Page 116 of Happily Ever After… Again and Again

“You and the children may come to live with me. Antonio, you must move to the garage.”

Nix hears a“yes, my love”from the other end of the phone, and Nix chuckles. Luca rolls his eyes, too.

“No, Mom. We still love Gideon.”

“Alas, I knew you were going to say that. How else can I help you today? And how are you, Luca?”

How did she even know he was there?

“Good, thank you, Lauren.”

She sighs, put-upon, as she has asked him to call her “Mom,” but Luca told her quite plainly that until she could be nice to Gideonto his face,Luca preferred the formal address.

“Well, Luca and I have been the objects of a terrible prank. And we would like to–”

“Seek bloody revenge. Got it. We’ll be there by 6:00 PM for the babies. Will that give you enough time to prepare? Warn the wee ones of the schedule change?”

Luca claps silently.

“Thank you, Mom. That will be just enough time.”

“Goddess speed, my dears. See you then.” She disconnects so abruptly, Nix is remindedagainof how much she is just like Gideon.

They spend a bit of time packing and then break the news to the kids, who, unsurprisingly, had an exuberant show of excitement. Their Costas grandparents are favorites. Especially since Grandpa-Artem has recently moved in with his new mates.

Nix is happy for his friend—everyone deserves to find love no matter their time of life, but Nix does not ask questions he does not want the answers to.

Well, not anymore—that first time was a doozie.

Nix and Luca are dropping the kids’ bags in the front hall two hours later when Jamie and Leo come back from a run.

“Hey! Is it Sunday already?” Jamie asks, and Nix has to make a concerted effort not to stare at the glistening shoulders and biceps on display.Ooohand those lats…

Yum.

Luca groans behind him, and Nix thinks he hears Luca’s jaw crack with the effort not to drop to his knees.

“No, Lauren called to see if they couldhave them fortwonights. It’s supposed to rain Sunday, and they wanted to have them play outside on that new playground your dad had shipped from California.”

“Two nights?” Leo does a small fist pump.

Ah, hope springs eternal.

“What time are they arriving? I should go shower and spend some time with them since I’m not on tonight after all. Catch me later, yeah?”

He does those weird finger guns he’s picked up after Rowan told him all the cool kids are doing it.

They’re not.

Fricking-Rowan strikes again.

“They’re supposed to be here at 6:00 PM, so you know Frankie will arrive by 5:20.”

Leo nods and throws a thumb over his shoulder. “Right. Well, I should spend some time with them, too. But I need—”

“A shower,” both he and Luca say simultaneously.

“We know. But you go ahead. I missed lunch, and Luc and I–”