AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A sweet piece of satisfaction sank into his bones. “They should be okay by then, but we’ll play it by ear.”
Dear God, please let the kids feel better by Saturday.
He wanted to spend time with Addy. Who knew how much longer he’d be in New Orleans. He’d hate to miss even a minute with her. But barfing kids kinda put a lid on his plans for spending nights in Addy’s kitchen, with or without “tea.”
And he had kicked DeeAnn outwhy?
Lucas padded toward the shower, turned it on, and went to wake Chris and Michael who had recovered enough to go to school that day.
“Wake up,” he said switching on Chris’ bedside lamp.
“Grrr,” Chris groaned tossing the covers over his head. “I’m still sick.”
“No, you’re not. And you can’t go on Uncle Lucas’s Weekend Extravaganza if you don’t get up and go to school.”
The covers flipped back and a burr-headed Chris peeked out, blinking owlishly in the light. “Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Chris’ feet hit the floor. “I’m up.”
Next was Michael’s room.
“Wake up, buttercup,” Lucas trilled in a falsetto voice.
Michael, wrapped like a burrito, didn’t move. Lucas reached out and tapped his shoulder while turning on the lamp. “Come on, Mike. Up and at ’em.”
“Go away.”
“Come on, if you don’t get up and go to school, you won’t be able to go on Uncle Lucas’s Weekend Extravaganza.”
“You promise?” Michael rolled over and grabbed at the lamp.
“Let me try this again. If you don’t get up and go to school, I’ll tell Chris your new Instagram passcode.”
Michael sat up. “How do you know my passcode?”
Lucas picked up Michael’s phone and wagged it. “I have my ways, 1–0-2–3.”
Michael’s mouth dropped open.
“Your birth date, right? You really need to think outside the box next time.” Lucas tossed the phone onto the bed.
“Fine.” Michael rubbed his messy hair and yawned. He’d slept in a too tight t-shirt and a pair of plaid boxers. Lucas noted the kid had started growing hair on his legs. Michael was growing up and Lucas had never been there to see a sleepy sweet toddler in airplane jammies and dinosaur slippers. Regret flooded him.
He shouldn’t have stayed away from his family. He’d allowed his anger to keep him from a blessing. Even after cleaning up vomit and spooning chicken broth into Ben’s kids, he realized he’d made a mistake with Michael, Chris, and Charlotte.
He bypassed Charlotte’s door, allowing her to sleep in. The little girl had been sickest of all and had finally started feeling better last night. She wasn’t going to preschool.
The boys were surprisingly cooperative at breakfast, having only one fight over who had drunk the last of the sports drink. While they packed up their lunches and combed their hair, Lucas slipped over to Addy’s. If Aunt Flora would keep an eye on Charlotte, he wouldn’t have to wake her and load her into his truck in order to take the boys to school.
He’d only knocked once when the door swung open.
Addy stood in pink silk pajamas, tangled hair, and sleepy eyes. “Everything okay?”
He couldn’t help himself—he dropped his gaze and took in every inch of her. He loved the gap revealing her delicate collarbones and he could see the faintest outline of her nipples against the soft fabric.
Stop looking, weirdo.
