Page 3 of The Perfect Gift
She refers to the group home we both live in. Insanity is the throbbing heart of Angel Fire, one of the all-time top hard rock bands on the planet. Ash, Bash, Bent, Spike, and Noodles—my soulmate—all moved in together, their shared creative energy pulsing through the walls. They find inspiration in the chaos, writing, and recording on the grounds of Insanity.
Over the years, their hearts found their matches.
Skye fell for Ash, causing a tsunami of change for the band. Bent found balance in Piper, an exceptionally gifted physical therapist who helped him navigate a career-threatening injury. Then there was the whirlwind romance of Bash and Holly, a rhythm so synchronized it’s better left unsaid.
The zany, vibrant me found peace in Noodles, Angel Fire’s tranquil keyboardist. We’re a strange harmony, but somehow, we make beautiful music. Spike, the final piece of the band’s puzzle, fell in love with Angel. That romance shook Angel Fire’s foundations to their very core.
In addition to the band, there’s the undeniable presence of Forest Summers. Alongside Skye, he breathed life into Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists. A self-made billionaire with a heart as vast as his wealth, he’s passionate about uplifting those less fortunate.
His love story is a chord of three notes—Sara, his former executive assistant, and Paul, Piper’s brother.
Forest and Paul share a delicate dance of power and trust. While Forest and Sara are more traditional in their love. The three of them fashioned their unusual relationship into something that works. Sara’s journey to motherhood was turbulent, but she brought forth twins, Delia and Sebastian, rays of sunshine in our crazy family.
Now, Insanity is more than a home; it’s our haven. Each couple has their private corner, and we’re one growing family as kids are added into the mix.
Zach, the eldest, a mini Ash in the making, is five. Sonnet, the newest addition to Ash and Skye’s nest, is part of the toddler brigade. Skye, Piper, Holy, Sara, and I shared our journeys to motherhood—all pregnant around the same time—which means our kids are all around the same age. They’re all growing up together.
Kai, my ray of sunshine, shares his age with Finn, Bash and Holly’s bundle of joy, and Arwen, Piper and Bent’s little angel. I count off in my head—Angel’s newborn makes eight and if I’m pregnant, this will be child number nine for the crazy crew of Insanity. It’s cool that we’re raising our kids together--like instant siblings. But we each have our tiny nucleus of a family.
Best of both worlds, in my opinion.
As I step away from Skye’s office, my heart feels full and heavy at the same time. Is it possible to be both excited and terrified?
I’ve got a potential life growing inside me, my second child and the questions keep coming.
Can I balance my work life with a second child?
Noodles is the best dad. He’s basically taken over as the primary parent. When called away for a mission, I never worry about who’s taking care of the Kai. If Noodles has something with the band, we’ve got built-in babysitters with the Angel Fire Chick Brigade.
That’s what we wives affectionately call ourselves. We tossed around sister-wives for a bit, but the optics of that were problematic for the band and their public image.
Two hours later, I get a text on my phone from Skye full of congratulations and confirmation that I am indeed pregnant.
Chapter Three
With my news bubbling inside of me, I go home and head directly to one of the many recording studios at Insanity. The guys are working on a new album, and Noodles is usually early, setting up his keyboards and running sound checks before the rest of the band arrives for practice.
There—in the far corner, headphones on, lost in the music, is my man. I sneak up behind him and slip my arms around his waist, leaning my cheek against his back. He jumps, then relaxes into my embrace with a smile. Pulling off his headphones, he turns to face me.
“There’s my girl.” His eyes crinkle at the corners. “How did training go today?”
“Successful, as always. The new Rufi performed perfectly.”
“That’s great.” He strokes a hand over my pixie hair, rainbow strands slipping through his fingers. “You work too hard, you know that don’t you?”
I swat his arm. “And you don’t work hard enough, rock star. When are you going to write me another song?”
“When inspiration strikes.” He taps the side of his nose with a wink. “Can’t be rushed, these things.”
“Mm-hmm.” I eye his keyboard, temptation rising, and he laughs.
“No, you don’t get to hack my equipment again. I still haven’t recovered from the dubstep incident.”
“You loved it and you know it.” I stick out my tongue, and he kisses the tip of it, making me giggle.
“Come on, let me make dinner before practice starts.” He laces our fingers together, and we leave the recording studio and head to the kitchen.
“Where’s Kai?” Our two-year-old is nowhere in sight.