Page 57 of Better Together

“And what’s mine is yours,” Colt said before disappearing into the room.

Remi bolted for the bathroom and locked herself in. In the quiet solitude, she covered her mouth and rested back against the door. The things they’d brought into the marriage were uneven. She’d gotten all of the benefits, and Colt had gotten a wife who couldn’t give him the life he’d always wanted.

Chapter16

Colt

Asoft poke at Colt’s shoulder woke him from the edges of sleep. Blinking back the heaviness, he stared up at Ben.

Great. Colt had done a good job of waking up before the kids the day before, but the craziness of the past week was catching up to him.

Colt stretched his arms over his head. “Morning.”

“Why are you sleeping on the couch instead of the bed?”

Well, the kid didn’t waste any time getting down to business.

“Just testing out the new furniture.”

“Did you have a fight? Mom sleeps in the guest room when she’s mad at Dad.”

And that was not the information Colt wanted within the first ten seconds of his day. How often had Mark and Brittany fought? What did they consider a fight?

Colt sat up and stretched his neck from one side to the other. “No fights around here. I’m too scared of Remi. Have you seen her ‘I dare you’ face?”

Ben gave a single chuckle. “Yeah. She’s scary.”

“Who’s scary?” Remi asked as she stepped out of the bedroom. Colt’s gray long-sleeve T-shirt hung to the middle of her thighs, covering part of her red pajama pants. Her fiery hair bunched on one side, and she smoothed it with her hands.

Man, it was good to see her face and crazy hair first thing in the morning. “No one. Good morning, princess. We were definitely not talking about you.”

Remi narrowed her eyes at him. “I believe you about as far as I can throw you.”

Colt leaned over and whispered to Ben, “That’s not far.”

Ben chuckled, and Remi rolled her eyes. “Ben, go get dressed, and I’ll make you something for breakfast.”

“Waffles?” Ben asked.

“Real waffles. Not the hockey pucks from the freezer. Clothes!” Remi pointed toward Ben’s room.

He ran off to get ready, and Colt stared at Remi, marveling in the ease in which she’d transitioned into mom mode.

“You want waffles too?” she asked.

Colt picked up his blanket and started folding it. “I’ll take a couple.”

Remi grabbed the pillow and tucked it under her arm. “How did you sleep?”

“Like a log. I only have two sleep modes–comatose and ‘what was that?’”

Remi laughed and shoved the pillow at him. “Wake Abby up, and find out if she’ll eat a waffle, please.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

Colt stored the blanket and pillow in the coat closet. It looked like he’d be needing them every night for the foreseeable future. Then he tiptoed into the kids’ room. “Abby?”

No answer from the lump on the bed.

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