“Daddy?” A young voice reaches us before Harley wanders into the room, rubbing her eyes. “Mommy?”
“Hey, sunshine.” I slip out of my chair, crouching down to greet her.
“Uncle Grady.” She gives me a tentative smile. Aw man, she’s a sweetheart. Has to be one of the gentlest kids on the planet. Well, it’s a competition between her and Jane, I guess. But seriously, they have this tender vulnerability about them that makes me want to wrap them up and keep them safe. So when she steps into my arms, it’s easy to hug her as I stand to my feet.
“How’d you sleep, caramel?” Zander uses Carson’s nickname for her.
“Okay.” She rests her chin on my shoulder, then yawns. “I want Mommy.”
“I’m pretty sure she’s still sleeping, sweetheart.” I take a seat back at the table and nestle her on my lap. “But Uncle Zander and I can help you. Do you want something to eat?”
She ignores my question and looks around the kitchen. “Where’s Portia?”
“She’s not in your room?” Zander asks.
Harley shakes her head.
“Maybe she snuck in with Mommy and Daddy,” I whisper, trying to be playful.
But Harley’s expression crumples, her big brown eyes looking kind of sad.
Zander glances at me, then rests his elbows on the table with a kind smile. “Hey, how about you go and hang with the other kids who are up? Dom and Charlotte are watching TV with Jane and?—”
“Charlotte.” Harley slips off my knee, running for the living room, and I’m pretty sure when we walk back to check on the kids, we’ll find Harley perched on Dom’s other leg and Kendall will have moved to join in too.
Watching these kids grow up together is seriously the best thing. I wish we could hang out more often.
“You know what?” Zander softly slaps the table. “I think my bed might be the only one that’s child-free right now.” He grins, wriggling his eyebrows at me. “I should seriously take advantage of that.”
Sitting back, I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him. “Lucky bastard.”
He laughs and I grin, telling him to enjoy himself.
His look of excitement is boyish and hilarious as he gathers up his Valentine’s gifts and rushes out of the room.
I stand with a sigh, taking my coffee into the living room where, yep, Harley is sitting on Dom’s knee, resting her head on his shoulder while Charlotte sits opposite her and Kendall has squished herself between them. Dom doesn’t seem to mind as they watch… I pad into the room to see which movie they’ve put on and find a seat next to Olly. He automatically shifts a little closer to me, resting his head against my arm while Lightning McQueen races around the track.
CHAPTER 22
SIENNA
My mind is buzzing, the edges of sleep lifting as my brain that can’t seem to fully relax moves toward consciousness. I’m in that drowsy, dopey state where I’m sort of in control of my dreams. And, of course, my brain is taking me to a gym where I’m cornered against a row of cubbyholes and this guy is trying to kiss me.
Two lips land on mine, the pressure soft and sweet, the feel so familiar, but because I’m still half dreaming, all I can see is Davis. So I push the guy away with a gasp, my eyes snapping open as I shove and slap…
Oh shit, my husband.
“Whoa.” Zander rears back, cradling his cheek for a second before bulging his eyes at me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to… scare… you.” He looks kind of confused and a little hurt by my severe reaction, but all I can do is close my eyes and cover my face.
“Baby, I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I was dreaming, and I just…” My words trail off into a shudder, and Zander takes a seat on the edge of the bed, resting his hand on my thigh.
“I’m okay.”
I creep my eyes open with a doubtful, guilt-ridden frown.
And he lets out a gruff laugh, shaking his head. “So much for a romantic wake-up on Valentine’s Day.”
He hands me a homemade card and a little bag of gifts.
