Page 126 of Crimson Love

A new generation.

It’s lunchtime, and my family is sitting around the dining table that’s seen so many dinners and get-togethers, it’s become the heart of this home.

Yesterday was Monday, which means today is leftover meatloaf Tuesday. Felicity is doing everything she can to get Emily to eat instead of tossing handfuls of mashed potatoes to Shadow. Panther is perched on a barstool— close, but not close enough to act like he cares. Parker is on his knees in his chair dipping green beans into ketchup. If there was a mutual fund for condiments, I’d invest in it. Our son won’t eat anything unless he dips it in something first.

Felicity doesn’t bring lunch every day, but she does do it twice a week. She’s declared Tuesdays and Fridays leftover-lunch days with the Crosses. We still eat at the Fahnestocks’ every Sunday that we’re in town. She said she wants us to spend at least three meals a week together, even though there are plenty of times we see them more. To this day, Lennon has not cooked one meal for the Fahnestocks.

Lennon quit her job at the manor after she had Parker. She went from claiming to not know how to be a mom to being the best one ever. She loved her job, but she wanted to travel with me back and forth to New York.

And my wife is more beautiful every day I’m married to her. She reclines in her chair with a plate balanced on her belly and eats meatloaf like it’s the best thing in the world.

Parker talks around the green bean he just shoved in his mouth. “Daddy, you can eat lunch with us! Grammy made you chicken.”

Felicity takes a wet rag and wipes Emily’s sticky fingers. “It’s in the warming drawer, Jett, and your salad’s in the fridge.”

“Thanks, Felicity.” I toss my tie and jacket on the back of the sofa and go straight to my wife. I lean down to kiss her on the lips right after she just shoveled more leftovers in her mouth. “Mmm. Your potatoes are tastier than my salad.”

Lennon smiles as she chews but ignores my comment. “How’d it go?”

I rustle Parker’s dark overgrown hair and lean down to blow on Emily’s neck. She squeals and tries to spoon more meatloaf into her mouth. “It went like we thought it would. I answered the same questions for hours. The last I checked, we’re in the black again. It’s a show of confidence. A good thing after the vote yesterday.”

She swallows and reaches over to toss a green bean back onto Parker’s plate. “You have a stray one, baby.”

I grab my lunch and sit on Emily’s other side. “I think he’s hiding them.”

Parker grins from ear to ear and doesn’t care how guilty he is. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

Lennon grins back before turning to me. “I’m glad it’s done. I’m so proud of you.”

Felicity helps Emily scoop more food before handing the spoon back to her so she can feed herself. “Harold and I are going to watch your interviews tonight after dinner. He set the recorder so we don’t miss one second. Lennon is right. We’re so proud of you.”

I shake that off from both of them. “All I did was put the right people around me. I’m looking out for the future.”

Lennon puts her plate down and grabs my arm to pull me to her for a kiss. “You’re not giving yourself the credit you deserve. Harlow partners with you on the big decisions, but the day-to-day is all you. Patrick trusts you with everything. You might’ve been given the role, but you made it yours. The stock valuations are up. What more proof do you need?”

She’s right. Stock prices are up big compared to when I started five years ago.

“I’m done talking about work. What are we going to name your baby brother?” I ask the table.

And with that, all talk of Stonebridge flies out the window. This is the newest game. Parker is determined we name him after a dinosaur, because of course he learned all about them from Harold and Felicity. All Emily does is blurt out colors left and right, like we’re going to name our third baby purple.

Felicity giggles and eggs them on.

Lennon nudges my knee with her toe. “Deflecting, just like normal.”

I take a bite of chicken. “Two weeks and counting. It could be any minute. We’re going to have a new normal soon.”

Her toe slides down my leg before she hooks it behind my calf and whispers only for me, “I’m so sick of being pregnant. We might need to do something to speed that along tonight.”

I know what that means and shoot her a smirk. “I can make that happen.”

Lennon

“O h, Jett.”

He presses his lips to the skin below my ear. “Shift your legs, baby.

Can you do that for me?”