Page 159 of The Last Second Chance
Summer rushed to Carter’s side holding two bottles like they were anti-venom Valentina gamboled on her heels.
“I’m so sorry it took me so long! I didn’t have any clean bottles,” she gasped, flopping down on the blanket. “I hope they didn’t cry too…Are they asleep?”
“About two minutes after you went back to the house,” Carter sighed. “Our kids are jerks.”
“Beautiful, amazing jerks,” Summer leaned in to place a soft kiss on each baby’s forehead.
Valentina shoved her giant spotted head into the happy family and Summer threw her arms around the dog’s neck. “Who could forget you, Valentina? You’re Mommy’s perfect angel.”
Joey tossed the last bite of hot dog to Waffles and laughed as Diesel the gangly teenage puppy sniffed the ground for leftovers. Jax pulled his wife in and dropped a quick kiss on her mouth. Forrest, to his credit, didn’t even bother rolling his eyes anymore. Their constant affection was slowly wearing the man down into a reasonable facsimile of tolerance toward their relationship.
“When are you going to hand out the b-o-o-k-ses?” Joey whispered, nodding conspicuously at the stack of brown paper packages on the end of the food table.
Jax laughed. “The only people who are getting them are the ones who can already spell,” he teased.
“Your brothers are going to freak out,” Joey predicted.
Jax had his father’s essays printed up and turned into paperbacks for his brothers and his mother.
“I hope so. Then I won’t have to get them anything for Christmas.”
“What are you getting me for Christmas?” Joey asked, sliding her hands around his waist.
“I moved my production trip to very early spring so you can come with me and we both can be here if there’s a baby Aplypso ready to be born.”
“A. We’re coming up with a better name than that and B. Thank you,” Joey wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Did anyone give you any problems on moving up the schedule?”
“The studio seems even more excited about the project than I am,” Jax told her.
“Who are they going to get to play you?” Joey wondered.
“Probably someone really handsome and debonair. Maybe a James Bond-type?”
“I hope they pick Didi to play me.”
“I would hate to see her on a horse,” Jax said with a far-off look.
Joey smacked him good-naturedly. “Stop fantasizing about it, Ace.”
“Are you sure everyone here can manage without you for two weeks, Jojo?” he asked, drawing her hand up to kiss her wedding band as had become his habit.
“Are you kidding? With a new full-time manager and two more part-timers to split between the farm and the stables I don’t have anything to do. Hell, I might take up writing screenplays in my spare time.”
Jax grinned. Joey’s spare time was non-existent. With demand for Apollo through the roof, she was juggling breeding rights seasons in advance. Plus, she was working on putting together another proposal for the Pierces. This one for a therapeutic riding program. His Joey was never idle and she pushed him to be just as tireless.
“Let’s get a group picture,” Phoebe said, clapping her hands. Jax and his brothers grumbled good-naturedly, but lined up on the ridge where their wives directed them. Joey positioned Jax between her and her parents and when Forrest put his hand on Jax’s shoulder, he decided it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Phoebe set the camera on the picnic table and fiddled with it.
“Okay, it’s on timer and burst mode, so it’s going to take a bunch of pictures in ten seconds. Try to behave like human beings for a few of those pictures!” She scurried back to the group, ducking under Franklin’s arm and putting her hands on Evan’s shoulders.
“Everyone smile!”
On the first shutter click Jax heard Franklin and Gia gasp and his grin widened. His surprise happened right on schedule. Gia’s sister Emmaline strolled into the picture with a lemonade in one hand and a suitcase in the other.
“Well, aren’t you going to welcome me home?” she asked with a grin just before Franklin nearly tackled her to the ground in a bear hug.
“What are you doing here?” Gia asked, clinging to her sister’s shoulders.
