He glances up and down Izabel, his eyes wide with shock. “Jeepers, girl, you're the size of a house,” he exclaims. Her eyes go wide in horror, and she punches his shoulder.
“You aren’t allowed to say that!” she exclaims. He chuckles, then it turns into rolling laughter when she punches him again, putting a lot of force into it.
“Jeez, you got aggressive, too,” he teases.
He holds her at arm’s length and cocks his head to the side. “No, seriously, Ionlysaid that because my wife made meswear, in literally an hour-long lecture, that I was not, under any circumstances, to say anything like that. You actually look beautiful. Glowing. And very,veryhappy.”
Izabel punches him again, laughing and shaking her head. “You are somean,and I don’t forgive you, and I’m telling on you. I need Isaak. He would never speak to me like that,andhe makes me that amazing blue drink with the cucumbers in it. Isaak?” she calls out, walking out onto the patio ahead of me.
“Risky,” I smirk, watching her walk away and admiring the beautiful shape of her body. She really does look gorgeous carrying my son. And she is glowing. And she is very,veryhappy.
“I know. But Kayla made such a big deal out of it she practically turned it into a dare, right?”
“Ultimately, thisisall her fault,” I agree wholeheartedly.
“Exactly. See. You understand. Now tell me…are you ready to burn a steak and lose a battle?”
“I got some insider info that one of the judges happens to like slightly burnt steak,” I tell him, narrowing my eyes.
“Hey man, it’s your risk to take.”
The late afternoon sun is still shining brightly when I find my wife again, talking to Kayla and Alara, happily letting us guys do all the cooking.
“Are you girls up to no good?” I tease as I slip my arm around Izabel’s waist.
“I missed you,” she smiles up at me. “I’ve got some secret information for you,” she grins.
“Oh really, what is that?”
“Well, someone whose name starts with a K and rhymes with Chelsey just told me that she has a new favorite cartoon character, and herdad, who is busy teaching them about the value of earning things, said she can’t get the stuffed toy version of it untilnextmonth, because she already used up her budget for toys this month…” she winks.
I gasp in shock. “Iz, are you suggesting Ibribeone of the judges?”
“Oh, heavens no, I would never. All I’m saying is that I sent you the link to order it online and it can be delivered within the hour as long as you get the order in before six.”
“I can’t believe you,” I huff, pulling my phone from my pocket. “My own wife,” I say, opening her message. “I would never play such a dirty game…” I mutter, losing focus on what I was saying as I navigate to the link she sent me.
“The blue one,” she whispers, standing on her tiptoes to see my phone. “And her sister wants the green one.”
“No pink?” I ask, glancing at Alara and Kayla, who are laughing in amusement.
“Mm. No. Too pink is currently too girly for two little girls,” Kayla says. “We’re all about being grown up and serious now. Pink will only be back in play next month,” she rolls her eyes.
I finish placing the order and grin triumphantly. “It’ll be here by six-thirty, just in time for dinner,” I update them.
“What will be here?” Izabel says innocently.
“Oh, nothing,” I say, catching on. “I better get back to helping Jos before he starts cooking those steaks without me.”
“Wait, before you go, can you help me change?”
“Change?”
“Yes, I want to go for a swim, but…everything is difficult,” she laughs.
“Oh, I remember that feeling. And I had twins,” Kayla sympathizes. I take Izabel’s hand and lead her into the house. We walk through to the guest room where she left her bag containing her swimsuit.
“Are you—”
