Page 260 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

“Hey,” Matt boxed me in with his arms. “What’s wrong? You haven’t even given me a proper kiss hello. A man needs a kiss from his wife when he comes back home after three weeks away, poppet. There’s a law written somewhere about it.”

I couldn’t manage more than a tiny smile. “They have music lessons at twelve so they have to be home by half eleven latest in order to eat before their tutors arrive.”

“I know.”

I arched an eyebrow and Matt huffed, insulted it seemed.

“I know their schedule,” he drawled. “Riding and music lessons on a Saturday and Wednesday. Golf on Sunday. Skiing on Mondays after school. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for additional foreign languages,”

“Wrong.” Did I sound snippy? “Wednesday’s schedule has been swapped to Thursdays. Skiing is on a Friday now, Mondays are – look, just be home by 11:30.”

“Fine,” he muttered. “But you and I will be having a little talk later.” He checked the twins were busy getting dressed then gave mea proper kiss. When he raised his lips from mine, he finally let me go. “I come home after a business trip and the wife’s grumpy, there are earthworms, my son has an aversion to pants and my daughter has learnt swear words from her mother.”

“Shut up.” I interrupted his grumbles with a chuckle and placed my hand across his stubble covered cheek. “Iamglad you’re home, knight.”

Matt turned his lips into the palm of my hand to deliver a tender kiss. “Me too. I’ve missed you and the children terribly.”

“Daddy,” Eva called loudly. “Ethan said you love him more because he’s a boy. That’s not true, is it?”

I gave Matt an eloquent look and spun on my heels. He could deal with them. As I walked away, he landed a light tap on my ass then declared with paternal neutrality, “Darling, I love you both the same, with all my heart.”

“See?” Eva said in triumphant. “He loves us the same. Mummy loves me more than you.”

“No she doesn’t. I was born first. Grumps said the firstborn always gets the most love.”

“Well, Grumps told me I was the prettiest and smartest in our family, so there!”

“Granddad saidIam cleverer than anyone he knows. That includes you, Evie.”

“Nana saidIwould run the family company with Natty and Nicki-”

“No! Uncle Adam said Henry and I would. He’s going to be running everything with me.”

“Well Granny Cleo said I can be president of the free world. Girls are better at running things anyway.”

“No. Granny Cleo and Granddad David said I’m so smart I can be an inventor. I’ll invent a jail for stupid sisters. I’m older than you, so there. Boys come first.”

“Enough. Both of you stop. No one is better than anyone, just different.” Matt ordered with a shake of head while I hurried out the room and left them too it. I could get some work on my choreography done with the twins out. Gosh. I missed the nanny, perhaps more than my sexy husband. That was worrying.

Later that night I was in Matt’s office sorting out my schedule while speaking to Sol on a video call. We were trying to plan the summer break around their tour dates, damn, I had famous friendswho had no connection to Matt. I was a baller.

“Sol, no me digas esa mierda.” Yeah, I really didn’t want to hear that shit about their band’s manager adding more dates to the upcoming tour. She laughed at me and I sucked my teeth.

“Ok, mi morena bella, how about the last two weeks in August? The twins will still be off school right?” She ran a hand through her charmingly short hair. It was strange seeing her with short hair, she had worn it long since forever.

“Mhmm,” I scrolled through the dates on my tablet. “It’s doable. I know Dante and Jessica are planning to take their kids to see his mom over the summer. I’ll run it by him and we’ll arrange something. Where’s Bret?”

Sol glanced over her shoulder on the screen. “Arguing with his dad on the phone. You’d think the old man would realise music is our life by now. Listen, don’t tell Dante but I’m restless. I’m so fucking restless, MSG.”

I put my tablet down and faced the screen. “Hey. Don’t even, go smoke a joint and chill the hell out. I know those fans keep trying to get into your panties, but damn it, Sol! Bret will seriously kill you this time around, then I’ll have to kill him and then Dante will kill me and Matt will lose his shit because he’s a single dad. Please, for the sake of my husband’s sanity, please don’t get restless. Go smoke a joint and listen to some music. That always calms you right down. You know what, you need a break. Forget about the weed, I want you to free your schedule up right now. A short two weeks break with me will fix you right up. Book your ticket.”

Matt’s throat clearing made me squeak a little. He stood in the doorway, with a small scowl on his face. I checked the time, it was almost ten so the kids were fast asleep. I was having a grown up conversation with one of my grown up best friends, Matt could take that condescending eyebrow of his and put it where the sun didn’t shine.

“Look, I have to go, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Remember who loves you.” Then because she was my favourite girlfriend, I quickly mumbled. “I’ll always have your back though. Ok?”

She nodded and sighed. “Talk soon?”

I nodded back and blew her a kiss right before she logged off. That look in her eyes, oh please, I hoped she would think before making another mistake, but knew I would be there for her no matter what.

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