Page 29 of Heart of Stone

Both their little faces drop.

“Choc-it,” the other says sadly.

“I don’t have any?—”

“Second shelf, behind the coffee mugs,” Andi calls from the hallway. “I bought chocolate chips too.”

The twins perk up immediately.

“Traitor,” I mutter, but I’m already grabbing the chocolate chips.

“Yay!” they squeal, bouncing on the counter.

“Hey, what did I say about staying still?”

They freeze mid-bounce, grins wide and completely unrepentant.

The rumble of bikes pulling up draws my attention out the window. Lee and a few prospects are here early for the morning meeting. They’ll be reporting in after last night’s reconnaissance.

Great. Just what I need—witnesses to my domestication.

“Brrroom, brrroom!” one of the twins exclaims, catching sight of the bikes.

“No,” I say quickly. “We’re staying here and making pan?—”

“Steel!” they shriek, spotting the prospect walking past the window.

Steel freezes like a deer in headlights. The look on his face would be funny if I wasn’t wearing the same damn expression.

“Well,” Andi says, returning sans baby, “looks like we’re having company for breakfast.”

The twins beam.

I’m so fucked.

“Yo, brother,” Lee calls, walking in through the side door. “We’re early but—” He stops short, taking in the scene: me, two toddlers, and a bowl of pancake mix. “Well, shit.”

“Morning,” I growl.

“More pahcakes!” one of the twins demands.

“Peeze,” the other adds, all charm.

Lee’s grin spreads slow and wide. “Are you… making pancakes?”

“Shut it.”

“Choc-it!” one twin announces proudly, like that explains everything.

Andi moves around me to grab a bowl, her arm brushing mine. “Lee, right? Coffee’s nearly ready if you want some.”

"Babe, I wouldn’t miss this show for anything." Lee drops into a kitchen chair. "Steel! Get in here! You gotta see this."

The prospect hesitates in the doorway until the twins spot him.

"Up!" they demand in unison.

Steel looks at me like I might shoot him for touching the kids.