I laughed as I caught her. “Hi. I missed you.”
“Miss you more!”
She blinked and looked around the kitchen. “Cookies?”
“Yes. We’re having company over today. Michelle is visiting and bringing Khloe and Katie with her.”
“Yay!” Rylee bounced up and down until I thought I’d go dizzy watching her.
We only met Michelle and the girls once, but Rylee had already become best friends with her new cousins.
“Can I try one cookie?”
“Yes.” I handed her one of the cooler ones from the rack, and she sat at the table, munching on her treat as I finished baking the cookies from the remaining dough.
Soon, Rylee would be turning eight. She would be a big sister too. I hoped she would adjust to having a sibling without much trouble.
The doorbell rang, and I rushed to answer it before Rylee, since she didn’t always look to see who was there before she opened it. Crypt had already given her a stern talk about safety. Sometimes kids just forget.
I opened the door and smiled as I saw Michelle and the girls. “Come on in.”
Khloe and Katie ran past me, and I laughed as Michelle hugged me.
“How are you feeling?”
I was in my second trimester and doing well. “Progressing without any issues, unless you count heartburn and fatigue.”
“Oh, that goes with the territory.”
I led her into the kitchen, where the girls were gathered, already pulling out art supplies and dumping them on the tablecloth.
“Tea?”
“Yes, please.” Michelle leaned against the counter beside me as I put the kettle on. “Where’s my brother?”
“Club business.” I shrugged. “He’ll be home soon. He never misses a meal,” I joked.
She glanced at my ring. “I still can’t believe he popped the question. I thought he’d be a bachelor biker forever.”
“He’s pretty serious about it and the baby. The man spoils me rotten, and I love it.”
“Good. I won’t have to kick his ass.”
Once we had our tea mugs full, we moved to the living room so I could elevate my feet. My ankles were often swollen.
“What’s going on with you?” I asked after I sipped on my tea.
“The custody battle with my girls is getting ugly. I have to hire a new lawyer.”
“Oh, no! Do you need help?”
“No. Don’t tell Crypt. He’ll just try to fix everything and make it worse.”
“Brothers are more help than hindrance. Is that what you mean?”
“Yeah, especially mine. He’s overprotective to a fault.”
“I suppose he is. It’s sweet, though. I like having someone fussing over me a bit. I’m not used to that. My ex was a cheating narcissist who ignored me most of the time.”
