“Um, did you take a class on that?”
“No. Movies and television.” Rowdy laughed as he took my hand in his. He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the lips and then pulled me beside him as he started walking up the sidewalk toward Reagan and Marcus’s house. “We’re going to use the shock and awe tactic with the girls. I thought about it while I was waiting on you to get ready.”
“I’m sorry you had to wait in the truck for me. I never even thought about the fact that no one but residents or employees are allowed inside.”
“I’m allowed in there when I’m working on something for Kari, just not when I’m not scheduled to be there. It’s for everyone’s safety. Besides, it didn’t take you long at all and it gave me some time to think.”
“And you thought about this - how we’re going to present this to the girls?”
“Yep - Hollywood style. I swept you off your feet and we’re head over heels for each other.” Rowdy looked down at me as we both reached the top step onto the long porch that ran the length of his friend’s house. “Until the day we’re not acting; it will be real.”
“Okay.” I nodded, but the entire time I was thinking to myself that it wouldn’t be hard at all to fall for a man like Rowdy. The fact that we would soon be living together and sleeping in the same bed every night would make that even easier. “Until that day then.”
Rowdy raised his hand to ring the bell, but before he had a chance, the heavy wooden front door was thrown open and both of our daughters were standing on the other side of the glass door. The two of them were staring at us in shock, their eyes going from our joined hands to our faces and back, over and over again.
Finally, Reagan came up behind them and reached out to unlock the glass door and Rowdy pulled it open. I walked in ahead of him as Reagan put a hand around the girls’ shoulders and shifted them out of our path.
“Good morning, ladies,” Rowdy said with a smile.
“Good morning,” all three young women and Reagan chorused.
“Hi.” Sierra smiled at the girls. “Did you have fun last night?”
They nodded in unison and it was starting to creep me out a little bit.
“Let’s move into the kitchen. Breakfast is almost ready - we were just waiting on the two of you before I scrambled the eggs.” Reagan herded the girls into the kitchen and toward the table where Marcus was sitting with a coffee mug in front of him.
“Mornin’,” Marcus nodded toward two empty chairs.
“Would either of you like some coffee?” Reagan asked. Sierra looked at me and when I nodded, she hopped up to join Reagan and grab our mugs.
“Good night last night?” Marcus asked with one eyebrow raised.
“Fantastic,” I smiled at him and then looked toward my daughter when I heard her gasp.
Leia and Lexi were both staring at me in shock and when Leia whispered something in Lexi’s ear and then Holly’s ear, they all started to giggle.
“Did you and my mom go on a date last night?” Lexi asked me directly.
“We did.” I smiled.
“Did you pick her up this morning before you drove over here?” Leia asked me.
“Well, she rode with me.”
“I know that. What I’m saying is, did you have to leave our house by yourself and drive to her house where she was waiting alone for you this morning?” Leia knew me well and had already figured out how to word her questions to get direct answers, knowing I would never lie to her face if I could help it.
“Nope.”
Leia’s smile grew slowly as she put the details together and when she leaned over to whisper to Lexi and Holly, I saw their jaws drop.
“Does your girl always cross examine you so thoroughly?” Marcus asked with a laugh. “She’s got a future in law, I can see it in her already.”
“She doesn’t miss much,” I agreed. “It’s hell to try and get secrets past her.”
Sierra came back into the dining room carrying two mugs and slid one in front of me before she sat down in the chair next to mine.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” I told Sierra with a smile. Her eyes lit up when she caught sight of the three girls with their mouths hanging open in shock.
“You’re welcome, honey.” Sierra smiled back and it was hard not to laugh when I heard the girls gasp collectively.
“Cheesy scrambled eggs for everyone!” Reagan announced as he walked in from the kitchen. He and Marcus started lifting the lids off the other dishes on the table and I saw that they had gone all out with breakfast this morning. We had waffles, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, and the eggs Reagan had just finished.
Marcus started serving - first Reagan and then himself - before he passed the plate of waffles around. I decided to take my cue from Marcus and serve Sierra before I served myself. She smiled and even blushed a little at the attention.
When the fruit bowl came around, I stirred it up and shook my head rather than asking her if she would like some. Sierra smiled brightly and passed the bowl over to the girls who were still watching our every move.
“Why didn’t you give my mom any? She loves fruit,” Lexi asked with her head tilted and her eyes calculating.
“She’s allergic to raspberries,” I reminded her with a smile. “She can’t eat the fruit today.”
“Oh, I had no idea!” Reagan said from his end of the table. “I’m so sorry! I’ve got some melon left in the kitchen if you’d like to have that.”
“Yes, please,” Sierra smiled.
Reagan started to get up, but I waved him off. “I’ll grab it.”
When I walked back in with the
