Caroline smirked. “Every woman has layers, Ryan.”

  I crossed the room. Amber looked up and smiled as I approached, but then her attention snapped right back to the baby.

  “Hey, that was fast—I never even noticed you were pregnant!” I quipped, remembering our awkward encounter at the cafe.

  She bounced the baby glancing up at me. “Oh, he’s not mine. I wish. He’s my brother’s.”

  Before I could respond, a young woman came over.

  “How’s he doing?”

  The baby bounced excitedly at the sight of his mother, and Amber handed him back, though she clearly didn’t want to.

  “Cute baby,” I said, watching her reluctant handover.

  “I know!” Amber sighed, eyes still on the kid. “I drive two hours every weekend just to see him.”

  She caught herself oversharing and added hurriedly, “He’s my godson, so you know, I have responsibilities.”

  I noticed two empty pisco sour glasses on the table, and she was on her third. She picked it up and took a gulp.

  “Enjoying the pisco sour?”

  Her eyes widened. “These are so fucking good!”

  I laughed and looked at her with mock surprise. “Language!”

  She shrugged. “I don’t care. I just might have to start coming here for my girls’ night out.” She took another swig, then looked at the drink, licking her lip in to taste it.

  Then she gave the baby another wistful look, waving at him. “Awww, he’s so beautiful.”

  Her eyes flicked over me. “Why don’t you have kids, Ryan? Bet you’d be… interesting as a dad.”

  She blushed, covering it with a swig of pisco.

  I chuckled, surprised at her candidness. “I never would have guessed you’d love kids so much.”

  “Oh, I don’t! Well…I mean, maybe I do, I guess. But I’m definitely not having them any time soon.”

  “Why not?”

  Her eyes widened at me. “Because! I…I have to focus on my career. I’m young. There’ll be time for kids later, if I decide to do that.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Well, anyway, thanks for coming and showing support.”

  She gulped the pisco, and I noticed it was more than half gone already. Her face was reddening more. “I mean, I’m not saying I’d never have kids. It’s just kinda comple—” She stumbled on her word, then forced it out. “Complicated.”

  She squinted at her drink. “Damn, these go down easy. Kind of hits you fast though.”

  “Is that your third one?”

  “They are so good!”

  “You should probably slow down. They’re stronger than they seem.”

  She made a loud lip fart and shoved me, smirking. “Don’t worry! It’s only three. I can handle booze.”

  I chuckled, deciding that I kind of liked drunk Amber. I wondered if this goofy, more personable side of her was always there, I’d just never got to see it.

  “Well, I find them pretty strong—” I began.

  She waved dismissively, nearly losing her balance. “What was I talking about? Oh yeah! Houses!”

  “Houses?”

  “Yeah, big houses.” She gestured expansively, suddenly very gabby. “I sell all these big family homes filled with rooms. You know, the master bedroom, and then all the smaller rooms.”

  “Like, where the kids go.”

  “Exactly!” Her arm jerked, and she sloshed her drink. “With cribs…And those lil dangly things that hang over the cribs.”

  “I see. The danglies are important, for sure.”

  “Right, right, but keep that stuff on the down low, kay?” She leaned in conspiratorially, her breath sweet with pisco. “Don’t tell anybody.”

  “Why not?”

  She sighed dramatically. “I don’t know. All my friends are like, ‘Oh my god, who wants to have a baby? It’s too much work.’ Blah, blah, blah.”

  “Well, you have to live your own life—”

  “No, no, no. It’s really important.” She poked my chest for emphasis. “The town vision! I know you don’t like it, but I can’t give up on that. It’s my dream.”

  Kate and Caroline appeared beside me as Amber was finishing her glass.

  Caroline slid her arm around my waist. “Hey, you guys are having quite the conversation. Sofia’s about to make her speech.”

  Amber gave them a catty smile. “Well, aren’t you lucky, Ryan? All these women… guess I’m missing out.” She winked sloppily and stumbled into me giggling.

  Kate’s eyebrows shot up, but I caught the smirk at the corners of her lips. “Has somebody had too many piscos?”

  “I’ve had exactly... the right amount.” Amber tried to set her glass down but almost missed the table entirely. “Oops!”

  She giggled as she leaned back to steady herself, nearly toppling over. “Whoa!”

  Caroline watched with an amused smile. “Need some help there?”

  Amber straightened, trying to look dignified, but she hiccupped. “I’m perfectly fine.”

  Kate said, “So, excited about the special election, Amber?”

  Amber’s eyes lit up. “Yes! We’re gonna get new candidates who support the development plan. Good ones. Got them lined up already.” She tapped her nose knowingly.

  “Most of the voting public seem pretty happy with the alternative plan we’ve published, according to our survey,” I pointed out.

  Amber gave an exaggerated shrug. “Well, get some candidates to run on it and see how they do.”

  “Oh, we will,” Kate said.

  Amber’s eyes flicked onto Kate’s hand on my arm. Her cheeks reddened more. She took a step closer, nearly stumbling into me. “I know you think you’ve won this battle, Ryan, but…it’s not over.” She poked my chest again.

