Page 65 of Wanting a Family Man

“Am I going to have to tie a string on you to keep you on the ground?”

“I missed her,” she chuckled.

It was Sunday, so Trystan half expected a full house when he walked in without knocking, but it was only Logan and Storm.

“Hey, Mom, have you seen—” Logan was in the kitchen and cut himself off as he came to the archway and saw them. “Oh, hi. You’re early.”

“Chores go fast when there’s two of us.” Trystan thumbed at Cloe.

“Hi.” She set down her bag and toed off her shoes.

“I thought Soph and Biyen were staying here with you?” Trystan said.

“They did, but Sophie went home to get some stuff done before work tomorrow. Mom’s here, too. She’s having coffee with Fabiana. I thought you were her, coming back. I can’t find the binkie Storm likes.” He offered a pink pacifier to her.

Storm turned her face away and made a fussy noise.

“She’s figured out that you-know-who isn’t here,” Logan continued. “She isnothappy.”

“You can’t even say her name?”

“Not even the letter.”

Emwas the first sound they had figured out that Storm understood.

Trystan took his baby sister and held her above his head. “What’s going on, limpet? Why so sad?”

Storm smiled briefly, happy to see him, then stuck her fingers in her mouth and dissolved into a staccato cry of dismay.

“This’ll be a fun evening.” He cuddled her into his chest and gave her narrow back a rub, trying to reassure her.

She immediately rubbed her face into his shoulder, leaving a patch of questionable material.

“When did Glenda get here?” Trystan asked.

“This morning. She’s staying with us, but she left a casserole for you. She knows you’re usually back around this time. She said she’ll come by to say hello.”

Logan was watching Cloe as she closed in on Trystan and played peekaboo with Storm, covering her face and revealing her bright smile.

“Cloe’s going to stay in the rumpus room,” Trystan informed him. It definitely wasn’t a question.

“I’d stay on theStorm Ridgeif I were you,” Logan said with a grimace. “That pull-out sounds like you’re crushing a nest of quails every time you roll over. Feels like it, too.”

“I don’t mind. It’ll be nice to spend a little more time with Storm, and I’ll finish sorting through Tiffany’s things so they’re out of the way by the time Emma gets back.”

Logan gave asuit yourselfshrug. They were all getting used to the idea that Cloe was exactly what she appeared to be—broke, harmless, and just wanting to be part of her niece’s life.

Cloe dipped her head again, trying to catch Storm’s eye. “She looks tired.”

“She was up every thirty minutes last night. She didn’t want anything to do with me when I went in to her. Or Sophie. Even Biyen tried at one point. He said over breakfast, ‘Maybe we should rethink having our own baby.’”

“Did he really?” Cloe sputtered with laughter. “That kid cracks me up.”

Trystan was more astonished by the substance of that statement. “Are you and Sophie trying for a baby?”

“Just talking about it, but given that performance? I doubt I’ll get laid for a year, out of an abundance of caution on her part,” he said with exasperation.

“TMI, man.” Trystan held up a hand and cringed.

---