Page 35 of Nothing to This
“I’d prefer if you’d call me ‘Daddy’ at home.Reminds me of what we made together… I knocked you up.I’m the only guy in the world who’s done that.”
His swagger almost made her laugh.“Let me guess, that’s a turn on.”
He slid his hands onto her hips.“Is that why Bren was talking about your uterus?”
She laughed.“God, don’t ask me about that, please.”
“Okay,” he said, easing in to kiss her hairline before turning her around.“Go put on a pretty dress.Kye and I will spoil our girls in private dining tonight.”
She headed out but called over her shoulder.“Go help him get dressed or he’ll end up in half jammies, half Hulk costume.I’ll get Sky.”
“You got it, babe,” he said just before she disappeared into the hall to get ready for the evening.
She and JD had proved they could go from zero to a hundred fast when it came to losing their tempers with each other.
Maybe it came from his business experience or her parenting skills, or maybe a bit of both, but they’d been mature in calming down and apologizing, compromising.
They were finding their way in this new reality.She could tell, reining JD in a little every once in a while was going to take practice… and patience.
TWELVE
“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said, rushing into JD’s office only to find him working alone at his desk.She stopped short and sealed her stunned lips for a second.“I thought I was late.Where are the others?”
“Everyone is running late today,” JD said without looking up from whatever he was scribbling on.“Got everything you need?”
“I think so,” she said, heading over to the tripod already set up with her cards.The top one was inverted.“You didn’t peek, did you?”
“Babe, if I had time to peek, I would have,” he said.She put her laptop on the multimedia unit to attach it to a lead.He froze in his writing to frown.“Did I sign a check to Glitter Unicorn earlier?Did I read that right?”
“Rainbow Unicorn,” she said, turning her smile to her computer as it booted up.“It’s for your daughter’s birthday.Brenna’s handling the plans.”
“Who knew a real live unicorn could be bought for five thousand dollars?I’m not cleaning up after it.The thing probably craps bigger than Sky.”
She laughed along until his words sank in then spun around.“Fivethousanddollars?She told me five hundred.What the hell?”
“Maybe it was five hundred,” he muttered.
Oh, yeah, like there was no difference between the two numbers.Rolling her eyes, she went back to setting up her presentation.
JD was a details man.After living with him for two weeks, she’d learned that much.Slipping up on a number like that was unlikely.Obviously, he thought he was funny, or wanted to give her a heart attack.
Another thing she’d learned?He was a workaholic.It was a wonder he’d ever managed to find any time for the kids given how hard he toiled.
Each night he made the effort to be home in time for dinner, which was nice.Inevitably, soon after it, he’d slip off to the desk in his room.The only people capable of forcing the man away from there were his children.If the twins got the idea he should participate in their game or movie night, they’d drag him from his desk and, for the last two weeks, he’d complied.
Most nights she entertained them and dealt with bath and bedtime, but they always insisted he come kiss them goodnight in their beds and he did without complaint.
After the babies were asleep, he’d go back to the office or to his desk in his bedroom and that’s where he’d stay.Without fail, on her way to bed at night, light still glowed beneath his bedroom door.The guy kept going when she was dead on her feet.
If the kids got up in the dark, ninety percent of the time, they ended up in her bed.Every once in a while, one or both of them would sneak in with JD.He never complained.
One thing was for sure, mornings were easier with him around.Sure, there were some days he was on the phone, but he’d still help with cleaning up while he talked.He’d gotten better at seeing through the kids’ manipulation too.
Yes, they were in a routine.Sometimes they’d fight about something BS, it was never serious.Despite the addition to their apartment, her space didn’t feel smaller.No one was encroaching on her territory.Probably because JD only made his presence known if the kids were around.
Sometimes she chastised herself for liking the picture too much.One day soon, he’d be moving out of the apartment and wouldn’t be around to help.The kids’ hearts would break when Daddy moved out.If he meant what he said about building his base there in the city, he wouldn’t be going too far.Hopefully, he’d still see them more.
“How did you get on downstairs?”JD asked, pulling her from her thoughts.
