bought Dixie’s house after all, huh? Leave it to Jace to get her to sell and speed up his baby timeline.”
“Speaking of babies,” she said, parking behind Bullet’s truck. “I can’t believe I forgot to tell you that Bullet and Finlay had a baby girl. She’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” They got out of the truck and headed up the walk. “Her name is Tallulah Wren, and they call her Lulu. She’s got a shock of black hair, like Bullet, and Finlay’s big blue eyes. Bullet never puts her down. I think he’s more of a baby hog than Jace is.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” he said, drawing Roni into his arms. “Babe, before we go inside and get sidetracked with everyone, I want to thank you for believing in me and sticking by my side. I wish I could have been there for you this last month while you were dealing with all those bad feelings. I will do everything within my power to be here for you from now on. You’re my other half, my love, the face I see when I close my eyes, and the only person I ever want in my arms at night. I adore you, beautiful, and I hope that when we’re old and gray, you look back on our life together and have no regrets, because I sure as hell won’t.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and as she swiped at them, she said, “The only regret I’ll have is walking in there with smudged eyeliner.”
She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. As soon as they walked through the door, everyone yelled, “Welcome home!”
Quincy was passed from one set of loving arms to the next as everyone congratulated him and said how proud they were of him, sending a rush of emotions through him. The last time he had gotten out of rehab, he’d barely known these friends who had become family, and now he couldn’t imagine a life without them. Everyone was talking at once. Several of the kids piled in for a group hug. The girls said they missed him, and the guys joked around and talked shit. It was great to be back with everyone, even if they still had him cornered in the foyer.
Bullet held baby Lulu in one arm, adorable in a pink sleeper. She had so much black hair, it looked like a wig, and the way Bullet was holding her made it clear she wasn’t leaving his arms even as he hauled Quincy into a one-armed embrace and said, “Love you, dude.”
“You too. Congrats on this adorable little one.” Quincy tickled the baby’s feet. “Tallulah, huh? Great name.”
“Yeah, Kennedy came up with it. I’d have called her anything that little sweetheart wanted. We’ll catch up,” Bullet said as Penny pushed past him and plastered herself against Quincy.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” Penny said with tears in her eyes.
“Me too, Pen. You and Scott good?” He looked at Scott standing at the edge of the foyer with Truman, Bear, and Bones, all of them grinning.
“Mm-hm.” Penny sniffled, tightening her hold on him.
“Let me in there.” Dixie threw her arms around both of them and said, “You finally got your girl after all those months and just had to give her a big old test, didn’t you?”
He chuckled. “Missed you too, Dix.”
“Okay, blubbering Bettys, let Mama Red in there.” Red pried them off Quincy and hugged him even tighter than they had. “I’m glad you’re home, sweetheart. We’re all here for you.”
Hell if he didn’t get choked up all over again. “Thanks, Red.”
Jed sidled in, and Quincy accepted that choked up was probably how he was going to spend the next several hours. “Sorry about your wedding, man.”
Jed clapped him on the back. “No worries. I’m just glad you’re okay. Love you.”
“Love you, too,” Quincy said as he was pulled into another embrace. Several hugs later, he stood before Truman, who was holding Lincoln, and his heart felt like it might beat right out of his chest.
“You did it, bro.” Truman pulled him into a one-armed hug and said, “I’m so effing proud of you.”
“Soeffingproud,” Lincoln said, making everyone laugh.
“Get over here, little man.” Quincy settled Lincoln in his arm and pressed his cheek to his, whispering, “I’ve missed you, buddy.”
“Me too!” Kennedy hollered as she ran over, arms up.
“Get up here, jelly bean.” Quincy hoisted her into his other arm and kissed her, too. “I’ve missed you guys.”
“Isleepedinbooful’sbed!” Lincoln