Page 5 of Nothing to This

Their inability to give each other a break was mutual.She didn’t expect him to prostrate himself, and he didn’t disappoint.

Haughty, JD was unapologetic.“That’s why Daddy’s here, to help you eat dinner,” he said, moseying up the length of the table.

Putting each of the kids back in their chairs, he pushed them in at their places, then kept going to seat himself at the head of the table, in pride of place.

Typical that he should take the most eminent position in the room without invitation.

“Comfortable?”she asked, propping a hand on her hip.

JD tossed her a quick, impudent wink, then leaned toward the kids who were poking at their food again.“Is it good, buddy?”

“It was,” Kye grumbled.

Sighing, if JD wanted the responsibility of getting them to eat, she wouldn’t take it away from him.

“Kye spent so much time irritating his sister that I think it’s almost cold,” she said, returning to her chopping.“But they have to finish it.”

“Can Daddy have some?”Sky asked.

Trust her children to take advantage of every situation, just like their father.The twins were wily.Whatever her daughter’s ultimate goal, she’d guess it had something to do with a particular movie.

“You know how busy Daddy is,” she said.“He doesn’t want to eat dinner here.He probably has other places to be.”

“Not tonight.”When she scowled at him, JD just bobbed his brows.“I’d love some pasta… thank you.”

The food would still be warm.Going to the pot on the stove, she scooped a meager portion into a bowl and took it to him with a fork, dumping it onto the table.

“This is all quite domesticated, isn’t it?”JD said, wearing a smile as he picked up the fork.“Civilized.”

Oh, he was so proud of himself and loving every minute.

“It’s novel for you,” she said.“The rest of us call it life.”

He popped a piece of pasta between his lips and surprised her by closing his eyes on a groan of bliss.“Oh my God, this is incredible,” he said, forking up more to fill his mouth.

The pasta wasn’t that good.She never worried about poisoning her kids, but her cooking skills weren’t exactly of the highest order.The food she made was edible, though not as edible as their grandmother’s, as she’d been told, many times, without subtlety.Four-year-olds were rarely subtle.

But he wasn’t mocking her.It was a ploy.JD wasn’t ignorant of the sway he had with their children and was using that influence for her benefit.Their twins idolized their father.Utterly idolized him.There was no other word for it.He could do no wrong.

So although she sighed at his melodramatic reaction to the meal, inside, she was grateful.Their beautiful babies gazed at their father, eyes wide in wonder as he gobbled up the pasta like it was the most incredible thing he’d ever tasted.

She hid a smile.

“You two better hurry…” JD said, his mouth full, “or I’ll be moving on to yours next.”

So uncouth for a man known for his manners.It took all her energy not to laugh when both kids suddenly copied their father’s exuberance for the pasta.He glanced over his shoulder and winked at her again.

Okay, so that got a small smile, but she shook her head too.“Wow, look at you three go.I must be in the wrong trade,” she said.“I should open my own five-star restaurant.”

“Maybe you should,” JD said.

He’d done what was needed, the kids were eating.He slowed until they weren’t looking anymore and tried to rise from his chair.

THREE

Their daughter was faster than him.

Sky leaped to her knees on her seat and grabbed JD’s wrist before he could stand up.“Daddy!”