“Oh, please. You two look adorable together.”
Lexi looks up. She’s onto the fourth band of her rainbow now.
“Youthree,” Emily amends.
“We haven’t been seeing each other that long.” I put my hand on Corey’s knee under the table. I don’t want him to doubt my feelings for him while I try to divert Emily off the subject of marriage.
“Ice cream!” the kids cheer as the waiter brings over our order.
Thank god for good timing.
“You’re an art teacher?” Emily asks Corey.
“I’m in my first year.”
“Secondary school?”
“Yes.”
“Do you enjoy it?”
“It has its ups and downs. I was getting stressed out, but then Spence helped me gain some perspective. Things have been going better since then.”
Emily smiles at me.
“Your ice cream is going to melt if you don’t stop talking and start eating,” I say.
Her smile turns into a glare. “I could go off you.”
“But you won’t.”
“You two are really close, aren’t you?” Corey asks.
“When he’s not annoying me, yes,” Emily says.
“My brothers and I are too.”
“Do you want more kids?” Emily asks.
Corey’s eyes widen. “I… hadn’t thought about it.”
“Youdon’twant a little brother,” Tabitha tells Lexi. “They’re a pain.”
“Hey!” Robbie objects.
“Tabitha,” Emily says in a warning tone. “Apologise.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re in trouble, na na na na naa naa,” Robbie sings before sticking his tongue out.
“You’ll be in trouble too if you carry on like that,” Aaron says. “I’ll happily take your ice cream away from you.”
“Sorry,” Robbie mumbles. He puts an arm around the tall glass holding his ice cream and pulls it closer to him, obviously protecting it from his dad.
Lexi, who has been watching the squabble between Tabitha and Robbie, puts on an angelic, butter-wouldn’t-melt expression. I chuckle, knowing full well that she can be just as naughty as my niece and nephew. Not that I’d change anything about any of them. They’re amazing, and I love them all.
“Daddy is an artist too,” Lexi says proudly.
