“Good. I knew you’d be perfect for Bowie.”
Kari went back over what Popi said, brows arching, his heart kicking up a fuss. “Hold up, what do you mean?”
“I thought I smelled donuts,” Jupiter said, sailing into the kitchen with Emmy cradled in one arm, his gaze homing in on the plate on the counter.
Popi was up and reaching for Emmy, and Kari thought he caught a look of relief, making him more suspicious at Popi’s comment. But with Jupiter right there, the conversation was shelved for now.
Jupiter wore a comically disgruntled look at Popi whisking Emmy from him in a practiced move.
“There’s my girl,” cooed Popi, kissing her forehead.
“I sometimes think you’re disappointed you never had a girl,” chuckled Kari at the adoration Popi didn’t hide.
“I love all my boys.” Popi nuzzled into Emmy’s neck, making her giggle. “But there is something special about a girl.”
Jupiter, who had picked up a donut, snorted. “You’re just thinking about all the pretty things you can buy. I’ve seen all the parcels coming into the house for her nursery.”
The guilty chortle had Kari joining in. “If I remember right, you did add some sparkly decorations to our bedrooms once.”
Popi waved his hand in the air, brushing it off. “Everyone needs sparkles in their life, don’t they Emmy?”
She blew bubbles, gurgling.
Popi glanced at Kari, grinning. “See, she agrees.”
Jupiter and Kari’s eyes met, and they fell about laughing just as Dad walked into the kitchen.
Dad went to Popi and kissed his forehead much the same as Popi had done to Emmy. Then Dad did the same thing to Emmy, making Kari wish like always, for the same deep abiding love his parents shared. The love was so natural between them. Would Bowie ever want others to see what they shared?
“What am I missing?” Dad moved on to grab a donut.
“Popi talking about how we all need sparkles in our lives.” Jupiter smirked at Kari, reaching for a second donut.
Seeing the plate was now nearly empty, Kari nudged Jupiter out of the way of the counter with his elbow. “Popi made these for me,” he pointed out stridently.
“I boxed you up some to share with—”
“No one,” Kari quickly interrupted, seeing the second Popi realized his mistake.
“Greedy,” stated Jupiter, but he glanced between Kari and Popi suspiciously.
Making a show of eating the donut, he rose from his seat, seeing it was time to make a quick exit before the conversationheaded in a direction he didn’t want it to. He already had a lot to think about and plan, with not a lot of time.
You don’t have to plan anything. We’ll just do what Bowie wants.
Was it as simple as that?
Kari wasn’t sure. That didn’t stop him from hoping.
Chapter Thirty
Bowie
Kari hummed to himself as he clattered around in the kitchen making lunch. His scent was driving Bowie to distraction. He’d never felt this out of sorts by it before. He waved a hand in front of his face, trying to move the scent away when something unusual happened in his boxer briefs. Bowie glanced at his lap, wide eyed at the gush of slick, which soaked through his pants.
Ewww!
Up and moving silently towards his bedroom, a shaking started inside him. He barely made it into the room, his limbs feeling like they belonged to someone else. It wasn’t the only thing wrong. Bowie’s clothes were abrasive on his oversensitive skin. Unable to tolerate them a second longer, he clawed at them to get them off. They landed on the floor in a trail behind him as he staggered straight to the bathroom to get something to wipe up the slick continuing to drip out of him.
