Beneath the Stars (Falling Stars 4)

Greyson stopped long enough to jump as high as his three-year-old legs could get him each time he emphasized how big Brendon was, as if he were aspiring to be just as tall.

The most adorable part?

Watching Brendon who was all tussled black hair and teenage swagger, playing with his little cousin.

Brendon was Lyrik West’s son. Mia, who’d gotten married to Leif a couple years ago, was Lyrik’s sister.

That made Brendon their nephew. So, the kid was not only Sunder royalty, he was now a part of the Carolina George family.

The families of those two bands merging together.

So easily becoming one.

“You’s fast!” Greyson pointed a finger at Brendon from over the island before the little thing cracked a grin. “But not fasts enough.”

“Oh yeah, little man? I think you’re just askin’ for it,” Brendon taunted, puffing out his chest before he took two stomping steps to the left.

Greyson shot into action, his squeal echoing across the floors as he darted around the island with Brendon chasing after him. Except Brendon slowed to give Greyson a head start.

So sweet.

Greyson’s big sister, Penny, stretched out her hand. “Come on, Greyson, don’t let him get you!”

Greyson grabbed her hand, and Kallie took his other.

Kallie was Sebastian and Shea Stone’s daughter. Penny’s best friend. The two young teenagers were inseparable, and Kallie had been here most every day since we’d arrived. They were always sharing secret giggles and sweet, hushed conversations.

Penny, Kallie, and Greyson went skidding around the island with Brendon hot on their heels.

“Holy camoly, you alls are nothin’ but hooligans!” Daisy piped up. Violet and Richard’s little girl was all black-hair and pigtails.

So cute and wild and always with something to say.

She stood on a step stool next to her mama, helping to prepare breakfast. “Dontcha know you are supposed to take the roughhousin’ outside where it belongs?”

Violet grinned, sheer joy, the profile of her protruding belly becoming more apparent when she shifted to look at her daughter. “Well, aren’t you a little miss bossy pants.” She tugged at one of Daisy’s black pigtails.

Daisy shrugged. “Well, someone arounds here has to do the dirty works, and my papa isn’t here to do it.”

Shaking her head in amusement, Violet turned to get something out of the refrigerator. A warm smile covered her entire face when she saw me standing there on the fray.

“Hey, you, good mornin’,” she said. “You’re awake. I was just gettin’ ready to send my wild child up to see if you wanted breakfast.”

Oh, was I ever awake.

“Good morning,” I peeped, my voice two octaves too high. Moving over to Violet, I gave her a quick hug, that buzz still blazing through my body.

I had to wonder if the energy running a circuit through my veins would be a palpable thing.

When Violet pulled back, she kept hold of the outside of my arms and searched my face. Curiosity and questions traipsed across her pretty features.

I guessed I had my answer.

I gave her a look of indifference.

She returned one that told me we were going to talk about this later.

I just grinned the most innocent grin I could find, cleared my throat, and let my gaze roam over everyone in the room. “Morning.”

Richard lifted his coffee cup from where he sat on one of the short stools on one side of the island. “Mornin’, Mags.”

“Good morning,” Leif said, still chopping the veggies with a slow smile on his face.

“Hey there.” Mia’s was wide and welcoming, tossing it over her shoulder at me while she balanced her youngest, Carson, in her arms while she continued whipping the eggs in the bowl.

“Smells good in here,” I said as I walked deeper into the kitchen.

Correction.

Floated into the kitchen.

That’s what it felt like.

Walking on air.

Yeah, I was going to need to come back down from whatever cloud I’d hopped on if I thought I didn’t want anyone to notice.

I moved over to Mia and pecked a kiss to her cheek and another to the top of Carson’s head. The six-month-old boy tipped his head back, his gummy, two-toothed smile doing the craziest things to me.

Chest pulsing full.

I ran my hand over the infant’s head as he continued to smile up at me. I whispered to his mama, “Wonder Woman.”

Mia huffed out a laugh. “Hardly. I’m pretty sure with the way I passed out at eight last night and slept like the dead for ten hours straight, I did not earn that title.”

Leif shifted around and wrapped his arms around her from behind, setting his chin on her shoulder as he hugged her tight. “You deserved that sleep. The kids have been running you ragged.”

“See! Hooligans!” Daisy was grinning her adorable, dimpled grin when she shouted it.

Laughing, I moved over to hug her tight where she stood on the stool, lifting her feet just off the step.

God.

This child had owned me from day one. I’d had no defense against the onslaught of her wild, kind, curious spirit.