, Carter, and we’re all here to support you.”
“Oh my God!” Jenni exclaimed. “We have to go right now and find you a dress. I have a
friend who owns a bridal shop not too far from here. Shaun, arrange for the cars.”
“On it, babe.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and made a call.
“I guess I’ll see you later.” Zoey smiled.
“I guess so.” I kissed her lips and hugged her. “I’ll take care of everything else. I love you.”
“I love you too, Carter.”
I grabbed my brothers, and we walked over to the concierge desk.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Kind. How can I help you?”
“I need to speak with whoever handles the weddings here at the hotel.”
“That would be Gloria. Let me call her office and see if she’s available.”
“Thank you.” I turned to my brothers as he made the call. “I need to get Zoey a ring.”
“You need to secure the venue first,” Grayson said.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel. I know this is supposed to be your bachelor party.”
“I don’t care about that, Carter. I’d much rather watch my brother get married.” He smiled.
“Mr. Kind, Gloria is in her office, and she said to come down. Take this hallway, make a left,
a right, and her office is on the left.”
“Thank you.”

“Hello, gentlemen. I’m Gloria.” She extended her hand.

“Carter Kind.” I placed my hand in hers.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Kind?”
“My fiancée and I are looking to get married here.”
“You’ve made an excellent choice. Do you have a date in mind?”
“It needs to be before Sunday. So, whatever you have available.”
“Oh dear. I’m not sure we can accommodate you on such short notice.”
“Listen, Gloria. Money is no object, and I will pay whatever it takes to marry the love of my
life before I leave here, and I want the wedding here. Do you understand me?”
“Let me see what I can do.” She typed away on her computer. “We do have the Fountain
Courtyard available on Saturday at five p.m., but it’s an extra twenty-five thousand dollars
for that time. Any ceremony after three p.m. costs more.”
“I’ll take it.”
“Excellent.” She smiled. “I also have a wedding package you may be interested in. It includes
all the flowers, including a floral archway you’ll be married under, a walkway of rose petals,
a photographer, a pianist or harpist to play music, and the officiant to perform the
ceremony. We also have a dedicated wedding staff to help coordinate everything on the
wedding day. But being this is a last-minute wedding, it will cost more.”
“That’s fine. As I said, money is no object. I not only want a beautiful bouquet for my
fiancée, but I also want smaller bouquets for all the girls and a boutonniere for all the guys
since they’ll all be standing up with us.” I smiled as I looked at my brothers.
“That can be arranged.”
“I also need full spa services for all the girls. Manicures, pedicures, hair, and makeup.”
“How many girls are we talking about, Mr. Kind?”
“Twelve, including my beautiful bride.”
“Oh dear. I’m afraid we don’t have—”
“Make it happen, Gloria.”
“Yes, of course.”
“We’ll also need tuxedos for twelve. Can you help me with that?”
“Yes.”
“And I know you have a Tiffany here. So, I’ll need you to set up an appointment for us to
look at rings, preferably tonight.”
“I will make that happen and send you a text message with the time. Now, about the
reception.”
“I would like it at Picasso and just for the family only.”
“In that case, I’ll have to charge you a buyout fee of 150 people.”
“That’s fine. And make sure there’s a wedding cake. My fiancée is a baker who owns her
own bakery, so the cake has to be as elegant and beautiful as the chef can make it.”
“No worries. We’ll take care of it for you. Don’t forget about a marriage license.” She pulled
a card out from the top drawer of her desk. “Here’s the address to the courthouse. I would
advise being there first thing in the morning when they open. Once you have the license,
bring it to me. I’ll go ahead and make all the final arrangements and text you with times.”
“Thank you, Gloria.” I stood up and extended my hand. “I appreciate all of your help.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Kind. I’ll be in touch.” She smiled.
My brothers and I left her office.
“Your small family wedding cost way more than mine.” Gabriel smirked.
“I don’t care. I’d pay millions to give Zoey the perfect wedding.”
“Well, how did it go?” Shaun asked as we met the guys back in the lounge.
“We’re getting married Saturday at five p.m. in the Fountain Courtyard.”
“Beautiful place and time.” He smiled.
“I’ll be right back. I need to call Zoey.” I pulled my phone from my pocket and walked over
to a spot where it was quiet.
“Hello, my future husband.”
“Hey, babe. We’re all set for Saturday night at five p.m. in the Fountain Courtyard. I want
the entire family standing up with us, so make sure the girls get beautiful dresses on me.
Also, I don’t want you looking at any prices when you try on dresses. It doesn’t matter what
it costs. If you love it, it’s yours. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Carter. I think I already found one.”
“Good. Hold on a second. A text just came through.” I opened the text message from Gloria.
“Babe, we have an appointment at Tiffany to look at rings at seven p.m. Make sure you’re
back to the hotel in time.”
“I will. I love you so much, Carter.”
“Not as much as I love you, babe. See you later.” I walked over to Shaun. “I’m starting to feel
guilty about not having Aunt Barb, Curtis, Riley, Lily, and Ella here with us. Can you have
the plane bring them here Saturday mid-morning?”
“You bet.” He smiled as he patted my back. “Do me a favor, and don’t tell Simon. I want to
see the look on his face when Barb walks in.”
“I won’t.” I chuckled. I walked away and called Aunt Barb.
“Hello, Carter.”
“Aunt Barb, I have some news. Zoey is pregnant.”
“Carter, that’s wonderful! I’m so happy for the two of you.”
“There’s more. We’re getting married in Vegas on Saturday at five p.m. at the Bellagio.
Shaun’s plane is going to bring you, Curtis, Riley, Lily, and Ella. Shaun will text you with the
time to be at the hangar. Can you please make sure the girls are ready?”
“Oh my gosh. This is so exciting. Of course, I’ll make sure the girls are ready. We’ll see you
on Saturday. What about the bakery?”
“Close it down for Saturday. I’ll explain everything to Zoey when she gets back to the hotel.
I’ll also book rooms for you and Curtis and the girls.”
“Thank you, Carter. We’ll see you on Saturday. Congratulations.”
“Thanks, Aunt Barb.”
 CHAPTER 35

