At the same time, I’ve barely had the chance to spend time with Lukas. That’s the most important thing right now.
“Did you have fun today?” I ask, turning my chair toward his.
“Yep. Is this my day care now, Mommy?” he asks, giving me a cheesy smile. “I like it.”
I don’t know what to say to that, but I’m saved by Patrick and Cormac coming into the kitchen.
Cormac smiles and makes his way over to help Malachy.
Patrick slides up behind my chair, his hand coming to rest on my neck at the top of my spine. He leans around, waving at Lucky, and kisses my cheek. “Dinner smells delicious. I worked up quite the appetite this afternoon.” He pecks a quick kiss on my cheek and laughs at the glare I shoot at him. “How about you, sweetheart?”
My face burns as I recall all the begging and demanding I did sandwiched between him and Cormac. Thankfully the round of suppressants I took before my shower with Malachy seems to be helping settle my system.
“I’m hungry,” Lucky says, answering for me. “Mommy, that your new shirt?”
I look down, remembering I’m in Malachy’s clothes.
God, leave it to my kid to put me on the spot.
Patrick laughs, moving to sit in the chair next to mine. “You know it’s almost Christmas. Right, Lucky?”
“Yep! Mommy, we gotta go homenow! Santa won’t find me.”
My chest gets tight, and my mind races.
Before I can speak, Cormac appears on the other side of Lucky, setting down a serving tray filled with pork chops and chicken breasts.
“Don’t worry about that,” Cormac says, ruffling his hand through Lucky’s hair. “I updated your information on the registry myself. Santa will indeed find his way to you on Christmas Eve night.”
“What?” Lucky blurts out with wide eyes. “What’s that?”
“There’s a list that moms and dads fill out. It tells Santa Claus where to find all the kids on Christmas Eve night,” Malachy chimes in, coming to the table with large bowls of macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. “You can help decide what to buy your mommy for Christmas.” The giant alpha winks at me, places the bowls down, and turns around to go back for more dinner supplies. He’s in a plain white T-shirt that stretches over his muscular back, and I get the craziest mental flashes of how my nails raked over his skin in the shower.
I’m not entirely convinced that this is real life. Nothing ever goes this smoothly for me, but I’m going to soak it up while I have the chance.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cormac
Dinner is as delicious as always, but that’s no surprise. It’s nice to eat together as a family. We occasionally stand around the island or sit at the barstools, but it’s rare that the three of us all sit to enjoy a meal together.
After Malachy carted Charlotte away like a caveman earlier, I spoke to Patrick about Vanessa. He said she seemed genuinely relieved to see we had no intention of honoring the contract, but that doesn’t fix the issue of what happens if they don’t pay back the original loan.
It’s a mess we’re going to have to address sooner rather than later.
It’s insulting to Charlotte that the world thinks we’re still going to marry Vanessa. Especially considering Charlotte is living here, and we’re in the process of courting her.
It is obvious that we’re courting her, right?
Charlotte knows that part.
She has to.
I think.
Holy fuck.
We forgot courting gifts.
