Page 59 of 7+Us Makes Nine

Including my heart.

I slid behind the seat of my car and sighed. My heart was still fluttering. I could still feel his lips on my neck. My body felt empty without him next to it. Without him nestled between my thighs or filling up my body. I cranked up the car and quickly pulled out, trying to put as much distance between the two of us as I could. I rolled down my window to get some fresh air going.

Anything to clear my mind of the debauchery running through it.

I walked back into the house and switched the laundry over to the dryer. Then, I sat down and started making a list of all the things the kids and I w

ould need for our gardens. Seeds. Gloves. Shovels. Wire stakes for the vines to wrap around as they grew. Children’s instructional booklets and watering pails and soil that was already filled with the proper nutrients for what we would grow. I distracted myself by going outside and getting the garden beds ready. Wetting the soil so I could till it with my fingers and clearing out all of the rocks and weeds that had grown up into them over the years.

I worked on those two garden beds for almost three hours before it was time to go get Michaela.

I took a quick shower before I threw some clothes on, then went to go get her. She was always so disappointed whenever I picked her up from school, so I talked to her teachers about possibly bringing her for full days. I felt like she was ready. Any kid that was disappointed to come home from school deserved more time there. It meant she was adjusting well and getting along with those around her. Making memories. Finding things there she loved to participate in. And it made me happy.

But that meant I’d be in Jace’s house from eight in the morning until three in the afternoon by myself.

What in the world was I going to do with my time while the kids were off at school?

Twenty

Catherine

“Cat! I’m so glad you could make it.”

Natasha hugged my neck tightly as I walked out the back doors. She had invited me to a garden party her and Carter were throwing. Which was essentially an excuse to get together, eat food, drink, and donate a shit ton of money to charities they dedicated themselves to fundraising for. And the sheer amount of billionaires on the property was staggering. Everyone who had money was there, and even though I’d been raised around money I still didn’t have any idea as to the type of wealth standing around me. Women were dripping in diamonds and rose gold rings and men were clad in hundred of thousands of dollars’ worth of tailored fabrics.

I’d say it reminded me of my childhood, but even this type of decadence wasn’t something my parents ever indulged in.

“I’m glad I could as well. The kids and I had a very fun adventure in the garden today, and I thought they’d never let me go,” I said.

“Aren’t Saturdays your day off?” she asked.

“Yeah, but I wanted to do something with them today. Jace is dealing with some stuff and I wanted to give him some time to, you know, deal.”

“I saw the latest interview with Anya. She’s looking rough.”

“She’s acting rough, too. But I don’t want to talk about that,” I said.

“Fair enough, because I don’t want any bad joo-joo coming into this garden party.”

“So what charity are you and Carter gunning for now?” I asked.

“Wounded Warriors. A cousin of his just got back from overseas, and his PTSD is pretty rough.”

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah. And the Wounded Warriors Project has really hit home with him lately,” Natasha said. “So, that’s what we’re targeting today.”

“Well that’s a cause I can get behind. Where do I donate?”

“No, no, no. You don’t donate. Carter’s already talked to Jace about it. Jace is bringing us a check at the beginning of the week.”

“I want to donate as well. That man’s paying me more than I’ll be able to spend in a year. I mean, it won’t be something like five hundred million dollars or something.”

“What? I donate five hundred million dollars on a regular basis. Why can’t you?” Carter asked.

“Hey there,” I said as I hugged his neck.

“It’s good to see you, Catherine. I know it means a lot to Natasha that you showed up.”

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