Chapter 42
FORTY-TWO
SOPHIE
“Mommy, can we have one more cupcake?” Abbi asked from the corner of Colson’s oversize sectional, the couch so big that it practically swallowed my daughter.
“Please just one more,” Ellie pleaded. “We’ll even share it.”
The girls were in matching princess T-shirts that we’d gotten several weeks ago at the ice-skating show, several sizes too big so they could intentionally wear them to bed. They were even sitting the same way, with their legs tucked beneath them, their short arms and tiny hands intertwined.
If I thought saying no to one was difficult, two was even more challenging.
“You girls have already taken showers and brushed your teeth. Bedtime is in five minutes.”
Colson lay next to me on the couch and rubbed my back. A quick glance showed he was smiling, which told me he was absolutely loving that it was my turn to play the bad guy. That had been his role at dinner when the girls were acting sassy over the pizza toppings we ordered.
“We’ll brush our teeth again!” Ellie promised.
What had followed dinner was dessert, and then a swim in the pool and some play time. They were exhausted. So, the last thing Colson and I needed was a burst of sugar to hit their veins before they got into bed.
“I’ll make a deal with you—”
“Nooo,” Abbi whined, cutting me off. “A deal means no.” She crossed her arms. “I hate no.”
It was a good thing my clients didn’t negotiate like my daughter, or I wouldn’t be as successful as I was.
“Excuse me, you haven’t even heard my offer.
” There was an edge to my voice so she knew I was serious.
I also knew that her attitude was due to her tiredness—not an excuse, but something I understood.
When neither of them said another word, I continued, “If you both go to sleep without any problems—and by problems, I mean, you do not give us a hard time when we tuck you in—then tomorrow, you can have a cupcake at lunch and one after dinner. But if you give us a hard time about going to bed, the deal is off the table, and there won’t be any cupcakes tomorrow at all. ”
I laughed to myself as I took in more of their similarities. The wet, washed hair that clung to their cheeks. The thick, bunched eyelashes that hadn’t dried from their shower. The identical scent of their lotion filling the room.
“So, what do you say? Do we have an agreement?”
“Ugh.” Abbi’s arms had straightened and crossed again, her reaction full of defiance. There was no question in my mind where she had learned that from. “Okay.”
“Ellie, we need to hear if you agree to Sophie’s deal,” Colson said.
Her arms were also crossed, her shoulders slumped. “Fiiine.”
I pointed at the stairs. “You have four minutes until you need to be in bed. Go have fun, and we’ll be up in a few to tuck you in. No yelling. This needs to be calm fun.”
That was all the encouragement they needed to go darting for the staircase.
“Do not run up the stairs,” I warned for what felt like the hundredth time today.
As soon as they were out of sight, I fell back against the couch cushion, not realizing I had been sitting on the edge. Colson immediately put his arms around me and pulled me against his chest, and I turned my body so my head was positioned under his chin.
“High school is going to be a nightmare for us,” I sighed. “We’re basically dealing with twins. Can you imagine? With synced periods? And a level of sass that’s a hundred out of ten? Fighting us on literally everything?” I held my forehead, the ache already present. “We’re not going to survive it.”
“I don’t want my little girl to become a teenager. I refuse to even put my brain there.” He brushed his fingers through my hair, his face tilting so he could put his lips on me. “But I do love thinking about the future when it comes to us.”
Whenever he made remarks like that, even if it was just a response to something I’d said, the emotion broke through my body.
He did everything in his power to assure me he wasn’t going anywhere.
Maybe one day, he would make a similar statement, and it wouldn’t have such an effect on me.
The words would hit the air, and my brain wouldn’t instantly file them under a Need Tab.
But that came with healing, and although I was getting there, I had a long way to go.
I rolled over onto my side to face him, and as he stroked my cheek, he added, “Abbi’s birthday is coming up. Do you have any ideas on how you want to celebrate?”
“Disney is an option. Or a party at the house so I can invite her class from school and the gymnastics girlies, is another idea. But to be honest, I haven’t given it a ton of thought even though I should.”
“I came up with something.”
I leaned up over his body. “Yeah? What?”
“Will you let me take the lead?”
“The lead?” I smiled, tilting my head. “How over the top are we talking?”
“It’s not as over the top as you think. It’s actually quite tame compared to a party I’d throw here, where I’d transform the house into Abbi’s dream castle.”
I groaned, “Colson …”
He kissed me. Softly. “I promise she’s going to love it. You are too.” He linked our fingers. “In fact, I think it’s going to mean a lot to the both of you.”
“Colson—”
“Listen, things have been wild for you since you moved to The Dalton Group. They know what they have on their team now, and they’re working you hard.
And you’re balancing some heavy shit between finding your footing there, giving Abbi the attention she needs, continuing to bond with Ellie, and being here for me. Let me take this off your plate.”
Leaving my old firm had been the best career decision I’d ever made. But with that transition came so much more of everything—hours, clients, demands. And since that wasn’t the only change in my life, I was trying to find a balance. So far, I’d been unsuccessful.
I pulled his hand toward my mouth and kissed the back of it. “You’ll never know how much I appreciate you.”
“Since the paperwork has been filed and we’re moving ahead with suing the Gordons, things have slowed down a bit for me.
What I’m saying is, I have the time to dedicate to Abbi’s big day.
I’m sure there will be moments when things get extremely busy for me, and I’ll be stretched too thin, and that’s when you’ll jump in.
Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out, Sophie. ”
“I believe that.” As I went quiet, a feeling moved through me so fast, and I had to say, “I love you.”
He kissed me harder this time. “I love you more.” He nodded toward the stairs. “Now let’s go tuck in our babies.”