“I said I could live with Maxwell.”

Epilogue

Casey nervously entered the coffee shop, wanting to turn around and run rather than face the four women waiting inside for her. Taking a deep breath and straightening her shoulders, she assumed a confident air as she approached the table of women glaring at her.

“Hello,” Casey greeted the mother’s of Max’s children. The only one she was acquainted with was Maxton’s mother Ginger. She recognized the others from the pictures their children had shown her to prepare her for this meeting. All four children had been openly worried that their mothers would rip her to shreds. Casey was, too, but was determined to follow through with the meeting she had arranged.

Sitting down between Maxie’s mother Sassy and Maxim’s mother Mila, across from her was Ginger and then Randy’s mother Blaze.

“So, why did you want to meet?” Blaze’s belligerent voice had Casey shifting uncomfortably on her seat. She made herself calm, remembering the children’s faces when she had left them at home with Max.

“I want you all to know that my brother Cole and I are living with Max now. During the children’s visitations, we will be present.”

Casey licked her dry lips, grateful the waitress brought her a glass of water before taking their orders. When she left, Casey continued, “I will not interfere in yours and Max’s parenting strategies. I don’t know where Max and my relationship is headed, but—”

“I’ll tell you where it’s headed… for the shitter,” Blaze stated contemptuously.

“Possibly so, but we’re going to give it a shot, and I’m more than willing to talk about any concerns you may have. I’m hoping we can become better acquainted and eventually friends.”

The women stared at her for a moment. Then the questions began.

“How old is Cole?” Sassy asked with a sharp gaze.

“Cole is thirty.”

“Why’s he living with you and Max? Can’t he hold a job down?” Sassy’s questions shot out one after the other.

“Cole lives with me because he is not able to care for himself. He has a cognitive dysfunction resulting from a brain injury.”

“He’s not a perv, is he?” Sassy’s comment was a stab in the heart.

Casey lowered her eyes so the women couldn’t see the hurt there.

“Shut your trap, Sassy.” Startled, Casey raised her eyes to Ginger’s.

“Cole has the mind of an eight-year-old, so that would be like comparing Maxim to him. No, Cole isn’t a pervert,” Casey said softly, taking a drink of her water.

“I’m sorry, Casey. I remember Cole. He was a nice guy,” Ginger remarked.

“He still is.”

Mila broke the silence by asking, “You going to have a bitch fit every time I call Max to talk to him?”

“Yeah, Max comes by sometimes to fix a few things around my house. I’m going to have a problem if I can’t depend on Max’s help.”

“I have no intention of interfering with Max’s and your individual relationships,” Casey stated truthfully.

“You’re going to trust us alone with Max?” Mila snorted.

“I trust Max.”

“Then you’re dumber than I was.” Mila laughed sarcastically.

“Stop, Mila. We all know Max doesn’t cheat. He may not have stayed with us long, but I never caught him cheating. Did you?” Ginger stared resolutely at the other women. Casey was surprised at Ginger’s easing the way for her with the other women. She had expected her to be the biggest opponent to Max and her living together.

“I don’t need you playing mother to my kid,” Sassy said, throwing Ginger a back off glance.

“Why would I do that? They each have a mother who’s doing an excellent job. The children are all healthy, well-behaved, and loving. You’ve all done an excellent job. I’m the one worried about screwing them up.

“I know this sounds lame, but I want us to make a place where they can blend into one family when they’re visiting Max. I was lucky I had Cole. We’re very close. With Maxi, Maxton, Maxim, and Randy, my only goal is that they continue to share a loving relationship. Brothers and sisters are important. When no one else has your back, family does. I just want to earn my own place in their world…” Casey’s voice trailed off as the four women stared at her.

Ginger gave her the first real smile she’d had since sitting down at the table. “Well, girls, I guess it won’t be long before we have another one to add to our play group.”

Casey shook her head, laughing. “I’m not pregnant, and I don’t plan on having children anytime soon.”

While the women burst into laughter, the waitress gave them strange looks as she sat their coffees down in front of them.

“I give her a month before she’s knocked up.” Sassy smirked.

“Nope, at least a year. She’s smarter than us.” Ginger blew on her coffee.

“One thing is for certain: the baby won’t be named after Max,” Casey said with certainty.

Mila shook her head. “You can’t break the chain. It’s bad luck.”

“Max is his road name, isn’t it?” Casey asked. “I could do a form of his real name and still keep the chain going. Do any of you know his real name?”

The women all stared at her in sympathy.

Blaze said pityingly. “Fred Everett.”

“Max isn’t so bad.”

* * *

“Well, this is awkward.” Penni nudged her in the stomach with her elbow.

“No, it’s not. We’re a blended family,” Casey countered.

Penni lifted her paper cup toward the group of women staring a hole through Casey as she stood in the kitchen, watching everyone playing in the backyard pool that Max had installed a couple of years ago.

“I think they want to blend something, that’s for freakin’ sure,” Penni drawled.

Casey smiled in the direction of Max’s exes, as Penni had made no attempt to lower her voice.

Since her marriage to Max, the mothers of his children had decided it was in their best interests to give her husband more time with his kids. He had gloatingly told her that the subtle hint that he had acquired an attorney had them loosening their rigid control, though Casey believed it was more than likely the wedding band on his finger.

“Where did you three disappear to last week?” Casey asked casually, reaching for a carrot stick to nibble on.

“We went on vacation with my brother, Shade. Want to see a picture?” Penni’s phone was always attached to her. She swiped the screen and raised it, pointing the picture in her direction.

“Don’t, Penni!” Sawyer made to grab the phone, but Casey snatched it from Penni’s grasp, prepared to tease Sawyer about whatever picture of herself that she was too embarrassed for Casey to see.

Casey lost all thought as she stared down at the picture of the woman smiling back at her from the screen. She was surrounded by Sawyer, Vida, Penni, and all their children. Her violet eyes were shining while she held a small child—her own, from the resemblance—and the man seated beside her was gazing at her as if she was the most precious thing in life to him.