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Somebody who could openly hold Carter.

Somebody who could kiss me without six people in the room having a reason to analyze it.

And I damn sure couldn’t have another one of Xavier’s fucking babies fucking that up.

“Put them right there,” my mother said.

The babies got situated while my mother backed up with her phone.

And immediately, my eyes went to Carter and Serenity.

Fuck.

My mother was right.

They looked crazy alike sitting beside each other.

Not identical.

Carter still looked like me.

But those little similarities I could ignore when they weren’t side by side were right there in my fucking face now.

The eyes.

Something around the mouth.

Those cheeks when they smiled.

“Look!” my mother said. “Carter and Serenity look like sisters.”

My heart dropped straight into my ass.

Sam laughed.

“They do favor each other.”

“Favor?” my mother said. “Them babies look crazy alike.”

“Ma.”

“What?”

“Take the damn picture.”

While my mother kept snapping pictures, my eyes drifted toward Collin.

I studied him for a second.

I was looking because of Heather.

Because Xay had been at her house.

Because of the way she acted when I asked about it.

Because lately every time I thought about the two of them, something in my stomach told me I was missing some shit.

My mother looked at me.