The Harper cousins thought they had life figured out until they became fathers to rambunctious boys. Matt, Markus, and Mason found out that fatherhood isn't what they expected. With the Gray DNA, there's bound to be chaos as hilarity ensues with parenthood. The Harper cousins will navigate fatherhood with the help of their spouses and family. Did I mention the grandparents are a set of crazy quints? With this bunch, all bets are off. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Here Comes the Harpers
����Elias
����I stood on the ground as Bradley Wilson hung upside down from the swings. Someone tapped me as I looked at Owen.
������You know our dads will hurt us when they find out what we did,�� Owen said.
������The twit should have kept his hands off, Deacon.�� I shrugged.
����Bradley moved his lips and waved his arms, but I looked at him with boredom. Why do people think yelling at me works? I��m deaf and turned off my hearing aids. Silence is golden, and in Brad��s case, necessary.
����Let me explain a few key details. My name is Elias Harper. I��m Nora and Matthew Harper��s oldest boy and was born deaf. Nate and Deacon are my dipshit brothers. Nate enjoys a beat-down because he doesn��t leave me alone. Deacon can��t stay out of trouble because, well, he��s Deacon and a dumbass.
����Someone tapped my back. I turned to see Dad standing there, shaking his head. He pointed at my ears. I rolled my eyes and turned on my hearing aids.
������Why?�� Dad asked me.
������Why not?��?
������I have to bail you out when you get into a fight with the Wilson kids, Elias. Do you want to end up in juvie?��?
������Are you threatening me with a fun time?��?
����Never ask my dad that question. He lacks a sense of humor while dragging me home, using my shirt as leverage. What can I say? I��m my father��s child or someone else��s child. My bet is on Cousin Markus. Shh, don��t tell Dad.
����?
����*****
����?
����Matt
����When I thought about having kids, I didn��t plan on having three unruly boys with smartass mouths. I questioned Nora if she had a secret fling with Markus. My question earned me a look from her.
����I dragged Elias into the house as Nora came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. Nate and Deacon came walking down the hallway, saw me, then turned.
������Freeze!�� I said, making the boys stop. I released Elias and shoved him at his brothers. ��Which one of you pain in the asses caused this mess with Bradley Wilson?��
����Elias and Nate pointed at Deacon. I gave my boys a skeptical look. So much for them having each other��s backs.
������Look, stay away from the Wilson boys. It��s bad enough I have to deal with their asshole father,�� I told the boys.
������Well, he created asshole sons,�� Nate said.
����I gave Nate a look as Elias smacked him upside the head.
������In my defense,�� Deacon said.
������You don��t have a defense. You��re twelve and might not live to see thirteen,�� I told Deacon. ��You��re all grounded until we get sick of you hanging around the house.��?
����The boys groaned and stormed to their rooms as they fought on their way. I heard giggling and glanced at Nora.
������It��s your fault. You forgot the raincoats,�� Nora told me.
������I still say Markus had something to do with this.��?
����Nora threw a candy dish at my head, and I ducked. Then she went into the kitchen.
������Love you!�� I spoke.
������Screw you!��?
����Here��s what I learned about parenthood. It��s a damn trap. You start with these sweet angels who turn into holy terrors. You hope they don��t kill each other. That was dreaming on our part.
����Welcome to fatherhood.
����?
����*****
����?
����Markus
����A crash resounded from the bedroom. I checked to see what the boys did now and found a broken bed with Jayden and Kayden standing there. I put my hand over my face and shook my head.
������Why?�� I asked, lowering my hand.
������Well, I told Jayden to catch me. He missed. The bed was a casualty,�� Kayden said.
������Did it ever occur to you that beds are for sleeping and not part of the circus? Oh, I forgot, this is my circus, and you��re my monkeys,�� I said.
������We��re not monkeys,�� Jayden said, looking at Kayden, who shrugged.
����Okay, I should explain something. Hayden and I adopted twin boys. We thought, hey, let��s have a family. We didn��t know the twins would be the dimmest bulbs in the pack.
����Matt said it was payback for my secret rendezvous with Nora. Matt��s an idiot, but I digress. I��m sure Matt was there when he knocked up Nora. While I dealt with Tweedledum and Tweedle dumber, Mason had his hands full.
����?
����*****
����?
����Mason
������Are you shitting me?�� I asked.
������I don��t think that��s possible,�� Owen said.
������It��s possible but doubtful,�� Oliver said.
������Stop talking,�� I said, ready to throttle my boys. ��Who told you it��s a fantastic idea to hang Bradley Wilson on the swing set?��
������I shall not tell a lie. It was Nash,�� Owen said.
����I wanted to hurt Owen. My boys can��t tell the truth if it bit them in the ass.
������That is a lie. It was Grayson,�� Oliver said.
����I glared at my boys, who stood there like they did nothing wrong. ��You��re grounded and never seeing the light of day.��?
������What?�� They asked. ��That��s not fair!��
������Then tell the damn truth for once in your godforsaken lives!�� I spoke.
������Well, I guess grounding it is,�� Owen said.
����I want to hurt my boys, but Skylar won��t let me. If they don��t end up in the clink, it��ll surprise me. If I survive the teen years, I��ll be lucky. If my boys survive it, it��ll be one hell of a miracle.
