Joshua turned his hazel-green eyes from the women to me, a serious look filling his gaze. “You sure you know what you’re doing?”
I squinted.
Josh shrugged. “Far be it from me to question your private life–”
“Then why are you?”
“I’m just concerned. You two seemed…distant. Far from a loving, newlywed couple. You opted not to have a prenup involved. And with the children–”
“What about my children?” My face tightened.
Joshua raised an eyebrow. “Have you actually had a DNA test done? How do–”
“Joshua, if you value your life, you will not finish that sentence.”
Joshua tilted his head, giving me a look. “You’re Aaron Townsend, CEO of Townsend Industries, and you’ve opted to marry a woman without a prenuptial agreement, no DNA tests to without a doubt determine the children are yours–”
“He looks just like me!” I roared, causing a few of our family members to look over at us.
Joshua nodded, unperturbed by my outburst. “That he does, which is why I’m sure they are yours. Plus, Patience doesn’t seem like the type to lie about something like that. I’m just pointing out that you are behaving uncharacteristically. My usually precise, micromanaging brother who plans everything down to the last detail seems to be…off.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Joshua stared at me for a long time before giving me a curt nod. “Be sure that you do.”
I watched as he turned and walked away. I was about to head back to the table when Kennedy came running over to me. She barely reached my knees but something moved deep inside of my chest when her honey-toned cheeks bunched up as she smiled, staring up at me.
“Daddy, will you dance with me?”
My knees almost buckled.
Daddy.
I felt my face soften. Only one other woman has had the ability to cause this much emotion in me. I glanced up, my eyes locking with my daughter’s mother. That tug began happening again.
“Absolutely,” I told Kennedy, turning my attention back to her. I lifted her so her feet were on top of mine. I didn’t want to squash her feet the same way I’d done her mother’s earlier while we danced. I knew my limitations. My heart rate quickened as Kennedy giggled when I spun her around.
“I see the fairies,” she whispered as we danced.
I lifted an eyebrow. “Fairies?”
She nodded. “They’re all around you.”
I swallowed and spun her again, not wanting to delve into that conversation. Children and animals. They were always a nuisance to me, hanging around me, though I did my best to avoid them. But I couldn’t avoid these children. They were mine. Mine and…I glanced up to see Patience, this time she was on the dance floor with Kyle. Mine and my wife’s.
Chapter Eight
Aaron
“Are you going to say good-bye to your family?”
I paused, turning to a frowning Patience. I hoisted a sleeping Kennedy a little higher up on my shoulder. Patience was holding Kyle in the same position, because he’d fallen asleep as well. It was close to ten at night and we were readying to leave Townsend Manor to head to our home for the night.
“No,” I answered curtly.
Patience rolled her eyes, pushing out a heavy breath. “No manners.”
I watched as she turned her back on me and moved farther from the door.
