“Did you think your dad was lying to you when he said I was napping?”
I carried Tris back to his stool and sat him down to finish his homework.
“No, but I got really excited to see you,” he said in the “duh” voice only five-year-olds could master.
“Good. I’m excited to see you too.” I ruffled his hair, then went to Law who was doing something on the counter near the fridge. “What are you up to?”
Law smiled at me, then did a double take at my clothes and shook his head fondly. “Lunches for tomorrow. I’ll add some pizza if there’s any left.”
“Knowing Charlie, there will be.” I wanted to put my hands on Law so bad, but I couldn’t. I leaned to his side though, just to get some of his warmth, and heard the way he took in a deep breath.
“Can you go check on the girls?” Law asked, and the look in his eyes told me he was struggling with the no-touching too.
“Are you sending me away?” I whispered.
“Go.” The low tone made me clench in a way that made the tenderness in my ass flare, and I bit back a groan.
I turned to walk away and heard Tristan ask his dad something about the homework.
The girls were doing theirs upstairs. Well, Marlie had finished and Ranger had gone back to her, so she was reading yet another book to the dog.
“Hi, Oak!” she said brightly.
“Hey, Uncles should be here soon, so prepare to go downstairs,” I told her gently.
“Okay, we just have three pages left!”
I went back to Harper’s room and knocked on the doorframe. She smiled widely when she saw me.
“Food soon?” She made an educated guess.
“Yeah, Uncles will be here in a bit. How’s the homework?”
“Almost done. I just had math and social studies today.”
“Can I come into your room?” I asked, knowing that she was in a delicate age.
“Yeah.” She beamed. “Thanks for asking.”
I stepped in and saw the posters she’d put up on her walls. They were kind of a mix between cool animals and some fairytale-like scenes.
“I like this one,” I pointed at the one above her bed.
It had a forest with mist hanging around, and it could’ve been spooky, but the cute critters sprinkled everywhere made it cute more than anything.
“I wanted it because of the toadstools. They remind me of the one you made me for Christmas.” She pointed at my little crocheted figure that sat on the shelf with some of her important things.
“It’s very pretty,” I managed to say, moved as fuck.
Harper, being the intuitive, shrewd person just like her Uncle Charlie, got up from her desk and came to hug me hard.
“I love you, Oak,” she whispered. “I’m so glad you’re here and not in Utah.”
Fuck, there went the waterworks. I squeezed her back, then wiped at my eyes.
“I love you too, Harper.” And I was so damn glad I was here, too. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be.”
Downstairs, the doorbell rang, and Tristan screamed.
