Page 88 of Borrowed Bride

I won’t though, because babies.

“Aha!” Marco cheers lightly and hits the button, saving us from the too-loud ding. With practiced ease, he removes the two bottles of milk from the microwave and sets them on the counter. I step in, handing Emil to Marco and taking over care of the bottles.

“You look beautiful,” Marco says softly, standing with our two tiny sons in his large arms. “Excited?”

“Very,” I reply quietly, checking the milk temperature. “I’m ready for adult conversation and no crying children and to hear what everyone else has been up to while we’ve been stuck in baby land.”

“Leo’s coming,” Marco says. “Did I tell you?”

I shake my head. “No, but it’s okay. I included him in the catering so there’s space for him.”

“He’s bringing a plus one.”

I pause with milk running down my wrist. “Leo is?”

Marco nods, smirking. “Yup.”

“Wow. I feel so out of the loop right now.”

“You and me both.”

We carefully exchange bottle for baby, and then we settle into the familiar routine of feeding our children. Freya is already tucked up in bed fast asleep as we near nine o’clock at night and with any luck, the twins will go down just as easily after their feed.

Learning I was carrying twins so late in my pregnancy was a huge shock, but having this new home to come back to was amazing. And getting to watch Marco soak up all the aspects of baby care that he missed with Freya has been an extra special gift. The only downside is how fast time moves, and I’ve missed Tara and the others immensely. They visited from time to time, but baby brain was mostly in control then.

This is the first night I’ll get to feel like myself and I’m so excited.

Luckily, Emil and Sanzio drink eagerly and fall asleep within minutes of burping. We set them down in their cribs and rock them into a deeper sleep just as guests start to arrive, and soon the night is in full swing.

“So,” Marco says, tilting his wine glass and staring down the table at Leonardo. “How did you two meet?”

Leo reaches across and takes the hand of his date, Carmilla. From their brief introduction, his new girlfriend isn’t from our world but she’s taken to it pretty easily.

“A book signing,” Carmilla replies, smiling sweetly.

“Who was doing the signing?” I ask between mouthfuls of delicious pasta.

“She was,” Leo says and a dusting of pink rises over his cheeks.

“Oh?” Marco’s brow shoots up. “You’re a writer?”

“Is it spicy?” Fawn asks from further down the table, wiggling her eyebrows. “Because I’m in the market for a pick me up.”

“Simon didn’t pan out then?” I ask, peeking past Tara and Cherry to Fawn.

“Nah,” Fawn replies. “Couldn’t handle a strong woman.”

“Fuck him,” Cherry snorts, stealing a roasted potato from Tara’s plate. “You deserve a King not a boy.”

“Too true,” Fawn agrees.

“Anyway,” Marco mutters, scolding slightly as he looks back at Carmilla. “You write?”

“I do. Action-adventure novels actually,” she replies and her cheeks darken. “It was a hobby that sort of exploded and the next thing I knew, this cute guy was telling me the story was good, but my gun descriptors were off.”

“Not in a mean way,” Leonardo clarifies. “Just glaring enough that only someone who’s fired a gun would notice.”

“That’s how you flirt?” I ask, pointing at him with my fork. “You point out literary inaccuracies.”

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