Page 12 of Stolen Kisses

He nods in agreement with his mom and Emma looks back at me. “Have you had a good day?”

“Not bad, I guess. Kenny gave me flowers.” We both laugh. “We spent the day working to empty her bedroom and bought some wallpaper and paint to make it pretty. Tonight, we’re having dinner at my dad’s restaurant.”

“Why would she give you flowers? Theyaredead as soon as theyarepicked. I don’tthink that’sa very good present.” Lachlan interrupts.

Emma’s head snaps toward me and she mouths, “I’m so sorry.”

I mouth in return that it’s okay.

“Buddy, people give flowers all the time as a present. They don’t think about the flowers being dead, only that they look nice.”

“Okay. I still don’t get it.” He shakes his head, then stands up, and walks over to join the other two kids. Austin says something and he nods but doesn’t join in, instead watching from the sidelines.

“Your boys are quite opposite in their personalities.” I muse.

Emma’s watching the kids closely. “Yeah, they are. Though, you’re lucky. Lachlan actually joined in the conversation. He doesn’t usually do that with strangers. It’ll take him a little while to get used to Kenny, but once he does, he’ll be more than happy to play with her.”

My eyebrows lift in surprise. “Well, I’m honored.”

She chuckles mildly. “Soyou should be.” She finishes her statement with a wink. Her eyes look almost brown today. I want to look more closely, but I don’t want to come across like a creep. A light breeze catches her hair and astrand catcheson her plump lips. My hand begs to reach forward and brush it aside, tuck it behind her ear, and run my fingers along the smooth skin of her jaw—but I manage to fight the urge.

“We’d better head home then. You need to get Kenny organized for dinner. What type of food does your dad serve in his restaurant?”

It takes me a moment to shake out of my daydream. Looking at the time, I note she’s right, we need to get moving. “It’s a traditional Greek taverna.”

“Oh, that sounds delicious.”

“Yeah. Running a taverna has been part of our family for generations.Dad’sgot the recipes perfected.” I’m not sure what’s going to happen to the restaurant now that Anna’s gone. Guilt that I’m not interested in the family business wells up once again. It’s a familiar feeling.

She fidgets with her ponytail. “Generations, hey? So do you work there too?”

“Nah, I’m the family disappointment,” I say it as though it’s a joke, but I’ve never felt comfortable there. “I didn’t want to go into the restaurant business. That was my sister’s forte. I chose to become a carpenter.” I scratch the scruff on my face.

“I’m sure you’re not a disappointment.”

I know she’strying to makeme feel better, but she wasn’t on the receiving end of my father’s scathing words and disapproving looks. We gather the kids to make the walk home. As we get closer, I notice a car sitting in Emma’s driveway. Austin takes off running toward their house, excited to see their visitor.

“He didn’t tell me he was coming over today,” Emma mumbles beside me, but she doesn’t seemtooupset. We arrive at her driveway and she turns to me. “Enjoy your birthday dinner.” Then she squats down to Kenny’s level. “Be good for your uncle and have a nice dinner.” She taps the end of her nose with her pointer finger.

“I will, Emma.” Kenny reaches forward, wrapping her little arms around Emma’s neck, giving her a tight squeeze. Emma looks up at me, her eyes glassy, a watery smile touching her lips.

Once Kenny releases her, Emma stands up, leading Lachlan toward their visitor. The guy rubs Lachlan’s hair and picks Emma up off her feet, kissing her cheek. Placing her back on her feet, they walk together around to the back of the house. I can’t stop the jealousy that rises in me that another man has the privilege to hug and kiss her.

“C’mon, Munchkin. We need to get ready to visitPappoúsat the restaurant for dinner.” I lift her onto my hip and carry her up to the porch. I try to steal a look over the back fence to see what’s going on, but I can’t see anything from this angle. I might be able to see if I stand on the deck from my bedroom. “Kenny, can you please put on that dress that we picked out this afternoon. I’ll get changed and meet you back down here, ready to go.”

“Okay, Uncle Theo.”

Stepping out onto the deck from my bedroom, I stay back from the edge in the hopes of staying out of sight. The guy’s looking at the lawnmower and they’re all chatting while he works, but I can’t hear what they’re saying from here. He gets the mower started and Emma throws her arms around him, kissing him on the side of his face.Looking mighty proud of his achievement, he wipes his hands on his jeans, which look to be covered in grease already. It’s not that fucking hard to fix a lawnmower—they’re a pretty basic motor. Lachlan’s got his hands over his ears, pacing away from the noise. Austin catches up to him and the boys head inside. Just as I think the guy’s going to cut the grass, he sits on the porch steps and watches Emma do the work instead.What in the actual fuck?

I step inside to get changed for dinner, my blood boiling that he’s sitting on his lazy ass while Emma does the work. I poke my head back out to check if he’s gotten off of his ass, but he’s still sitting there, but now he has a beer in his hand. I feel like the top of my head’sgonnablow off.

Heading downstairs to meet Kenny, I try to think up some excuse to step out onto the back deck so I can see what’s happening next door.

“Uncle Theo, I’mweady,” Kenny calls out from near the front door as she puts on her shoes. She added blue fairy wings to her outfit and a unicorn headband to her head. She looks so fucking adorable.

“Okay, Munchkin. I’ll just lock up the house and we’ll get going. Are you hungry?” I ask as I check the back of the house is locked up, straining to see out of the windows as I do. I can’t see for shit from here. Grabbing my wallet and keys as well as the little backpack I keep packed near the door with all the stuff Kenny needs whenever we leave the house, we head out.

Who knew someone so small needed so much stuff?

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