“Where are we ’posed to sit? He’s takin’ up da whole couch.”
Damn, she was adorable, and so inquisitive. It took everything in me not to crack a smile. Luckily, Sloane came to my rescue.
“Hey. Didn’t I tell you guys to leave our guest alone?” she scolded softly.
“Yes, ma’am,” they answered.
“All right, scoot your behinds back to your room for a bit. I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
If I hadn’t already been awake, the twins running down the hallway would’ve done the trick. They sounded like a herd of elephants on a wild stampede. How two kids, who weighed less than nothing, made so much noise was beyond comprehension.
“The coast is clear. You can get up.”
My eyes flickered open to find Sloane on her knees infront of me. Her position sent a flood of images through my head, none of which helped dissuade my cock from trying to bust through my zipper. Thankfully, my lower half was covered by a small throw blanket, otherwise it would be twice as awkward than it already was.
“Morning, Sunshine.”
“Good morning.”
I stretched my arms above my head, arching my back to relieve the ache, which had settled deep in the muscle from being in the same position for too long. She moved back, giving me room to swing my legs around and sit up.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I asked, “What time is it?”
“Six fifteen.”
“You should’ve woken me up.”
“I tried.” She shrugged.
“Shit. I’m sorry.”
“Rogan is going to make a mint off of you if you don’t watch your language.” She winked and grinned, letting me know she was teasing. She was also right. I had to curb my cursing when the kids were around. “He’ll have enough to buy the puppy he wants in no time. If Finn doesn’t buy him one for his birthday first.”
At the mention of their birthday, I remembered something Sloane said last night. She kept a diary during her pregnancy, as well as a stack of baby books where she’d captured every milestone. When I was ready, she said we could look through them together. The thought was sobering. I should’ve been there for all their firsts.Weshould’ve experienced them as a family. Instead, I’d missed the first seven years of their lives, but I’d be damned if I missed any of the rest.
“When is their birthday?”
“October fourteenth.”
“Two weeks and three days. I’m not too late.”
“No you’re not.” She rubbed her forearm nervously, looking around to make sure we were alone. “Duncan, we need to tell them soon. They’ve seen pictures of you in one of my old photo albums. I didn’t give them all the details, but I didn’t lie either. They know we were in an accident and I couldn’t find you afterward. They’re smart, it won’t take long before they put the pieces together.”
“I’ll go home, take a shower, then come back around ten? Is that too soon?”
“Sounds perfect.”
Grabbing my boots from beside the coffee table, I slipped them on my feet. My fingers fumbled when I got to the laces. Leaving them felt ten shades of wrong. Sloane must’ve noticed my hesitation.
“It’s only a few hours, Duncan.”
In the span of twenty-four hours, my life had been flipped upside down. My impending departure wasn’t even the issue. Eight years worth of questions sat on the tip of my tongue. Things like, how was her pregnancy? Was she sick? What were the kids' favorite things to do? My biggest concern seemed selfish in the grand scheme of things. Still, I had to voice it.
“What if they don’t like me?”
Every muscle in my body tensed, bracing for the worst. Sloane had the opposite reaction. She exhaled long and slow, her features softening into a smile. If possible, she was even more beautiful than I remembered.
“Reagan is shy, like painfully shy.” Warm fingers wrapped around my wrist, making the skin beneath her touch tingle. “Give her time to warm up to you. She will, I promise. Her heart is bigger than the ocean is deep. Roganmay be the wild card. Mostly he’s your typical seven-year-old boy. He plays hard, runs me ragged, but when it comes to his sister, all bets are off. The best advice I can give you is to be yourself.”