Page 81 of The Perfect Spiral
@Alex.T Adam my man! Swap places with me???
I liked his comment and showed my phone to Adam. “Aren’t you Mr. Popular?” I tickled him, put my phone back into my pocket, and carried him into the living room where the other little ones were.
I set him down on the couch and told them I’d be right back. I returned to the kitchen where Sam and Tyson were sitting at the table, out of earshot.
I continued to pack the containers into the refrigerator, arranging them like a jigsaw puzzle. I was so focused on the task that I forgot Knox was still in the room.
“No, just concentrating.”
“Does it? Well, I’m not.” I heard him sigh and the squeal of the chair as he stood up. Maybe he’d leave me to my task now?
As I bent down to rearrange the containers, an arm reached over my shoulder, helping me slot them into place. I added more containers until I was finished and closed the refrigerator door.
Turning around to face him, I avoided making eye contact. “Thanks,” I finally said, starting to clean the counter where some scraps of food were left from packing the containers.
From the corner of my eye, I saw him lean on his elbows on the counter.
“Baby doll, I think you are ignoring me. You’ve only looked at me once since I’ve come in.”
“Alex! Sweetheart! You look fabulous! My god, that is so your color, right Knox?”
I knew what she was trying to do. Ignoring Knox’s response, I walked over to Delilah to give her a hug.
“I brought some more cupcakes for you, but I don’t want any more food fights between you two now, do you hear?” Delilah certainly knew how to make an entrance as she pointed between Knox and me.
I guess stirring the pot runs in the family?
“Don’t fret, Delilah,” I murmured, a smile playing on my lips. I took the box of cupcakes from Ace’s hands and wrapped him in a tight hug. He was like a second father to me.
Ace had always been a pillar of support for me and my family. Over the years, he and Eric had become inseparable, their friendship as solid as a rock. Ace ran his own successful company, and that’s where the boys were working, all except for Knox.
Knox would join the company once he was done with the NFL. My brothers, on the other hand, were working for Eric’s business, starting from the bottom and working their way up. Eric never let them off easy, always pushing them to do their best. Sam, my sister, worked as a nurse in Mount Sinai Hospital’s children’s ward. She was great with kids, probably because she was still one at heart.
“How are you holding up, kiddo?” Ace asked, his arms still wrapped around me.
I nodded into his chest. “I’m good, thanks! How about you?” I stepped back, looking up at him. He towered over me, his striking features radiating the aura of a well-respected businessman. The boys had inherited their looks from him, but their charm? That was all Delilah. Dressed in a charcoal grey suit and a burgundy tie, Ace was always impeccably dressed.
I leaned against the counter, smiling up at him. “Good, good! It’sgreat to see you, kiddo! You’re growing up so fast, sometimes I can hardly believe it’s you! You’re as beautiful as your mother and sister,” he complimented me.
“Thank you, Ace. I appreciate the pity flirting,” I teased him.
“Oh, Alex, it’s not pity, I assure you. But, would you mind if I asked you for a dance later?” he quipped back.
Usually, this kind of banter was reserved for Sam, not me. But Ace had always teased me as a kid, so I was used to it. Like father, like son.
“Only if it’s okay with your wife,” I said, pointing to Delilah who was watching us with a smirk on her lips.
“Oh, I don’t mind, honey. But you might want to check with your son. He looks like he’s about to send you to Timbuktu and back.”
We both turned to see Knox glaring at his father. When his gaze shifted from Ace to me, I quickly looked back at Delilah, who was watching us with a curious expression.
I took the long way around to avoid Knox, grabbing a bottle of water to quench the thirst that had been nagging at me all morning. It was a tell-tale sign that I was coming down with something.
When I turned back to Ace, I saw his hands raised in surrender, a smile on his face. He was saying something to Knox in a hushed tone, but Knox was still glaring at him.
I took a sip of water and returned to the couch, where the little ones were all glued to the TV screen. I greeted the rest of the Carters in the house and settled onto the couch, pulling my feet up and wrapping a blanket around me to keep warm.
Kyle was starting a fire with Max’s help, hoping to warm up the room a bit.
