“Oh God.” I touch my fingers to my lips. “We need to nip that little sanitary nickname in the bud because if word gets out on the mean Paragon streets, our kids are never going to live thatdown.”
Em rolls her eyes as if I’ve erred on the side of the dramatic. “She’s just calling it like she sees it.” She starts to walk off, then backtracks, poking her finger in Gage’s chest. “Get your shit together. I’d like to see my brother again one day soon.” Her slitted eyes return to me. “And, you”—she pokes her finger in my boob, and I let out a yelp—“I have a message foryou.”
A breath hitches in my throat because traditionally Em’s messages usually frighten me right out of my skin. Those prognosticating panic-riddled pattern filled nightmares have routinely led me straight into trouble—with the exception of that one time she predicted the arrival of the twins who were actually triplets—my precious serpentine butterfly. Poor Sage, all alone in the nethersphere with my mother of all people. It’s no wonder she’s a pint-sized danger to herself and others. Once things die down, I plan on venturing up there and spending some good quality alone time withher.
“We don’t want another message,” Gage answers for me as he herds us down thehall.
“It’s from Chloe,” she barks after us. “She says it’s time to make good on that promise or she’sbailing.”
“Freaking Chloe,” I mutter under my breath as we hit the porch. “Will do!” I shout back and wave before Gage and I take off for the waiting minivan and load it up with ourlove.
Gage buckles in the last twin before wrapping his strong arms around my waist and landing those perfectly formed full lips to mine as we share a hot, deliciouskiss.
“You ready to have a few blissful days with just you, me, and the boys?” Those dark brows of his do a little dance, and my insides quiver at thesight.
“I am ready to have a lifetime of just you and me and theboys.”
“Good. Let’s move it.” He gives my bottom a light pat, and I can’t help but giggle. “Is that a naughty sign of things tocome?”
His lids hood low, those dimples of his dig in deep. “I think the very first thing we should do is get naughty andcome.”
“Ooh.” I wince. “Lucky for you, the boys areasleep.”
“And if we’re both lucky, they’ll stay that way for hours.” He gives a gentle peck to my lips before we hop into thevan.
It’s just the boys, Gage, andme.
I look out the window and frown up at my bedroom window because it once belonged to that gnat in my eye—Chloe.
Yes, for the next few days, it’s going to be just the boys, Gage, andme.
AndChloe.
Damn her tohell.
And if my plan works, I will do justthat.
The driveto Whitehorse is giddy with sexual prospect as Gage entertains me with the things he plans on doing to my body once we get settled. He’s convinced that the boys will nap for four daysstraight.
“You are a dirty,dirtyboy.” I reach over and pick up his hand as he takes the final turn, and we both gasp as that gaping hole that once held the bowling alley comes up ahead. “My God, it’s like a slap in theface.”
“It feels as if the island is giving us the middlefinger.”
“I’llsay.”
The minivan curves into the driveway, but my head remains craned to that desolate sight. “I hope Ellis’ craptastic idea pays off forLogan.”
“It paid off for us.” He gives a shit-eating grin as he kills the engine. “Come on, the boys are asleep. I want to carry you over the threshold. This is a big deal. A week-long vacay from Tad is like Christmas and my birthday rolled intoone.”
“Oh, come on. You know you’re going to miss the hell out of him.” I give a little wink and run up the porchlaughing.
Gage flips a baseball cap over his head and opens the side door of the minivan closest to where we can keep an eagle eye on theboys.
I waste no time in doing a little happy dance at our prospective—albeit short-livedfreedom.
Gage pulls out his phone and snaps a picture of me at the door. “Wait, I want to get a video of this for posterity.” I give a brisk wave to the camera and flash my brightestsmile.
One day when I’m old and gray I want to look back at how happy it made me to know I’d be doing a little horizontal dance with my handsome hubby in just a few shortminutes.
