“Is he your boyfriend?”
“Sort of,” Jane said. “But we’re married, so that also makes him my husband.”
“Did you like kissing him before you were married too?”
She glanced at Levi, who was watching the twenty questions quiz with amusement. “I’ve always liked kissing your daddy.”
“My friend Shelley at school says her mommy thinks my daddy’s hot.”
Levi choked on the unfortunate sip of coffee he’d just swallowed.
Jane laughed. “I’d have to agree with her.”
Nicole crawled up into Jane’s lap, and as she was still sitting in Levi’s lap, it was a very tight fit. “Do you have to go to work today, Mommy? Can we go sledding down the hill?”
The house that they’d built had a slope in the backyard—perfect for sledding. Jane kissed the tip of Nicole’s cute little nose. “I’m not working today.” She was now employed at the Sunrise Cove hospital and loving it. She’d taken the week off because Mateo had finally talked Charlotte into saying “I do,” and as her best friend’s matron of honor, Jane had a lot to take care of.
But today was all about Nicole. “Sledding sounds perfect. Why don’t you go get ready?”
“Yay!” Nicole leapt down and ran out of the kitchen. They could hear the pitter-patter of her feet moving through the house and presumably into her bedroom. There was the sound of drawers opening and closing as she searched for the sledding gear she’d picked out herself from Cutler Sporting Goods. Cal had been arrested and had done some time, but unfortunately had never paid back a penny. Still, after floundering for a bit, the store was beginning to thrive again on its own merit.
Jane leaned back against Levi’s chest and sighed in pleasure as he dragged his mouth down the side of her neck. “Mmm . . .” she murmured. “You going to work for a little while?”
“No. Thought I’d go sledding with my two favorite girls.”
She twisted around to face him and smiled. “I love you.”
“I love you more.” He leaned into her and was halfway through giving her another heart-stopping kiss when those little feet came running into the kitchen again.
“Daddy! Leave her alone, we’re going sledding!”
Levi gently nudged Jane off his lap and stood to face the sweetest little tyrant they’d ever met. “Can I go too?”
Nicole giggled. “Of course, Daddy. Can Peyton come over and sled with us? And Taylor? I promised my cousins. Oh, and Aunt Tess too! And Grandma and Grandpa! And Auntie Charlotte and Uncle Mateo!”
“Everyone can come.”
“Really?” Nicole asked, bouncing up and down.
“Really.”
Nicole ran to him, flinging herself into the air. Levi caught her and then snagged Nicole’s mommy in close too. “Caught you both.”
“Careful,” Jane warned. “The syrup’s sticky.”
“Perfect. Now we can stick together.” He pressed his forehead to Jane’s. “For always.”
Sounded like the perfect plan.
P.S. Insights, Interviews & More . . .*
About the Author
* * *
Meet Jill Shalvis
About the Book
* * *
Reading Group Guide
Read On
* * *
Coming Soon . . . An Excerpt from The Friendship Pact
About the Author
Meet Jill Shalvis
New York Times bestselling author JILL SHALVIS lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning novels wherever books are sold and visit her website, jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
About the Book
Reading Group Guide
If you thought you only had a few minutes to live, what would you do during that time?
Did you think Levi’s deception was justified?
Under what circumstances would it be acceptable to lie to your family, or is it never acceptable?
Would you have agreed to help Levi if you were in Jane’s position? Why or why not?
Do you have any regrets about your past relationships? How do they impact your current relationships?
What is your definition of a family?
If you could choose your own family, would it look the same? Different?
What do you think about Jane’s decision to make amends with her grandfather? Why was this important for her?
What do you think the characters’ lives are like in the years after the novel ends?
Read On
An Excerpt from The Friendship Pact
Keep reading for an exclusive excerpt from the next Sunrise Cove story by Jill Shalvis, The Friendship Pact
On Sale Summer 2022
Comfort food. That was the only thing on Tae’s mind as she loaded up her arms in the convenience store. Comfort food and . . . Riggs Copeland. Big, strong, protective, annoyingly sexy Riggs Copeland.
She didn’t think much could surprise her, but Jake’s brother being back in town most definitely had done just that. He’d grown up too, and right into those long, lanky limbs, looking better than any man who’d seen her naked should. Soon as she paid for her loot, she was going to sneak out the back door and hitch a ride home if she had to. Anything to avoid the discussion she knew he’d want to have.
But, hey, look at that, two-for-one donut packs. Score. As she took her bonus pack and moved to the ice cream freezer, she felt the weight of the cashier’s gaze. “Ms. Riley,” she said politely as she walked past.
“I knew it was you.”
Tae ignored the woman’s sharp, assessing, and judging tone. Truth was, she deserved it. She’d been a rotten teenager. Desperate too. She could think of a handful of times she’d lifted food from this very store, then gone home and quickly put the food into grocery store bags so her mom would think she’d purchased it.
Her mom had worked multiple jobs at all times, pretty much either working or asleep at any given hour of the day, and even then there hadn’t been enough money. Tae picking up babysitting jobs had helped, but not nearly enough, so they’d often couch surfed with friends or lived with whomever her mom had been seeing at the time.
Fun memories, reliving the shame of the things she’d done.
Not.
She eyed her ice cream options. Thankfully, there were many. Double fudge chocolate. Mint. Cherry and nuts. But what was nuts had been Mr. Schwartz being so sure that her dad was alive.
He’d obviously backed off because of her shock and disbelief, and not because he’d been mistaken or unsure. She’d been a newborn when he’d gone into the marines, but her mom had kept him alive with stories. They’d wanted to marry, but April hadn’t been of age and it’d been prohibited without parental consent. So they’d vowed to get married when Andy came back.
Only he’d died less than a year later.