“Well, you guys have a good dinner. I’ve got to get home and make something for your dad,” Valerie said. She turned her attention to Giada. “Is the door still unlocked so I can get my things out of the office?”
“No, ma’am, but I can unlock it for you.” Giada and Valerie walked over to the door to the offices. Giada unlocked the door and held it open as Valerie went through. “Just make sure that you wait for the click when you come back through it, to be sure it’s locked before you leave the building.”
“Got it! I’ll do exactly that.””
“Thank you. And thank you for helping me decorate today. I really appreciate it,” Giada said.
“You’re very welcome, sweetie! And the dining room looks great, too!”
“I got that one done before anybody else was here except Mrs. Avaleigh,” Giada said.
“You did a great job. And I’ll see you soon. I’m sure I can find some extra time later this week to come help with whatever is needed,” Valerie said.
“I’ll see you then,” Giada said. Giada turned to Ronan and the kids, walking back over to them. “Mrs. Valerie is your mother,” she said as more of a statement than a question.
“She is. And Maverik is my father. Daniel is my uncle, as are Kaid and Bane and Bam. Avaleigh and Delilah and…”
“I get it,” she said, waving off the rest of his comments, “they’re all your family.”
“Yep.”
“You could have just told me that you belonged here.”
“If I’m here, why would you think I didn’t belong?”
“Anyone in need has every right to be here. That doesn’t mean that I’m not suspicious of anyone who shows more than a passing interest in my sons.”
“As you should. But, I’m not one of those you need to worry about. Honestly, I think they’re good kids and they remind me of a time before I was having to figure out how to make molecular structures and robotics talk to each other. And I like you, too. I like being around all three of you. Am I allowed to say that without being ushered out of the door?”
Giada simply looked at him, considering her answers if she was even going to answer. She couldn’t deny her attraction to Ronan, he was a nice looking man, but then he was still in college — which made him younger than her — and definitely not someone that she should be even looking at in that way. Not that she should be looking at anyone in that way, she was done with men. Men controlled. Men battered. Men forced you into whatever mold or behavior they wanted you to fit in, and if you had kids with them, they used them against you. No men. At all. Ever. That had been her motto since she ran from her husband almost five years before. Kids… even her kids liked him, and that wasn’t good. They were already drawn to him, and he wouldn’t be staying, he was in college, and younger than her, and not at all planning to take on a ready made family — what man was? She realized he was standing patiently, quietly, waiting for her to answer, which then made her aware of the rambling nature of her thoughts. She looked at him, trying to figure out whichanswer to pluck from the jumbled mess of her mind. The easiest answer, one that was noncommittal on her part was the one she chose. “Are you hungry or not?”
“Yes,” he said, doing his best to hide the subtle smile that curved his lips.
“We are, too! We are, too!” the boys answered jumping up and down again.
“You are?! Then you better eat all your dinners!” Giada said, leaning over to tickle them playfully. When she straightened up, she eyed Ronan, her eyebrows raised in question.
“I would be honored to escort you three to dinner, and share a meal with you.”
“Let’s go eat, then,” she said resignedly.
They walked into the cafeteria, which was hosting about thirty-five people at the moment, and Ronan turned in a circle looking at all the streamers and hearts and butterflies. “Wow. It’s in here, too.”
“Yes, it is. I’m hoping it makes people happy.”
“It makes me happy,” Ronan said, following her to a table near the serving line.
“Alright? What are we having?” Ronan asked.
“Chicken!” Matteo shouted, clapping his little hands.
“What are you going to eat?” Leo asked.
“I think I’m going to have some of the couvillion! It’s one of my favorites,” Ronan said.
“Is it hot?” Leo asked.
“I don’t think so. My mom doesn’t make it too spicy. If it is and you don’t like it, we can get you something else,” Ronan said.
