She’d chosenme.
By the time Laurel made it home the next morning, Sutton and I were lounging on the couch. She was tucked into my side while she focused on a book, and I focused on her. Or focused as much as I could with Pandora curled up on my chest, demanding attention.
Laurel walked in the back door, set the car keys on the counter, and split a gaze between Sutton and me. “I see we’ve finally gotten over this bullshit between you two. Can we agree to no more fights?”
Sutton laughed and glanced up at me before turning her attention back to her daughter. “You know that’s going to be impossible, Lolo. Just this morning, Atlas and I fought about whether pineapple belongs on pizza.”
Yeah, and she may have thought she’d won that one, but I’d spread her out on the island and feasted on her for breakfast just to put an end to the argument. So who was the real winner here?
“Fine,” Laurel said with a sigh. “Fighting is okay. Moving in to a place without real walls or floors when you’re mad at each other is not.”
Sutton dipped her chin in a nod. “I promise I won’t storm off in a huff and move in to another residence, temporary or not.”
I tugged Sutton into my side and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And I promise I won’t make her.”
“Good. Maybe now things can get back to normal around here.” Laurel headed toward her bedroom before turning back to us, her eyes narrowed. “Unless this means there will be little rug rats running around.”
Sutton tipped her head back, glancing up at me, and I met her gaze with a raised brow.
“Your call, trouble. I want what you want.” I lowered my voice so only she could hear. “I’ll take you upstairs right now and start practicing, or I’ll call on Monday and schedule a vasectomy.”
“I’ve already gone through the terrible twos and the tyrant threes. I don’t need to do it again.”
“Second option, it is,” I said.
Sutton rested her hand on my stomach, heat flaring in her eyes as she caught her bottom lip with her teeth. “I’m definitely not opposed to the practicing part, though.”
With a groan, Laurel tossed up her hands. “Control yourselves for five minutes, please.”
“Sorry, kid,” I said.
“No, you’re not.”
“You’re right. I’m not.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and leveled her stare on me. “Since there won’t be any children running around, I would like to negotiate something else.”
“What’s that?” I asked warily, already sensing I was in trouble.
Laurel’s chin tipped up the slightest bit, and she stared down her nose at me like the confident little shit she was. “I want another cat.”
“Absolutely not,” I said without hesitation. “I hate cats.”
“Clearly.” She rolled her eyes, gesturing to where Pandora was curled up on my chest. “Come on, Daddy Grump, I’ll even let you name the next one.”
“Thenextone? I named this one!”
Her laughter rang out as she walked away, tossing over her shoulder, “Sure you did.”
As I watched her head toward the bedroom she’d made her own, something unfamiliar settled in my chest. A warmth that had absolutely nothing to do with the tiny menace purring against my sternum.
My house had always been just a space to escape to when I needed solitude and privacy. Now, it was a home. Filled with the absolute chaos of two strong-willed women, both of whom had somehow become essential to my existence.
That should have terrified me. Instead, it felt like I’d finally found the missing pieces to a life I hadn’t realized was incomplete.
“I love that little hustler,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against Sutton’s temple.
She tipped her head back, smiling up at me. “She loves you too.”
