“Chloe’s missing!”
Autumn froze in her tracks to stare at Keaton.
Ten years had passed since their children had accidentally opened a portal to another world, and still, whenever she came home and found her husband in a tizzy because he couldn’t find one of them or the other, she had a heart-stopping moment. But reason usually reasserted itself, and she would remember nothing could be as bad as that day so long ago. Chloe was now a young woman, and the likelihood was that she’d gone off with friends and hadn’t opened an ancient book to conjure a three-headed hellhound.
Autumn’s hands only shook a little when she set her shopping bags on the counter. “Missing how?”
“She should’ve been home a half hour ago. It’s her birthday party.” Keaton absently kissed her cheek, then went to the kitchen slider to stare out the back door as if seeking Chloe.
Joining him, Autumn looked at the newly gathered crowd on the pool deck.
“They’re early,” she muttered.
Keaton snorted. “No. You’re just late.”
After giving him a grimace and a side-eyed glare because she couldn’t argue when he was one-hundred-percent correct, she let her gaze roam over their guests.
Spring was laughing with her husband, Knox, who held their five-year-old daughter, Megan, on his lap. The girl was petite, with large jade-green eyes, a riot of chestnut curls, and a sweet smile that was mainly reserved for her dad. It had to be hard for a shy child in a clan of loudmouths, but the girl never complained. Other than her unfortunate klutzy tendencies, she reminded Autumn of Spring at that same age. The intelligence in her watchful gaze couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a big brain absorbing everything.
Across from the trio, Summer held Spring’s son, Phillip, who at two was already the pint-sized image of his gorgeous father. With dancing blue eyes and a winning grin, the toddler was already learning to use his charm for evil. He was a particular favorite of the Goddess Serqet, who visited with regular frequency since she’d buried her centuries-old grudge against the couple. In her eyes, the little gremlin could do no wrong. In anybody’s eyes, really. Only Knox was able to keep him in check. But Phillip did have a healthy respect for Alastair when he raised a brow in warning.
Winnie’s triplets were in the pool, and being the terrorists they were, they splashed Olivia and Jolyon, who had their heads bent and were clearly conspiring against the trio of fourteen-year-old boys. Autumn knew this because it was always an all-out water war when the five of them were together in the pool. Yes, it was three against two, but Jolly and Ollie were a formidable duo when they teamed up, and they always teamed up.
Glancing away, Autumn scanned the deck, taking in the groupings of family and friends. She laughed when she spotted Alastair in a loose flannel button-up over top of his pale-blue tee-shirt. It was a cool spring afternoon, but weather was nothing to witches able to control their body temperatures. Ever since their trip through the portal, he’d dress down for family functions like this.
Moving on, she did a head count. Everyone was there, and everything was set up for the birthday girl, who appeared MIA.
“Have you tried scrying for her? Or have you messaged Damian to see if she’s there?” she asked Keaton.
“You know I only seek the Aether as a last resort. I’d never admit this to anyone else, but that guy scares the shit out of me.”
Autumn held out her hand, earning a look of confusion from Keaton.
Grinning, she wiggled her fingers. “Your man card. Hand it over.”
“Rude.”
“Only a little,” she agreed as she stepped into his arms and curled hers around his neck. “The house is empty—”
“Except for our other monster, who is standing right behind you.”
Dipping his head, Keaton kissed her. It wasn’t as long or as amorous as Autumn preferred, but it was enough to tide her over until they could find alone time. She released him to welcome their youngest son, William.
Dutifully, he lifted his face so she could give him butterfly kisses with her nose.
“How’s the sweetest little warlock on the planet? Hmm?”
His amber eyes sparkled even as he groaned. “Mom! You can’t say those things anymore. Everyone thinks I’m a baby.”
“You’re my baby.”
“I’m ten. Practically grown up.”
“Pfft. You’re nowhere near grown up, and besides, you’ll always be my baby, Will.”
