Scarlett was in the living room talking to Violet who was for once awake and watching his wife with big eyes. Occasionally she made little noises, it was cute hearing her little sounds fill the room. Lucian made them lunch, his wife asked for something fresh and light. He didn't know what to do with that so he decided to make a chickpea salad.
Scarlett walked to the guest bedroom, putting Violet in her crib while he set the table. It was a relaxing Saturday afternoon, he didn't expect Violet to be in such a good mood today. She didn't cry much, only when she needed a diaper change so far. He was worried about tonight but Scarlett assured him that they'd manage.
He took care of his nieces, but it still felt different taking care of a baby without Kim or Noah there. Scarlett was doing great though so maybe he didn't have to be worried at all.
His wife sat down across him at the table, taking in the food he made. It was nothing too exciting yet she looked like she was going to have a meal at a five-star restaurant. He was flattered, but either she was trying to make him feel better or she was really hungry.
"It's nothing special."
She flickered her eyes to him, frowning at him being dismissive of his effort to serve them amazing food for lunch.
"Nothing special?" She asked, "It looks great." She grabbed her fork, took a bite and smiled at him, "Tastes amazing too."
He chuckled, she always made him laugh even when he was stressed. She was in a good mood and he wondered if it was because of Violet.
"Violet is behaving so well, you can hardly tell we have a baby with us this weekend."
She agreed, "She didn't make a fuss when I put her down either. She's too cute right now."
It filled him with happiness hearing her talk so fondly of Violet. Scarlett loved that little girl and she didn't hide it either. These past few days Scarlett had been smiling more. He knew their decision to start expanding their little family had a lot to do with it.
"We should look into buying a house. This apartment won't suffice if we're going to have a big family."
"You're right." She was focused on her salad, not looking like she was paying attention to what he was saying. It was amusing that he did have her attention, "Our kids deserve their own space and we can afford it so why not look for something a little bigger?"
"I'll look into it. When I find a few options we can go through it together."
Scarlett finally gave him his full attention which took him by surprise, "How about I look into it and when I find some options we'll go through it together?"
It was so like Scarlett wanting to take charge, he didn't mind her suggestion at all. He trusted her judgment she knew him well and she was the perfect assistant. Scarlett working for him should be weird and awkward at the office yet he liked having around.
She didn't let her professional mask slip and he respected her for it.
"I'll leave it in your capable hands then."
Her eyes gleamed, "Are you trying to flatter me now, Lucy?" She asked the playfulness which made her Scarlett slowly seeping in, "You better not start something you can't finish."
"I'm not trying to start anything."
She raised an eyebrow at him, "You're not interested?"
He knew where this was going and he still fell for it. He knew that he'd probably always fall for it. She managed to catch him off guard and play with his emotions.
"I didn't say that." He muttered.
She leaned forward, the scene reminding him so much of the first time he met her. Thankfully today she wore a loose shirt which didn't show off her breasts. She was in casual mode and he was so grateful for that.
"Then what are you trying to say?"
She was pushing him for her amusement. He didn't grow tired of it yet though, it was on him that she could push him around. He shouldn't have taken the bait.
"I was trying to give you a compliment." He sighed in relief when Violet started crying loudly, making them both stare at the hallway leading to the bedrooms, "I'm going to check on her."
"Saved by the cute baby." She whispered.
He heard her but this time he didn't take the bait.
***
Sunday he dropped Violet off to her mom and then made his way to his family house. His mother demanded to see them and he couldn't refuse her. They hadn't visited the family house in weeks. His mother got enough and gave both him and Noah an angry call.
Scarlett laughed at him the entire time. He didn't think she would find it amusing since she clashed a lot with his mother. She told him that they did have to visit his parents. It had been too long.
They arrived at the house right on time for dinner. He didn't plan it that way but his mother's look told him that she was suspicious of him. When he mentioned Violet she grumbled and gave in. She was still annoyed with him but tried to hide it better.
"Olivia and Kim made dessert." His mother announced.
He flashed Olivia a warm smile, "Then it's going to be good."
"I liked everything you made so far." Scarlett agreed, "You are so good at it, Liv."
She took the compliment, looking a bit shy to be the center of attention. Kim gave her daughter a gentle pat on the head and then got to her feet, letting them know she'd serve dessert. Scarlett got up too and joined Kim in the kitchen.
Miss Chatterbox known as Lily asked her grandfather to play a board game with her in the living room. Olivia joined them, leaving him alone with his mother and Noah who was trying to keep everything which was on the table out of reach from curious Rose. With her tiny hands, she tried to grab anything in reach, whining at her dad when he put a stop to it.
"Someone is going to get very annoyed with you."
Noah looked at him, "I know, but can't have her push her way."
He smirked realizing Scarlett's behavior was so very similar to Rose's. He would never say that out loud, his wife would eat him alive.
Noah read him easily, smirking along, "Reminds you of a certain lady, doesn't it?"
"Which lady?" Scarlett walked in, balancing three plates to serve.
"Nothing much." Noah flashed Scarlett his charming smile which no one could refuse. It was so dazzling he made people swoon without any effort at all.
Scarlett looked hesitant but even she was no match for his brother's charm, "O-Okay." She looked at his mother who warned her about them.
"Don't trust these two too much, they always back each other even when they're not getting along. Loyalty between them is admirable but also quite difficult to deal with."
"Mom, you're supposed to keep quiet about that." Noah joked.
Well, he said it jokingly but Lucian knew his brother was serious about it. Some secrets weren't meant to see the light.
"Oh, I know how close these two are. So I imagine you two were gossiping about me."
Lucian grinned at his wife, "We only say good things about you."
"As if!"
She didn't buy it which made his mother laugh, "I see, so you're charmed by Noah but can easily see right through your husband. Things are never dull when it comes to you two."
Scarlett winked at him and then headed back into the kitchen to grab the remaining plates. Kim helped her, they sat at the dining table as well when everyone had their cheesecake which Olivia made together with her mom.
"Scarlett mentioned you two are looking to buy a bigger house." Kim started, the look in her eyes told him exactly where she was going with this, "Are we going to welcome a new niece or nephew in a few months?"
Scarlett smirked, "I mean the honeymoon was great but not that great."
He faked a gasp, laughing when Scarlett had the decency to look embarrassed about her comment. She wasn't wrong about that. The honeymoon was great but she didn't come back pregnant. She recently stopped taking her birth control pills so it would take a while before they could seriously try.
"We're thinking ahead." He told the curious-looking Kim, "We're not expecting nor will we anytime soon."
"It's good to think ahead." Noah agreed, "For now just focus on Violet. If you take your eyes off her for even a second you might miss how she grows up."
Kim nodded, "They grow up fast."
She sounded so upset about it he wondered if Kim and Noah were talking about having another one too. He didn't want to think about it, another girl in that household would be too much. He loved the girls but they were a handful.
His mother was probably thinking the same thing because she said what he had been thinking, "Noah, you can barely manage at the office. Either you have to step down so you can focus on your family or you be grateful for what you have and help your brother at the office as he works on his future family."
It was wrong to give him a choice like that but it was true that he worked more hours to help Noah out. His brother worked irregular hours so that he could spend more time with the girls. He loved doing it but if he was going to expand his own little family he couldn't keep covering for Noah.
Things needed to change at the office too.
"It's something we don't have to think about just yet." Scarlett tried to defuse the situation since things became awkward at the table, "I mean we could always ask Michael to step in, right? That might be a good option."
That could be a good option but she was right it was something they didn't have to think about right now. He didn't want the night to be ruined simply because of some serious talk about the company. It was never supposed to drag them down. He was certain they could work something out.