Page 32 of Manny Included

Okay, that was lovely to come home to—smiles and happy kids.

“Did you say pizza?”he asked Eric, making his eyes go wide.“Really?”

He picked Belle up to hug her when she came over.He was trying hard to win her over.

“I missed you guys, too.It was lonely.”It really had been, which was an odd feeling and not something he was used to, though he’d been on a ton of business trips on his own.

“Pizza!Really!We have been counting until you came home!”Eric pointed to a chart that was a pizza, and every day except today had a piece of pizza on it.

He had to chuckle.And now he wasn’t sure if he’d actually been missed or if they’d just been anticipating pizza.“Well, then, let’s order some pizza because I amstarving.”His stomach actually growled, loudly, confirming his words.

“I’m on it.What would you like on yours?The kids are cheese only.”

“I love a meatlovers, but in the end, I’m pretty easy.As long as there is cheese and crust, I’ll be happy.”Hell, he’d have the cheese only like the kids if that was all there was.

“Let’s get a meaty one for us, then.I love sausage.”

“I’m a sausage man, too,” Bay noted, trying to keep the smirk off his face.

Pete glanced at him, cheeks going pink.“Are you now?”

“Yes, sir.”He gave Pete a wink.God, he had to be tired to be flirting with the manny like this.Pete was the only reason the kids were making it through this at all; he didn’t want to give Pete any reason to leave.

Of course, Pete didn’t seem to be stressed out.More excited he was home.It was surprising how good that felt.He’d thought he’d be wishing for his penthouse and his king-sized bed, but this, incredibly, was better.

“Are we eating pizza at the table?”He didn’t know if it was the kind of thing that included eating in front of a movie or something.

“I thought we could eat outside.The picnic table is all cleaned off.”

“That sounds like fun, doesn’t it?”he asked the kids.

Merida cheered, “Fun!”

He grinned.She was always so cheery and enthusiastic.He hoped she never lost that.

“We’re going to start going to the library on Monday.There’s storytime for the littles and a Lego club for Eric.I am going to learn about gardens.”Belle was so serious, so sure of herself.

“That sounds fascinating.I know school will be over in a couple of weeks—are you going to start a garden as a summer project?”He’d tell Pete to get her anything she needed for that—dirt, tools, seeds, whatever.He wanted to encourage her to explore.He thought that would be good for her.Keep her mind busy.

“Uh-huh.I’m gonna make a garden.Just a little one in the backyard.I want to grow happy things.”

Happy things.That was so sweet.He looked up to meet Pete’s gaze, sharing his thoughts as best he could.This was definitely good for her, he thought.

Pete nodded.“I think that growing things is amazing.I’d like to grow some tomatoes.I love tomatoes.”

“I like salsa,” he noted.With a good chip and some guac and sour cream.That counted as at least tomato adjacent, right?

“Oh me too.”Pete’s eyes lit up, and Bay knew that they were going to be doing Mexican for their next adult meal.He could tell.

“Beer goes far better than wine with Mexican,” he noted.In fact, beer went very well with tacos and burritos and all that.He’d missed the last adult night and he had to admit, he hadreallymissed having that evening with Pete.He’d come to count on that.

“True.I’ll make sure we have your favorite.”

Oh, that was an interested look.

“You know what my favorite is?”They’d had plenty of wine, but not beer, as far as he could remember.

“You like an Alexander Keith, I bet.”