He grinned, and she was forgiven for treating him like a small child. Heaving an internal sigh, she reminded herself to give him his wings. With his auburn hair, golden eyes, and hair-trigger temper, William was her kid all the way. But he also knew how to laugh at himself and have fun. Those traits, he’d inherited from Keaton.
“Do you happen to know where Chloe went?” she asked as she began unloading the last-minute grocery items onto the counter. Soda, various-flavor potato chips, and Cheetos were a required party staple for the next generation and the one thing she refused to conjure. She’d be damned if she would use her power to feed their junk-food addictions.
When he reached for the bag of barbecue chips, she tapped his hand and pointed to the cabinet. “Bowl!”
“Chloe’s with Sabrina and Aeden. Something having to do with her upcoming finals.”
“I suppose we should’ve planned the party for after,” Keaton said, ripping open the Cheetos bag and ignoring Autumn’s glare.
William, smart boy he was, returned to the kitchen island with four large bowls and handed one to his dad.
“Bowl. And don’t sneak anything to the dog,” he told him, much to Autumn’s and Keaton’s amusement. William was a fifty-year-old in a child’s body.
Pausing her sorting action, she turned to face him and put a hand on her hip. “Did she say when she was going to return?”
His reply was the standard one-shoulder Thorne shrug.
“Great. Just great,” she muttered.
“No one cares, Mom.” Will stretched to kiss her cheek, then tucked four of the two-liter soda bottles in his arms and headed for the door. “They just like hanging out,” he said over his shoulder.
Keaton continued to stuff his face as she emptied the food into bowls.
“He’s right, ya know,” he said. “Our family would get together whether there was a special occasion or not. They appreciate the bond and the routine.”
“I know, but I wanted to make this special for her. She’s graduating in another couple of months and will be going off on her own.”
“I know, babe. Trust me. It’s a lot harder for me to let her go than for you.”
Autumn removed the bag from his hands and replaced it with the filled dishes. “Yeah. Talk about an overbearing father.”
His grin flashed, telling her he wasn’t offended, but it quickly died. “Have you noticed anything strange about her lately? Beyond the average twenty-two-year-old wanting to move out and conquer the world.”
“Yes. And I suspect it has to do with Derek. She’s upset that he’s got himself a new girlfriend.” Autumn met his steady stare and grimaced. “Deep in her heart, she loves him. Always has since they were kids and he saved her from Zhu Lin.”
Keaton nodded. “But because he’s a few years older, he’s a man of the world and not ready to settle down with a childhood friend. Am I close?”
“Yes. She’s hurting, and I think she needs to hide from those closest to her for a bit.”
“So they don’t see her pain,” he concluded.
“So they don’t see her pain,” she agreed.
“Still, I’m going to text her again. She needs to make an appearance.”
“She’ll answer for me. Take this tray outside for the kids, and I’ll call her.”
After a check of their surroundings, he stepped up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “We can let the others wait a while longer, and I can welcome you home properly now.”
His suggestive tone set her afire, and for one brief second, she considered a quickie. But their family members were all outside, expecting a birthday party.
“Hold that thought until tonight, babe.” She ran her hand down the front of his shorts and rubbed, grinning when she felt his immediate response. “And be sure you’re well rested.”
“Dammit, woman! Now you’ll have to serve the food. I’ve got an erection to kill.”
With a girly giggle, she picked up the tray. “Fine. But then you’ll be the one responsible for getting Chloe’s ass here. She’s got a party to attend. Use my phone and tell her I said boys are dumb and not worth losing sleep over.”
“Hey!”
One of her brows shot up, and he gave her a sheepish look in return.
“Fine. We’re a dumb lot.”
“I didn’t say men were dumb, just boys. You’ve gotten smarter with age.”
His bark of laughter made her heart happy.
“I adore you, babe. You know that, right?” she asked him.
“Yeah. The feeling’s mutual.”
The warmth in his eyes was a welcome sight. They would never be like their alternate versions. They’d never go down the wrong path. And, even if they somehow did, they’d find their way back to each other, like they’d done sixteen years before. Theirs was a solid, forever kind of love.
Boundless.
Autumn had all she’d ever dreamed of and more.