MAGGIE

“No. Not happening. Good luck, Firefly.”

I glare at him, my gag reflex in full force. My eyes drag to the four pumpkins sitting on the island. I loath them. An hour from now, I might change my mind when their lopsided grins flicker with light, but it’s the process that grosses me the hell out.

“Come on, Grizz. Man up. Get in there and put your knife to work.”

“I’ve never understood Halloween,” he grumbles. “The costumes, the makeup, a bunch of little kids dressed in creepy clothes, running the dark streets. That shi….it’s creepy. Horror flicks have nothing on that.”

Liv twists to look up at him. “Shaney, my costume isn’t creepy.”

A subtle smile pulls at his lips, and my heart squeezes tight. “You’re approved, then. You can hit the streets.”

Teddy jumps off his stool. “Give me the knife. I’m starting to grow a beard over here.”

“The last thing you need is a knife.” I look at Garrett, meticulously drawing his pumpkin face. I’d trust him, and he’d turn these babies into masterpieces, but if he sliced his hand open, I’d never forgive myself.

“This isn’t even any fun. I’m outta here.” Hank stands.

I turn my head just enough to see him from the corner of my eye. “Who’s going to be there?”

“I’m driving Sadie, but it’s just some of the guys from the team and their girlfriends.”

“You’re driving Sadie? Where’s her boyfriend?”

I need to know what is going on here. Sadie is dating a complete jackass, and I think Hank finally sees the error of his teenage boy ways. She’s totally gorgeous, smart, and sweet as ever, but he’ll never admit what a dummy he was. At least not out loud. Now, he’s the one secretly pining after the girl next door.

“He’s at an away game.”

“You better be back by nine, completely coherent, and if you’re one minute late or if I notice any trace of smoke, alcohol, debauchery, or any kind of…misconduct,” I widen my eyes. “You’ll see nothing but the four walls of your dungeon for the next five years.” He rolls his eyes. “Try me,” I warn him.

“Just relax. It’s low-key.”

Relax. That word makes my head want to explode. I can’t wait to tell him to relax one day, all cool and chill like I don’t have a flipping care in the world when his kids are trying his every nerve. Relax. Yeah, right.

Shane must see my thoughts because he jumps in before I make his too-cool-for-school-butt stay home.

“Just be home by nine.” Shane’s low voice interrupts the list forming in my mind of all Hank could get into and everything that could happen to him. “Go before she puts a tracker on you and makes you promise to check in every five minutes.”

Hank laughs. The little shithead laughs and all but runs out the door. I put my hands on my hips and give Shane the look.

He holds up one large hand. “Don’t worry. We have Oreos, and I’ll turn on SportsCenter.”

I glare, but I want to kiss him. Like, really kiss him because he knows how to make the torture of worry a little more manageable with my favorite things. Add him to the mix, and I just might make it.

I point at him. “No. You’re going to read to me so we can find out what happens with the man walking the Amazon while I eat my feelings.” Shane, reading out loud, is the most soothing place I’ll ever want to be. “And if Hank gets hauled in for anything other than being an eyewitness to someone else’s bad choices, then you’re going to be a hard ass for once and let him sit there.”

“You said ass. Can I say that now?” Liv perks at the possibility.

I run a hand over her head. “Sorry. No. I should’ve said butt or behind.”

Teddy groans. “Are we going to carve these pumpkins or not? This totally sucks.”

I roll my shoulders. “Yes. Let’s do this. Garrett, get the trash can in case I puke.”

“You didn’t puke last year,” Liv’s sweet voice gives me the courage I need.

I plunge the knife into the top of the first pumpkin and saw around the stem. I do it three more times, breathing out of my mouth so I don’t have to smell the sickening, sweet smell of the innards the kids are squishing between their fingers as they pull it out.

Shane’s deep chuckle soothes my belly as I try not to gag. I’m so damn tempted to flick a giant chunk of pumpkin guts at him. The only reason I refrain is because Aiden is resting peacefully in his massive arms. My jolly baby loves his dad, and I can’t blame him one bit.

