Anya hums, considering my words. “How much trouble can he really get into at that age?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised,” I insist. “He tries to eat almost anything—even dirt. And whatever he’s not trying to eat, he’s trying to climb on. I swear Jade has three mini heart attacks a day, pulling a choking hazard away from him or catching him almost falling off something he shouldn’t be on. And that’s with near-constant monitoring.”
“You’re really good with them,” she says suddenly—and not for the first time. “Do you want kids of your own?”
My eyebrows raise up at the bold question. Normally, I’m the one asking personal questions, and I usually make them more silly and lighthearted so that she doesn’t think I’m a creep, trying to memorize her every thought and desire.
“Oh, that was too much—” she starts to backtrack, eyes wide.
“Not at all,” I cut in, smiling. “I’m just surprised you asked, not put off by it. Honestly, yeah. I want kids someday. I didn’t really think about it a whole lot until Jade had the twins. But I love them so much. They’re challenging, and noisy, and I’m terrified of the responsibility to keep something so small and helpless alive, but I know it’d be worth it.”
Something shifts on her face, and I can’t tell whether it’s negative or positive, but her lips slowly lift into a smile either way.
“That’s nice, Matteo.”
The way she says my name…fuck, that should not give me chills. I should definitely not be focusing on how her pretty pink lips look when she says it, either.
Say something back, you idiot.
“I forgot to ask,” I rush out. “Your dad’s not upset with you because of me, is he? You two are all good?”
“We’re good,” Anya agrees, nodding. “We talked this morning. He was just being overprotective. I’m sorry if he said anything mean to you. He’s trying to adjust to this, but it’s been hard for him…I haven’t made trusting me easy these past couple of years.”
Sympathy softens in my chest.
“If it helps, I think he trusts you a hell of a lot more than he trusts me.”
Anya laughs through a breath. “I think you may be right about that.”
Adding to the joke, I shake my head in mock disappointment. “I feel like I have a very trustworthy face, but he’s not convinced.”
“He’ll come around,” she replies with a light shrug. “Maybe once he becomes better friends with your father.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “You’re really determined to make that happen. I admire the commitment. I’ll start really planning ways to bring them closer this week. Everything has been crazy here lately. I feel like days go by way too fast since the wedding.”
She lights up at the suggestion of planning. “Maybe my dad could go visit, to see the kids. He might consider it if my aunt and uncle stay here with me. Their daughter is at ballet camp for the next few weeks, so it might be a good time.”
“That might work. They’d have to be in close proximity for hours or days depending on how long he stays. I doubt Jade would allow him to get a hotel when we have all the extra room.”
Anya nods, mulling it over. “I wonder how he would feel about staying in a house with so many possible enemies.”
“Possible enemies?” I ask, laying a hand over my chest in view of the camera so that she can see it. “Anya, I’m offended. We’re all family in this house. What could possibly go wrong in a house filled with mistrustful trained killers.”
She’s able to pick up on my sarcasm and laughs lightly.
“Are you one of them?”
My eyebrows rise up. “A mistrustful trained killer?”
She shrugs, but dips her head in a nod, almost looking shy.
Lips twitching, I tilt my head. “Are you trying to record me so that you have a confession on tape to blackmail me in case I forget your birthday or something?”
“What?” she sputters. “Why would I do that? Do you even know my birthday?”
“I’m only teasing.” I chuckle, loving the pink flush on her cheeks. “I know your birthday, Anya. I already have a plan to send you a gift. Do you know mine?”
“You, I—” she stammers. “I asked you a question first.”
