Page 73 of Manny Included

“That was something else.”He could see them doing it again.On a regular basis.

“It was amazing.Seriously.”

“Come back up here.”He tugged on Pete, then wrapped him in his arms.“You’re going to stay for a while, right?”Once they told the kids, he wanted Pete to stay overnight.

“As long as you’ll let me.”

“Okay.Good.”He kissed Pete’s forehead and rested there with him.

“Love you,” Pete whispered.“So much.”

He kissed Pete softly and murmured the words back against his lips.“Love you, too.”

“Then we’ll be fine.”Pete smiled for him.“Just fine.”

Pete had never lied to him yet.

“Okay.I believe you.”

ChapterSixteen

“Pete?”

He damn near jumped out of his skin, eyes flying open.He’d intended to get breakfast started and have a cup of coffee before the kids landed on him, but here he was, leaning against Bay’s doorway.

Belle stared at him from the end of the hallway.“Why were you in Uncle Bay’s room?”

Okay, this was why they were going to talk to the kids this morning.So they could answer all the questions together, in fact get ahead of any questions the kids would have.

“Can we talk about that in a family meeting and after coffee and cocoa?”That would make him feel infinitely better.

She shrugged.“Okay.What’s for breakfast?”

“Uh.Bacon and waffles?”He could totally manage that—after coffee.

“Okay.I’m hungry.”She went back into her room.

“Right on.”She was hungry; he was walking bowlegged and needed caffeine, bad.

Bay came out of the bedroom, all bedhead and blinking.“What’s going on?”

“Coffee.I need coffee, dammit.”Oh, that was grumpy of him.“I’m sorry.”

Bay looked utterly confused.“You’re sorry you need coffee?”

“Huh?No.I mean, yes.I mean… Good morning.”

Bay smiled at him at that.“Good morning.”

“Miss Bella is hungry, and I need a cup of coffee.You?”He had to smile back.Had to.

“I could do coffee.Unless you’re making cocoa for the kids.”

“I’m making chocolate milk, I think.It’s hot for cocoa.”

“Can I have a coffee with some chocolate milk in it?”Bay asked, reaching back around the door to his room and bringing out his robe.He shrugged it on.

“Of course you can.In fact, that sounds amazing.”Pete was a little stupid for this man, and he had loved sleeping together last night.