Page 51 of For One Night

His face lights up when he talks about his new family. “She is. It’s always been her dream to go to Paris.”

“I can’t wait to see pictures.”

“She thinks she’s getting fat and doesn’t want a lot of photos, women.” He grins with the thought of her.

“She’s beautiful, truly glowing as they say.”

He nods. “We were hoping to get this in sooner, but we had no idea she was already pregnant. Which, by the way, once we’re back, there’s a gender reveal party.”

“Okay.” My lip quirks.

He laughs. “Everyone’s doing it, and you’re coming.”

“I’ll be there.” I’d say anything to get him out of here so I can work on this mountain of paperwork.

“Back to what I was going to ask. Maisyn’s parents will be out of town, overnight, before we get back,” he says, watching me closely.

“Alright.” I shuffle my feet.

Lachlan runs his finger along his brow. “We were thinking, actually hoping, you could keep the girls that night.”

“Like, overnight?”

His face falls. “It’s okay, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Lachlan, calm down. I was joking.” I touch his arm. “I’d be happy to babysit them.”

“Are you kidding?”

My brow furrows. “About the joking or keeping the girls? Because I was kidding but not about the girls, before that actually. Wait. I’m confused.”

“You’ll keep them and not get them killed or tie them up?” His smile spreads wide.

“I will not promise to not tie them up, but I will feed them. I will not bathe them, but I will make sure they're safe.”

He laughs. “They know how to take a bath.”

“Oh, god. Good!” I clutch my chest.

“Seriously, that’s what you’re concerned about while taking care of children?”

I gawk at him. “They’re … girls.” He blinks. “They have girl parts.”

“Imagine that, little girls grow up to be women. Women that you and I both have mistreated.”

My face reddens. “I’m telling you right now, I’ll kick some dude’s ass if he hurts one of them.”

“We have plenty of time to play ‘good cop, bad cop’.” He slaps me on the back.

“I knew that. I was just putting it out there.”

He rubs a circle in his chest. “Trust me, I’ve already thought about the things we did to girls growing up. It scares the shit out of me.”

“Growing up? I did those things to one last week!” I shove my hands in my pockets, disgusted.

Lachlan elbows me. “They’re right about one thing, they have a good Uncle.”

“Did they say that?” I grin.