"Open up," Lucas said holding the fork to my mouth. It was the second time he had insisted on feeding me as we sat for breakfast this morning.
"You do know I can feed myself," I giggled but opened my mouth anyways.
"I never said you couldn't, I enjoy taking care of you,"
His words made my heart melt as he smeared some watermelon into my mouth. I attempted to speak but ended up sending juices trickling down my chin. Lucas wiped it softly with the pad of his thumb and brought it to his lips, licking off whatever remained. It was sexy as fuck.
"Daddy, what about me?" Abby cried from where she sat opposite Aiden on her side of the table. "You didn't feed me too."
"Come here you little princess," he gave a beaming smile and got to his feet, turning around to feed Abby a piece of her cheesecake.
"Mmmm," she giggled at the sweet taste, "it's so sweet."
"Just like you, my sweet little angel," after giving her a small kiss on her forehead, he attempted to feed Aiden too.
"Dad, I'm a big boy, you can only feed little girls." he grinned as he spoke with pride.
Lucas ruffled his hair with a chuckle. "My little genius is growing up so fast."
After taking his seat, he took my hand again and brought it to his lips this time. I could tell he had something to say, yet I was not fully prepared for what he said. "Kids, Chris and I have something important to tell you."
"Okay," they chorused together but their attention was more focused on their food.
I raised my brow, wondering what he was going to say, but he just gave a reassuring nod and turned back to the kids. "Chris and I," he cleared his throat softly and gave me a look full of adoration before going on. "Chris is my girlfriend, I would like you both to know that Chris is my girlfriend."
I held my breath for the next few seconds of silence as the kids absorbed the information that had just been giving to them. I had been avoiding this part just because what if the kids do not want me dating their dad. I knew Lucas loved me and I loved him too, but in the end, a great part of his decision would be dependent on what the kids wanted and there really was nothing I could do to change that. He adored his kids and they would always come first for him. I understood that and if anything I loved him even more for it.
"Does that mean Chris will stay with us forever?" Abby asked first. Her blue innocent eyes widened and shone with hope and anticipation that made my heart overflow with more love for her.
"I think Chris is in a better position to answer that." Lucas turned his attention to me, eyes silently pleading for me to say yes.
It was a promise that would carry more weight than just agreeing to be there for them always as their nanny. The kids had gone through the pain of abandonment before and even if they were not old enough to understand what that meant it had affected almost every aspect of their life until now. I knew if I was going to say yes, I was not just saying yes to Lucas I was saying yes to always being there for them. The weight of such a promise would have scared me away any other day but not when I had everything I have ever needed right here within my reach. Close enough for me to reach and hug them or kiss them or tell them how much they each meant to me. And I would be dammed if I let something so special slip through my hands.
So I nodded and said a croaked "yes, it means I'll always be here." willing myself to keep the tears at bay.
The twins gave a relieved sigh and I realized I was not the only one holding my breath. After another beat of silence, most of which I spent watching the kids as they ate their food, Lucas asked, "So that's okay with you both?"
"Hmm-hmm," Aiden nodded and turned back to his breakfast.
"Chris, will you get to be our mommy too?" I froze at the question, blinking a few times in surprise. Not knowing how to answer, I turned to Lucas expecting to see the same surprise and confusion written on his face, but instead, he was grinning.
He brought my fingers to his lips again, and kissed them softly, before turning back to the kids, "That's something I can see in our near future, actually it's something I hope to achieve the moment I fix everything holding me back."
His words brought back a memory of what he said last night about ties he had to his past. And I considered a subtle way of bringing it up. The kids continued chatting together about wanting to go to Grammy's house this weekend and I took the chance as they started arguing about who was going to use the new lego set back at the estate. "Lucas?' I called softly.
He looked at me. I felt much more relieved with his hands still holding mine on the table. "Talk to me."
"Um...I." I chewed on my lips wondering if it was the best time to tell him. "Sarah sent me a message when I went out with the kids yesterday."
I half expected the usual reaction of the anger and guilt or nervousness that usually flashed in his eyes at her name or the way his body usually went rigid every time we spoke about that, but there was one of that. Instead, he remained as calm and cool as he was. "What did it say?"
"Nothing new, I just thought she was gone."
"She was." he flexed his watch on his free arm, "I had her come back."
"You what?" my eyes widened.
"Do you trust me Chris?" he asked, ignoring the horror written on my face.
"You know I do Lucas, with all my heart."
He had a small triumphant smile playing on his lips, "As much as I hate that it is so, Sarah and I have unfinished business. Business that I can now dare to face because I no longer feel anything for her. I called her back to California because I cannot move forward with our relationship until I close every last thing that binds me to her."
I worked to keep a straight face. "Is it about the kids?"
He frowned at that question. "Sarah and I have nothing to talk about in that aspect. They are my kids, not hers and once I finish this up, they will be your kids too. Our perfect little family."
"I like the sound of that." I gave an earnest smile and fought the urge to shift closer and press my lips to his, just because it was a sight the kids were not used to yet.
Lucas though was having none of that. He scooted closer and caught my lips in his in a slow and short kiss.
"Awww, such a sight to start my morning," Emma said as she walked to the table holding a tray of cookies. If I was not giddy with the excitement and trying to think clearly after Lucas's kiss I sure would have noticed the eye roll and sarcasm that dripped from her tone. Or maybe it was just me imagining things.
