That’s my best accomplishment in life, aside from the spoilt little princess Cecily and the hunk of a husband who turns my nights into the wildest rollercoaster rides.
Xander and Ronan formed some sort of a partnership just like Aiden, Levi, and Cole. Teal and Silver also followed in their husbands’ footsteps and chose business.
Elsa is an architect, who’s more focused on her aunt and uncle’s engineering firm instead of her father’s corporation. Astrid has been slowly turning into a renowned artist that we’re all proud to say we know on a personal level.
All of us have come a long way, but at moments like this, it feels like time can stop. Like we can be forever young.
My eyes meet Silver’s as she sits on Cole’s lap, and we both smile in a knowing way. If she tells him what she told me earlier, then Cole will be a happy man tonight — more than usual, I mean.
It’s crazy to think that Silver and I were enemies back in school. Now, she’s my best friend again, along with Elsa.
It took me some time to get past how she used to treat me, but after hearing her reasons and her apology, I couldn’t hold a grudge against her. Xan says I forgive easily and he’s lucky for that; however, the truth is, I don’t like holding on to the bad. That shit festers inside and destroys you.
Besides, Silver and I have always had a bond since we were little girls. We just built on that and picked up where we left off. Sort of like Xan and I.
My heart ached when I heard about what she’s been through, from the pressure to the pregnancy’s false alarm to the stalker.
She’s the type who buries everything inside and tries to take care of everyone from afar, even if it makes her appear in a negative light.
Now that we’re back in each other’s lives, we’ve built a bond that I never thought would be possible in a million years.
“I’ll go with you.” Xan’s words and his kiss on the top of my head bring me back from my reverie.
“Go with me where?”
“To Kir. You’re still thinking about him, aren’t you? And if he complains to you about how often you visit, I’ll punch him.”
“Hey, don’t punch my baby brother.”
“I’ll punch anyone who hurts you. Kir included.”
“He’s your half-brother, too,” I whisper.
“That doesn’t give him a pass.”
I chuckle, leaning my head against his chest. “You’re impossible.”
“For you, Green. Only you.”
Only me.
I can die a happy woman right here and now.
Teal
The four of us leave the kids with their fathers as we sit around for a drink.
Astrid and Levi are still absent, so it’s just Elsa, Kim, Silver, and me.
Aiden has both Landon and Brandon on his lap. Eli refuses to join since he’s a ‘big boy’.
Cecily holds on to her father as if her life depends on it. Little Ava keeps playing with Cole’s tie and giggling whenever he tickles her.
Remi is casually draped over Ronan’s shoulder. I swear, those two have the most chill father-son relationship ever. It’s like they’re friends, which isn’t so hard to believe considering that Ronan is forever young. It doesn’t matter how old he gets, he’s still the life of every gathering, and right now, he’s plotting a game to keep the children busy. There’s a reason why Ronan is every child’s favourite uncle.
Our Remi is so cool about it, too. I thought he would be jealous that other kids would be taking up his father’s time, but he said, “No, Mummy. That means Daddy is da best.”
It’s like he’s his wingman.
My heart always flutters when I see them together. My two men. Who knew there would be a day when I would be a wife and a mother, and not only that, but also have the best family out there.
I have a husband who wakes me up on a daily basis with his head buried between my legs to ‘relax me’ and a son who’s learning from his father to bring me breakfast in bed.
For someone who hardly had a family, having Ronan and Remi feels like an eternal dream.
One I don’t ever want to wake up from.
“Stop it.” Silver’s voice brings me to the present.
She’s elbowing Kim, who keeps laughing under her breath while Silver is blushing.
“What’s going on?” Elsa asks.
“Nothing.” Kim hides her laughter again.
“She was teasing me.” Silver narrows her eyes on her childhood friend.
“I was only telling the truth about how Cole sat you on his lap earlier.”
“Yeah, right. As if Xan doesn’t do the same.” Silver nudges her playfully and they both break out in laughter.
“You guys are lucky you’ve known your husbands since you were young.” Elsa sighs, taking a sip of her martini.
“You met Aiden when you were young, too,” Kim says.
“Yeah, but I didn’t live with him like you guys did.”
“You’re lucky you didn’t.” Silver sighs. “He was a wanker from a young age. Cole, too. Kim is the only actual lucky one here because Xan was like a ring on her finger since they were in nappies.”
Kim’s face flushes. “That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is. He always stood up for you and even beat Cole and Aiden whenever they bothered you.”
“Well, I guess.”
“You guess?” Silver attacks Kim’s ticklish side until they both break down in giggles.
“Rub it in, would you?” Elsa tears her gaze from them and focuses on me. “How about you, Teal? Don’t you wish you’d met Ronan when he was young?”
“No. Not really. I believe we met at the right time. Any earlier and it would’ve been off, you know?” My gaze automatically finds his and he winks. I smile back, feeling all sorts of fireworks explode in my chest.
I want him for myself.
As much as I love getting together with the girls and seeing all the kids play with each other, I’m actually selfish about my Ron, and even Remi.
I want my husband’s time for myself. I want to sleep in his arms and have him speak French to me.
I guess it’s time to go home.
Silver
“Call me afterwards, okay?” Kim squeezes me in a hug.
“I will.” I kiss her cheek. “Give that to Cecily on my behalf.”
“You say that as if she spends time with me when her daddy is around.”
I smile as I wave at her, then at Teal and Ronan, who are pulling out of the Meet Up.
Aiden left with Elsa, Eli, and Astrid’s twin boys because their parents are still MIA.
Cole straps a sleeping Ava in the baby seat in the back of the car and kisses her adorable cheek.
“Daddy…” she mumbles in her sleep. “Mummy…”
A smile grazes my lips as Cole kisses her forehead before he joins me. I throw a fleeting glance at my messages, then place my phone in my bag.
After putting his seatbelt on, Cole checks mine. It’s become a habit of his. The protectiveness of this man knows no limits. I’m addicted to it, in a way, and I can’t imagine my life without his over-the-top protectiveness. Whenever we’re with him, I completely let go because I know my baby girl and I are completely safe in his company.
He places a hand on my thigh — as usual — while he pulls the car out of the Meet Up.
For a moment in time, I’m lost watching his side profile and the way he’s grown into this absolutely mouth-watering man. Not that he’s ever been young. Cole has been an adult since he was a child. But he’s currently rocking his thirties like no one else. His physique has kept its lean quality, yet he exudes a lethal type of calm that can be seen from the deep green of his eyes.
Just seeing him puts me in a constant mood to fuck or touch or anything that includes his skin on mine. Not that Cole lets me wait. He’s normally the one who starts it. Like right now.
His fingers keep creeping beneath my dress, and my legs part of their own volition under his ministrations.
“Mum texted,” I say casually, pretending that he’s not about to finger me to an orgasm.
“She did?” he says in his usual calm tone, even as he inches his fingers up.
“She and Papa want to have Ava for the weekend.”
“Tell them no one is taking my daughter away.”
“They’re not taking her away. She is their grandkid.”
“And we’re her parents, Butterfly. We waited for her more than they did.”
That’s true. Still, he’s so possessive of her that Papa and Mum barely have her overnight. They’re older now and ‘need their grandkid’, as Mum keeps reminding me.
“You’re hot.” Cole rips his gaze from the road for a fraction of a second to focus on me.
“I know that.” I still blush. We might have been married for two years and fully public for way longer than that, but Cole still manages to bring the little girl out from inside me. The girl who spied on him when he wasn’t looking.
The girl who watched him while he watched everything else, and was oblivious when he watched her.