I blink my eyes open.“Oh, wow!You guys made this?”I ask as I crouch down to their eye level to look at the cake they’re holding.
“Uh-huh,” Selena says, beaming proudly.
“Do you like it?”Abigail asks.
“I love it,” I tell them, kissing their foreheads.“Thanks, girls.”
“It’s for you and Mommy,” Selena says.
I stand, wrapping my arm around Jem’s waist.
The cake is a disaster, with clumpy frosting everywhere.It looks like someone dumped a bottle of sprinkles in one corner, then tried to spread them out with no luck.When I peek past them to the kitchen, I can see even more sprinkles and frosting covering half the counter and cabinets.
“We’ll have to try this after dinner, huh?”I ask Jem.
She nods.“Of course!Now, you two need to get ready to go to Aunt Rowan and Uncle Heath’s house, okay?”
“Yay!”they shout, taking off for their room.
“They burned the cake,” Jem whispers to me.
I smother a laugh.“I can smell that.”
“They were so proud.They wouldn’t let me help except to take it in and out of the oven.”
“They’re so sweet.Just like their mama.”
Jem turns, wrapping her arms around my waist and grinning up at me.“How was work?”
“Good.How about you?”
“I checked on some things this morning.All good.I might have to go in a little early tomorrow to answer some messages, though.”
“I can take the girls to school.”
“Thanks.”
“Come on, the two of us need to get ready for tonight, too.”
Jem heads down the hallway to our bedroom while I carry the cake into the kitchen and clean up the frosting and sprinkles.By the time I’m done, the girls are running around the living room.
I put on a show for them, then head to our bedroom to shower and get dressed.Jem is walking out of the closet as I enter, and I grin when I see she’s all dressed.
“You look great,” I say, changing direction to grab her and pull her flush against me.
“Thank you,” she says sweetly.“Are you getting ready now?”
“Yeah, I’ll be done in a few.”
I kiss her quickly before going to the bathroom.I shower quickly and get dressed.We’re going to Palmer’s Steakhouse for dinner, then coming back here for some alone time before we go to Heath and Rowan’s to pick up the kids.
I’m excited for dinner, but what I’m really looking forward to is making love to my wife without worrying about anyone hearing.It’s been too long since I’ve heard Jem scream my name.
With that in mind, I hurry to dry off and get dressed.I tug on my only button-up shirt and grab my only tie.I slip it around my neck, then see my reflection and decide against it.Grabbing my suit coat and dress shoes, I go to the living room.
“All set?”I ask the girls.
“Yeah!”Abigail and Selena shout.