Still, even with her out-of-this-world apple pie, she’d found some combination of vegan butter and olive oil to replace her beloved sticks of butter.She’d written down the measurements, and it was a science.
Sure, it took some trial and error to get her to cut out the fried chicken and sweet tea, but the woman looked great—all sleek and supple.Next May, she’d turn sixty-five, something she’d dreaded.But age hadn’t seemed to touch her, and she glowed with health and happiness…thanks, in small part, to me.
I stole a kiss while Kate, Aya, Regan, and Jenna huddled together, sighing over how big Ike had gotten and why couldn’t he stay closer to home (than the thirty-five minute drive) and all the kids were growing too fast.
That was true.Levi was a gangly pre-teen, all elbows and long legs and too-big feet.He’d inherited Nash’s singing talent and Aya’s sharp mind…and already broke lots of middle school hearts and irked his teachers to no end.His smile was heartbreaking and his eyes filled with mischief, but he had a soft spot for his little sister and all his cousins, turning fiercely protective if he thought any of them were being treated unfairly.
Nash and Aya had their hands full with that kid.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jasmine murmured against my lips.
“That we ditch the kids and take a nap?”I waggled my eyebrows.
Her smile still bloomed across her face.“Speak for yourself, old man.Ican go all day.”
Slipping my hands down so that they sat at the top swell of her delectable ass, I said, “I know all about your performance in the kitchen.”I nuzzled against her ear before nipping the tender lobe.“But I was talking about bedroom activities.You always sleep so sweet after I?—”
She kissed me hard to shut me up, as I’d hoped she would.
“Gross!Gramma and Pops are kissingagain.”This was from Lyric, Kate’s daughter, who was the most dramatic of the bunch.
She was cute and lively and lots of fun, but the girl was a performer.So far, she’d taken to musical theater, more interested in dancing and acting her way through a song than standing in front of a microphone.
She’d informed us all that we needed to be available in May for her debut as the lead in her high school play.We’d all solemnly marked the date in our calendars.
I heard a few chuckles and fake gags, but I didn’t lift my head or end the kiss.Jasmine’s lips were soft, supple…one of my favorite spots to savor.
“That’s enough, Pops,” Nash called.“You’re giving the kids ideas.”
Yes, Nash still called me Pops from time to time—relishing in the tongue-in-cheek moniker.Thanks to him, all the kids had taken to the moniker with relish.I loved how much they loved having a special name for me, and I showed them all how much they meant to me as often as possible.Levi wanted to go fishing—I was there.Lyric wanted a trail ride—count me in.Nash and Aya’s five-year-old daughter, Amaya, wanted Pops to drop her at kindergarten—done and done.Sometimes I’d linger at the class doorway and watch her color, already missing the chubbiness of her little fists.
We’d taken Ike on a weeks-long tour of the East Coast to look at universities last summer, and I hoped to make that a tradition for the other kids.
With a long-suffering sigh, I disengaged from my lovely wife.Her dreamy expression had me dipping my head again, but Carter clapped my shoulder, forcing me to abort my plans to kiss Jasmine silly.
“Later, after we eat.The littles are languishing, and so am I.”
“That’s because you took that call instead of eating breakfast,” Regan called.She laughed at Carter’s wrinkled nose.
“I don’tlikeoatmeal,” he said.
“You’d have liked Steve’s baked oatmeal,” Jasmine said.“He makes it with apples, honey, cinnamon, and these toasted almonds.It’s basically a healthy dessert.”She licked her lips.“Yum!”
Carter’s expression soured, which caused Regan and the kids to howl with laughter.“You didn’t tell me you doctored it up with yumminess,” he accused his wife.
She raised her cocktail as she winked.“Your loss, sweet cheeks.Let’s not forget that youpromisednot to work on this vacation.”Regan raised her eyebrows.
Carter had told us that he and Regan had decided not to have kids.Based on her childhood, I could understand their reasoning.They’d braced themselves for our reaction, no doubt expecting us to try and talk them out of their decision, but as Jasmine pointed out, kids weren’t for everyone and Carter and Regan were the most fun auntie and uncle the rest of the kids could dream of having.
Carter grimaced.“Yeah, you’re right.I’ll let my company burn to the ground?—”
“As if it would, what with the people you’ve hired,” Cam said.He nudged his twin out of the way and peered over Jasmine’s shoulder into the huge sauté pan where she’d tossed in onions and mushrooms.“What’s that going to be, and will I like it?”
Jasmine shot him an exasperated look.“Have I ever made anything you didn’t like, Camden Grace?”
“No, Mama, but I gotta admit, I’m getting peckish myself.”He patted his stomach as he shot Aya a rueful glance, and she lifted her cocktail glass toward him in salute of his use of the Britishism.
“It’s still an hour or so till dinner,” Jasmine said.