I stand back as the kids laugh and tease about whose pumpkin face will be the best. Teddy pinches one of the slimy seeds between his fingers, and it shoots across the island, hitting Shane right in the forehead.

The room turns silent. Teddy tries really hard not to laugh, but he can’t hold it in. Shane’s face turns serious as his eyes set with a determined stare that says Teddy just made a big mistake, but I know underneath Shane is loving every single moment.

“Daniel, son, that’s strike two.” Shane's low voice is almost a growl.

Teddy squirms on his stool as he laughs, and I think he might tumble off. “I got you good, bruh. It’ll be worth whatever you want to bring.”

Teddy scared the crap out of Shane the other day, and none of us will ever let him forget it.

“Just wait until Shane figures out your one weakness, little bro.” Garrett’s eyes stay trained on his work of art, but his mouth turns into an amused smirk.

“Never. You’ll take that secret to the grave, or I’ll rip all the pages out of your medical books.” Teddy threatens.

I know Teddy has one fear. The kid is absolutely fearless, but there is one thing that will take him to his knees, but Shane would never use it against him.

“I’m coming for you. You won’t know when, and you won’t know where, but you better watch out.” Shane’s warning is low and smooth, and I peek at him, loving him so much for being the man these kids need. Each of them. Individually.

I move from one pumpkin to the next, making cuts and letting the kids poke the pieces out. Shane directs while I cut out Aiden’s. When we’re finally finished, I set them on the porch in the fading evening light and stand back.

They're mismatched and misshapen, but they’re ours. Shane’s large frame appears in the doorway, and he comes to join me.

“They don’t look too bad, huh?” I say as his arms come around me. He tucks me close to him, warming me from the cold.

“They look great. You did good in there. I’m proud of you for not puking.”

I tip my head back to look at him. “I kind of love you, you know that?”

“Yeah. I know.”

I turn in his arms, linking mine around his neck. “You know what time it is. You ready for this, big guy?”

A flicker of heat ignites in his hazel eyes. “Do we have to?”

“Yep, and you are going to love every minute.”

“You’re overly optimistic.”

I push up to my toes and kiss him, letting my mouth linger over his. He pulls me tighter.

“I’m down for this. Let’s stay home and tell the kids to go to bed early.”

Shane’s head angles to the side, aannnnddd it’s tempting. It really is.

“Let’s go party-people. It’s time to Trick or Treat.”

Shane groans against my lips, and I smile. “Later, Grizz. I promise.” I run my lips over his jaw. “It’ll help you through,” I whisper as the kids gather in the doorway, dressed and ready to go.

Garrett’s long white lab coat and crazy hair give Albert Einstein vibes. Teddy’s clown costume is too realistic for anyone’s good, but the little prankster is living his best life tonight. Liv twirls in her blue dress, and Cinderella is ready for the ball.

I grab Shane’s hand. “Let’s grab the little man and get this show on the road.” I drag his resisting behind inside to get Aiden, who’s wiggling around on his playmat. “Grizz, just stick with me. I’ll keep the little monsters from nipping at your heels.”

Shane's head falls to the side, his unamused eyes meeting mine. “You just keep us moving so we can get back to what you started out there.”

I grin, passing him on the way back out the door with Aiden over my shoulder. I turn back to peek at him as he closes the door. “You never know, Grizz. You just might end up liking Halloween after all.”

SHANE

“Why the hell does anyone think this is a good idea? Lining kids’ pockets with their drug of choice, and we have to take them home.”

I watch the kids from the sidewalk as they ring another doorbell.

“Grizz, you know some part of you secretly loves this. Isn’t this one of the things you missed as a kid? Dressing up, going door to door, snagging a butt load of candy you’d use to barter with for the next month.”