  With that declaration, she turned dramatically to leave, bumping into a waiter carrying appetizers.

  “Sorry!” she called over her shoulder.

  By this time, her brother had noticed that she was drunk. He put his arm around her as she joined their group.

  Caroline laughed, her eyes sparkling. “Well, that was... really quite something.”

  “It certainly was,” Kate agreed.

  I watched Amber trying to maintain her composure across the room, her eyes finding mine once more before she turned away.

  “She so wants you,” Caroline murmured in my ear. “What were y’all even talking about, anyway?”

  “Babies. You’d never believe it, but—”

  “Amber wants to have your babies?”

  I laughed. “No! But she definitely wishes she could have some.”

  “Her ovaries are screaming.” Caroline nudged Kate. “What do you think, Kate? She might make an interesting addition to our little family.”

  Kate studied Amber across the room. “A different generation. She certainly has spirit. And Ryan does have enough spunk to go around.”

  “Um, are you guys serious?” I asked, not entirely sure if they were joking.

  Caroline shrugged. “Maybe we should share some of that sperm.” She nudged me with her elbow.

  I chortled, my cheeks growing warm. “By the way she was talking, she might take a donation.”

  “And I bet you’d like to give her one, wouldn’t you?”

  I made a face. “Well…I guess that would be kind of fun, yeah. But it’s never going to happen.”

  “What? You don’t want kids ever?”

  I frowned in surprise. “Well, I mean, I would like some someday, but—”

  “Here’s your chance. Amber’s young. Perfect breeding stock.” Caroline wiggled her eyes humorously, but there was something thoughtful in her voice as she said it.

  I looked between the two of them, still trying to read if they were serious. “You two are dangerous together, you know that? What, are you planning a nursery?”

  Caroline’s eyes sparkled. “Every king needs heirs, Ryan.”

  The tapping of a glass cut through the chatter. Sofia stood behind the bar, beaming with pride.

  “My friends! My family! Thank you for coming to celebrate with me today.”

  She raised her glass, her eyes finding mine across the crowded room. “To new beginnings, to dreams coming true, and to the people who make it possible.”

  As everyone cheered and clinked glasses, I felt Kate and Caroline press against me on either side.

  Everything I wanted was right here.

  I’d come to Riverdale hoping to escape the grind, maybe find some peace by the river for a few weeks.

  What I’d found instead was a community, a purpose, and these incredible women who were already starting to feel like a family.

  And as I watched Amber across the room, I couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises this town still had in store for me.

  More

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  Further Reading

  Isekai haremlit adventures by Quentin Kilgore

  Primal Imperative:

  Book 1

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  Book 1

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  Quentin Kilgore, Julia Moonie

  Copyright © 2025 by Quentin Kilgore and Julia Moonie

  All rights reserved.

  No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

  Contents

  1. Chapter 1

  2. Chapter 2

  3. Chapter 3

  4. Chapter 4

  5. Chapter 5

  6. Chapter 6

  7. Chapter 7

  8. Chapter 8

  9. Chapter 9

  10. Chapter 10

  11. Chapter 11

  12. Chapter 12

  13. Chapter 13

  14. Chapter 14

  15. Chapter 15

  16. Chapter 16

  17. Chapter 17

  18. Chapter 18

  19. Chapter 19

  20. Chapter 20

  21. Chapter 21

  22. Chapter 22

  23. Chapter 23

  24. Chapter 24

  25. Chapter 25

  26. Chapter 26

  27. Chapter 27

  28. Chapter 28

  Thanks for Reading

  More

  Further reading

  Chapter one

  Caroline pressed her fingers on her temple and squinted her eyes, apparently disturbed by the din of Sofia’s bustling restaurant.

  It was Saturday morning, and the place was packed. The door kept opening and closing with new customers, bringing a draft of crisp autumn air each time.

  Sofia was gliding around the restaurant smiling, her black hair bouncing against her back as she interacted with people. It made me proud.

  It hadn’t even been a week since the new Como en Casa’s grand opening, and it was already a hit.

  Kate sat across from me, fresh from a morning run, a healthy flush in her cheeks.

  Beside me, Caroline was looking as huggable as ever in a cozy cardigan. But she’d become a bit mopey since our food had arrived.

  I watched her nudge her plate away despite the delicious bacon smell in the air. I put my arm around her. “You seem out of sorts, babe. Not hungry this morning?”

  She leaned towards me and sighed. “We should have just stayed in bed.”

  Sofia approached with a tray, placing a latte in front of Caroline. She touched her shoulder with concern. “You haven’t touched your breakfast, Carolina! What’s wrong?”

  Caroline looked at the latte and crinkled her nose. “You know what? I think I’ll just have water, Sof. I just don’t have an appetite for anything this morning.”

  Sofia and I exchanged a curious glance.

  Sofia’s hand lingered on Caroline’s shoulder for a moment before she went to take orders from another table.

