My eyes widen, a laugh bubbling up before I can stop it. I turn my head into him, narrowing my eyes. “Behave.”
“No promises,” he winks as he teases back.
The sadness momentarily fades, and I try to enjoy the night and be in the moment, cataloging every detail just in case it all disappears.
33
ALEX
Dinner is over and the restaurant is buzzing with quiet conversations and post-meal satisfaction. The table is a mess—empty plates stacked, half-drunk glasses of wine and beer, and the remnants of what was arguably the best meal I’ve ever had. Cam really outdid himself, not that I’d ever admit that to him. His ego is big enough already.
I stack a couple dirty plates and head toward the back kitchen, pausing slightly when I hear Liv and Frankie bickering by the bar.
“My God, Liv. Are you a vulture? All you do is hover.” Frankie grumbles, trying to step around her with an armful of glasses.
Liv gasps, clutching her chest in a dramatic display. “I’m helping too, pesado.”
“If by helping, you mean standing directly in my way, then yeah, sure.”
“Maybe if you said please, I’d move.”
Frankie huffs, adjusting his grip. “Pleeeeease, shut up,” he demands, exaggerating the ‘e’.
Liv smirks. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
I shake my head and keep walking. Those two have argued like that since they first learned how to talk. Some things truly never change.
Sophia and Emma are sitting on the floor with Mia, laughing as she claps her hands and babbles nonsense words. Emma looks happy,reallyhappy. It’s contrasting to the tired smile she’s been giving lately and it makes me content to know it’s still inside her somewhere.
I walk up behind, squat down to her level and press my free hand gently on her back. “You okay?”
She leans into my touch for a second before tilting her head up to me. “Yeah.” She affirms, and I believe her.
Satisfied, I press a quick kiss to the top of her head before heading back toward the kitchen. Cam and Leo already have their sleeves rolled up, arms submerged in soapy water as they scrub everything clean again.
Cam glances at me as I set the plates in the sink. “Didn’t peg you for the dishwashing type.”
I smirk. “I’m a man of many talents.”
Leo snorts. “Oh, yeah? Name three.”
Grabbing a dish towel, I decide to contribute by helping dry plates and glasses after they are rinsed. I wait to answer, adding to the dramatic effect, then finally say, “Drinking beer, pissing off Frankie, and making your sister scream my name.”
Leo drops the plate he is scrubbing back in the dirty water and walks away. “For fuck’s sake.”
Cam violently shakes his head. He scrubs a plate aggressively before handing it off to me. “Just take care of her, okay?” His voice is quiet and serious.
I acknowledge. “Always.”
He meets my gaze for a long moment, trying to gauge my sincerity before turning back to the sink. He didn’t give me his blessing, but it’s as close as I’m going to get, for now.
By the time we’re done, most of the mess we made has beencleared. The girls help set the tables and chairs back to their original positions. The dining area looks pristine, as if nothing out of the ordinary ever took place.
I find Emma leaning against the bar, her arms crossed as she watches me with careful admiration.
“You ready to head out?” she asks.
I nod once, tossing the towel onto the counter and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Yeah, Princess. Let’s go.”
