AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I not a baby!” Paige scowled. Her ferocity lost some of its’ bite considering her cocooned state, but Sloane was free.
She lay her baby hand on Rafael’s face, peered at him closely, and explained, her soft voice a mere whisper compared to her older sister’s. “Her not a baby.” She touched her palm to her own chest. “Me baby. Me. O-tay?”
Brayleigh edged her way around the coffee table while Rafael continued his conversation with his uncle and pretended not to see her sneaking up on him. Both Paige and Sloane watched with rapt attention, knowing what was coming.
Even if Rafael didn’t notice Brayleigh, their excited attention would have given her away. They had zero chill.
Brayleigh jumped in front of Rafael with a ferocious roar. Rafael lifted his hands in mock fear and keeled over, eliciting wild giggles from the girls before rebounding and demanding Darcy find him another burrito blanket.
Lucky’s family fascinated me. Growing up, their house fairly vibrated with noise and laughter, doors slamming with the constant comings and goings of six kids, their friends, their sports and activities. It was a veritable beehive.
At my house, with my dad’s frequent travel, it was often just my mom and me at home. My mom loved to cook and bake, often corralling me in to help and learn much the same way Dani did with her girls. But I never took to it. My mom loved classical music, reading, and long walks while I preferred pop music, movies, and dance. Well, we both loved dance. It was the one thing I did that gave her pleasure.
The front door opened and Minty stepped in followed closely by Lucky, his hand a gentle, reassuring guide at her back.
As I watched, she seemed to retreat into herself, her polished mask slipping seamlessly into place, her icy façade served as her armor.
I sprang to my feet and poked Tracy’s husband, Sean. “Make space for Minty and I to sit with you guys.”
He passed me his cards. “Take over for me while I grab another card table.” He pointed his finger in my face with a warning. “Don’t screw up my turn!”
I grabbed a couple of extra folding chairs and rescued Minty from the fray while Lucky flopped onto the floor beside Raiden, Rafael, and the girls.
I set Minty’s chair next to Darcy who lay a smacking kiss on her cheek. “How’re you doing? Lucky treating you right?”
“Always,” Minty murmured with a smile.
It took a few weeks for Ava to let down her guard around Minty, but now she smiled at her warmly as she passed her a glass of wine. “You look like you need this as badly as I do.”
Sean set the table down between Minty and me, then ordered me out of his seat. Looking at his hand, he complained loudly and accused me of purposefully trashing his turn.
Which I had.
Tracy laughed evilly.
Sean threatened to take it out of her hide later, eliciting a smile and wagged eyebrows from his wife.
“Oh, please,” Ava protested. “I cannot!”
Darcy spun to her with a laugh. “You’re all about sex positivity except at home?”
“Especially not at home!” Ava agreed.
Minty chuckled softly, her laugh as elegant as the rest of her.
As the afternoon wore on, I found myself forcing my smile. Ava tossed me more than one curious look. I even found Lucky’s grey eyes turn unusually serious a time or two.
I really needed to work on my poker face.
Minty, having been released from her part of kitchen clean-up duty at the same time as me, tucked herself in beside me on the couch.
“You’re performing tonight?”
I jolted in surprise. At first, I thought she referred to my false smiles before remembering my dance team had a booking that evening. “I am!”
“Would it bother you if we came to see you?”
“Not one little bit.” I smirked. “I have to warn you, the last time Lucky brought Brayleigh, she made quite a scene.”
