Page 51 of The Single Dads Club
Jane perks up, sitting up straighter. “Well, I for one can’t wait for that day. The three hours a day the twins are at preschool is like heaven.”
Ryleigh chuckles and pats Jane’s hand. “You deserve a break, Mama.”
Isn’t that the damn truth? Those twins are crazy, but I don’t say as much. I just nod in agreement with Ryleigh. It is pretty incredible how captivated the boys are by Ella. They haven’t overturned a potted plant or started a fire in my microwave yet this visit. Turns out, if you nuke an iPhone, the fucker will explode into flames. Who knew?
The timer beeps in the kitchen, signaling that dinner is ready, and I rise to my feet. “Dinner in five, guys.”
After cleaning up the baby dolls and their accessories, Ryleigh makes a little assembly line, helping the children wash their hands before dinner.
I place two large casserole pans of lasagna in the center of the table, along with a huge salad and two overflowing bread baskets. Everyone takes their seats, with baby Beckham in Ella’s old high chair between Slate and Keaton. Ella and the twins are at a tiny version of our mahogany dining table that I had made for her. Ryleigh is by my side, and Weston and Jane sit across from us.
“This looks great, Alex,” Jane says, setting prepared plates in front of the twins and rejoining us at the table.
I can’t help but notice the line in Ryleigh’s forehead. Anytime someone calls me Alex, it still seems to throw her off. I smile at her, and when she notices, she grins at me. Her smile is bright and uninhibited, so happy, it almost takes my breath away.
Once the food is dished up and everyone has dug in, I place a hand on Ryleigh’s knee under the table and give it a gentle squeeze.
“I love you,” I murmur, leaning in closer.
She looks at me, meeting my eyes with a half smile on her lips. “I love you too,” she whispers, leaning closer.
“Forever?” I ask, grinning.
“And ever,” she replies, and my heart swells.
I reach over and place my hand on the firm curve of her belly. Sometimes I try to picture how my life would be if she and Ella hadn’t come bursting into it. These aren’t pleasant thoughts. It’s a sad and lonely existence where I’m still single and struggling to find myself in the world. It’s a place where football is my entire life, and honestly, it sounds so sad to me now that I almost hate to picture it. My life was so empty before.
Even though Ryleigh thinks I’ll miss it and be miserable, I can’t wait to retire from football after this contract ends. More time with my girls sounds exactly perfect. I have plans to buy a vacation home on the beach somewhere, and sleep late and make epic pancake breakfasts ... there are so many things I’m looking forward to. But none more than loving and protecting my girls for all my days on this earth.
“Pass the salad?” Keaton asks, snapping me from my daydream.
I hand her the salad bowl, grateful that we have such wonderful friends we can count on.
“You okay there?” Ryleigh asks, smirking at me. She clearly noticed the fact that I was deep in thought.
“Never better,” I say with a grin, but I’m lying.
It’s hard to imagine, but I know I’ll be even better when we have a new baby in the house. After all, I am the baby-whisperer.
Penthouse Prince
Penthouse Prince
Copyright © 2020 Kendall Ryan
Developmental Editing
Rachel Brookes
Copy Editing by
Pam Berehulke
Cover Design and Formatting by
Uplifting Designs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.
