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“That’s a good boy,” I said. “What shall we talk about? Since apparently, all you needed was a little man-to-baby talk here. Hey, I know, let’s talk about Jeremy and how great he is. You’ve got all of us, but you also have Jeremy. Grandpa Jere—he’s going to be your best friend. Before I met your mother, he was always mine.”
Still was.
“Anyway…” I continued, rocking Josh slowly as he nursed. His frantic sucking had slowed and now he was half-asleep. At this rate, he’d be sacked out again as soon as the bottle was done. “Rule number one, never lie to Jeremy. Even if you think we won’t like it or he’ll be disappointed, never lie. He will always have your back, even if having it means smacking you upside the head verbally. He’s really good at it.”
CHAPTER 1
MY LIFE
FRANKIE
“Mama. Mama. Mama. Mama.” Charlie’s chanting from his playpen was enough to make me laugh, but I bit the inside of my lip to keep the chuckles contained. Josh and Izzy were on their way to school with Jeremy. Jake and Archie had to be at the flight lab early today, they had a new engine to test.
Coop stuck around long enough to help me and Ian get the kids ready before he had to head to the community center. It was his week to be there as onsite counselor for anyone who needed it. In addition to his own practice, he maintained a regular volunteer schedule. Once we’d cleaned up in the kitchen, Ian headed to his studio. He had some work before we recorded.
“Mama.” Charlie banged his hands on the little wall enclosing his play area. It wasn’t just a little four by five spot. Archie and the guys had converted part of the family room into a play area, as well as a secondary one up in the nursery. It had been perfect when Izzy was getting her feet under her, and then for Josh.
Charlie invading their space had taken some adjustment, but they were all handling it so beautifully. Well, except when Izzy and Josh butted heads. They could go from besties to at each other’s throats in no time at all. The tempers they got from their fathers, despite the boys saying that was all me. Nope, not it.
“Yes, Charlie my love, I’m coming.” All of the kids had been dependent on me in different ways. They loved their fathers—adored them—but their demands where I was concerned shifted and changed as they got older. It meant, especially with a few months to go until we added another infant, we had to teach them to share me.
Izzy had been the most difficult. She’d been an only child until Josh and we’d all spoiled her. Still, once convinced that she would still be my best girl and that I wouldn’t love her any less, she made accommodations. Her reaction the day we brought Josh home still made me laugh.
Squatting, I met Charlie’s green eyes and winked. They were losing some of the gray, which made me a little sad. I loved Coop’s gray-green eyes. He didn’t mind so much, said Charlie was getting my eyes. Still…
“Do you know what Izzy said about Josh?”
Charlie canted his head to the side looking every bit like his father. “Mama?”
I chuckled. “Not quite. She said,” I continued, rising and reaching for him. As soon as I had a hold, he pushed up from the floor like he could jump. Once I had him on my hip, I booped his nose. “He’s all wrinkly, Mama. Did you leave him in too long?”
Between the general soreness from the delivery, the exhaustion of staying at the hospital—I never slept well when I was there—and the delirium of welcoming our new little one, that comment had made me laugh so hard. For a week after, I kept bursting into spontaneous giggles.
Izzy had been very proud of herself.
“So when you came, she was really concerned you would also be all wrinkly. I had to remind her that Josh worked out okay.” Lips twitching, I headed out of the family room and made my way down the hall. Ian and I had some recording to do later today. First, however, Charlie needed to be cleaned up, have some quality mom time, and then playtime outside before his nap.
Jeremy usually watched him for me when I had to be in the studio. The soundproofing meant we couldn’t hear as well in there and I couldn’t have the monitor on while we were working.
“Needless to say,” I said. “You were wrinkly and now you have the cutest little cheeks.” I blew a raspberry against one of the aforementioned cheeks. Charlie’s laughter rippled through the air. I was almost to the stairs to head up when the doorbell rang.
Maxie and Murray both started barking from the backyard. The pair of herding dogs were just at their first birthday, while they’d been learning—their enthusiasm often outweighed their obedience when one of the guys wasn’t right there.
Miss Abigail was probably asleep in Jeremy’s suite. She was thirteen going on fourteen? Somedays I lost track, but despite the grey everywhere, she still enjoyed playing and walks. She also enjoyed good naps. They were quite cross that they weren’t in here, but I pivoted and headed back across the house toward the front door.
“Maybe we have a package,” I told Charlie as I bounced him a little.
“Box!” He clapped his hands together. He loved opening boxes with me. We always had a delivery of some kind arriving. The doorbell sounded a second time just as I got to the entry hall. I pressed the intercom and camera that let me see who was on the porch.
“Oh, Charlie, it’s a grandpa.” I was still smiling when I unlocked the door and pulled it open. “Grandpa Eddie is here.”
Eddie Standish, Archie’s father, and one of the many wonderful grandparents our kids had, stood there in his expensive, three piece suit and silk tie. The touch of silver in his hair gave him a distinguished look. There was also an easier smile in his eyes and on his lips. The resemblance to Archie had never been stronger.
“Gandpa! Gandpa!” Charlie pitched himself forward, grabbing hands demanding attention.
Chuckling, Eddie swooped him up and gave him a little bounce. “There’s my little man, and how are you today, good sir?”
“Hungwy.”
