I woke up about 7 in the morning. I got dressed and did my hair nice. I heard no one up and opened my door to make sure I would know when the boys got up. I quickly got to put my clothes away. When I was done, I did my bed and put my luggage cases in my closet. I went into my bathroom and made sure it was clean. I did the same to the boys then went downstairs. The kitchen was clean and then I headed to the basement. I put away the boy's toys they left. When I got back upstairs. I heard little feet. I walked to where I could see the steps and Bo was walking down the steps in his PJ's. I smiled at him and he smiled back at me. Not long after like Luke said Tater was pulling his door open and trying to quickly get down the steps. I helped him down and had the boys in the kitchen feeding them Captain Crunch.
The boys were in the middle of their breakfast when I heard another door shut. I went to the coffee pot and made it. I turned it on and let it brew. When I turned back around Luke was walking into the kitchen kissing his boys on the head. He was in shorts and no shirt. I tried not to stare but I did. I can't do that. He is my employer. I may have liked the sight and bit my lip but I had to turn around. I grabbed him a bowl and spoon. I asked him what cereal and he answered with a smile. When I gave it to him he thanked me. I then grabbed his cup of coffee. I asked him how he liked it and made it. When I handed it over he took a sip and his eye brows rose.
"Wow. You got it perfect." He smiled.
"I try." I smiled back. I grabbed the boy's bowls since they were done. I put them in the sink and started washing.
"Daddy we gonna go wheeling?" Bo asked Luke.
"Not today buddy. I got a few things to do downstairs then Uncle Jason's coming over. Maybe we will do it tomorrow." I finished washing their bowls and dried them putting them away. I turned around and put their cereal away. I didn't get into their conversation.
"Uncle Jason!" Tater yelled and giggled.
"Come on boys. Let's get dressed for the day." Luke said. I grabbed his bowl and things and put them away and cleaned the bowl. I heard his chair back up and then other little feet his floor. When I turned around Luke was standing close to me. He smiled. I felt my pant leg gets pulled.
"You gonna help or what?" Tater asked me. I laughed. Luke did too.
"That's not nice to ask that way Tater Bug." Luke told him. "Bo can get himself ready. Just help him with his shoes; unless I am done getting dressed before the boys I'll help him." I nodded trying not to stare at him bare cheated.
"Roger that. Come on Tater. "I said and he let me pick him up. Bo looked at me and frowned. I smiled at him. "You want up too?" He nodded. I picked him up and put him on my other hip. Luke looked impressed.
"Strong too huh? Maybe this winter I can have you cutting logs or when we go out camping." He smiled.
"Not like I haven't done it before." I smiled at him walking past him with the two boys on my hips.
"I was joking. I won't make you do that. That's a man's job." he said when we got to the top of the steps I let the boys down.
"I can do anything a man can do, sometimes even better." I smirked at him. He smirked back.
"We will see." He said walking to his room. I walked into Taters room.
I helped Tater get dressed for the day. When he was done, I walked into Bo's room and he was just not trying to do his shoes. I bent down and helped me. I showed him how to tie his left shoe and made him try his right. He almost got it so I told him next time he will try again. When both boys were done they ran into Luke's room. I just smiled and shook my head. I walked into my room and got my phone. I checked it and saw I had a few notifications. I was looking at it when I heard someone clear their throat. I quickly turned around and saw Luke leaning against the door. I put my phone in my back pocket and just smiled at him.
"I'm gonna take the boys outside and play ball. If you want to join you can." he offered.
"I'll just clean up a little bit then I'll be out if ya'lls are still out there." He nodded.
"So far nothing is dirty. I cleaned everything the day before you got here. Unless the boys are drawing on the walls as we speak, you're fine." He smiled. "Since there is nothing to do for a while, then you can come out. Till lunch." He is really being friendly and trying to keep me in view. Maybe he is still seeing how I am if yesterday was just a charm thing.
"Since you pull my arm so hard, I'll come." I joked with him. He shook his head and moved so I could walk past him.
We all went out and played catch. The boys were having so much fun. It started to become a tag war. We all went back and forth till Luke decided he was going to run after me. I ran for my life. I heard him getting closer and closer as we ran around the house. The boys were laughing running too. I let Bo and Tater get me a few times but since Luke is a grown adult, hell no am I being easy for him. I even cracked a joke saying the boys can get me. After that I heard him run faster. When I looked behind me he was close to my heal. It took all my might to run more.