Zoey
“This is it. This is the one,” I said as I stared at myself in the A-line, off-the-shoulder, lace
and beaded white wedding dress with the sweetheart neckline.
“It’s perfect and a perfect fit.” Jenni smiled. “Here is the matching veil.” She placed it on my
head.
I placed my hands over my face and started crying.
“What’s wrong?” The girls ran over to me.
“I’m just so happy. I can’t believe I’m getting married in two days.”
“Aw, it’s the hormones.” Jenni hugged me.
“It’s going to be a beautiful wedding.” Piper smiled.
“Since Carter didn’t allow me the time to design your wedding dress, I’m going to design
you the perfect dress for your reception when we get home.” Jenni smiled. “Dry your eyes,
beautiful bride. We don’t have time for tears. You can cry all you want after you say, ‘I do.’”
We headed back to the hotel, and Carter and I went to Tiffany for our seven o’clock
appointment. As two rows of diamond rings in different styles sat before me on a blue
velvet cushion, I picked the three-carat princess-cut platinum band with diamonds going
down each side and the matching wedding band encased in diamonds that matched. Carter
picked out a double Milgran band in platinum that looked beautiful on his finger. We were
fortunate that both rings were our size.
After leaving Tiffany, we headed to our suite to spend the rest of the night alone.
“How about we take a bubble bath in that giant tub,” Carter said.
“God, that sounds so good right now.”
“Once we’re finished, we’ll order room service,” he said as he started the water.
He climbed in and waited while I undressed and twisted my hair. Climbing in, he wrapped
his arms tightly around me as I snuggled against his chest.
“I know it’s last minute, but I can fly Cara out here for the wedding,” he said.
“She’s at a retreat in Arizona for the next two weeks. I’ll call her tomorrow and tell her
what’s happening. Maybe she can attend via Facetime or Zoom.”
“What about your mom and dad?”
“What about them?” I tilted my head back and looked up at him.
“Don’t you think you should call them and tell them we’re getting married and you’re
pregnant?”
“No. My mom rarely keeps in touch, and it took two years for my dad to get in touch with
me. My life isn’t any of their business.”
“Okay.” His lips pressed against the top of my head. “Everything is all set. But we do need to
get up early in the morning to go to the courthouse to file for our marriage license. When
we get back, the guys and I need to meet with the tailor for the tuxedos, and then the rest of
the day and night will be spent celebrating the bachelor/bachelorette party.” His hands
softly rubbed my belly. “I can’t believe we’re having a baby.”
“I can’t either. What do you want? A boy or girl?” I smiled.
“Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me. I just want a healthy baby.”
“Me too.”
“But I will tell you something right now, Zoey,” his tone was adamant. “You will not name
our child after the Hunger Games.”
“We’ll see.” I smiled as I lightly pinched his arm.
“Ouch. I mean it.”
“Okay, Carter.”
“Your ‘okay’ isn’t convincing enough.”
“Listen.” I turned around and faced him, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms
around his neck. “We have eight months to discuss names. Right now, we need to focus on
the wedding that’s happening in less than 48 hours.”
“Everything is taken care of for the wedding.” His lips pressed against mine.
“Hasn’t anyone told you that it’s not a good idea to mess with a pregnant hormonal
woman?” My brow arched.
“I’m going to mess with you, future Mrs. Carter Kind.” The corners of his mouth curved
upward before his lips pressed against the side of my neck. “I’m going to mess with you in
this tub, and then I’m going to mess with you in bed, and there’s not a damn thing you can
do about it.” His lips traveled to my breasts.

The following morning, we got up early and went to apply for our marriage license. When
we returned to the hotel, Carter went off with the guys for the day, and I went with the
girls. Later that night, when we all met at the hotel, Carter and I went to our suite.
“I hate that you’re leaving me.” He gripped my hips.
“I’ll be right next door.” I laughed. “You know seeing your bride before the wedding is bad
luck.”
“Actually, I don’t know that. Has it ever been proven? Who the fuck even said that?”
I laughed. “Okay. It’s dumb. I won’t argue that. But, think of how special it’ll be when we see
each other for the first time as we are about to become husband and wife.”
“Fine.” He sighed as he kissed my lips. “I love you so much and can’t wait to make you my
wife.”
“I love you so much, too.” Our passionate kiss was interrupted by a knock on the door. “I
think that’s my queue,” I said.
Carter opened the door and Grayson and Ava entered the suite.
“Are you ready?” Ava smiled.
“I am.” I grabbed my bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the ceremony, my love.”
“I can’t wait.” Carter smiled.

Carter
Gabriel met Grayson and me in my suite. I poured us each a scotch and sat down on the
couch.
“I can’t believe both of my brothers are getting married,” Grayson said. “Are you and Zoey
going on a honeymoon?”
“We talked about it, and we’re waiting until after the reception.”
“Any idea where you want to go?” Gabriel asked.
“Not yet.”
“If you want to move up the honeymoon, you can always come with Piper and me to Bali.”
“As tempting as that sounds, Zoey wants to wait a while because of the bakery, which I
don’t blame her with it just opening.”
“Yeah, I get that,” Grayson said.
“Well, you two better get some sleep.” Gabriel finished his scotch and set the glass down.
“You have a big day tomorrow, brother.”
“And yours is coming just as fast.” I grinned.
“I know. I can’t wait. I’ll see you guys in the morning. Oh, by the way. You did book Riley her
own room, right?”
“Yeah. She’s sharing a room with Lily and Ella.”
“Thank you.” He grinned. “I appreciate it.”
Grayson pulled out the bed hidden in the couch.
“Night, bro.”
“Night, my brother.” I walked into the bedroom, shut the door, and climbed into bed.
As I lay there, I thought about the vows I would say to Zoey tomorrow at our wedding. I
wouldn’t write anything down because I wanted to say everything straight from my heart.
My entire life changed in the blink of an eye. A little over a year ago, I was pretty much on
death’s door. Now, I was healthy and surrounded by family, who I loved more than
anything. I met the love of my life who, come tomorrow, will become my wife and a baby on
the way. I would say I was the luckiest guy in the world. I called my Auntie Fran and told
her about the wedding and the baby. Unfortunately, she was unable to attend due to her
work schedule and the short notice. But she said she’d definitely attend our wedding
reception back home.
 CHAPTER 36

