Page 279 of The Christmas Wife

I rub the back of my neck. "Not yet."

"And when were you planning to tell her?" He scowls.

"At the right time?"

"I suggest you not delay that, not if you truly want her working with you," JJ murmurs.

I raise my hands. "Point taken, chaps. Though, that’s not why I asked you here today.”

"Could there be anything more important than figuring out your personal life and how it’s going to impact your professional life?" Sinclair drums his fingers on the table.

"My personal life is my own. I take all of your advice and consider it, but ultimately, it’s my decision how I decide to take things forward."

"Yours and hers," JJ reminds me.

"The callousness of the man who’s lost his heart but is not yet aware of it." Sinclair scoffs.

"Hold on. I have feelings for her. That doesn’t mean I’ve lost my heart, thank you very much."

The three men look at each other, then burst out laughing.

"Wait, what did I miss?" I scowl.

The three continue laughing, and I turn to Declan. "Do you know what they’re laughing about?"

He rubs his hand across his face. "I’m not married, mate, and at the rate things are falling apart around me, I won’t be for a while."

I pause, then pick up the phone and peer into Declan’s features. His eyes are bloodshot, his hair mussed, and he’s sporting days’ old growth on his chin. "You all right, ol’ chap?"

"No, but I will be. Fame is a double-edged sword, isn’t it? You spend your career pursuing it. You think you want it. Then when you have it, it bites you in the arse."

"Anything you want to talk about?" JJ calls out.

I place the phone back in position on the table so the rest of the men can see the screen.

"Not that we’re the best source of advice, considering we’re scrambling to get our heads out of our arses after the birth of our kids." Sinclair yawns. "Sorry, the boy kept fussing last night, and it was my turn to feed him the bottle. So, as I was saying—" He looks around the table with a puzzled expression. "What was I saying?"

"That you’re not the best source of advice." Declan chuckles. "Right now, you seem more tired than I feel."

"It’s losing sleep at night that’s wrecking me. You’d think raising a child would be a cakewalk. Everyone does it, after all, but after the fifth consecutive night of lost sleep, I swear, I’d give anything to find a way to put him to sleep so I can hit the sack by ten p.m."

"Ten p.m.?" I smirk. "Is this the same Sinclair Sterling who partied ‘til dawn with the rest of the Seven?"

"Most of whom are probably spending an evening at home cuddled on the sofa watching Netflix and ordering a curry with their wives." He points out.

"Yep, I’d do anything for a good curry." Michael nods slowly.

"Man, I’m all for a good curry. The spicier, the better." JJ smirks.

I look at the three of them. "I’m definitely missing something aren’t I?"

"Of course, not. You’ll know when it’s time for an exceptional curry. Nothing like getting your own recipe right for it, too." JJ’s grin widens.

"What are you guys talking?—"

The door opens and Lord Alan walks in. "Gentlemen, Minister." He nods his head in the direction of the assembled men.

JJ, Michael and Sinclair exchange glances, then as one, rise to their feet. "We were on our way out." Sinclair yawns, then shakes his head as if to clear it. He looks like he’s about to keel over any moment.

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