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I immediately dropped into a deep sleep and started to dream about going to get water downstairs and running into a very naked Nick. It was one of the best dreams I’d had in a very long time.
Chapter Twenty
Allison
The next morning, things were a little bit crazy. The twins woke up unhappy, which sometimes happened. Only today it was problematic because we were on a schedule, and they disliked being on a schedule. Especially on Saturday mornings. I bribed them with gummy bears, and they dutifully dressed in their outfits.
At nine o’clock on the dot, the doorbell rang.
“Leo is picking us up,” I told Annie and Jack. They were sitting on the staircase, looking so pretty that I wanted to cry. If only Nora could see them now... They were truly adorable.
“Who is Leo?” Jack asked. I wanted to fist-pump the air every time he said something. After his parents died, he really withdrew into himself, but after four months, we were finally making some headway. The daycare was partially to thank for that.
“Uncle Nick’s brother. He’s driving us.”
“Okay.”
I opened the door to find Leo smiling broadly. I hadn’t seen him more than once or twice over the years, probably.
“Hi, Allison. Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise. Those are Nick’s?” I pointed to the two huge suitcases next to him.
“Exactly.”
“Just leave them here by the entrance.”
Leo rolled them inside, then turned to me. “Damn, you look a lot like a bride.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I raised a brow.
“Nothing. We all just assumed...”
“I like to dress up.” Then I made a shushing sign and glanced at the twins. “They don’t knoweverything,” I whispered.
“Right.” Turning to them, he said, “Uncle Nick told me that you’re Annie and Jack.” He pointed at Jack when he said Annie and vice versa.
“No, doofus,” Annie said, and I gasped.
“Annie. We don’t call people doofus.”
“I didn’t know it was a bad word,” she replied.
It wasn’t per se, but I just hadn’t expected her to use it. Had she picked it up at daycare?
“All right, group, let’s go.”
Both twins came with their hands stretched forward, which meant that they wanted me to hold their hands. We drove in my car because I already had the car seats there.
On the way, I asked Leo, “Is the family already there?”
“Yes. Mom too. She can’t wait to meet you.”
“Oh.” Suddenly I felt a lot of pressure. “Um... how is she? I need to know how I can impress her.”
Leo gave me a shit-eating grin that looked a lot like Nick’s. “You don’t have to impress her, Allison. Trust me, she already loves you.”
That caught me off guard. “Wait, what?”