Bonus Scene
SIENNA
The bell over the door chimes, another group wanders into Two Chicks, laughter and chatter mix with the steady hum of the pottery wheels spinning along with the others painting their pieces.
On any other day, I’d have our girls, Quinn and Bailey, stay with Trey or his parents or my brother.
But today of all days, with an open studio, everyone had something going on.
I don’t blame them. I blame myself for not looking at the schedule and I already know today is going to be a wild one.
“Mommy!” Quinn’s voice sounds serious. I look up from welcoming the new customers and see her standing on a stool beside the cash register.
“What is it?” I ask, giving a smile to the customers. It might be a bit wry, but it’s the best that I can do given the circumstances.
“Bailey is eating the clay.” Quinn points in the direction of her baby sister. I veer toward my second child. What they say is true. The first one is cool, calm, and collected, then the second one comes around and gives you a run for your money.
“Bailey, my sweetheart, we don’t eat the inventory.” She’s currently at the bowl, attempting to form something, except each time she wipes at her face, clay seems to have entered her mouth.
“I not!” Her toddler-like sass comes with a suspiciously looking gray tongue.
“That one’s got your attitude, sugar.” A familiar, amused drawl comes from the direction of the doorway.
“And your lack of self-control.” We’re both the second children in the lineup of siblings; we should have been well prepared when Bailey entered the world. Trey steps inside, boots scuffing lightly against the concrete floor, and his gaze immediately locks on mine, much like it always does.
“Rude. And here I am to rescue you from the mayhem.” He picks Bailey up with one arm, she immediately abandons her attack on the clay, and I swoop in with a towel to wipe her free of the mess right before she goes to slap at Trey’s cheeks in happiness.
“Daddy!” Bailey squeals.
“Hey, pretty lady, you want to hang with me and Champ?” Bailey’s head looks like one of those bobble-head toys with how fast she responds.
“Hi, Daddy, Mommy, is it okay if I stay with you?” Quinn loves nothing more than to hang out with me at Two Chicks.
“Hi, princess.” Trey doesn’t answer for me. In fact, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to divide and conquer and give both of our girls some one-on-one time.
“I don’t mind one bit. I could use some help restocking the paint today.” This task can be a bit messy, except Quinn is a perfectionist and tries her hardest not to spill.
“Yes!” She lifts her hands over her head and does a little shimmy.
“Guess that settles that.” Trey bends down, pressing a kiss to my lips, keeping it short and sweet since we’ve got an audience, not including our girls. Trey and I have no problem showing one another affection in front of the girls while at home. At my place of business is another story entirely.
“Hang with mommy for a minute. Gotta say hello to Quinny.” Trey hands me Bailey, a good thing too, seeing as how she’s halfway clean and unable to get into mischief while she’s in my arms.
I watch the two interact, loving how amazing a Father Trey is with our girls. As a husband, he’s out of this world, but as a father, let me tell you the man is hotter than hot.
“I know how to do it, daddy,” Quinn says. I slowly walk around the area where customers are setting up their stations to paint. The ones on the wheel aren’t novices and very rarely need help; I tend to leave them be unless they give me a look or call my name.
“You do,” Trey agrees, “You’re basically running this place, a lot like your momma.”
“I am,” she says seriously.
“That’s good. How about you man the store while your momma walks me to the door?” he bends down, placing a kiss at the crown of her head.
“Okay, take your time.” Quinn wraps her arms around his middle, giving him a quick and solid hug. I let out a laugh; she’s such an old soul, older for her age in every sense of the word.
“Missed you, sugar,” Trey whispers into my ear once he’s back to where Bailey and I are; we do a quick switcharoo, him giving my tired arms a break.
“Missed you too,” I reply, his hand goes to my lower back, fingers slipping beneath my cotton tee and causing goosebumps to pebble along my flesh.
“Don’t worry about dinner. Me and Bailey are gonna stop at the grocery store, you need anything while I’m there?” He’s speaking my language left and right today.
“A bottle of Riesling and some fruit to go with it?”
“You got it, sugar. See you at home. Bailey, give momma a kiss.” Bailey leans over, laying a wet, sloppy kiss mixed with clay on my cheek, grinning from ear to ear.
“Love you guys, be safe.” Trey opens the door; I prop it open with my hip as I watch them head for his truck. Champ lets out an excited yip when he sees who’s walking toward them.
“Love you too, call me when you’re headed home.
” It doesn’t matter that he has my location on his phone; he can track me whenever.
My husband prefers a call over an app on his phone or a text.
I watch two pieces of my heart, three really counting, Champ get settled and watch them until all I can see is taillights.
Somewhere along the way, Quinn came to join me; it’s rare she wants to be held or carried, so I do the next best thing and hold her hand.