I tip my chin down to look at Maggie. Her face shines in the darkness, full of joy. I’ll take it any day of the year. Dressing up like I’m heading out for an Arctic expedition so these kids can be high on sugar for the next week, I’d just buy a couple of bags of candy and set them on the counter.

I give her the simple answer. “No. Mark was into this nonsense. Sean and I watched scary movies in our room and made fun of them.”

She rolls her beautiful blue eyes, and I try to look grumpy as the kids run toward us, ready to collect their loot from the next house. Maggie lifts Aiden’s little bugged-out body over her shoulder. His wings cast a glow over her whole face.

“Come on. Isn’t he the cutest little lightning bug you’ve ever seen? How does this not make you happy?” She holds him up, pretending to fly him over to my face, then snuggles him back against her chest.

He is the freaking cutest, and Maggie and the kids having fun is the only reason I’m entertaining this mayhem. Their happy faces and laughter make everything worth it.

A little kid in a blow-up dinosaur costume blows by me, and in the dark, it’s like creepy dark spirits are lurking everywhere.

Maggie grins up at me as we stop again. “You’re seriously freaked out by this, aren’t you?”

I look at Teddy, dressed as a clown, and hell, yes, I’m freaked out by this whole deal. “He’s a freaking clown. Why did you agree to that?”

She laughs. “Because this is his joy. It’s his favorite night of the year.”

I let out a breath, knowing she’s right, but that punk stood in the dark hallway the other night. It was the first time in my life that I simultaneously screamed like an adolescent girl, almost shit my pants, and took him out with my fists.

“That isn’t a costume. It’s a nightmare come to life. It’s dangerous. I could have seriously hurt him.”

She laughs and then laughs some more, having to hand over Aiden because she can’t catch her breath. She hangs on to my arm, holding herself up. I love her so freaking much it hurts.

“It’s real funny until he steps out in front of you in that thing.”

“Grizz, I’m sorry, but that was the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life. I don’t know why we didn’t video it.”

I try to keep a straight face. Even though he took thirty years off my life, hearing them all laugh and carry on about it for the past few days might have been worth it. Maybe. Although, that little shit is going to get it once I have an idea that’s good enough.

The timer on Maggie’s phone goes off. Time is up. We are going home, and I have no doubt the twenty-mile walk back will do nothing to dampen the boys’ sugar rush.

Maggie wrangles the kids, and I take over Aiden duty, snuggling my little guy to my chest. Two minutes into our walk home, Liv starts dragging.

“Shaney, my legs hurt. Will you carry me?” She looks up at me with those big blue eyes, and just like her sister, I can’t say no. Ever.

I hand Aiden off and scoop her up. Her head immediately falls to my shoulder, and her arms loop around my neck.

“Will you dress up next year?” Her head pops up, and her freezing-cold hands hold my face as we trail behind the others. “I’ll be a cheerleader. You can be a football player. You still look like one.”

A year. I have a whole year for her to forget this conversation. “It’s a whole year away. You might change your mind.”

“Maybe.” She rests her chin on my shoulder. “But I want you to have fun next year, too.”

I feel like a total asshole. “You know what, Liv, I had the best night watching you and your brothers do what I never did. These costumes kind of freak me out, though.”

“Really.” She giggles.

“Yep.”

“Well, don’t worry. It’s just a bunch of little kids.” She meets my eyes again. “I’m not scared.”

“No?”

“No,” she says it like the thought is ridiculous. “You’re really big and strong, and I know you will protect us from all the scary things.”

Well, there we go. She might as well just ask me to buy her every item on her Christmas list because I’ll wrap them and give them to her tomorrow. She’s not wrong. I do anything for them. I’d protect them with my life.

This is my family. The one I’d never thought I’d have.

I hug her a little tighter, not in such a hurry because someday soon, she won’t want this anymore. She’ll be off doing girl things, rolling her eyes, and acting like I’m her number one enemy when she finds out she’s never dating.