Carter
The guys and I were in my suite, dressed in our tuxedos, when there was a knock at the
door.
“I’ll get it,” Jackson said.
“Jackson, darling,” I heard Aunt Barb’s voice. I looked at Shaun, and he winked at me.
“Mom! What are you doing here?” Simon asked as he walked into the living area from the
bathroom.
“I came to Carter’s wedding, silly.” She walked over to him and straightened his bowtie.
“When did you get here?”
“A couple of hours ago. Riley, Lily, and Ella are with the girls. This makes my heart so
happy, Carter.” She took hold of my hands. “After Gabriel marries Piper, all of my boys will
be married. Your fathers would be so proud.” She kissed my cheek. “I’ll see you boys in the
courtyard. Keep them in line, Curtis.” She patted his chest before leaving the suite.
“Really, cousin?” Simon cocked his head at me.
“Oh, come on.” I hooked my arm around him. “You know damn well I couldn’t get married
without her being here.”
“Yeah. You could have.”
I chuckled as my grip around his neck tightened. “Behave yourself, detective.”
The wedding coordinator came to the suite and alerted us that it was time to head down to
the Fountain Courtyard. It was as beautiful as I imagined it would be, with all flowers that
elegantly filled the space and the fountain that served as the backdrop.
“You ready?” Gabriel grinned.
“I’m more than ready. Do you have the ring?”
“Right here.” He patted his pocket.
As the harpist began playing a melody, the girls entered the courtyard, looking as beautiful
as ever, in different styled long gowns in light pink, carrying small bouquets in their hands,
and taking their places next to their husbands. Once everyone was in place, the harpist
played the wedding march, and my eyes filled with tears when I saw Zoey slowly walking
toward me. Grayson looked over at me and placed his hand on my back.
I held out my hand as my gorgeous bride approached with tears in her eyes.
“You look so beautiful.” I smiled.
“So do you.”
After the minister spoke a few words, we said our vows to each other and exchanged rings.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Carter.”
With a smile, I wrapped my arm around Zoey’s waist, dipped, and kissed her passionately.
Everyone shouted and clapped as we shared our first kiss as husband and wife.
“I love you, Mrs. Kind.”
“I love you too, Mr. Kind.” She grinned.
After the photographer took several pictures, we headed to the restaurant for dinner,
where we celebrated the night away with fine food, drinks, and a cake that didn’t even
compare to Zoey’s.
 Three Months Later
The past three months were crazy with our wedding, Gabriel’s wedding, and our reception
planning, which turned out exceptional.
“Are you two ready to see how much your baby has grown?” Georgia smiled as she placed
the transducer on Zoey’s belly.
I held her hand tight as tears sprung to my eyes while I stared at the beautiful baby we had
made.
“The baby looks very healthy and is growing right on schedule.”
“Can you tell the sex?” Zoey asked.
“Yes.” Georgia grinned. “Are you sure you want to know now? Just let us throw you a
gender reveal party.”
“We love you, Georgia, but Zoey and I want to throw our own party and reveal it to the
family.”
“Fine. Are you ready?”
“We’re ready.” I squeezed Zoey’s hand.
“Congratulations. You’re having a girl.”
“Oh, my God.” Zoey glanced at me.
I leaned over and kissed her lips. “We’re having a girl.”
After we left Georgia’s office, I dropped Zoey off at the bakery so she could make the
cupcakes for tonight.
“Sebastian is bringing the pizzas and salads,” I told her.
“Make sure to get bread and cherry butter. I’ve been craving it so bad.”
“I will. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
“I love you too.” She smiled as she climbed out of the car and went inside the bakery.
After work, I stepped inside the bakery and entered the kitchen, where Zoey was putting
the last cupcakes in the box.
“Are these ready to be taken to the car?” I asked as I kissed her and then her belly.
“Yes. Did you tell Sebastian about the bread and cherry butter?”
“Is that all you’ve been thinking about all day?” I smirked.
“Yes.” Her brows furrowed. “Did you or didn’t you?”
“Of course I did, my hormonal pregnant wife.” I smiled as I grabbed the box of cupcakes.
“Let’s go home.”
I was starving since I didn’t have lunch today, and when I opened the pantry to grab a can
of pineapple, I saw there wasn’t any. I could have sworn I had two cans in there. I would put
money on it that Zoey got rid of them. Shaking my head, I opened the freezer and took out a
pint of Ben and Jerry’s. This would do for now until Sebastian arrived with the food.
“What are you doing?” Zoey stopped and stared at me when she walked into the kitchen.
“Eating your ice cream because I’m hungry, and my canned pineapple disappeared.”
“Oh no, you don’t.” She took it from my hand, put the lid back on, and placed it in the
freezer. “That’s the last pint.”
“You’re seriously not going to share your ice cream with your husband?” My brow arched.
“And what did you do with my canned pineapple?”
“I donated them to the food drive at Riley’s school. She’s helping with it.”
“You couldn’t donate something else?”
“I donated a few other things. And as for my last pint of ice cream, no, I’m not sharing.”
“Wow, Zoey. You’re mean.”
“Am I?” She smirked as she opened the refrigerator and pulled out a container of fresh
pineapple.
“Is that—”
“Yep.” She held it up in the air. “I bought it for you yesterday. I can’t believe you didn’t see it
in the fridge. But since I’m so mean, you can’t have it.”
“Hand over the pineapple, Zoey.”
“Nope.” She popped her lips. “Not until you apologize.”
“I’m sorry, baby. You’re not mean. I’m just hangry. Forgive me. Please. I love you.”
“Okay. Here.” She smiled as she handed me the container of pineapple. “And I love you too,
you big pineapple dummy.” She kissed my lips.
After everyone came over and we ate pizza and salad, Zoey and I handed out the cupcakes.
“The color of the filling inside is the sex of our baby.” Zoey grinned. “On the count of the
three, everyone take a bite. One. Two. Three!”
Everyone took a bite and looked inside.
“It’s a girl!” Grayson exclaimed. “Now, I’ll have two nieces.”
After congratulations were said, we grabbed our beers and went down to the beach.
“I guess someone has to have a girl now since Jackson has a boy, and I’m having a boy.”
Simon smirked.
“Don’t listen to him. That little girl will have you wrapped around her little finger,” Conner
said.
“Speaking of babies. Grace looks like she’s going to pop any day,” I said.
“I know. She’s due next week.”
“Have you picked a name yet?” Shaun asked.
“We have.” Simon smiled.
“And?” Sebastian asked.
“I can’t tell you guys. We’re waiting until after the baby is born to announce it.”
“Bullshit. You don’t think for one second that Grace told the girls already?” Jackson said.
“No. She promised she—shit. She probably did. Don’t tell the girls.” He pointed at us.
“You know we won’t say a word,” Sam said. “Besides, you know they know, and they didn’t
tell us.”
“We’re naming him Milo Simon Kind.” He grinned.
“I like that.” I smiled.
“What about you? Gabriel glanced at me. “Have you and Zoey talked over names yet?”
“Not yet. I try, and she immediately shuts down the conversation.”
“Why?” Stefan asked.
“Because I think she thinks she’s getting her way and naming our baby after the Hunger
Games.”
Everyone chuckled.
“Like Effie?” Simon laughed.
“God, no. I’m putting my foot down when it comes to naming our daughter. There wouldn’t
be a child if it weren’t for my sperm. So, I will have a full say in the name.”
“We’ll see.” Simon continued to laugh.
 CHAPTER 37

