Page 70 of Born of Ice

However, before I can say anything, Emett adds in a whispered tone, “And that’s Exton Quinn.” There is so much awe and trepidation in his voice as if we are standing in the presence of something holy and I can just feel Exton’s ego grow tenfold right now.

Great, just what we need.

I only hope he doesn’t crush this sweet boy’s heart with his assholeness, but to my surprise, Exton lowers himself to a squat in front of Emett and shakes the boy’s little hand. “That’s me and you must be the new superstar everyone is talking about.”

“No, they’re not.” Emett wrinkles his nose, but stares at his hand with that same awe.

Aurora sighs. “Great, now he won’t wash that hand for weeks.”

“Are you kidding me, Mommy? I’m not washing it ever!” he says, and Exton bursts out laughing.

“I’m sorry to just barge in on you guys like this but I made the mistake of telling him about the lessons Exton Quinn is going to give him and he hasn’t shut up about it for even a minute. In fact, I woke this morning with his little face hoovering over mine.”

“Why?” I ask her with a smile, trying to picture how would my own mornings look with my own child, but just as quickly I squash that thought. Not gonna happen.

“I was waiting for Mommy to wake up. It’s her day off so I didn’t want to wake her but it’s also the only day she could take me to see Exton, and I was using my Superman powers to wake her without touching her,” Emett says proudly, and Aurora sighs again.

“And my little boy is really a Superman because here we are.”

She messes with his hat and he scrunches his nose, swatting her hand away lightly and whisper-yelling, “Moooom, you can’t call me little in front of Axe!” He then straightens up and looks at Exton with solemn expression way too old for his age, and I have the hardest time keeping my laugh to myself.

“Mr. Axe, I promise I’m all grown up.”

“Well, that makes one of you,” I snicker as Exton shoots me a playful glare and mocks me, sticking his tongue out. “Case in point.”

I know it before it happens and grip my wheels to ride for my life, but Exton is on me before I can blink, hauling me out of my chair and throwing me over his shoulder. “I’ll show you a kid,” he tells me planting a slap on my butt, and I yelp, smacking his back in return.

“Exton!” I hiss. “There is a child here! What are you doing?”

“That’s why your pretty ass is turned away from the door, angry elf,” he says casually and then turns around to face Aurora and Emett who are still standing at the door, their mouths open in a same manner only with different expressions.

Where Rory is blushing and trying to avert her eyes from us, little Emett is looking at Exton like he just fell in love with him a bit more.

Great, she is never bringing him here again.

“Please come in,” Exton says to them. “We were just going to have breakfast.” He carries me to the dining table, sitting me on one of the chairs and when he stands up, his cheek brushes mine, setting off a million fireworks from that brief, platonic touch, and I’m once again short of breath.

Aurora refuses at first, telling us they can wait outside, that they don’t want to encroach on our time and space, apologizing for coming at a bad time and not calling beforehand, but Emett has no such issues, the little bundle just walks straight up to the table, planting himself on one of the free chairs with huge effort which looks quite hilarious because he’s in full winter get up—shoes, huge parka, scarf and all that—and by the time he’s sitting straight in it, he’s all red, breathing heavy and pulls at his scarf with his tiny finger.

“I need a good breakfast after that,” he announces innocently but very much seriously, and as Exton and I burst out laughing we hear Rory let out a loud exasperated groan as she slaps her face.

“I swear, I teach him manners, I just don’t know where they escaped to this morning.”

Exton wipes underneath his eyes from laughing so hard and brings over a stack of French toast along with fresh berries, jams, and maple syrup.

“I have manners, Mommy,” Emett protests.

“Mm-hmm.” She grunts, walking up to us and removes his coat and shoes before taking the last chair which is the one Exton usually occupies and that means he’ll have to sit right next to me.

“I think he’s quite perfect,” Axe says just as Emett’s small hand reaches into the bowl of blueberries, snatching a few and stuffing them into his mouth.

Aurora watches him with an open mouth and then groans again. “I did not see that. That was a figment of my imagination right, Emett? Or did I miss you using your manners again.”

“Mr. Axe, do you have some chamile tea?” Emett asks in all seriousness.

“You mean chamomile?”

“That’s what I said, chamile tea.” Exton looks at me, quirking his eyebrow in a silent question and I nod through my silent laughter that just gets worse when the boy adds, “Can you make that for Mommy? She seems stressed today.”

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