When we finally make it home, the boys dump their piles of candy on the table, and Maggie raids it for anything Garrett might be allergic to. She demands showers and then heads to help Liv with a hot bath.

I change Aiden’s diaper, put his jammies on, and warm a bottle. It’s my night to rock him while Maggie reads to Liv.

I kiss my little man’s fat cheeks and lay him in his crib, letting his noise machine work its magic. I pass through the kitchen to grab a water, surprised to find Hank eating cereal.

“How was the party?”

He shrugs. “Eh. Boring.”

Hank and I are a lot alike. He keeps his feelings locked down tight. He doesn’t say much, but he’s soft and tender underneath all the callous.

I lean, resting my arms on the counter, suspecting his early arrival has to do with something Sadie. Maggie called this. She knew he’d wise up and realize the girl next door was the one he should have been after.

“That asswipe show up at the party?” Sadie’s boyfriend is the high school quarterback and a giant tool.

Hank shoves another spoonful in his mouth. “Yeah. I couldn’t sit there and watch all that.”

I nod, thinking about how seeing Maggie with another guy would feel. I’d kill him. My temperature rises a couple of notches just thinking about it.

“Hang in there, man. She’ll see soon enough.”

It’s his turn to nod, and I leave him in peace.

I find Maggie in bed, scrolling through pictures. “Hey, where are my Oreos and hurry up. It’s time to read.”

I toss my shirt on the floor. “Hank’s home. No need for the Oreos.”

Her mouth falls open. “Who says?”

I move into the bathroom. “Me. You made me a promise.” I turn the faucet on to brush my teeth but see her climb out of bed from the corner of my eye.

I spit and hear her scream. A blood-curdling scream and then a loud thud. I charge toward the kitchen but find Maggie halfway there at the bottom of the stairs on her butt.

My heart pounds so hard in my chest it might literally pop out. “What in the hell?” I look around the dark space, only the night lights on the wall lighting the area. There’s a weird buzzing sound that is repeating.

Her hand rests on her chest. “I’m going to kill him.”

I hear snickering from the top of the stairs. An ass-eating grin crawls across my face.

I see it crumpled on the floor across the room. Maggie took the clown suit out with one of Aiden’s talking toys. I have no doubt there’s a large dent in the drywall.

“He stood that shit up. Like right there.” She points toward the table where Teddy must have hung his costume to look like it was standing up.

I laugh. “At least he was smart enough not to be in it this time.”

She moans, and I reach down to scoop her up. “Are you ok?”

“No, I think I broke my ass.” I kiss her cheek, trying not to laugh, but it’s kind of funny after all the shit she gave me. “I’m burning that suit tomorrow.”

I carry her back to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind me. “Not so funny, is it?” She groans. “You’ve got good aim, Firefly.” I set her down at the edge of the bed.

“I was going to kill the intruder and make sure it never made it a step further.”

“I know,” I say, pressing my lips to hers. Maggie’s protective instinct is one of the sexiest things about her.

Her arms move up my back, pulling me with her as she rests back on the bed. “You made it out there pretty quick, big guy. Those kids on the field got nothing on you.”

“Scared the shit out of me. You can’t scream like that.” I find her neck, my heart trying to find its normal rhythm. “I thought I might have a heart attack.”

“You screamed like that when you saw it.”

I did. I really did, and I can’t even be ashamed of it. I lock her arms above her head. “We’re going watch that thing turn to ash tomorrow.”

One eyebrow goes up. “You are the man of my dreams.” She pushes up to kiss me, but I pull back.

“That so.” I stare into her eyes.

“Yes. You’d take on a clown for me.”

“Firefly, I’d take on anything for you, even a damn clown.”

I release her wrists, and she pulls me to her. “I know.” Her mouth moves over mine, and my hands find the hem of her shirt. “Just so you know. You’re going to have to continue to do Halloween with me.”

I let my head fall to her shoulder. “Fine.” I pull her shirt up over her head. “Just as long as it ends like this.”

She laughs. “Deal.”