Page 108 of But For You

“God, I love you.”

He waggled his eyebrows at me.

“Do you realize how many kids we’ll have to provide for if everyone dies at once?”

His scowl came fast. “I’m sorry?”

“Evan and Loudon are making us the legal guardians of their kids.”

“They don’t even like me!” He was indignant.

“They love you. Everybody loves you.”

“Since when?”

“Since they’ve seen you take care of me, take care of our kids, and love us all with your great big heart. It’s hard not to adore a man you know is all thunder and lightning on the outside and warm, gooey goodness inside.”

It took him a second to process everything I’d said. “I don’t think any of that was a compliment.”

I laughed myself silly.

That evening, Sam and I made pancakes and eggs and bacon for dinner since we were having brunch the following morning and not a traditional breakfast. I hated having two meals exactly alike back-to-back. It was fun to watch Sam take requests for shapes of pancakes and then try his damnedest to make them.

“Stop sighing,” he grumbled at me, even as he bent and kissed my nose.

ELEVEN

The place Dane and Aja wanted to meet for brunch at eleven the following morning was downtown, and they were waiting outside for us when we came up the sidewalk. Gentry saw his mother when we got close and started calling her name and holding out his one arm that wasn’t wrapped around my neck. I waved so she’d notice us since she was talking to her husband and then pointed at her kid. She ran down the sidewalk, holding out her arms, and when I lifted him to her, she hugged him so tight as he shoved his face into the side of her neck and inhaled her scent as he hugged with everything he had. The look of absolute bliss on her face made it a picture-perfect moment.

Robert rushed to his father, who was down on one knee, waiting for him, and Dane squeezed him tight before he and Aja switched kids. They both looked better—Aja rested, Dane smiling like he never did. Dane was more of a habitual-scowl guy than cheerful. They had needed the weekend alone, and I made the offer again—anytime. Sam gave his slight nod so they knew that, really, it was fine.

Quickly, so no one else saw, Aja whipped back the collar of her blouse, showed me a hickey, and then covered it back up. Dane turned to look at us when he heard my cackle.

“What?” I asked him.

“What?” she echoed, taking Gentry back from him.

He gave both of us a look with furrowed brows before leading Hannah and Robert into the restaurant with Sam right behind him, holding Kola’s hand.

“So …” I smiled slowly at my sister-in-law, still carrying Gentry’s diaper bag as she patted his back.

She looked like the cat that had swallowed the canary.

“Nice couple of days? You sleep well?”

“Sleep?” She coughed.

I started laughing, and Sam glared back at us.

“Thank you for giving us a couple of nights off.” She smiled at me. “We don’t need it every week or even every month, but it’s nice to know we have the option.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And the same goes for you and the marshal.”

“Nah.” I shrugged. “We can just have a quickie in the car.”

And, of course, that came out right as we reached the table and were seated by the hostess.