"Yeah, and he made Salty, Gran's rabbit, disappear one year," Jake said sleepily from Michael's arms. "He put it in his magician's hat, and then Salty disappeared."
"No, the rabbit..." Lily was about to explain, but Maggie stepped up and cut her off.
"Okay, you lot, you're talking yourself awake, and it's sleep time," Maggie stopped them.
"I think you're a superhero, Uncle Michael," Jake snuggled deeper into Michael's chest and sighed,. "And a great magician. You even taught me and Toby some tricks."
"Well, thank you," Michael kissed his great-nephew's head. "It's nice to know that everyone except my granddaughter thinks that."
"Yeah, Uncle Michael, you're a great magician, and I hope you teach us to go invisible," Toby told him as Lily helped Michael pull back Jake's covers as he lay the boy down.
"Night." Jake rolled onto his side and pulled the blanket over his head.
"I guess we can take that as we're no longer welcome in his room," Maggie said with a grin from the door. "Come on, champ." She turned to Toby. "Into bed." She walked to the second bed in Jake's room and pulled the comforter back.
"Good night, Gran," Toby kissed her cheek and then snuggled into bed.
"Night, my baby boy," Maggie kissed his head.
"Night, Uncle Michael," Toby muttered as he curled into a ball and his eyes drifted shut.
"Night, kiddo," Michael said softly as his eyes swept over the two boys, and a pang of nostalgia for the days his son had friends over hit him.
They quietly exited the boys' room. The girls said their goodnight and went into Sophia's room, where their sleepover was being held. They didn't even get a glance at the pre-teens or the chance to say goodnight as the bedroom door gently clicked closed.
Michael and Maggie watched them go, their hearts in their throats, as they realized how fast the kids were growing up.
"They grow up too darn fast," Maggie complained.
"Tell me about it," Michael agreed with a big sigh. "One moment you're tucking them in, reading bedtime stories, and being their hero." He let out a breath. "Next, they are analyzing your magic shows."
He glanced down at Maggie as she gave a soft snort. She was staring up at him, amusement dancing in her eyes, her lips pursed as if she were trying not to laugh. She reached over and patted his arm. It was an innocent touch, but it sent shock waves through his system.
"It's okay, Michael. You still have two young boys who think you're a superhero with magic powers," Maggie pointed out and snorted again. "But I think Lily's going to let the rabbit out of thehat about what really happened to Salty and that he wasn't your greatest magical accomplishment but rather an unfortunate Uncle George accident."
"Hey, I did make Salty disappear in my hat," Michael stuck to the story that Uncle George had paid him dearly to back up, but he couldn't help but grin at the memory. "I was practicing my magic tricks. I put Salty into my magic magician's hat and poof, he disappeared, never to be seen again."
"Is that a magical accomplishment or failure?" Maggie asked, giving him a sideways glance with one raised brow. "According to Linda, who was at first very torn about it, your magic hat had eaten her rabbit."
"She was nine," Michael reminded Maggie. "And a bit confused..."
"No, I can remember she was angry," Maggie replied, pursing her lips again, but Michael could see she was now really struggling not to laugh. "So angry she ripped your prized hat apart trying to get Salty back."
"That's right, she destroyed my hat," Michael moaned. "And Uncle George refused to get me another one."
"Because he was scared what else you'd make disappear," Maggie said, and as they reached the bottom step, she burst out laughing. "Pity though, as if he had gotten you another hat, he could've blamed Linda's turtle, Shelley, dying on you, making that disappear too."
"Funny," Michael drawled, his heart doing flips in his chest, seeing Maggie laughing and teasing him so relaxed without the tension that had been building between them since they'd literally bumped into each other the other night. "He did try andget me to buy her another one that looked exactly like Shelley before she realized the turtle was dead."
They walked into the kitchen and Maggie turned on the light. "I want to wait up for Linda," she told him, changing the subject from his magic tricks. "I'm going to make some cocoa. Would you like a cup?"
"Yes, please," Michael accepted. "While you're making it, I'm just going to slip upstairs and have a quick shower."
"Sure," Maggie nodded. "Would you like something to eat? I'm going to make some popcorn. The kids ate the last two bowls I made."
"Don't tell Linda that," Michael warned.
"I wasn't planning on it," Maggie told him with a conspiratorial grin. "If you want to wait up with me..." She suddenly looked a little shy for a few seconds, and a soft pink flush heated her cheeks. "We could finish watching the movie."
