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Speak of the devil.... Carter finally stepped to one side when we heard footsteps approaching.
I wasn’t aware of how possessive his grip on me looked until I saw Leta’s brows climb into her hairline as she took both of us in. We were leaning against the goodies table, side by side. Carter had slung an arm around my lower back, and his hand was resting on my hipbone.
“Val,” she said coyly. “You didn’t tell me you two were a couple.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carter smile. He didn’t move his hand one inch as he replied, “We are.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Carter
“Orange juice is coming right up,” I called out to Peyton and April. A cold had hit both of them two days ago. They were feeling better but weren’t one hundred percent healthy yet, so I’d announced at the office that I’d work from home today as well. While I waited for the juicer to fill the cup, I downed my second cup of coffee. I didn’t much feel like a lawyer today; more like the walking dead. I’d been up with Peyton all night. She barely slept whenever she was sick, and I’d taken to sleeping on the small couch in her room on those nights. Sometimes she climbed next to me, nestling her little body against me, asking for stories because they kept the monsters from coming out from under the bed.
I’d set them up in the living room, because April had proclaimed she didn’t want to be stuck in her room during the daytime too, and Peyton was still at the age where she did everything her sister said. They were both asleep as I brought them orange juice. April’s favorite Netflix show was still playing on her laptop, which was in a precarious position in her lap. I removed it, careful not to wake them up. They needed sleep. I did too, but a million work emails stood between me and sleep.
My apartment was a mix of ultramodern and classic, but the girls’ touch was visible everywhere. They were messy, but I liked it. My office was the only orderly area. I sat behind my desk, drafting documents for three cases simultaneously. Around noon, the girls woke up, and we ordered in. As we finished, I knew I had to call Val. I’d postponed this for as long as possible, but I couldn’t leave the girls with the nanny this evening. I didn’t like to leave them when they weren’t feeling well.
I’d had plans with Val, and I’d really wanted to see her. I moved into another room to make the call.
“Hey,” I greeted when she picked up.
“Hey.”
“So listen, I know we had plans this evening, and I’m very sorry to cancel them. I can’t leave my apartment today.”
“What happened?”
“The girls have a cold, and I’m working from home.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“They’re better now, but I don’t want to leave them.”
“I understand, of course.” After a pause, she added, “I can stop by, if you want.”
I hadn’t expected that.
“I’d love that.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No, we’re good. I’ll order dinner in.”
“I can cook something.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“But I’m a great chef.”
“Humble too.”
“Never when it comes to my cooking.”
“Don’t worry, we don’t need anything.”
“Okay if I drop by at seven thirty?”
“Sure.”
