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Dammit, this was what happened when I forgot to put the wedding band back on. I’d taken it off to finish some engine work on Coop’s car this morning, then forgotten to shove it back on in my hurry to get Josh here on time.
Surprise marked her expression. “Oh.”
“Happily married for well over a decade. Three kids. Two on the way.” Planned to stay happily married. Period.
She didn’t say anything for a long moment and I kind of hoped she’d excuse herself. Then, she said, “Well if that changes…”
“You’ll be the last to know.” Archie said from behind me. His voice was cold, precise, and ready to draw blood. “He gave you the polite answer. I’ll give you the impolite one. Go the fuck away.”
Flushing, she shot a wild look around then just left and retreated past the other moms. They were giving us speculative glances but immediately found elsewhere to look. Shaking my head, I caught Archie’s smirk.
“You know how they say couples begin to take on each other’s traits…”
“Shut up.” Asshole. It was an effort to not smile though.
He chuckled. “You missed the flirting.”
“I did not miss the flirting, I shut it down.”
“No, you missed it at first.” Archie folded his arms and leaned on the rail. Josh was racing with the other boys and keeping it clean.
“I was being polite.”
His scoff at me earned a glare. “Shut up.” Weak defense but it was what I had. No, I hadn’t noticed the flirting. I was focusing on the kids. “The moms don’t usually hit on me.”
“Eh,” Archie said with a shrug. “I’ve had a couple now and then, but my charming personality is such a turn off for them that they back off.”
His charming personality.
I snorted. “Thanks, I appreciate the backup.”
“It’s all good. She wasn’t getting subtle. So I took care of it.” Like me, he tracked Josh on the ice. “Damn, is it me or is he moving even better than he was three weeks ago?”
“Not you. He’s a natural. We should have seen it with how easily he picked up snowboarding. But I’d swear he’d been born on the ice for how he moves.”
“As long as he’s having fun.” Yep, the cardinal rule for all activities. Some needed to be challenging and to push them. But the rest? No one was strong-arming them into anything they didn’t want to do.
“What are you doing here? Not that I mind the company.” He’d been working with Charlie asleep in his lap when I’d left.
“Bubba and Frankie are getting in early. Flight cancellation shifted them around. Figured I’d see if you two wanted to come with me to get her.”
“Hell, yes.” Not even a question. I reached for my phone and when I patted my pockets, I frowned. Then Archie held it out to me.
“Other reason I showed up. You left it in the garage. I have a feeling you were using it for a light and then put it down.”
I grimaced, even as he laughed. “Thanks.”
“Yep. When your phone was vibrating on the work table, I figured I’d come on down and deliver it. Then grab you too. Leave the car here, we can pick it up on our way back.”
“Works for me.” I scanned the phone for messages. Yep, there was one from Frankie and Bubba saying they were getting on an earlier flight. Excitement amped through me. Having them home at Thanksgiving hadn’t been long enough. “I’m ready for this tour to be over.”
“Same, but she’s doing a lot better. It took her a minute to adjust.” Archie keeping his cool settled my nerves too. “They have just two, three weeks tops after Christmas. Then they’re home until the babies arrive.”
Grinning, I nodded. “Good. The kids will like that.”
“So will we,” he commented and I couldn’t really argue.
“You still not sure about the babymoon?”
