Page 63 of Blade
That kid was gonna be a lady killer when he grew up, just like all the Blade men.Thank you, Dad, for the genetics.
“She is. C’mon. I’ll introduce you.” Robert put the kids down but held onto their hands as they walked into the great room.
“Amber, these two little people are my heartbeat. Tessa and Lucas. Kids, this is my girlfriend, Amber.”
“Hi, you two. Your Uncle Robert has told me so much about you.” Amber gracefully knelt on one knee, so she was at their level, and touched Lucas’ blond curls. “You’re so cute. I understand you play the guitar very well.”
The boy suddenly became shy and giggled as his cheeks turned bright red.
“And you.” Amber smiled at Tessa. “Look at those beautiful dark eyes and eyelashes. I hear you love to sing and dance and draw.”
“I do! I draw clothes with my mommy all the time. And I can sing all the songs to Frozen and Moana. Do you want me to sing one for you? Sometimes I sing when my brother plays the guitar.” Tessa glanced at her brother with stars in her eyes. “He’s really good. But he only plays Metallica. You need to learn ‘Let It Go,’” she told her brother, before turning back to Amber. “I can sing some Metallica. I don’t know all the words, but most of them. Do you want us to put on a show for you?”
Amber was transfixed, smiling with her mouth open and eyes wide with excitement. “I would love that!”
Jessi stepped in and took Tessa’s hand, otherwise the little girl may have kept rambling for hours. “Maybe after dinner, sweetie. Why don’t you and Lucas go in the playroom until dinner’s ready?”
The kids scurried off, and Robert remembered the gifts he dropped in the foyer as soon as he saw his brother. “You have presents by the front door!” he called to Lucas and Tessa.
A few seconds later, high-pitched voices squealed and yelled back, “Thank you, Uncle Robert!”
“You’re so good with them,” Amber whispered, moving closer and taking Robert’s arm.
“I love kids. Don’t you?”
“Of course. There something wrong with people who don’t love kids and animals.”
She answered right away, without hesitation, and her reply sent a warm and cozy tingle throughout his chest. Again, snippets of a future with Amber played in his mind, and he saw a glimpse of what their life could be like.
“I know that goofy smile,” Jessi said, bursting the happy bubble in Robert’s head.
“What?” he asked, innocently.
She nodded with a knowing smile. “You know.”
“Your home is gorgeous,” Amber said, glancing around the great room and pausing to focus on the enormous fireplace. “Have you lived here long?”
Jessi nodded. “The house was our first major purchase after Immortal Angel made it big. I was a little worried that it was too soon to commit to something so expensive. We were young. I didn’t even have my degree in fashion yet. It was at the same time the world found out about our relationship, and we did an exclusive interview which paid very well. We didn’t do it for the money,” she quickly clarified. “We just wanted people to understand. The money was a bonus and helped us buy this place.”
Robert forgot about the interview. It had caused a lot of uproar at the time and shocked a lot of people, but it advocated diverse relationships and ultimately made the world more accepting of it.
“What made you decide on Lido Beach?” Amber asked. “I thought the North Shore was preferable on Long Island.”
“Not for us,” Angel replied, joining the conversation. “We love the nightlife here, and the whole vibe is much more relaxed. Our home is on two lots, so we’re not on top of our neighbors. Lucky for them. We have a full recording studio in the basement, so the band’s here all the time. We can be a bit loud. I’ve been keeping an eye on the houses on either side of us, too, in case they go up for sale. I would love to expand our home. I know it’s already huge, but I can also see us needing more space when the kids get older.” He turned to Jessi. “You should give her the grand tour while I check on dinner.”
“Please let me help,” Amber said. “I know my way around the kitchen.”
Angel waggled his finger at her, coyly. “Very few people set foot in my kitchen during mealtimes.” He nodded graciously. “But thank you.”
“He’s a control freak,” Jessi said, waving a hand dismissively in his direction. “But we love him. Come. I’ll show you around.” She looped her arm through Amber’s just as she did before, and the two left the great room.
Once the girls were out of earshot, Tommy slung his arm over Robert’s shoulder. “I like her. A lot. And I can tell by the way she looks at you that she’s nuts about you.”
“I’ve never had a relationship like this before. We’re happy, and we get along great,” Robert bragged. “We talk about everything, and we’re in love.”
Angel sighed, with his hand on his chest, and his face turned all gooey. “Isn’t it wonderful to find someone who you can tell anything to? Someone to share your innermost thoughts and worries with? That’s what love is all about. Finding someone who you can trust with your biggest fears, who doesn’t judge, and who makes all the wrongs right. I’m so glad you found that. Imagine how lucky I am to have found two people like that.”
Tommy moved to Angel’s side and took his husband’s hand. “Me too.”
