Page 10 of Myla: The Hawthornes

“We don’t have room for a pony.”

“But Cian will at the property.”

“Oh, right.” She wrinkled her nose. “So, that’s happening for sure?”

Titus laughed. “I told you it was.”

“I know, but I thought there was some argument about how much Cian was willing to pay—”

“Yeah, I wanted to paymore,” I said dryly. “I was overruled.”

“I’m happy for you,” Noel said begrudgingly.

Titus laughed again.

“I am,” Noel said, raising her eyebrows at him before looking at me. “We’re just going to miss you around here.”

“I won’t be far.”

“It’s like twenty minutes away.”

“More like fifteen.”

“That’s still a lot further than just down the hall.” She paused. “But at least your bedroom will be clean for once.”

“My room is clean.”

“Oh, Cian,” she said with mock gentleness. “No, no, it’s not.”

“Think of all the extra space you’ll have,” I said, getting to my feet. “Each of the girls can have their own rooms.”

“Yeah, no,” Titus argued as the muddy girls ran up the porch steps. “They’re sharin’ a room until they’re way older.”

“They like being close,” Noel said as I opened the door for her and the baby. Ruthie gave me a gummy smile and held her hands out to me.

“Nothin’ wrong with that,” I replied, taking the baby from her arms. Ruth’s fingers went straight to my beard and dug in. It happened every time. “Me and my brother shared a room until I moved out.”

“Really?”

“Yep. We weren’t as close in age, either. Ronan’s almost four years younger than me.”

“Uncle Cian,” Ariel called as Titus stripped her out of her jacket. “I ran around the housefourtimes.”

“Me too,” Diana said quickly.

“Nice job,” I said, widening my eyes. “You must be tired.”

“I’m not tired,” Diana protested.

“I bet I could run four more,” Ariel said confidently.

“Not tonight, you aren’t,” Titus said with a grunt as he pulled off her tiny rain boot. “You’re soaked, and it’s gettin’ dark.”

“I need a headlamp,” Ariel mused, putting her hand on Titus’s head to brace herself as she lifted her other foot.

“You don’t need a headlamp,” Noel said as she moved toward the kitchen. “You need dinner.”

“I got time to throw them in the bath real quick?” Titus asked.

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