I decided to go around his truck. I go to the other side and didn't hear or see him. I looked at the boys. They were still laughing. I slowly walked back around the truck. He wasn't there. I didn't hear him or nothing. I walked in front of the truck towards the boys when I felt something grab me. I screamed at the top of my lugs. Arms were around my waist holding me. As I trembled in fear of what the hell just scared me. I heard Luke laughing and knew it was him. I huffed and frowned. I hated getting scared like that. Luke's arms slowly slipped from around me and his hands held my hips for a few seconds extra before I turned around showing him my frown. He still laughed a little with a huge smile on his face. I heard the boys run to us.
"Daddy scared Nikki!" Tater said jumping laughing. I kept my stare at Luke. His smile faded.
"You okay?" He asked. I looked away from him to the boys who were smiling around us.
"I'll be fine." I said. He had a questioning look on his face.
"You scream loud." Bo told me. I looked back down at the boys and smiled.
"Who wants some lunch?" They both yelled ME and ran to the house. I was about to turn when Luke grabbed my arm.
"I'm sorry to scare you." He said concerned.
"It's alright. I'm just not one who ever did well with being scared." I told him. He gave me a half smile.
"Well, let's go get lunch now. Shall we?" He asked. I nodded and smiled. He then gave me a real smile and knew everything was okay. I couldn't be mad at him for not knowing that scaring me really does scare the shit out of me.
I made them all sandwiches. After I cleaned up I got a list from Luke. He also handed me his card. The boys wanted to stay with their daddy, so I took my truck to the store. I got everything on Luke's list and a few extra things like he said I should get. When the lady rung everything up I was not shocked by the price. I was use to buying things for the other family I worked for. They also made me buy for a whole month to where Luke only made me buy week by week.
When I got back I noticed another truck there. I grabbed a bunch of bags and started to head in. When I opened the door I heard laughing from downstairs. I walked into the kitchen putting all the bags on the center bar and then headed back out getting the rest of the bags. I was about to make it back into the door when another man was standing there, and Luke behind him walking out. They instantly grabbed the bags from my hands and walked into the kitchen. I shrugged and fallowed them. They set the rest of the bags on the counter. Luke turned around and smiled.
"Next time let me know when you arrive. I can't let you carry all this in by yourself." He then looked over to the other man. "Nikki, this is Jason. Jason this is Nikki." I smiled shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you." I said with a nod. He smiled at me.
"Nice to meet you too. "I then seen him look me up and down and quickly look back at Luke.
"We are going back downstairs to play guitar. The boys are with us." Luke told me. I smiled at him and nodded. I grabbed some things and started to put them away. The boys walked away and I heard Jason's comment before they headed downstairs. He probably thought he was whispering.
"She is fine as hell Luke. I'd show her the rodeo if I was you." Luke just laughed and then I didn't hear them anymore. I shook my head. Men. Always thinking with the wrong head.
I put everything away and then noticed it was only 4 in the afternoon. I walked downstairs hearing the guys playing the guitars and the boys were playing. Tater looked at me and ran to me hugging my leg. He let go and ran back to Bo. Bo smiled waving at me. I smiled back at him. I looked at the guys and they quit playing and looked at me. I asked if they wanted anything. Luke just wanted a beer and Jason said he'd take one. The boys weren’t thirsty so I just got the men a beer. I walked back upstairs after handing it off and went to my room. Nothing was to be done for a little bit. I already had everything planned for dinner and it was a quick 30 minute dinner so I could wait till 5.
I went on my phone and saw my older brother had texted me. He was asking about the new job. I texted him back and he instantly called me. We talked for quite some time. I didn't notice it was 4:40 till Luke was standing at my door. I was lying on my stomach laughing at my brother. There was a knock on my door and that made me turn my head quick to see Luke standing there. I told my brother I'd text him later.
"Love you bro." I told him and then hung up. "Hey." I smiled at him. He smiled back.
"Hey." He said still standing at the door.
"You can come in. It is your house." I said laughing. He chuckled.
"It's your room." He told me coming in and sitting on the edge of the bed. I got up and sat cross legged on my bed. He was turned to look at me. "Jason invited the boys and me over for dinner at his house. I hope you didn't have anything planned. He said I can ask you if you would like to join."