����?
����*****
����?
����Casey
����I came home to hear yelling and swearing. I tried to sneak out when Larissa caught me. I turned to face my wife. ��Hi, Hunny.��?
������Don��t hi, Hunny, me. Do you know what our boys did?��?
������No, but I��m sure you��ll tell me.��?
������They super glued the teacher to his seat and got suspended.��?
������We hung banshees on a basketball net.��?
����She pursed her lips and gave me a look.
����The boys waited for me to say something.
������You��re grounded,�� I said.
������What?�� Nash asked.
������It was your idea!�� Grayson said.
����Larissa crossed her arms.
������Well, uh, um, bye,�� I said, leaving. Yeah, I��m not dealing with that train wreck I call my sons. I know I��ll catch hell later. Sometimes, a father needs a break.
����I met with Matt, Markus, and Mason. When things get too rough at home with the boys, we escape. Yeah, our spouses would hurt us later, but it was worth it.
����Here comes the Harpers, and then some.
����?
����
Carrington Carrington Jones grew up with seven brothers and sisters. He has a happy-go-lucky nature with a tender heart, which sets him apart from his siblings with their personalities. He meets a woman who captures his heart. The only problem is she has a husband. Carrington’s brothers advised him against pursuing it, especially Mason and Charles, understanding it’s a terrible idea. Carrington can’t stay away from the woman. What happens with romance blossoms? Will Carrington discover his happiness, or will his heart get broken? A forbidden romance is enticing but arises in tragedy. Carrington will discover that it’s not romance where his heart lies but what occurs from it. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Matthew Harper always does the right thing. He doesn’t drink or smoke and protects his family, but he lets his past rule him. After dealing with the loss of his girlfriend Sadie, he thought he could move on, but ghosts of the past resurface. It made him close off his heart to someone who could love him more profoundly than the ocean. What happens when a past love resurfaces, making him rethink his earlier decisions? Will he get a second chance at happiness he deserves or breaks another’s heart again? It takes help from some cousins and an unexpected situation to show Matthew that we can’t let the past rule our future. The heart wants what the heart wants. *The Gray Series spin-off series. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Oliver Harper is a unique person. He doesn’t care about frivolous ideas or someone in his life to complete him. He prefers a conversation that stimulates his mind. When Oliver starts college, his friends and cousins join him. The problem with this bunch is they’re crazy. Have you met the Gray/Harper family? They define bat shit crazy. Olivier will navigate his way through college with the help of his family and cousins. He’ll meet and fall in love with the most unexpected person who’ll stimulate his mind. College life is about to explode. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Growing up next to the Harper boys, Tori Williams learned to hold her own with them. Her brother Gabe is best friends with the boys, and Tori deals with the youngest Harper boy, Deacon. There’s a slight issue when Tori dates Bradley Wilson, whom the Harper boys can’t stand. Wanting to keep Tori from her idiot ex-boyfriend, Nate and Deacon develop a plan of their own. Elias Harper graduated college and returned home to work in construction. While Nate and Deacon scheme to keep Bradley from Tori, another issue arises when Elias takes an interest in a particular neighbor girl. What happens when four years change people? Will a love connection happen, or will someone get burned? With the Gray gene cemented in your DNA, all bets are off. Follow Elias as he discovers who held his heart while growing up. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
Lex and Piper are ready to settle down and have a family of their own. After celebrating the wedding of Michael and Lyric, something significant happens to Lex and Piper, which turns the Gray family upside down. Will they be able to get through this, or will they falter? With the help of The Gray Brothers and The Gray Sisters, Lex and Piper will learn the meaning of what it is to be a Gray. Love and humor go a long way for this family. Follow Lex and Piper on their journey as we find out if they can find their way back to each other. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
As the quints head into their third and final year of college, they are going to discover the thing that truly matters most - family. Follow them on their journey as the sisters deal with situations beyond their control. That is when the family becomes essential, especially the Gray Family. Now all they must do is get through the next two years with minor issues. Considering these are The Gray Sisters, expect the unexpected. With a little bit of help from the Brothers and a whole lot of humor, anything is possible. Author: Johanna Delacruz Publisher:i&i Publisher
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Kaelyn devoted three years tending to her husband after a terrible accident. But once he was fully recovered, he cast her aside and brought his first love back from abroad. Devastated, Kaelyn decided on a divorce as people mocked her for being discarded. She went on to reinvent herself, becoming a highly sought-after doctor, a champion racer, and an internationally renowned architectural designer. Even then, the traitors sneered in disdain, believing Kaelyn would never find someone. But then the ex-husband’s uncle, a powerful warlord, returned with his army to ask for Kaelyn’s hand in marriage.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Lucia Balstone thought she had chosen the right man to spend the rest of her life with, but he was the one who ended her life. Their ten-year marriage seemed like a joke when her husband stabbed her with a dagger. Fortunately, God is never blind to people's tears. Lucia got a second chance. She was reborn at the age of 22, before all the terrible things had happened. This time, she was determined to avenge herself and let those who hurt her pay! She made an elaborate list of her goals, and the first thing on her list was to marry her ex-husband's enemy, Alonso Callen!