Rubin gave Leila a smile, one very reminiscent of Diego. She hadn’t noticed before how much they looked alike, but now that they were in a different environment, she could see how closely they resembled each other.
“Brought my wife to meet you, Leila. This is Jonquille, the love of my life.”
I told you he was the romantic one. He writes poetry about her.
Diego sounded as if he might be mocking his brother, but in her mind, hefeltproud of him. Admiring. Even a bit envious.
She looks as if she might need a man who can write flowery words. They must be well suited, just the way we are.She didn’t need poetry. She needed what Diego gave her. Peace. Contentment. Protection. Loyalty.
Diego tightened his arm around her shoulders. “Best sister ever,” he greeted and bent to brush a kiss on Jonquille’s cheek. He didn’t loosen his hold on Leila to do it.
“I’m so pleased to meet you,” Leila said. “Thank you for putting Gracie’s room together. It’s amazing and far better than I could ever have done.”
Rubin indicated that they should keep walking toward the kitchen. Jonquille went with him, but she flashed Leila a smile. “I’m so glad you like it. I did research on various children’s rooms and loved that look. I had never read the Beatrix Potter books, so I did before I chose that theme. Fortunately, I’m good on a computer and I’m a fast reader. I loved the stories and envisioned reading them to her.”
“I love the variety of children’s books you chose,” Leila said. “Iread quite a bit and want Grace to develop a love of reading as well.” Involuntarily, she pressed tighter to Diego. “I’m looking forward to reading all the children’s books at every age level. When I was little, my mother read to me. When Bridget came along, she read all the same books to her, and I got to hear them all over again. I want to experience that with Gracie.”
“I want to do the same with our children,” Jonquille agreed. “Rubin and I talk about the way we want to raise our children so we can work out the kinks ahead of time.”
Rubin placed the tote on the middle island in the kitchen and began to pull out the warmers. “Bottom line, we aren’t going to physically punish our child or yell.” He glanced at Diego, who exchanged a very sober look with him. “We’re raising them with praise and encouragement.”
Leila tried to read the brothers. She knew a good deal about Diego’s childhood. Those things were the exact opposite of what he had experienced.
“I like that,” Leila said. “I can’t imagine anyone raising their voice to Gracie or striking her.”
The moment she used the word “striking,” Diego stiffened beside her. She had the feeling anyone daring to hit their daughter would find themselves on the wrong end of his predatory wrath.
“I was very impressed when I heard Pepper reprimanding her daughter for talking back disrespectfully to Nonny. She handled it quietly but sternly. At the time, I thought: That’s the way I hope to talk to Gracie when she gets too far out of line.”
“That must have been Ginger,” Rubin said, humor in his voice. He exchanged another look with Diego, and this time, she felt the laughter in them both.
Jonquille must have as well, because she bumped her hip against Rubin’s. “Being disrespectful, especially to Nonny, isnotfunny.”
“Everything that child does is funny,” Diego contradicted.“She’s a little spitfire. While I’m glad she’s Wyatt’s naughtiness to raise, I anticipate we might have similar experiences.”
“For sure, Trap will,” Rubin said, sounding far too pleased. “His twins not only inherited a combination of crazy genetics, but they are extremely intelligent.”
“The worst combo,” Diego agreed, sounding just as pleased as Rubin.
The tone of their voices and the humor in Diego made Leila laugh. “You don’t sound in the least sympathetic,” she pointed out. “Just saying, karma can be a bitch. What you’re wishing on your friend could just as easily happen to the two of you.”
Jonquille nodded her agreement. “And you both would deserve it.”
“Just remember, baby”—Rubin kissed Jonquille’s ear—“whatever happens to me, happens to you, and the same goes for Diego and Leila.”
“And still, you’re wishing this on your friend Trap,” Leila said.
The two brothers looked at each other and burst out laughing. The sound filled the kitchen and warmed Leila even more. She couldn’t help exchanging a raised eyebrow with Jonquille, and they both burst out laughing. It felt—right. Perfect. A perfect moment. Diego just kept giving them to her.
“Trap deserves to have his little twins giving him heck,” Rubin said as he casually reached into the cupboard and pulled out four plates.
Leila found it strange that Rubin knew where the dishes were in her home and she didn’t. She also immediately caught on to the very close relationship between the brothers. Diego would never expect Rubin to knock and not enter their home immediately. That meant the brothers would have the code to each other’s homes. Diego would expect his brother and sister-in-law to be welcome to any meal. It was a statement of their family dynamic.
She took a moment to think about how she really felt. Did she consider it an intrusion? Did that kind of closeness appeal to her? She would be expected to welcome Rubin and Jonquille anytime, day or night. Most likely, with any child they had it would be the same. But Gracie would have that closeness. They would treat her like their own, just as she knew Diego would treat Rubin’s child as his. The way he embraced Grace. It was the way Nonny became a grandmother to all of them. She accepted them into her family without reservation. She would be giving that legacy to Grace and any other children she and Diego had together.
It wasn’t that they didn’t have their own lives or their secrets. She certainly knew Diego did. But there was such beauty in the closeness of the brothers. They showed each other unconditional love. Diego was giving her that gift.
She looked at him and knew her heart was in her eyes. “What does Trap do that you both are certain he needs his children to be like Ginger?”
