Back in their bedroom, after more sex, she listened to her husband’s even breathing and finally fell into a restless sleep.
In the intervening hours, Meggie’s temper cooled enough to get through the evening.
“You look so pretty, Jana,” Meggie complimented when Christopher guided her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law into the den, then released her hand so she could sit on the sofa. “The gray jumpsuit complements your eyes.”
Jana swung her gaze to Diesel where he stood at the bar with Christopher and CJ. Gunner sat on the counter, close to Christopher. The Triplets sat around the coffee table, while Rebel looked deceptively calm on the chaise lounge.
Unsure if Jana was asking Diesel permission to speak, Meggie waited patiently until Jana made her decision.
“Rebel lent me this,” she finally said.
“You wear it well,” Meggie said, trying again.
“Thank you,” she mumbled. “She was too tired to do my makeup. I-I asked to borrow her stuff—”
“I’m out of unused brushes,” Rebel cut in. “And I don’t have extra makeup that looks good on both of us. I don’t know what mood I’ll be in on any given day, so if I give you my stuff outright, that’s unfair to me. Sorry.”
“I don’t have anything wrong with me,” Jana said, “but you wouldn’t even lend me your lipstick. I don’t need a brush.”
“First? Gross. Second, you don’t have to have anything wrong with you,” Rebel retorted and thrust her chin toward Diesel. “You kiss him. That’s enough.”
“Would you please stop taking digs at me, Rebel?” Diesel said tightly.
“If you and Jana would leave me alone, it would be my pleasure to never talk to you or about you again,” Rebel said.
“Enough,” Meggie ordered, glad to see Rebel out of her room, where she’d moped all day, but wishing Diesel listened to Rebel for once in his miserable life. “One thing I’d like to discuss is your father and I have decided to undertake additional renovations to the house.”
As expected, groans and grumbles rose up. During the picnic last night, Christopher informed Meggie he’d chosen the contractor and preliminary work would began after the returned from the cabin.
“Jo will be home in a matter of days,” Meggie said, unable to keep the anticipation out of her voice. “Your daddy and me have already chosen her nursery and our bedroom on the West Hallway.”
Their bedroom was the only ensuite on that side. Jo’s nursery would be directly across the hall. Closet space would be a problem, but Meggie would figure that out.
“We’re completely redesigning the second and third floors,” Meggie continued.
“And addin’ a fourth,” Christopher put in. “That’s gonna be for me and your ma. She gonna finally have fuckin’ windows in our bedroom. It’s gonna have same shit we got now, except a lil’ bigger.”
Understatement. What Christopher proposed would be insanely huge.
“We’re gonna have nurseries for Jo and Gunner that we can turn into something fuckin’ else when they ready to be not as close to your ma.”
“MegAnn?” Gunner asked.
“Yeah, boy,” Christopher answered. “Third level still gonna have Megan’s Museum.”
The walls with her pictures that he insisted on having.
“I’m probably gonna have some type of hallway or atrium in our suite, so I can add to my collection of your ma.”
“The third level will have suites,” Meggie said, wondering how her kids would like Christopher’s idea of having this as a family residence.
“Reb got a suite,” Axel said.
“What your daddy wants is for this house to be our compound,” Meggie said. “You’d each have mini suites with sitting rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, and closets. If you wanted another room, we’d see what we could do. Everything else would be the same.”
“No, thank you,” Rebel said. “Give me the treehouse if they don’t want it.”
“Rebel—” Christopher started.
