Ugh. All I want to do right now is have a scalding-hot shower and brush my teeth for ten minutes straight.
CHAPTER 13
BLAKE
We’ve been driving for forever. At least that’s what it feels like.
The car trip has been an emotional war zone, with arguments, tears, a few moments peace when the iPads came out, and then a beautiful throw-up from Nichelle that has made the car freaking stink.
I shouldn’t have let her have a milkshake with dinner. But she really wanted it, and Grady had already said no to apple pie à la mode, so I quickly jumped in with a yes before she was denied anything else.
His eyebrows had buckled with irritation, but he hid it because the girls were watching. And now I get to spend the next however long dreading that moment when it’ll just be the two of us and he’ll gently bring up the topic of parenting and how I need to stop letting the girls have whatever they want.
Ugh.
We’ve had this discussion so many times, and I just can’t seem to explain myself to him.
I never expected us to have different styles. We’re so aligned in every other area of our lives, but when it comes to the girls, he wants to be all strict, and I want to let them figure out stuff on their own.
I really don’t want to get into an argument about it this weekend, so I’ll do my best to just avoid being alone with him. Thankfully, the house will be bursting with people, which will make my goal that much easier to achieve.
“Here we are.” Grady slows the car, peering at the letterbox. “Is this the one?”
I double-check the email Sienna sent us, scanning my phone screen and nodding. “Yup, down the driveway about half a mile, and there’s plenty of parking on the left.”
“Sweet.” Grady drives through the light snowfall, the wipers sweeping across the windshield as more soft flakes skip down to the car.
“Snowing!” Kendall giggles. “Snowman, Daddy?”
“Yeah, we can build a snowman.” Grady grins.
“Now?”
“In the morning, snuggle bug.”
“I want now.” She taps the window with her little finger.
“It’s too late now. It’s dark, and we need to get inside and say hi to everybody. We’ll build one in the morning, okay?”
She huffs but doesn’t argue with him, thank God. I can hear the edge of tension in his voice. He’s so over being bad cop. This trip has been a tough one. Maybe when we leave, we should aim for the evening so the girls can just sleep their way home. Sounds good to me.
We slowly make our way down the tree-lined driveway, and I lose my breath when we round the final corner and a freaking mansion appears.
“Oh my gosh,” I whisper.
Grady brakes, and we take a moment to drink in the colossal white house with the pillars out front and the rows of windows on both stories.
“How many rooms does this place have?” Grady glances at me.
“I think about a million,” I reply with an impish grin. “Sienna outdid herself this time.”
He laughs, accelerating forward and parking next to a minivan with rental stickers on the side.
“Uncle Wily!” Nichelle squeals from the back, and Kendall immediately starts wrestling with the buckle of her car seat.
“Slow down, snuggle bug. Just let Daddy turn the engine off. I’ll come help you,” Grady says.
“Don’t need help.” Kenny’s little fingers struggle with the clip while Nichelle flings the door open and jumps out the door.
