Page 69 of The Refiner

I roll my eyes. I find this cute, teasing side of him rather hot. And while that’s all fun and games in the bedroom, I’d rather he keeps that contained to only the sexy times. Astor acting all adorable in the daylight just makes me want to keep him—and that can’t happen.

“Stop before Tatum’s first words are something obnoxious like succulent.”

“Tatum doesn’t understand what we’re saying.” He glances in the rearview mirror, like he’s making sure she hasn’t grown into a toddler in the last five minutes.

“Yet,” I amend. “In a few months, we’ll need to watch what we say around her.”

I realize before it’s too late that my comment makes it seem like I’ll still be around in a few months—and I will. I’ll always be there for Tatum; I just won’t be there most days of the week, like I am currently. Again, Astor and I live separate lives three hours apart from one another.

“Where are we going anyway?” He said we were going trick-or-treating earlier, and I’m trying not to get excited about it. The last time I went trick-or-treating was when I was probably twelve. I don’t know who told Astor that it’s cool for adults to still participate, but I’m not questioning it. Maybe it’s something that only rich people can do, though Piper never mentioned it. But, then again, Piper was a martyr and would have likely volunteered to work, so all the moms could take their kids.

Don’t think about Tatum dressing up as a princess, never getting to hold her mama’s hand as she goes from door to door.

I force the thought from my head, glancing up to see Astor staring at me. “You all right?”

“Yep.” I let the P pop, just so my lie is a little more believable. “Would you like to answer my question?”

“Would you like to stay in this universe when I repeat it?”

I cock my head to the side. “You answered me?”

“Yep.” The sarcastic jerk pops the P, too, grinning like he needs to be kissed.

“Well, then, my apologies for dozing off, Gramps. Would you mind repeating yourself?”

Astor chuckles, completely unbothered by my age comment, which is simply a running joke at this point. “I said we’re stopping by Vance’s so he and Halle can watch Tatum.”

“And then?”

Please still say trick-or-treating.

“And then we’re going by my office.”

“Your office?” I try not to sound severely disappointed. “I thought you took a few months off.”

“I did.”

I don’t like the look on his face—it screams,I have a secret and you aren’t going to like it.

“So why the pitstop?”

He flashes me a wink. “You’ll see.”

Keagan

“You have lost your mind.”

The laugh that bubbles out of me is as ridiculous as the two outfits hanging from each of his hands.

“I don’t know much about video games, and I didn’t want to dip into cosplay territory, so I thought why not dress up as the ultimate video game couple?”

I burst out laughing. “And you thought Mario and Princess Peach was that couple?”

I never thought I’d see the day when Dr. Potter blushed. “Mario was the only video game I knew.”

Eliminating the space between us, I wrap my arms around this ridiculous man. “Oh, Papa. You really are old.”

The costumes, still hanging in his hands, close around me while he hugs me back. “Maybe you can show me some of the new things you kids play now.”

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