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“Hey, I’m feeding my son,” Conrad defends.
“Me too,” Grant tells her.
“Fine,” Mom grumbles.
“Keys are hanging in the laundry room.” I kiss Wren quickly and invite Royce and Owen down to the basement. I have a pool table set up and a projection screen TV.
The wives are off for a diaper run. My parents are doing what they do best, spoiling our kids. Conrad and Grant are new dads, and they refuse to let their boys out of their sight. Royce, Owen, and I head to the basement to play a game of pool or two, and it’s a perfect day surrounded by family in my new home.
“We need to drive separately today. I have a lunch meeting and don’t know how long it will run.”
“That’s fine. I don’t need a car. If I do need something, I can walk,” Wren tells me the next morning when we’re getting ready for work.
“That ring on your finger, that means we’re getting married, right?” I come up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder.
“That’s what it means.” She smiles at me in the mirror.
“That ring also means that what’s mine is yours. Is it that you don’t like my cars? We can sell them and get you whatever you want. In fact, I think we should get rid of the car and get another SUV. Soon we’ll have two car seats, and an SUV would be easier. I’ll keep the truck, though, in case we need to pull the boat or something.”
“I’m not with you for what you can give me.”
“Baby, I know you aren’t. But you have to get used to the fact that I have money. A lot of money. I’m going to spoil my wife and kids. That’s something you have to get used to.” She nods. “Tell me what you want. We can get you whatever you want.”
“The SUV is fine,” she says hesitantly.
“It’s yours. We’ll go this weekend and see if there is one you like better. If not, you keep it, and I’ll get another SUV. Hell, maybe we should look at vans,” I muse.
“What? Why would we look at vans?”
“Babies, Wren. I want lots of babies.” I kiss her shoulder and release my hold on her. “I’m going to start breakfast.” I scoop Madeline up out of the Pack ’n Play, where she chills while we’re getting ready for work. In the kitchen, I pour a few puffs onto the high chair after getting her settled and start some eggs and toast for my girls.
It’s just before noon, and I need to leave soon for my lunch meeting. However, there’s something I want to run past Royce before I go. “Knock, knock.” I tap on the frame of his office door.
“Come on in,” he says, scooting back from his desk. “What’s up?”
“Well, you know that I’m paying for Maddie to attend our day care. I told Wren it was a perk for managers. And it is, but at a discounted rate. I’m paying the difference.”
“You know that’s going to bite you in the ass, right? She runs the day care, Marsh. She’s going to see who pays what.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I’m going to have to tell her soon. Damn, I just got her to agree this morning to take one of the cars to drive as her own. She’s stubborn.”
“Nothing worth having is easy,” he says.
“She’s worth it. Listen, I know she wanted to go to school to be a nurse. I want her to achieve her dreams. That might be nursing, or maybe business to assist her with running the day care. Whatever it is, I want her to have it. Maybe she’ll expand her early childhood education degree, I don’t know, but I intend to make it happen for her.”
“Understood.” Royce nods. “So, what do you need me for?”
“I want to offer her tuition reimbursement from the company.”
“If she chooses business, we can do that easily.”
“I know, but I’m not sure that she will choose business. Regardless of what she chooses, I want her to think it’s 100 percent paid by the company.”
“You’re playing with fire, brother,” Royce warns.
“I know.” I rub my hands over my face. “I know I am, but she won’t let me help her. Hell, even if we were already married, I doubt that she would let me help her. I just… I want to give her the world.”
“That’s the magic.” Royce smirks.
“Whatever the reason, I want to make it happen.”
“And?”
“I’ve read the policy. It’s very vague, so even if she looks it up, I think it’s going to be fine. I know that the invoice for classes will come across your desk. I need you to give it to me so I can pay it.”
“If it’s Riggins related, we’ll pay for it.”
