Page 142 of Unruly

Catherine rested against the front end of Cross’s Rolls-Royce. Cece stood beside her mother, dressed in a leather jacket, dress, and wool leggings. The little suede boots on her feet had been a gift from Catrina, apparently. A way to make the girl wear warmer shoes that also looked like heeled boots her mother had.

“Have a good day, boss,” Rick said as Cross shrugged on his jacket.

Zeke repeated the sentiment. Cross exited the restaurant with a wave over his shoulder as choruses of voices said their goodbyes, as well.

The very second Catherine laid eyes on him, she pushed off the Phantom with a smile. “I was in the neighborhood.”

Down the road, her Mercedes SUV was parked, and still running by the looks of the exhaust puffing from the tailpipe.

Cross pressed a quick kiss to his wife’s lips as his hand skimmed overtop Cece’s bouncing head. “Ready to head home?”

“Yeah, I have to get a start on cooking dinner.”

“Jesus, it’s only ten.”

“I’m making turkey.”

Her defensive tone made him laugh.

Mostly, she just had to be doing something when she wasn’t working. Cooking was one of those things, but he was not going to point it out right now. After all, turkey dinner for supper sounded fantastic.

“And red cake!” Cece said, pushing between them.

“Red cake?”

“Red velvet,” Catherine explained. “I picked up the stuff for it. She thinks it’s going to taste like red apples, so …”

“Someone is in for a surprise.”

Catherine shrugged. “Oh, well.”

“Let’s go, Catty.”

Cece pumped a small fist upwards, and shouted, “Yes, let’s goes!”

“I told you,” Dante said.

Cross couldn’t help but notice the smugness lacing the man’s words, but he was more interested in something else. “What are you talking about?”

“Life.”

Again, Cross blanked.

“I need more to go on here.”

Dante chuckled, and raised his glass of brandy in the direction of Catherine and Catrina who were plating turkey together. “Life is slowing down. Just like I said it would do for you, Cross. And thus, I told you so.”

Cross absorbed the man’s words. At first, he was ready to disagree. He thought, when considered, he had a million and one things he could toss out to Dante to show just how unruly their life still was in the grand scheme of things.

Then, he really thought about it.

Catherine was home more. After she handled this final issue of the competition, she was going to be coming right back home. Unlike before when she always had something new coming her way because Catrina was always using this or that as a teachable moment.

The lessons had come to an end, Cross realized.

Catherine likely wouldn’t head out again for another month, as that’s how Catrina was known to work with her girls. They all gathered at the same time once a month to have private face to face meetings.

Beyond that, Catherine was learning to delegate. Her tasks were not only hers to handle. She gave more responsibility to those she trusted and whom she knew could handle it. The phone calls lessened.