Page 166 of Stuck with my Boss Daddies

Five glorious, quiet minutes, where James was asleep on my chest, Adam was half drifting against my side, Kai was resting his head back against the couch, and Samuel had stretched his long legs out in front of him, arms crossed, looking as close to relaxed as I’d ever seen him.

It was the calm before the storm.

Because then, the front door burst open.

“Oh, thank God,” Marlene’s voice rang out, loud enough to wake the dead. “We were dying waiting for you!”

James startled, letting out an indignant squawk.

Adam groaned. “Mother.”

Marlene bustled in, carrying a massive Tupperware container that I’d bet good money was filled with something smothered in butter. Behind her, Leona and Alicia followed, both holding gift bags, while Milo, Richard, and Hayley brought up the rear.

I blinked. “How did you all?—?”

“We have our ways,” Leona said smoothly.

Samuel shot his mother a look. “You tracked my location again, didn’t you?”

Alicia didn’t even pretend to look guilty. “I'd do anything for my baby. And my baby's baby."

Samuel sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, while Kai muttered, “And it's just the first day back home.”

Meanwhile, Richard and Milo were standing in the doorway, looking thoroughly out of their depth.

Richard crossed his arms, eyeing the scene with the same assessing look that Adam often wore. “You all surviving?”

Adam grunted. “Barely.”

Milo just nodded. “Newborns are a battlefield.”

Hayley smiled warmly, making her way over to me, her eyes soft as they landed on James. “He’s beautiful, sweetheart.”

My throat tightened, emotion clogging my chest.

She was the closest thing to a mother I had. And seeing her here, in my home, with my son, hit harder than I expected.

I swallowed, managing a small, shaky smile. “Thanks, Hayley.”

Marlene clapped her hands, immediately shifting the tone from sentimental to mission-oriented.

“Alright! First things first, food. Sadie, you need to eat. And someone, for the love of God, put a burp cloth on Kai before James spits up all over that shirt.”

Kai scowled. “Why am I the spit-up magnet?”

Leona handed him a burp cloth without hesitation. “Because I bet you’re the one who keeps picking him up after he eats.”

Kai muttered something under his breath but accepted his fate.

Meanwhile, Alicia had taken over the living room, rearranging pillows and blankets with military precision.

“You need a proper setup for rest,” she said firmly. “Where’s the humidifier? I told you to get one.”

“We have one,” Samuel grumbled.

Alicia raised a brow. “Is it plugged in?”

Samuel muttered something unintelligible and avoided eye contact.

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