Page 32 of Working For Her Attention

So many things I’d thought were no longer possible—a partner to share everyday moments with, kids, a family. Hell, even a goddamn dog. Though, it wasn’t a golden retriever waiting inside with my kids and Avery, but a border collie with more attitude and an overprotective nature that made me feel safe leaving for work every morning.

I was a happy man.

A fulfilled one who lived and breathed for his wife and kids. There wasn’t a mountain I wouldn’t move, or an ocean I wouldn’t swim across for either of them. Before I reached the door, it swung open. Two little heads popped out. Blonde curls and stick-straight dark hair shifted in the summer breeze just before a high-pitched half-whisper half-shout sliced through the summer air.

“Daddy! Daddy!” my twin daughters called out as they ran towards me. I bent, bracing my body for the impact of theirs when they ran straight into my arms. I hefted them up and reminded myself to hit the gym tonight because my girls were only growing, and I needed to make sure to stay as strong as I could for as long as I could so they would always know their pops would be able to pick them up, no matter how old they got.

“Your glasses tipped.” Sunny giggled, fixing them on my face. “How was work, Dad?”

“Good, baby. How was camp?”

“She got in trouble,” Skye tattled, and Sunny shot her a glare.

“No! I didn’t,” she pouted.

“Ya huh!” Skye laughed. “Mommy’s mad.”

“She’s not mad,” my wife’s voice rang out. Our eyes caught on one another’s, and I couldn’t help the smile that found itself there. She was standing at the doorway, leaning against it, her eyes tired but happy. I was still mystified by how he hell it was possible to be even deeper in love, find her even more beautiful than that first time I laid eyes on her.

“You two know better than to just open the door and run out,” she gently scolded.

“Sorry, Mom!” they said in unison.

“Okay, go wash your hands. Dad’s home, so what time is it?”

“Dinner time!” our two twin girls shouted and wiggled out of my hold to run back inside.

“It’s pizza night,” she shared. The smile on my face grew wider.

“Mmm, my favorite.”

“Really?”

“No, my favorite is dessert. With my wife after everyone goes to sleep.” I winked, and she giggled.

Nine years later, and I was still installable for my woman.

We still played here and there, but with twin seven-year-olds it was hard to find the time. Though, I had a plan for that this weekend. Stella and her hockey-playing man, my best friend, if you could believe it, were coming home from Houston to watch them for the long weekend so I could take my wife out on a surprise getaway where I planned to remind her of just how much her daddy loved her.

“What happened with Sun?” I asked, setting my bags on the end of the couch. My princess, my queen, made a face.

“So… there’s a boy.”

“Shit,” I muttered, pressing my forehead against hers. “She’s only seven.”

“I know, but it’s not what you think.”

“Okay,” I sighed.

“He was saying stuff about Skye, and Sunny, well… defended her sister,” Avery shared. I tried and failed at not smiling. “Don’t smile. That will make her think you’re encouraging this kind of behavior.”

“I’m not.” We both knew I was. “She get kicked out of art camp?” I asked, not really surprised or upset my sweet little ray of sunshine would do something like that.

I had three younger sisters, after all. Not to mention that even if Sunny was a bright, sweet kid, heaven protect the person who even looked at her sister wrong. That girl was overprotective to the max, something my wife loved to remind me was something she got from me.

And honestly? I was okay with that.

“No, it was just a warning. I talked to her.”