Page 114 of Bonus Daddy
Greta popped up beside her. “We miss Brian.”
They were both fully dressed and wearing shoes. Consideringthat getting them to put their shoes on was one of my biggest daily challenges, this was highly suspect.
“And we think you do too,” Kit said. “So let’s go see him.”
I looked at my kids, so grown and self-possessed, and my chest ached.
But I exhaled and shook my head. “We have things to do today.”
“You’ve been scrolling Instagram since before we got up,” Kit snapped. “And we all know it’s because you’re super-duper in love with Brian.”
“And want to marry him,” Greta added.
Kit took a step into the room. “So instead of being all moody about it, go tell him.”
They watched me, heads tilted in the same way, expressions full of expectation. Damn. Suddenly, I missed the toddler days. Sure, I’d had to chase them down streets and they used me as their personal napkin, but at least they didn’t weaponize logic against me.
“Girls.” I patted the mattress beside me.
Greta bounced over and sat next to me. Kit, on the other hand, glared at me for another moment before she finally shuffled to my other side.
“I care a lot about Brian,” I said. “But you two are my first priority.” I put my arms around them and pulled them close. “Being your mom is my most important job.”
“You’re talking like you can’t do both,” Kit said far too wisely. “And that’s just silly. You’re always telling us you want us to live big, messy, exciting lives.”
“And to follow our passions,” Greta added.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, simultaneously thrilled that they actually listened to me and annoyed that they listened to those parts so particularly well.
“Let’s walk over,” Kit chided. “Please. Talk to Brian. The two of you can work out all your adult stuff.”
“And kiss each other!” Greta’s eruption was followed by retching noises.
“And we can hang with our friends,” Kit said. “Lo promised me she’d do my nails.”
“And T.J. just got theUpLego set,” Greta added. “It’s the house with all the balloons, and I wanna help build it.”
With one more squeeze, I released them, then I took a calming breath. God, how badly was I spiraling if I was getting called out by my kids?
Standing, I reached up into a deep stretch. “Okay. Give me a few minutes to get dressed and we’ll walk over and say hi.”
The July air was already sticky with humidity, making me regret the decision to leave my hair down. I had no doubt it was a frizzy mess by the time we made it to the law office and Brian’s apartment.
The hair situation wasn’t the only thing I was regretting as I followed the girls up the back stairs.
Sloane answered, with Tia in her arms. She hugged the girls and ushered them inside, but as I stopped at the threshold, her smile faltered.
“He’s downstairs in his office,” she said, raising one eyebrow. Even in leggings, with a newborn in her arms, she was intimidating as hell. “It’s about time you came over.”
I nodded, biting my bottom lip, and thumbed behind me. “I’ll just…”
“Yeah, you should,” she said firmly as she closed the door between us.
My heart sank as I stomped down the steps. Dammit. Now my friends were pissed at me. Couldn’t a woman have a crisis in peace?
The door that led into the office was unlocked as usual, but most of the lights were off. Probably because it was a Saturday morning. Cal and Sully were probably upstairs with their kids. Lo too. The thought made me sad, because I had no doubt that Brian had been toiling away for hours at this point.
Sure enough, the light in his office was on, casting a glow into the dark hallway. I approached cautiously and knocked gently.