Zoey
I was in the kitchen making some tea when Carter came downstairs.
“Wow. Look at you, my handsome husband. That new suit looks sexy on you.” I grinned.
“Thanks, babe. I have an important meeting today that could make my company billions of
dollars. I have to look on point.”
“You certainly do.” I smiled as I kissed him.
“I have to get to the office, babe. Have a good day.” He kissed me one last time. He bent
down and pressed his lips on my belly. “Bye, Kendra. Daddy loves you.” He walked away,
and I stopped him.
“Stop right there, mister. Did you just call our baby Kendra?”
“Yeah?”
“I dislike that name and never want to hear it again.”
“Why? What’s wrong with Kendra?”
“I went to high school with a girl named Kendra, and she was the school whore. You want
to name your daughter after a whore?” My brow raised.
“Just throwing it out there, babe. I love you.” He opened the door and walked out.
I rolled my eyes, grabbed my purse, and drove to the bakery. When I stepped inside, Barb
was already there.
“Good morning.” I smiled.
“Look at you. You grew overnight.”
“Right? That’s what I thought this morning when I looked in the mirror.
I went into the kitchen, where my staff was already baking their little hearts out. As I was in
the middle of making macarons, Barb walked in.
“Zoey, there’s a woman here to see you.”
“Oh, okay. Tell her I’ll be out in a second.”
I went over to the sink and washed my hands. After drying them, I walked out of the
kitchen, and my heart started racing when I saw my mother standing there.
“Zoey?” Her eyes widened. “You’re pregnant?”
“Mom, what are you doing here?” I sighed. “How did you know where to find me? Wait, let
me guess, Cara?”
“No. The last time we spoke, you said you moved to Los Angeles. I knew you came here to
open a bakery, and when I pulled up bakeries, Baked With Love was the first one that
popped up. You must be paying a fortune to have the top spot. Anyway, I knew it was yours
because that’s what your grandmother always used to say.” She looked at my ring finger.
“You got married?”
“Yeah, I did. Three months ago.”
“She’s married to the most wonderful man,” Barb said. “I’m Barb.” She extended her hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Barb. I’m Alyssa, Zoey’s mother. I can’t believe you couldn’t be
bothered to tell me that you were getting married and having a baby.”
“I’ve been really busy, Mom. Just like you were my entire life. Now isn’t the time or place to
discuss it.”
“Your bakery is very nice. I’m sure it’s doing well.”
“It’s doing very well. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to my macarons.” I walked back
into the kitchen and let out a breath. I couldn’t believe she was here. She was the last
person I needed to see right now.
Grabbing my phone, I called Carter.
“Hey, babe. I love you, but I can’t talk right now. Is it an emergency?”
“No. I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Your mother left, Zoey,” Barb said as she stepped into the kitchen. “I knew things weren’t
the greatest with you two, but I had no idea you didn’t tell her about Carter or the baby.”
“It’s none of her business, Barb. She lost the right to know anything about my life the day
she asked my grandmother if she would raise me because partying was more important.”
“Oh, dear. I didn’t know that.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
“I’m sorry, Zoey.”
“I appreciate it, but don’t be. I’m okay and always have been.”
It was five o’clock when a text came through from Carter.
“I’m home, babe. I would have called you on my way, but I got tied up on a business call.”
“I’m just leaving the bakery now. Get Ben and Jerry ready, please.”
“Are you okay?”
“Just a little stressed today. I’ll see you in five.”
Carter ran down the stairs when he heard the front door open.
“Hi.” He smiled, wrapping his arms around me. “Why are you stressed? You know I don’t
like to hear that. It’s not good for you or Rachel.”
I broke our embrace, reached up, and kissed his lips.
“If you think we’re naming our daughter Rachel, you can forget it.” I set my purse down and
grabbed the open pint of Ben and Jerry’s on the island.
“What’s wrong with the name Rachel?”
“It reminds me of Friends.” I shoved a spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.
“And? I always had the hots for Rachel.” He smirked.
“You’re sick.” I pointed my spoon at him.
He chuckled and walked over to me. “What’s wrong?”
“My mom came into the bakery today.” I shoved my spoon into the container of ice cream.
“Shit. That’s why you called. Babe, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know how busy you are.”
“What did she want?”
“I don’t know. She didn’t say. She was too shocked when she saw my belly and this rock on
my finger.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Who could that be?” Carter asked.
“Probably UPS or Amazon. I have an order coming.”
He opened the door, and I heard my mother’s voice. I froze for a moment and then quietly
slipped out the sliding door, running over to Riley’s pottery shed.
“Hey, Aunt Zoey.” She smiled.
“Hi, sweetheart. If you don’t mind, I need to hide out here.”
“Not at all. Who are you hiding from?”
“My mother.”
“Oh.” She twisted her face.
“Want some?” I held out the spoon with a sizeable amount of ice cream on it.
“No, thanks. I’m good. Why is your mom here?”
“Who the hell knows. That’s really pretty.” I smiled.
“Thanks. You can’t hide from her forever.”
“Sure I can.” I smiled.
The shed door opened, and Carter stared at me with a displeased look.
“Hey, Uncle Carter.”
“Hi, Riley. Zoey, why did you run out like that?”
“She doesn’t want to talk to her mom, Uncle Carter. And if you’re smart, you’ll respect that
because you will cause unnecessary stress on Zoey and the baby. You should be protecting
her from stress at all costs.”
“Yeah. What she said.” I pointed my spoon at him.
“Come on, babe. I’ll give her a few minutes and then kick her out. The longer you avoid her,
the harder it’ll be. Just be fake.” He smiled.
“I hate you.” I stood up from the stool.
“No, you don’t.” He hooked his arm around me.
We stepped through the sliding door, and I saw my mother staring at our wedding picture
that hung above the fireplace.
“Found her. She was over at my brother’s house,” Carter said.
“Your wedding dress was beautiful. You made a beautiful bride, Zoey. Too bad I couldn’t
have been a part of it.”
“It was so last minute—” Carter started to explain, and I kicked him.
“Even if I had invited you, you probably would have been too busy to come, just like you
were too busy to come to my high school and college graduation. Not to mention, you were
too busy with your own life to give a damn about me growing up.”
“I was young when I got pregnant with you, Zoey. We already talked about this. Your father
pressured me into marriage, and I wasn’t ready for that or a kid.”
“At some point, you have to grow up, Mom, and take responsibility for your life and the life
you created. It’s called adulting.”
“You were so smart, Zoey, and I knew you’d be okay. Especially with your grandparents.”
“Do you think that was okay?” Carter chimed in and shocked me.
“Excuse me?” My mother cocked her head.
“Do you think it was okay just to leave your daughter in the hands of someone else to raise
so you could go off and party your life away?”
Damn. I loved this man more and more every day.
“I don’t think any of this is your business, Carter.”
“Actually, it is my business. She’s my wife, and she’s carrying my daughter.”
Damn you, Carter.
“It’s a girl? You’re having a little girl?” My mother looked at me.
“Yes,” I spoke. “Why are you here, anyway? And how the hell did you know where I live?”
“I followed you home from the bakery. I didn’t like the way we left things. I wanted to
apologize.”
“For what?” I asked.
“For not being there for you all those years. As I get older, I realize what a mistake I made.”
I stood and stared at her. Was she trying to make me feel sorry for her? Yeah. It’s what she
did. It wasn’t worth the argument. I would never forgive her or let her into my life
completely.
“I appreciate that, Mom. I know it took a lot for you to apologize.”
“Can we start over, Zoey?”
“Where’s what his name?”
“He’s back at the hotel. I told him I wanted to see you alone. You didn’t answer my question.
Can we start over so I can get to know my daughter?”
“You know what, Mom? I needed you when I was growing up. You were my mom. Even
after Dad told you that he couldn’t stick around anymore after having me for six months,
you didn’t care. I was listening that night. Dad called you. He had you on speaker, and he
didn’t know I was there. Your exact words were, ‘I don’t have time in my life right now to
raise a kid. Take her back to my parents’ house. They’ll take care of her.’ So, you standing
there asking me if we could start over really sucks. You shouldn’t have to start over to get
to know your child. Just because right now is convenient for you, it isn’t for me. I don’t have
time in my life right now to get to know my parent. So, go back to your boyfriend or
husband, or whatever the hell he is, and don’t come back. You no longer get to pop in and
out of my life when it suits you.”
“How dare you,” she said.
“Go on. You heard her. Get out of my house,” Carter said.
“Fine. If that’s how you want it, Zoey.” She gripped her purse strap and walked out the door.
“You never told me any of that,” Carter turned and wrapped his arms around me.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Are you okay, babe?”
“Do you see tears?” I broke our embrace and stared into his eyes.
“No.”
“Exactly. I stopped crying over her years ago. What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”
“You just downed a half a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.”
“What’s your point, Carter?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
His phone dinged in his pocket, and when he pulled it out and looked at it, a smile crossed
his face.
“It looks like we’re having hospital food. Grace is in labor. They’re on their way to the
hospital now.”
“Let’s go.” I grinned.
 CHAPTER 38

