Page 93 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

AJ’s brother Adam joins us in the living room. His wife, Liz, is seated on the couch with their sleeping daughter, Heather. Liz is pregnant with their second child, and we’re all excited. I wish Adam and Liz lived closer to us so our kids could be friends, but at least they get to play together at family gatherings. Heather and Charlie were enjoying the blocks together before the little girl started yawning.

“Doing Christmas in Florida this year was a great idea, AJ. I’m glad you suggested it,” Adam says. He and Liz live in Michigan, so they’re probably enjoying the warm weather even more than I am.

“Enjoy it while you can. We’re coming to you next year.”

Adam laughs. “That’s fine. I’d rather not try and bring a toddler and a six-month old on a plane, anyway.”

“We’ll only have a toddler, as of right now.”

AJ and I aren’t trying to have more kids yet. We’re still dating, not engaged or married, so it makes sense that we slow down. If it happens, it happens, but we’re not actively looking to increase the size of our family right now.

Besides, our hands are full with Charlie and AJ’s business.

Blake Cosmeceuticals is doing really well. The serum he made for me wasn’t easy to recreate without the special ingredient, but after a year of testing, they finally made it work. It has been so successful that AJ only sees a limited number of patients at his practice. And he isn’t taking on anyone new, just continuing treatment of the patients he has been seeing for years.

It’s been great for him. He has more time to spend with our son, and he gets to focus on the part of his work he truly loves. I’m incredibly proud of my amazing boyfriend.

Charlie knocks over another tower and holds up a block for AJ and me to see.

AJ laughs and gets on the floor with our son. The two look so much alike, it’s crazy. Charlie seems to be as smart as his father, too.

With Charlie occupied by AJ, Nina joins me in the doorway.

“Thank you for bringing Charlie here to see me. I really appreciate it.”

I give her a hug. “Of course, Nina. We want you to have a relationship with him.”

Things between my mom and me are a lot better now than they used to be, too, but we still struggle. She gets to see Charlie a couple times a month. I talk to AJ’s mom a lot more. We get along really well, which makes me happy. Despite his complaints that she’s a helicopter parent, AJ loves his mom. If she didn’t like me, I don’t know what I’d do.

“Would you like to help me with dinner?” Nina asks.

I nod and follow her into the kitchen. It’s not as big as the one in our house in New York, but it does the trick. We’ve already been in Florida for two nights, and I’ve helped with dinner both nights.

“What are we having tonight?” I ask.

Nina pulls a couple boxes of pasta from the cupboard. “I thought we’d have baked ziti. What do you think?”

My eyes light up. “I love ziti!”

She laughs. “Aaron might have mentioned that. Plus, it’s good for a large group. Baked ziti used to be my go-to meal when the boys had friends over.”

“It’s delicious and easy. My two favorite aspects.”

“That’s my girl. Can you get started on the meat while I cook the pasta?”

We work in tandem to get dinner ready. We combine all the ingredients once the pasta and meat are cooked, then slide it into the oven to bake. My mouth waters as the smell of melting mozzarella fills the kitchen.

Nina leans her back against the counter. “Blake Cosmeceuticals is doing really well, isn’t it?”

I nod. “It is. You should be proud of your son.”

It wasn’t just the serum that helped Blake Cosmeceuticals double in size over the last two years. AJ’s bowling friend, Mike, had something to do with that as well.

Unfortunately, Mike’s mother passed away a year and a half ago. Her health had been going downhill, but it got bad quickly. It was hard for him, but after a few months, Mike was ready to join AJ at Blake Cosmeceuticals.

Of course, Daisy’s husband, Jack, helped rebrand the company when Mike came on board. Mike became an instant partner, so they needed to reflect the partnership. Jack was happy for the work, and especially for the money. It arrived right around when Daisy was giving birth to their second daughter, Carmen. She was born a month before Charlie.

“I’m incredibly proud of him,” Nina says. “And of you. You’re doing so well raising Charlie. Are you enjoying being a stay-at-home mom?”

“I really am,” I say. “It’s like a dream come true for me. I enjoyed my time with Merhalle, but writing ad copy can’t compare to the feeling I get taking care of Charlie each day.”

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