Page 52 of Manny Included

He smiled over at Pete, testing out the waters as he briefly touched Pete’s thigh.

Pete hummed softly, vibrating for him.

Oh nice.Okay.He threw Pete another smile before concentrating on where he was going—following Pete’s directions.

Merida was singing softly to herself, and the baby was making sweet sounds.It occurred to him that these kids were happy.Genuinely happy.And that was down in no small part to Pete.

He let that happiness wash over him as he pulled into the parking lot and found a spot for the van.

Pete smiled at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

He blinked, shocked, but also pleased.He cleared his throat.“We’re here,” he said, like an idiot.

“We are.I—We so are.”Pete’s cheeks were bright red, almost glowing.“Sorry.I got distracted.”

“Yougot distracted?You distracted me.”He shook his head and shot Pete a look.He didn’t want Pete to think the peck had been unwelcome.“You waited ’til I stopped the car, so it’s okay.”

“Oh.”Pete beamed at him, those pretty eyes focused on him.“That’s good to know…”

He felt his own cheeks heat, and he cleared his throat.Okay.They were at the grocery store and they had two little kids in the van with them.“Uh-huh.I’ll get the bags and Merida if you make sure you have your list and Flynn.”Look at him, being focused on what they were here for.Mostly.

“I’m on it.Are we ready to go shopping, kiddos?”

Merida cheered, and Flynn’s response was a long, melodic fart.

He chuckled.That kid was the gasiest being he’d ever met.At least they were leaving the fart itself back in the car as they headed for the store.

“So how do you work out who gets to sit in the front of the cart?”Because he would bet they would both fit.

“I usually carry little bit and put her in the cart, but there are two of us, so we both could push a cart if we wanted to.I just worry about trying to get them both in one.Would you like to sit in the cart, Flynn?”

Flynn reached for Pete, shaking his head.

“So I’ll carry Flynn in the pack.”

Pete sure spent a lot of time carrying Flynn in the backpack carrier.

“Okay.I’ll push our pink dragon in the cart then.”He grabbed one as they went in and got Merida settled in it.“Okay, lead the way.”Was it bad that he didn’t know his way around a grocery store?It was probably bad that a grown man didn’t know where to find waffles and where to find chips, or anything else.

“So, do you not cook or do you not shop for yourself?I guess you used to eat out all the time, huh?”Suddenly, Pete blinked and stared at him.“What about your house?Gosh, did you just leave it empty?”

“I have a penthouse apartment downtown, and yes, it’s empty.Someone comes in to clean it once a week.And I would either eat out, order in, or skip meals if I wasn’t hungry.”If he had a big steak with all the trimmings business lunch that started at one, he was rarely hungry for another meal in the evening.

“Oh, well, I hope we’re feeding you well enough.”

“Have I complained?Even once?”Whether it was one of the meals Will had ordered in for them or something Pete had cooked, he’d enjoyed it all.

“Absolutely not.You’ve been amazing.I’ve loved being with you.”

“I’m trying.”He’d never wanted to be a jerk.

“I can tell.I love that about you.”

His cheeks warmed when Pete said that, and he told himself that Pete didn’t mean it likethat.

“Okay.You’ve got a list, right?Let’s get this done.”

“Let’s!”Pete manuevered them around the store, shopping and singing, occupying the kids.