Carter
Before we went to the hospital, Zoey insisted we stop at Taco Bell. She didn’t want cafeteria
food, and after the day she had, I wasn’t arguing with her. After we quickly ate our food in
the car, we went up to the labor and delivery waiting room, where the rest of the family
was waiting.
“There you are. What took you so long?” Grayson asked. “You left before we did.”
“Pregnant mama wanted Taco Bell.” I smirked.
“Oh.” Grayson chuckled.
We were only there for two hours when Simon walked in and announced that Milo Simon
Kind had arrived.
“That seemed fast,” I said to him.
“Yep. It was easy peasy. My strong son wanted to come into this world fast. Trust me. Grace
is very thankful.” He smiled.
“I hope Katrina does the same.” I grinned.
“You picked a name?” Gabriel smiled.
“No, we did not. And we are not naming our daughter Katrina,” Zoey said.
“Why not, babe? It’s a beautiful name.” I held out my arms to the side.
“I don’t like it, Carter.” She walked away with Piper and Ava as we all followed Simon to
Grace’s room.
We headed home after congratulating Simon and Grace and gushing over their beautiful
baby boy. While lying in bed, I looked over some emails, and Zoey looked at baby furniture
online.
“We need to go this weekend and look at baby furniture and pick the paint color for the
nursery,” Zoey said.
“Okay.” I smiled. “Let me guess. Pink?”
“Aw, how did you know?”
I set my phone down, rolled on my side, and placed my hand on her expanding belly.
“Because I know you.” I smiled. “Zoey, did you feel that?”
“I did.” She grinned.
“I can’t wait to hold her,” I said as I laid my head on her stomach.
“I know. I can’t either.” She ran her fingers through my hair.
“We can’t wait to meet you, little Addison.”
“We’re not naming her Addison, Carter.”
“Why not? It’s a nice name. We can call her Addy for short.”
“No way. No. No. No.”
“Then what names are you thinking of?” I sat up. “Because you haven’t mentioned any.”
“I don’t know. I’m still thinking.”
“You’re a liar. You’re just too afraid to tell me.”
“Carter, my love. I hate to burst your little bubble, but I’m not afraid to tell you anything.”
She tapped my nose.
“Then say a name.”
“No. I really don’t know yet.” She set her phone on the nightstand. “Come here and make
love to me. I’m horny.” A grin crossed her lips.
“You’re deflecting, Zoe.”
“No, I’m not. I want my husband. Now!” she demanded.