"I don't want to intrude." I said not wanting to really go because I don't know Jason and hardly knew Luke still. It was like I'm part of the family, not work for them. I'm not use to this. I know he is trying to be friendly but, this is odd. I haven't had friendly people like this in a long time.
"Don't think you are. If you were, you'd bring yourself without an invite. You were invited. You can go the way you're dressed. Ain't anything but rednecks anyway." He smiled at me.
"When do we leave?" He smirked.
"Right now. I'm driving us. Help get the boys in their car seats?" I nodded and crawled off my bed. I leaned over and fixed my pillow. When I turned around Luke was now standing looking at me. He noticed I saw him just looking and he scratched the back of his neck.
"You good?" I asked him with a huge smile.
"Uh yeah. Just lost in thought. Just to let you know Jason has two daughters and a wife. The boys normally go play with the girls so you don't have to watch them." I nodded and he swiftly turned around and walked out.
I grabbed Tater and Luke had Bo. Tater sat behind me and Bo was behind Luke. Luke was a good driver. When we got there. I got Tater out and he wouldn't let me put him down. Bo ran straight to the door after Jason. Luke smiled at Tater not letting me go. I walked up the steps with him holding onto my neck. There was a lady there who introduced herself as Jessica.
When we got inside once Tater saw the girls he wanted to get down. Jess told us she was almost done with the food. I offered her a hand and she agreed. She learned about how I was the maid. She said when I walked up she thought I was Luke's new girlfriend. I laughed. She talked to me about herself and got to know me a little. She was a very nice woman. She said that Jason and Luke were on the same hunting company and were owners of it along with a few other men.
So that is how he gets all his money. I never thought that would get him a lot of money. She was a very sweet girl and we talked like we knew each other for so long. When dinner was done, I went and got the boys and girls while Jess set everything up.
Once dinner was done everyone sat around talking. Jason was telling a story about Luke and him fishing one day. He said Luke may have caught the biggest fish but at least Jason didn't fall out of the boat. We laughed and joked around until about 8 at night. Luke then said it's time to round up the boys. Tater was tired and cranky. He was fussy being picked off the couch.
"Hey Luke, give me 10 minutes to leave. Possibly less." I said picking up Tater who was whining in my arms. He had Bo in his who was still looking at the TV behind Luke.
"Uh, sure." He asked confused. I went and sat on the rocking chair they had in their living room. He sniffled a bit.
"Shh, it's alright buddy. Take a nap, then when we get home bath and bed alright?" He looked at me with teary eyes. He shook his head no. "You'll get a special bed time story if you're a good big boy alright?" I smiled at him. He sniffled then nodded and put his head in my neck holding onto me. I hummed a song in my head so he would hopefully fall asleep faster. A few minutes later and he was fast asleep. I slowly got up and walked into the kitchen. Luke turned around.
"Got him to fall asleep? That's a first." Luke smiled at me. I nodded.
"Made sure to rock and hum to him. All kids love that." He looked at Tater and smiled wider.
"Alright Jess, Jason. I'll talk to y'all another time." He said nodding giving Jason a bro hug and Jess a nice one.
"Nikki, come back with Luke next time. You gotta teach me how to make that pie you were talking about." Jess told me. I nodded.
"Sure thing." I smiled at her and she smiled back. Luke and I got outside. Bo got into his seat and I easily put Tater in his. On the ride home Luke had the radio on low and I looked back checking on the boys who were both now asleep. I smiled and looked back out front.
"Thank you." Luke said to me looking over.
"For what?" I asked because I had no clue.
"Tater would have fussed all the way home. I've never been able to do that. Even when he was a baby. You treat the kids so well. I didn't expect that. Kara and David said you were good with their kids so I thought it'd be a good idea since I'm always so busy and my boys need more attention and I can't keep relying on my parents while I'm gone for a while at a time. You have a job with me as long as you need it." I smiled wide.
"Thanks Luke. That sure means a lot." He looked over at me smiling and nodding.
When we got the boys in the house Luke told me we can wake them up and give them baths then sleep. We did just that. I gave Tater his own special story and Luke didn't supervise this time. He fell asleep quickly after I started. That boy was tired. I smiled, shut the light out, and shut the door. I went into my room grabbing night clothes and getting changed. I lie in bed shutting my night stand out and fell asleep quickly.