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“You’re such a pain in my ass sometimes!” She slaps my chest on a laugh and then proceeds to grab a tissue to fix her face and mine.
“I won’t deny that, but I think the big question here is…am I going to get a rain check on what we just started?” I ask, my hands coming together in front of my chest like I’m praying.
“We didn’t start anything. You started it.”
“Very true,” I agree. “But you still didn’t answer my question.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh, but when I lean forward to press my lips to her neck, whispering the words, “Please, Ria?” against her skin, a little moan escapes her throat.
I smile. I can’t help it.
We’re definitely cashing in on that rain check later. In fact, starting this evening, we’re going to have the opportunity to cash in on lots of rain checks, days’ worth of them.
The realization makes me press one final kiss to her skin and step away from her. “How about I let you finish getting ready for work and I go check on the girls?”
“You know, crazily enough, I think that’s a good idea,” Maria comments with a roll of her pretty brown eyes. “Plus, I’m sure Lexi is nearly bursting with excitement for brunch at Bunrise.”
“You’re probably right,” I agree, reaching out to squeeze her ass one more time for good measure.
And then I head out of the bathroom and toward the living room where my other two favorite girls are located.
Today is going to be a good fucking day.
Bunrise is a staple in this city, and it should be no surprise that it’s packed to the gills. I’m talking a two-hour wait outside, and every table inside filled with patrons laughing and chatting over pancakes and mimosas and their signature sunny-side up egg, bacon, and cheese on a home-baked bun.
Thankfully, Maria is a thoughtful genius who called ahead and reserved a table for us with the hostess—a single mom in need of an apartment at a fair price whom Maria just happened to make things happen for a couple of years ago—while she was headed toward her first showing of the day, and the three of us were whisked right to an open table the second we stepped inside the doors.
Before our food arrived, I sent Maria a message thanking her for saving my ass and telling her I owed her for ensuring I didn’t have to wait to be seated for two damn hours while trying to keep Lexi and Izzy entertained.
Obviously, she’s just now had the time to respond.
Maria: You’re welcome. And don’t worry, I can think of several ways for you to repay me.
I smirk down at my phone.
Me: Oh, don’t worry, babe. I already have plans for how I’m going to repay you.
Maria: I am ALL ears. Do tell, and don’t leave a single detail out.
Me: It’s a surprise.
A surprise bigger than she could ever expect and one that was set in motion way before today.
Maria: Ugh. Can you at least give me a hint? Like, is it an s-e-x kind of surprise?
Me: Nope.
Maria: No s-e-x?
Pfft. Yeah, right. There’s definitely s-e-x involved in this surprise. A lot of it, if it’s up to me.
Me: No hint.
Maria: You know this is going to drive me crazy for the rest of the day, right?
Me: Oh, I’m aware.
Maria: I can practically see you smiling through the damn phone.
Me: ;) See you after work, babe.
Maria: *rolls eyes*
“Are you texting, Maria?” Lexi asks just before shoving a bite of her favorite French toast into her mouth. Sarabeth’s Flat and Fluffy French Toast, to be specific. The owners named it after their daughter since it’s her favorite dish.
“Yes, Ms. Nosy. I was.”
Lex is unbothered by the nickname and shoves another bite of French toast into her mouth.
From her spot in my lap, Izzy watches on with big, intrigued eyes and reaches out to shakily bang her hands on the table. The motion practically knocks my coffee into my egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich, and a laugh jumps from my throat as I juggle her away from causing a disaster.
“I think she wants a bite of my French toast,” Lex says through a giggle and prolongs poor Izzy’s misery by shoving another big bite into her mouth. Powdered sugar covers her lips in the most adorable way, and it’s then that I notice a necklace around her petite neck.
A fucking Chanel necklace, mind you.
“What’s that, Lex?”
“What’s what?”
“The necklace,” I say and nod toward it.
She glances down and shrugs. “Maria gave it to me.”
“Maria gave you a Chanel necklace?”
What the hell?
“That’s what I said. Are you having trouble hearing?”
I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve ever seen Lexi wear a necklace, or any jewelry for that matter, and I’m surprised it took me this long to notice it.