We spent Saturday looking at and buying baby furniture for the nursery. The paint color
was easy because Zoey already knew what color to paint. It was the same color as she
painted the bakery.
“I’m heading down to the beach. Do you want to come, babe?” I opened the refrigerator and
grabbed a couple of bottles of beer.
“No. I’m really tired. I’m just going to stay home and maybe watch a movie.”
“Okay.” I kissed her lips. “I won’t be down there too long.”
Taking a seat next to Conner, I twisted the cap off my beer bottle.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I smiled at Isabella, and she laughed.
“Just wait, Carter. Just wait. Your daughter is going to be your everything. Isn’t that right,
my angel?”
“We went and picked out all the furniture for the nursery today.” I smiled as I tipped the
bottle to my lips. “Baby Brooklyn is going to love it.”
“You finally agreed on a name?” Sam asked.
“No, but I haven’t thrown that name at Zoey yet. I think she’ll like it.”
“Give it up, bro.” Gabriel chuckled. “This is one battle you’re not winning.”
“Where’s Simon?” Grayson asked.
“He said he’s staying in tonight with Grace, Milo, and Nora.”
“And Christian and Charleigh?” I asked.
“They’re both stuck at the hospital,” Grayson said.
“How about we play some guitar?” Sebastian said as he set his guitar on his lap and started
strumming Sweet Home Alabama.
After I finished my second beer, I went home, locked up, and went upstairs, where Zoey
was lying in bed watching a movie.
“What are—oh, the Hunger Games again?” I glanced at the TV.
“Yes. Hurry up and get in bed so we can finish it together.” She patted my side of the bed
with a smile.
I stripped out of my clothes, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed, holding my arm out to
Zoey. She snuggled against me and laid her head on my chest.
“Isabella was being so cute,” I said.
“Shh,” she said.
“You’ve seen this a bazillion times, babe.”
“Shh. I love you.”
I rolled my eyes as I kissed the top of her head. When the movie was over, I grabbed the
remote and turned off the TV.
“Night, babe. Night, my sweet little Brooklyn.” I placed my hand on Zoey’s belly.
“Night. We’re not naming our daughter Brooklyn.”
I sighed and fell asleep.
 One Month Later
Zoey
I was in the middle of decorating a cake when Riley entered the kitchen.
“Zoey, there’s a man here to see you.”
“Who is he?” I furrowed my brows.
“I don’t know. He just asked if you owned the place and if you were here.”
Shit. I knew who it was.
“Thanks, Riley. Tell him I’ll be out in a minute.” I sighed.
I washed my hands, dried them, and took in a deep breath before facing my father.
“Dad, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see my daughter. Wow, Zoey. You’re pregnant.”
“Is it that obvious?” I smirked as I placed my hand on my belly.
“You didn’t tell me. Why?”
“Life kind of got in the way, Dad.”
“You’re wearing a wedding ring.”
“Yeah. I got married. Got pregnant first, though.” I smiled.
“You look good, Zoey. I hope you married a good man.”
“He’s the best man in the world. In fact, he’s Riley’s dad’s brother.”
“I’d like to meet him.”
“Maybe some—oh, look at who just walked in.” I shot Riley a look, and she shrugged.
“Hey, babe.” Carter walked over and kissed me.
“What are you doing here, Carter?”
“I was on my way home and thought I’d stop in to see my beautiful wife.”
“At three o’clock in the afternoon?” I cocked my head.
“Yeah. I left early. Hi, I’m Carter Kind.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Carter. I’m Joseph Morgan. You can call me Joe.”
“What brings you by?” Carter asked.
“I just wanted to see my daughter. Zoey, do you think we can go somewhere and talk?”
“How about you come by the house for dinner?” Carter said, and I almost killed him. “I’ll
stop at Four Kinds and pick up some food. Say around five o’clock?”
“I’d like that.” My dad smiled.
“Riley, hand me a piece of paper and a pen, please,” Carter said, writing down our address
and handing it to my father. “We’ll see you at five, Joe.”
“Great. Thank you. I’ll see you, Zoey.”
“See you, Dad.” I nodded.
“Oh, you’re in so much trouble,” Riley said to Carter.
“Get your ass in the kitchen,” I commanded. “What the hell were you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that you need to put him to rest like you did your mother. Babe, it’s going to
be fine.” He wrapped his arms around me.
“You better step in if he gets out of line,” I said.
“I will. You know I always have your back.” He kissed me, and we walked out to the front of
the bakery. “I love you, and I love you, my sweet Rebecca.” He kissed my belly.
“We are not naming our daughter Rebecca!” I said as he left the bakery.
“You two crack me up.” Riley laughed. “You still never told him the name, did you?”
“Nope. He may have impregnated me, but I’m the one carrying this bowling ball inside me,
and I’m the one who has to endure all the pain and push it out of my vagina. When he has to
push a human being out of his penis, he can name the child anything he wants.”
Riley laughed as she held up her hand for a high-five.
 CHAPTER 39

Zoey
I pulled into the driveway at precisely five p.m., took a deep breath, and stepped inside the
house.
“There she is. Hey, babe.” Carter smiled as he walked over and kissed me.
“Hi, Zoey.” My dad smiled.
“Hi, Dad.” I set my purse down.
“Dinner is ready, babe. Go sit down.”
I sat next to Carter, and my father sat across from us.
“So, Dad. Care to explain why it took two years for you to call me?” I cocked my head at him.
“I was in a bad place, Zoe. I started drinking more than ever and almost died. My PTSD
really got the best of me. I couldn’t let you see me like that, so I stayed away. I slipped up a
couple of times, but I’ve been sober now for 369 days. I run an alcoholics anonymous group
back in Florida, and I’ve been seeking therapy for my PTSD.”
“That’s good, Dad. I’m happy you’re getting the help you needed.”
“I’ve met someone very special, and we had a kid.”
“What?” My brows furrowed. “I have a half-sibling?”
“Yeah. Her name is Quinn, and she’s three months old. Her mother and I met one day when
her dog got loose, and I found him. We hit it off immediately.”
“Does she know everything about you?”
“Yeah. She knows. I told her everything. I told her all about you and what a shitty father I’ve
been. I want to make amends, Zoey. That’s why I called you that day. I want my daughter
and my granddaughter in my life. You know how badly I struggled when I got out of the
service. Then all that shit with your mother. You were better off without me in your life full-
time. You were such a smart little girl, and I would have ruined you. You know it, and I
know it. Please, don’t try to deny it.”
“You’re right, Dad. I won’t deny it. But you could have stayed in Sacramento and got the
help you needed there.”
“I felt like life was caving in on me, sweetheart.”
“You know what, Dad. I forgive you. I know how you struggled and what you went through
and saw while you were in the service, but you can’t just walk back into my life and expect
me to welcome you with open arms. I struggled, too, and thank God, my grandparents were
there for me. I have this beautiful life with my husband and a baby on the way. Maybe one
day we can reconnect, but now isn’t the time. You can’t just waltz in here and disrupt my
life now that I climbed out of the destruction you and Mom caused. Not now.”
“I really want you to meet your sister and Daisy.”
“Daisy?” My brow arched.
“She’s a good person, Zoey. A really good person, and I love her.”
“I’m happy for you, Dad. I’m really tired. I’m going upstairs to lie down.” I stood up. “Give
me some time to think about things. Okay?”
“Okay, sweetheart,” he spoke with sadness in his eyes.
While lying down, I heard the front door open and close. Carter came upstairs, climbed on
the bed beside me, and held me tight.
“Are you okay, babe?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I sighed.
“He seems like a good man, Zoe.”
“He is, and I understand everything he’s been through and why he did what he did. He
couldn’t handle his PTSD, and he did me a favor by leaving. I always knew that. That’s why I
just accepted it when he would pop in and out of my life the way he did. Who knows. Maybe
someday we can reconnect. But right now, I only want to focus on you and our baby.”
“I love you, Zoey Kind.”
“I love you, too, Carter. By the way, we’re naming our daughter Primrose. Primrose Kind.”
“The hell we are.” His grip around me tightened, and I silently smiled.

