Page 61 of Nothing to This

“Daddy does not own everything,” she replied.Kye kneeled on his seat.She picked him up and put him back on his butt beside his sister, continuing with the disapproving eye.

“We told the truth, Mommy,” Kye said.

She breathed out.“Yes, son, Daddy owns the building.This building.Not every building.The people here have taken excellent care of you for a long time.”She gathered up both of their hands.“Treat them with respect.They’re your friends.You should always be nice to your friends.And they look after you.They keep you safe when Mommy and Daddy have to work.”

“But Daddy is the boss,” Sky said.“He loves us.”

“He does,” she said.“And he would do anything for you.But Daddy is a good boss, who takes care of the people under him.”

Someone touched her head; she tipped up her chin.

JD stood behind her.“There’s more to being a good boss than giving orders,” he said in quite a stern voice, stern to be used with the kids anyway.“Get your things, we’re going home… There are some things we all need to talk about.”

Rising to stand, she stayed by JD when their kids crept away to get their coats.They knew they’d upset their parents, but she wasn’t sure they understood exactly what they’d done wrong.

JD was right.They needed a family meeting.

TWENTY-TWO

She’d just finished tidying up the kitchen when JD came down the hallway to join her.

“He’s okay,” JD said.“His nightlight went out.”

After their meeting, the kids had been given chores while dinner was prepared and then were put to bed early.The slumbering children were JD’s signal to go to the desk in his room.There he’d stayed until Kye called out for him.Within seconds, he’d answered the call.

Inspired by JD’s commitment to the company, she too had been working after the kids went to bed.Unlike him, her concentration hadn’t been up to the task.That’s when she ended up in the kitchen.Cleaning helped her numb out and clear her mind.

Instead of returning to his desk, JD came to join her.

Well, maybe not her.He went to the fridge for a bottle of juice.

“We’ll find our groove,” she said, folding a towel while he gulped down the drink and sat on a stool at the end of the island.“Our kids aren’t jerks.This was just a teething problem… right?”

Lowering the bottle, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.“Right.”

She tossed the towel to the island and sagged forward, catching her weight on her elbows against the counter.

“I hate that I believe you even though I know you’re full of shit,” she groaned and straightened her arms until her face made contact with the cold stone.

“Babe, we’re not going to let them be jerks,” he said, stroking the back of her head.“We’ve got this.We’re good.Trust me.”

Rolling herself sideways, she peeked up at him, still half strewn on the island.“I do trust you.I do.”

Trailing a finger across her cheek, he tucked her loose hair away from her face.“I know you do, Siren.”

Something played on her mind.

Licking her lips, she propped her temple on her arm.“Can I talk to you about something, JD?”

Though he kept stroking, scrutinizing his finger on her skin, he tipped his head in concern.“Anything, babe.”

“I was just… this might seem insane, but I… I was thinking—” Her cellphone rang, startling them both.Fearing it could wake the children, she darted to her purse and snatched it out to read the screen.“It’s Baxter.”

JD left the stool, bottle in hand.“I’ll give you privacy… and I’ll get the kids if they wake up.”

“Thank you,” she said, answering the call, holding the phone to her shoulder for a few extra seconds to give JD the chance to disappear down the hallway.When he was gone, she raised it to her ear.“Baxter?”

“Don’t hang up.”