  “I’m disappointed in you, Caroline,” Kate said, spearing chunks of egg and sausage with her fork. “You usually eat more than me in the morning.”

  I pecked Caroline’s temple a few times, wondering if she was coming down with a cold.

  As I was doing so, three women walked into the restaurant, led by a familiar blonde ponytail.

  Amber was dressed in casual weekend wear—fitted jeans and a light blue blouse.

  Her friends flanked her, all of them laughing about something as Sofia’s hostess led them to a table directly adjacent to ours.

  Amber’s posture straightened when she spotted us—her real estate agent persona snapping into place like armor.

  “Oh! Hey there.” She spoke carefully, taking her seat with a stiff posture, a stark contrast to her drunken warmth at the restaurant opening several days earlier.

  “Morning, Amber.” I casually bit into my club sandwich, remembering the way she’d leaned against me right here in Sofia’s restaurant when she was three pisco sours deep.

  Her cheeks colored slightly, as if she was thinking about the same thing.

  Some Caroline’s usual impishness came back into her eyes, and despite her pale complexion, she managed a warm smile. “Hi, Amber. Ladies.”

  She nodded to Amber’s friends, who were settling into their chairs and eyeing our table with undisguised curiosity.

  One of them, an overweight brunette with elaborate nail extensions, whispered something to the other, who rolled her eyes.

  Amber cleared her throat. “Um, these are my friends, Jessica and Tanya. This is Ryan, um…” She hesitated, clearly unsure how to introduce us.

  Jessica scratched her cheek with a nail extension, her eyes widening. She lowered her voice, but only slightly. “Wait, is that the guy you keep telling us about?”

  Amber’s foot must have connected with Jessica’s shin under the table, because the brunette jumped and let out a whimper.

  “The guy who brought down the town council,” Amber finished, though her cheeks had reddened even more.

  “With his…girlfriends,” Jessica nodded with a smirk. “Oh yeah, you told us all about it.”

  Amber let out an embarrassed laugh and hid behind a menu.

  Tanya, too, was seemingly studying the menu, but I could tell by her expression that she was watching everything stealthily.

  Kate hid her amusement behind her coffee cup while Caroline leaned forward, suddenly interested.

  “You heard all good things, I hope,” Caroline said charmingly. The interaction was warming her up, though I noticed she still wasn’t touching her food.

  “Oh, definitely,” Jessica replied with a knowing grin. “Amber couldn’t stop talking about that restaurant opening party. I wish she’d invited me.”

  “Amber sure liked the pisco sours,” Caroline said, grinning.

  Another awkward laugh escaped Amber. “Well, those things are stronger than they seem.”

  I grinned. “Hey, I tried to warn ya.”

  Jessica watched us curiously, combing her nail extensions through her hair. “So are you all actually... together? Like, all of you with him?”

  Her tone was not judgmental, and it was pretty obvious she already knew the answer.

  Amber let out a woeful sigh and reached back for her ponytail, running her hands down it.

  Kate answered with a casual nod. “Yup. Three of us.”

  Tanya blinked. “Wow. That’s... different.”

  Amber suddenly became very interested in adjusting her cutlery.

  Sofia came and took their order. Our table fell into a comfortable silence as Kate and I focused on our breakfasts, and Caroline nibbled a piece of toast.

  Jessica’s voice pulled me back into their conversation. “—your birthday on Friday,” she was saying. “I don’t want to drink too much. I’m getting too old for that.”

  I remembered Amber had mentioned that her twenty-fifth birthday was approaching.

  Jessica met my gaze and smiled. “You guys should all come.”

  Amber’s expression froze for a split second before she composed herself. “I mean, they don’t have to… They probably have plans—”

  “We’ll be there,” Caroline said immediately.

  Kate nodded. “Sounds good.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” I said.

  Amber’ eyes brightened, then she looked down at her lap. “Really? Okay. That’s great.”

  She gave us the time and place, and we continued our breakfast. Amber and her friends sat in pregnant silence until their food came.

  Kate and I were sipping our second cups of coffee when Amber and her friends paid their bills.

  Amber pulled on her coat, glancing at me like she wanted to say something. I gave her a reassuring smile.

  “See you Friday?” she asked.

  I gave a nod. “Friday.”

  As they left the restaurant, I leaned back in my chair.

  “You know what’s amazing?” I asked, fingering my coffee mug. “We didn’t even mention the town drama.”

  Kate watched Amber through the window. “Yeah, and we know that little brat’s heavily involved in backing candidates for the special election.”

  “Maybe she just didn’t want to think about it,” I said.

  Ian Ferguson, the former CAO, was now in jail on corruption charges after trying to flee the country.

  Caroline slid her warm hand over mine. “Or maybe you just have more important things to talk about.”

  I gave her a quizzical look over my coffee. “Such as babies, I suppose?”

  Caroline smiled dreamily. “We already know she wants them after spilling the beans the other day when she was drunk.”

  “To be fair, you’ve been talking about it a lot too,” I said. “You’ve got babies on the brain.”