When Carter walked into the nursery, I was putting some baby clothes away.
“How are my beautiful girls.” He kissed my lips and kissed my belly.
“We’re good. How was your day?” I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“It was good. I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I smiled.
“Are you hungry?” His lips met mine.
“Starving.” I felt something streaming down my legs.
“Uh, Zoe. Did you just pee on my shoes?”
I looked down. “Shit. I think my water just broke.”
“You’re not due for another week.”
“I guess our daughter is ready to come now. You go change. I’m going to sit on the toilet and
call Georgia.”
I dialed Georgia’s number.
“Hey, you. What’s up?” she answered.
“Are you home?”
“No. I’m just leaving the hospital. Why?”
“You might want to stay. My water just broke.”
“Oh, my God. I’m walking back in. Are you on your way?”
“We will be in a few.”
“Okay. Are you having any contractions?”
“No. Nothing.”
“You will be. I’ll be waiting up in Labor and Delivery.”
“Thanks, Georgia.”
Carter walked back into the bathroom. “Why are you still sitting there? We have to go.”
“I’m coming. Did you text the family?”
“Yes.”
“Did you grab my bag?”
“It’s already in the car, babe. Come on.”
“Gee, why are you rushing me?” I cocked my head.
“Because we need to get to the hospital.”
“I’m not having contractions,” I said as I stood up and doubled over. “Holy shit. I lied. Oh,
my God.” It passed, and I felt like I could breathe again. “Let’s go now. Come on. Why are
you just standing there, Carter?”
 CHAPTER 40

Carter
I shook my head, and we climbed into the car and drove to the hospital. When we arrived,
she was immediately taken up to the labor and delivery unit, where Georgia was waiting
for us.
“There you are.” Georgia smiled.
After I helped Zoey change into her gown, the nurse hooked up the fetal monitor just as
another contraction hit. Zoey screamed as her nails dug into my arm.
“It’s okay, babe. Breathe.”
“No. You will not be one of those husbands,” she spoke through gritted teeth. “Just be
quiet.”
Georgia looked at me and smiled.
“You’re dilated to three,” Georgia said.
“Three? That’s it?” Zoey shouted. “Georgia, come here.” She held out her hand to her.
Georgia walked over and took hold of it. “Please, take me to the O.R. and do a C-section.”
“If it comes to that, I will. But you and the baby are doing well. So, let’s try to have this baby
vaginally. I can call for an epidural. You want it?”
“Yes. Please. I want it right now.”
“Okay. Sit tight.” Georgia smiled. “I’ll go call the anesthesiologist.”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Zoey glanced at me.
“You told me to be quiet.”
After a while, another contraction hit hard, and the beeping sounds of the monitor startled
me. I looked over at it as Georgia ran into the room.
“The baby’s heart rate is dropping. We need to get her to the O.R. now,” she said to one of
the nurses.
“Georgia, what’s happening?” I asked with panic.
“The cord must be wrapped around the baby’s neck. Don’t worry. This happens. Your baby
and Zoey are going to be fine. Follow me.” We ran out of the room and down the hall to the
O.R. “Get Carter ready. I’m prepping his wife for a C-section,” she said as she ran into the
O.R.
Worry and fear crept through me, and my mind spun with many scenarios, none that were
good. I needed to be strong for Zoey and my daughter. After dressing in a gown, the nurse
led me inside the O.R., where Zoey was on the table.
“Carter, what if something happens to her?”
“Nothing is going to happen, babe. She’s going to be fine. Georgia won’t let anything
happen.”
“Okay, Zoey. I’m making the incision. Just relax.”
“It’s okay, babe. You got this.” I softly stroked her forehead. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Panic filled me.
“There she is.” Georgia smiled as she lifted her out from Zoey, and we heard the beautiful
sound of a cry.
We both sighed in relief.
“Dad, would you like to cut the cord?”
“Of course.” I smiled as tears filled my eyes. “She’s beautiful, Zoey.” I wiped the tears that
fell down my face.
The nurse wrapped our daughter in a blanket and placed her on Zoey’s chest.
“Hi, beautiful baby girl. I’m your mommy.” Tears fell down Zoey’s cheek.
“She’s gorgeous, just like you.” I kissed her forehead. “Welcome to the world, Primrose
Kind.”
“Really?” Zoey smiled as she looked at me.
“Yeah, babe.” I smiled.
“Thank God. Now I can hang the wall art I had made with her name on it.”
“I told you he’d come around.” Georgia smiled as she closed Zoey up.
“When did you tell the girls?” I asked.
“Carter, hold your daughter. She wants her daddy.”

One Month Later

Iwalked over to Sam while he stood on his patio, staring out at the kids playing on the
beach, my brothers and Nathan surfing, and the volleyball game that was going on between
Conner, Charlotte, Christian, and Charleigh.
“What are you doing just standing here?” I smiled as I held Primrose in my arms.
“Just staring at my beautiful family and feeling a little emotional.”
“Why?”
It doesn’t seem that long ago that my dad built these houses for Stefan, Sebastian, Simon,
and me. Then Lily came along, and it was just us. The four brothers who made a pact never
to fall in love or get into a relationship. Then I met Julia and broke that pact. Then Alex
came along, Emilia, then Grace. Shaun walked into our lives as the brother we never knew
we had. Julia and I had the twins, and my sister Nora was born. Jackson, Conner, and
Nathan moved from San Francisco to be closer to us after Uncle Liam passed away and to
open the medical center. Georgia and Charlotte came along, and then we discovered
Christian, who moved here from Seattle and was reunited with his twin and two other
brothers. Charleigh came along. We found out about your brothers and an uncle we never
knew we had. Their wives, and now you.” He smiled. Our little stretch of the beach has
grown so much, and as I stand here and look out at our huge family, I can’t help but get a
little sentimental from time to time.”
“I get it, cousin. It sounds like our family has been through a lot.”
“We have, but in a good way, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world,” he said.
“Me either, Sam. Me either.”
“I’m happy I was the first one to break the pact.” He smiled.
“What are you two douchebags talking about?” Simon smiled as he walked over.
“Just reflecting on family, bro,” Sam said.
“Again? You do that at least once a year.”
“Because we keep growing and growing. Before you know it, the kids will be grown, and
we’ll be standing here as old men.”
“Says you.” Simon furrowed his brows. “Hey, Prim. You sweet little angel.”
“Primrose, Simon. Primrose.”
“Yeah, okay.” He laughed. “Oh shit. Mom’s walking away with Milo. I need to go rescue my
son.” He ran down the beach.
“He’ll never change.” Sam sighed.
“Do you really want him to?” I asked.
“Nah. He’ll always be Simon.” A smirk crossed his lips.
“Sam, can you come here for a minute?” Julia shouted.
“My wife needs me.” He smiled.
I took Primrose down by the water and watched my brothers surf.
They waved, and I laughed as Grayson fell off his board.
“Here you go.” Zoey walked over with my surfboard and set it in the sand. “Go have fun
with your brothers. I’ll take Prim.”
“Thanks, babe.” I kissed her, grabbed my board, and put it in the water. “It’s Primrose, Zoey.
Primrose.” I shouted.
I surfed with Nathan and my brothers until Sebastian shouted it was time to eat. I sat and
stared at my family as they ate, laughed, and talked amongst each other. This was what
family was all about, and I was grateful to have found these amazing people who were my
family: the Kind Family.
“Are you okay?” Zoey asked as she stroked the back of my neck.
“I’m great, babe. Life doesn’t get any better than this.” I smiled as I leaned over and kissed
her.
 EPILOGUE

