Page 136 of Love Me Again

“Daddy, can you please tell your son to stay out of my bathroom.” Alaia gripes.

RJ crosses his arms over his chest and rolls his eyes.

“Will you tell your daughter to stop being such a princess and that I have to take an ice bath after my training.” Cole and Shayla look at one another while they both continue to bicker. Cole scratches his head, unsure of what to do when Shayla looks at him expectantly.

“Kids, that’s enough.” He declares firmly. “Alaia, you’ve put a claim on the master bathroom sweetheart, from time-to-time other people may want to use it. If you want a private bathroom just for yourself, you can choose one of the others.” Cole states and Alaia looks at him, her mouth agape while RJ throws his hands up.

“Thank you!” He exclaims with a victorious smile while Alaia glowers at him and turns her gaze to her mother.

“Mum, will you please say something.”

Shayla sighs, rubbing her forehead. “Laia, be reasonable, honey. What have I always taught you both about sharing?” Alaia’s shoulders sink when she catches the firm look in her mother’s eyes. “You are both fortunate enough to live in a beautiful home like this, while some people don’t even have a place to call home, let alone argue about who gets the master bathroom,” Shayla explains, looking at both her children exchange glances. “I do not want to hear another word regarding this bathroom dispute, or I will ban you both from using it. Do you understand me?”

“Yes Mum.” They both utter shamefacedly. Shayla nods and sighs, satisfied they both understood.

“Good.” She looks between them. “You’re both mature enough to figure this out without fighting. I’m going to get started on breakfast.” She adds, turning back and walking toward her bedroom to get dressed.

Cole looks at his children, “Go get ready for breakfast.” They both nod and scamper off to their bedrooms. Cole watches them pushing and shoving each other as they walk down the corridor to their separate bedrooms. Cole never had siblings of his own, but he’d imagined if he did, this is what it would have been like. Growing up, Alaia and Rome were continually bickering and finding something to fight over. While they love each other fiercely, they still annoy one another—well, more Rome getting on Alaia’s nerves by being overprotective even though she’s older than him by a year and a half.

Alaia has grown up to be as his father had always dreamed, a carbon copy of her mother but with his eyes. She has long, naturally wavey light brown hair—which she also got from her father— that ends at her waist. She stood at five-foot-five and a slim athletic figure. Her personality was all Shayla, without a doubt, and Cole loved that.

Rome is a handsome boy, tall, athletic, and mischievous. Shayla swears he’s a miniature version of his father, with his dark brown hair that’s cut short on the sides and long on the top, just like Cole’s. And then there’s his little princess, eleven-year-old Aria Rae, who is a mixture of them both but is the sweetest, most loving little girl to have ever walked the earth—after her mother, of course.

Twenty minutes later, the house smelt sensational with home-cooked goodness. Cole strolls into the kitchen while his wife cooks pancakes. He wraps his arms around her from behind and kisses her pulse. “As good as this food smells, I can’t wait to eat you later,” Cole growls in her ear hungrily, making her grin.

“Shh, baby, the kids are going to hear you,” Shayla whispers back, looking up at him, and he matches her grin leaning close.

“They’re not even in here.” Cole chuckles, kissing her softly. Shayla wraps her arms around her husband’s neck and parts her lips when his tongue silently requests permission to meet her own.

“Oh, barf. Mum and Dad are making out again.” RJ grumbles, walking into the kitchen, followed by Alaia, who grimaces as they take their seats at the dining table. Shayla and Cole laugh as they pull apart.

“Now you know how we feel watching you slobber all over your little ‘friends’ you keep bringing over.” Alaia retorts, making air quotes with a roll of her eyes while picking up a piece of fruit and eating it.

“I’m with Laia on this one.” Shayla chimes in, flipping a pancake.

“They are my friends— friends who happen to appreciate my awesome kissing skills,” RJ replies smugly, tossing a grape at Alaia, who giggles and throws it back at him.

“Sounds a lot like someone else I know.” Shayla quips, giving Cole a pointed look. He smirks at her from the dining table but suddenly frowns, looking around. “Hold it. Where’s my mini princess?”

“Right here, Daddy.” Aria chirps, bouncing into the kitchen to join her family. Cole holds his arms open to her, and she runs into him.

“Oh, here she is.” He envelopes her in a hug and kisses her cheek. “Why are you the last one down? Usually, it’s your lazy brother that comes down last.”

Aria pulls away from her father’s embrace and looks over at her big brother, who draws her to him and tickles her. “Are you becoming lazier than me, huh squirt!” Aria laughs, slapping his hands away as he tickles her relentlessly.

“No! You’re still the laziest in the Hoult kingdom. Laia was doing my hair. Stop!” She giggles, fighting in his hold.

“Okay, I’ll let you off, then squirt,” RJ says, ruffling her freshly braided hair, earning himself a glare from both the Hoult sisters.

“Mum, RJ messed up my hair!” Aria grumbles, walking over to her big sister, who pouts and attempts the fix it.

“Rome, leave your sister alone.” Shayla’s firm voice comes from the kitchen.

“Tattletale.” RJ scowls at her playfully, and she narrows her green eyes at him and scrunches up her nose. When RJ reaches out to tweak her nose, she slaps his hand away and glowers at him. Cole chuckles, shaking his head.

“Honey, are you planning on joining us for breakfast?” Cole calls out to Shayla, who laughs a little. “And why have you set the whole table?”

Shayla walks in with a plate of freshly prepared chocolate chip pancakes. “Because we have guests joining us.” She informs them, and they all look at her expectantly. “Everyone’s coming over for breakfast, remember I told you this last night.” Cole blinks up at her and then frowns. “You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”

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