Closing Time (Forever and Always #21)

Cassandra is swollen in her pregnancy, which makes her irritable and aggressive. While it annoys Mike, who stays home with her all day long, he keeps his mouth shut and remains sympathetic. But when he starts having dreams about hurting his baby, losing him at the supermarket, and accidentally dropping him, the fear kicks in. Unsure what to do, he turns to the best father he’s ever known—his own.

Sean surprises Scarlet with a diamond bracelet and a surprise trip to a bed and breakfast. When Scarlet realizes it’s for their one-year wedding anniversary, she knows she completely forgot about it. After apologizing repeatedly, Sean brushes it off. But when she finds the receipt for the bracelet, costing Sean over a hundred thousand dollars, she’s pissed at him—livid.

Flynn decides to get Hazel drunk because he says the sex is awesome. She’s more confident and carefree, telling him exactly what’s on her mind and how she feels toward him. But when they run into Zahara at the bar, Hazel doesn’t hold back. Dragging her by the hair outside, Hazel is ready to bash her face in right on the sidewalk. Flynn stands aside, wishing he had a bowl of popcorn to snack on.

Ryan starts to feel unsure about his wedding day as it approaches. Not because he doesn’t love Janice or has faith in their marriage, but because he simply isn’t good enough for her. His mom is psychotic and abusive. Should Janice have to settle for someone who’s damaged goods? He finally decides to end their relationship, breaking up with her through a note before taking off. But will he go through with it? And if he does, how will Janice react? Perhaps their relationship isn’t as strong as they once believed.

Cortland and Monnique end up taking their honeymoon to a new height. Instead of being gone for the two weeks as planned, they decide to make it two months, traveling through Europe and sightseeing. But when Cortland gets home, he’s unsure if he still has a job. Sean is accommodating—but is that accommodating?