“There.” I smiled as I held up the large tumor I extracted, examined it, and dropped it in
the basin.
“Would you like me to close, Dr. Kind?” one of the residents asked.
“That’s okay. I’ll do it.” I smiled.
“Good work, Dr. Kind.” I heard over the O.R. intercom.
I looked up at the operating theater and saw my dad standing there with his hands tucked
tightly into his pants pockets.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Don’t forget your mother is cooking for us tonight.”
“I haven’t forgotten. I’ll be there.” I smiled.
After closing my patient’s head, I tore off my scrub cap and gloves and walked out of the
O.R.
“You know, Ella. You really need to let your residents do some of the closings.” My dad
hooked his arm around me as we walked down the hall.
“I know, Dad. But this patient is extra special. I wanted to do it myself.”
He kissed the side of my head. “I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”
“Bye, Dad.” I smiled.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent Landon a text message.
“I’m out of surgery, and I’m starving. Lunch in the cafeteria?”
He didn’t respond, which I thought was odd. Walking down to the ER, I stopped at the
nurses’ station.
“Hey, Rhonda. Have you seen Dr. Piazza?”
“I believe he said he was going to take a nap in the on-call room. He’s pulling a double.”
“I know. Thanks.” I smiled.
I went down to the on-call room, opened the door, and froze when I saw him having sex
with someone.
“Shit. Ella.” Landon jumped up and grabbed his pants. “I thought you were in surgery?”
“You two-timing piece of shit. How could you?” Tears filled my eyes. “And you, Penelope.
What the fuck?”
I looked over and saw Landon’s phone sitting on the table. Walking over, I picked it up,
threw it on the ground, and smashed it with my foot.
“What the hell, Ella?” he shouted. “I need that.”
“You can have him.” I shook my head at Penelope and ran out of the room.
“Paging, Dr. Ella Kind. Cardiac O.R. Three, STAT!” I heard over the hospital’s intercom.
I ran up the stairs in the stairwell to the fourth floor. When I got to the O.R., a scrub nurse
was holding out a gown, gloves, and a surgical mask for me.
“What’s going on, Uncle Christian?”
“I wanted you to see this,” he spoke. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I swallowed hard.
“It’s something, or there wouldn’t be tears in your eyes.”
“I just caught Landon and that skank Penelope in the on-call room.” I looked at the surgical
staff, who stared at me.
“Oh, boy.” He sighed. “We’ll talk about it after I show you this.” He pointed to an area of the
heart he was working on.
“What the—I’ve never seen that before.” I looked up at him. “How are you going to get that
out without killing the patient?”
“That’s why I called you in here. I need your help.”
The Kind Series isn’t over yet. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!
Thank you for reading Twelve of a Kind. I hope you enjoyed it!
Be sure to check out “More Sizzling Romance” for my other romance novels.
I invite you to join my Sandi’s Romance Readers Facebook Group, where we talk about
books, romance, and more! Join the fun!
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 MORE SIZZLING ROMANCE
Looking for more romance reads about billionaires, second chances, and sports? Check out
my other romance novels and escape to another world and from the daily grind of life – one
book at a time.
Series:
Forever Series
Forever Black (Forever, Book 1)
Forever You (Forever, Book 2)
Forever Us (Forever, Book 3)
Being Julia (Forever, Book 4)
Collin (Forever, Book 5)
A Forever Family (Forever, Book 6)
A Forever Christmas (Holiday short story)
Wyatt Brothers
Love, Lust & A Millionaire (Wyatt Brothers, Book 1)
Love, Lust & Liam (Wyatt Brothers, Book 2)
A Millionaire’s Love
Lie Next to Me (A Millionaire’s Love, Book 1)
When I Lie with You (A Millionaire’s Love, Book 2)
Happened Series
Then You Happened (Happened Series, Book 1)
Then We Happened (Happened Series, Book 2)
Redemption Series
Carter Grayson (Redemption Series, Book 1)
Chase Calloway (Redemption Series, Book 2)
Jamieson Finn (Redemption Series, Book 3)
Damien Prescott (Redemption Series, Book 4)
Interview Series
The Interview: New York & Los Angeles Part 1
The Interview: New York & Los Angeles Part 2
Love Series:
Love In Between (Love Series, Book 1)
The Upside of Love (Love Series, Book 2)
Wolfe Brothers
Elijah Wolfe (Wolfe Brothers, Book 1)
Nathan Wolfe (Wolfe Brothers, Book 2)
Mason Wolfe (Wolfe Brothers, Book 3)
Kind Brothers
One of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 1)
Two of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 2)
Three of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 3)
Four of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 4)
Five of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 5)
The Kind Brothers (Kind Brothers Series, Book 6)
 Six of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 7)
Seven of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 8)
Eight of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 9)
Nine of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 10)
A Kind Wedding: Jackson & Georgia (Kind Brothers Series, Book 11)
A Kind Wedding: Conner & Charlotte (Kind Brothers Series, Book 12)
A Kind Wedding: Nathan & Sofia (Kind Brothers Series, Book 13)
A Kind Wedding: Christian & Charleigh (Kind Brothers Series, Book 14)
Ten of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 15)
Eleven of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 16)
Twelve of a Kind (Kind Brothers Series, Book 17)
Standalone Books
The Billionaire’s Christmas Baby
His Proposed Deal
The Secret He Holds
The Seduction of Alex Parker
Something About Lorelei
One Night in London
The Exception
Corporate Assets
A Beautiful Sight
The Negotiation
Defense
The Con Artist
#Delete
Behind His Lies
One Night in Paris
Perfectly You
The Escort
The Ring
The Donor
Rewind
Remembering You
When I’m With You
LOGAN (A Hockey Romance)
The Merger
Baby Drama
Unspoken
The Property Brokers