"Emma, Chris is going to be our new mommy," Abby said with a giggle.
"Oh is she?" Emma looked at me in amusement. "I'm so happy for you Mr. Lucas and our soon-to-be Mrs. Lucas."
"Thanks," Lucas said with a tight smile that made me wonder why his mood suddenly changed.
"Thank you, Emma." I gave her a sweet smile and took one cookie. "these are beautiful as always." she did a small curtsey and walked back to the kitchen to finish her chores.
I returned back home after dropping the kids up and was glad to see Lucas was still home. "You should move into my room." he held my waist nibbling on my neck as I tried to focus my attention on cleaning my messy dresser table.
"As you can clearly see, I can be a terrible roommate." I gestured to my messy room.
"I'm not complaining." he bit down on the skin between my neck and shoulder and I bit back a moan. "what would you be doing today?"
"Mia is having a mental breakdown trying to get ready for her engagement. I need to be there for her when she goes for flower picking."
"Talk about an overdramatic baby sister." he chuckled. "she'll do fine, stay in bed with me today."
I giggled and made a tut-tut tut sound while I worked to pull myself free from him. "No way Maxwell. I promised Lilian and Mia I would be there. Plus I'm meeting C's boyfriend today."
"You're what now?" his brows furrowed and I chuckled at his jealousy.
"Chill out big guy, I'm meeting both of them."
"I don't like the idea of you meeting up with any man that's not me," he pulled me back in his hold and nibbled on my neck, "reschedule for a double date."
"Not happening." I pulled myself free from him, I was not going to make it out of these doors if he kept touching me. "We'll have a double date soon, but not today. Today I want to meet the asshole that has stolen my best friend's heart."
"You don't sound like his biggest fan." he chuckled.
"Let's just say I've had my fill of handsome assholes for one lifetime." I shot him a wink and tossed the trash into a nearby garbage can.
****************************************************************
"Do you think these will be perfect or these?" Mia held up a stalk from the bouquet of red roses and a bunch of white lilies. She and Celine were doing a better job keeping a straight face after we had spent all afternoon shopping. Strangely Lilian was as tired s me. I was usually the only one in our group that was ready to resort to crying just to escape shopping for too long.
"They are both ugly," Celine said in her usual fuck you fuck it fuck everyone tone as she looked up at the speed
"You're so blunt I wanna cry," Lilan whined and Celine shot her a coy smile.
Mia groaned and tossed the flowers aside. The Maxwell sister inlaws were a handful of emotional baggage today. I could understand Mia's reason, but Lilain's crybaby mood was harder to comprehend. One time she cried along with Zoey when she would not stop crying and we had to take more time consoling her while the poor child just watched in surprise. Thankfully she was asleep now.
"You should use Red for your engagement." Lilian commented, rocking the stroller Zoey slept quietly in, "it's supposed to be a sexy night, and then white stands for purity, you can use them for your wedding."
"That's bull," Celine said getting to her feet, being the crazy, outgoing people's person she always was, I was not surprised to see that she bonded well with Mia and Land after oy a few hours of exploring any wedding shop we could find within our reach. But then again, shopping brings women together. I guess. "I would never understand the concept of people using white alone for the wedding. Girl what's wrong with standing out and wearing a blue, daring, sexy as sex wedding gown with the most audacious slit in front."
"My mother-in-law might just drop dead from a heart attack," Lilan said sweetly.
"And Mason hates blue," Mia added.
"All boys love blue," Lilan argued.
"That's why he's a man, not a boy," she threw Lilan a wink and went over to Celine, holding her up from her seat. "I think I want to go with your advice to make the world drop dead at just the sight of my wedding dress. So what do you think about a scarlet wedding dress, with thorns that scream "fuck you all bitches, I'm getting married today," she did a dramatic twirl followed by an even more dramatic pose.
"Hanging out with me has started to rub off on you," Celine said in her usual proud tone.
"I thought we were here to plan for an engagement,"' I finally spoke from the corner of the room where I sat.
"Why are you choosing to be a show killer now?" Mia cried, "I don't have my engagement dress yet, so it's not such a bad idea to choose one a week away."
"And what if something goes wrong and you have to make a few amendments on the dress last minute?" I raised a brow, almost chuckling as her face morphed in horror.
Mia leaned into C, "Your best friend is officially a heartbreaker."
"And a show killer," Lilian added.
"Tell me something I don't know." Celine chuckled.
"Let's just get done with picking the flowers please." I groaned. My head already ached from having to make so many choices in one day.
"Your best friend here could trade her job any day to become a fashionista," Mia took the red rose again.
"And quit the job that brings me closer to the Alex?" she shook her head, "I'll pass. But I will follow your subtle hint and delve into the fashion world every once in a while."
"So white roses for my engagement and red roses for my Wedding day." she grinned from ear to ear.
"Where next?" I asked.
"All I want to do is fill my system with a lot of ice cream right now," Lilan said getting to her feet and tucking sleeping Zoey properly.
"Remind me who's the child among you two again?" Mia's fingers pointed between mother and child.
"Haha, not funny. Let's just go get something sweet then we can go for the jewelry."