* * *
Later that day, their guests departed and their family was relaxing in the backyard. Josh and Olivia were running around with Ethan and Gage toddling after them.
It was a typical afternoon in September, still humid being Georgia, but not as oppressive as the cooling trend hinted at the coming fall. Colt and Kate hung back at the porch swing and enjoyed watching their children play. A gallon-sized mason jar dispenser with sun tea and a platter of chocolate chip cookies provided refreshments.
“So, you’re getting good with brunch preparation.” He glanced at his wife. “Eggs Benedict for a crowd? I’m impressed.”
Kate preened. “I’m becoming quite the domestic goddess.”
He pulled her close. “That you are.” In the two years since Kate had given up her bounty hunter job, she’d become serious about home cooking. Not necessarily the granola-type healthy stuff, but more to do with organic ingredients—farm-fresh eggs from free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork and the like.
“Twins doing okay in school?” Colt asked. The first year the kids attended a private school in Edington. They made good grades, but they didn’t seem too enthusiastic about school. They switched to public school last year and liked it better, but not by much.
Kate smiled and shrugged. “Olivia gets bored easily.”
Colt chuckled. “Well, I can see why when she doesn’t really have to study for an exam and can just read off the answers from her classmate’s minds.”
“She’s a little cheater,” Kate muttered under her breath.
“I’m not!” Olivia yelled from the yard.
“Stop reading our minds,” her mother yelled back.
“I’m not!” her girl denied.
“Well, stop eavesdropping then.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and resumed playing with her brothers.
“Matt brought up a good idea earlier,” Colt said.
“Hmm …?”
“We’ve stopped our agent rehabilitation project at the Annex because TAC has been taking up a lot of my time,” he led in. “How about supplemental education for ES kids. We can redesign the Annex for that purpose.”
“Like homeschooling?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “I think it’s beneficial for them having interaction with other children. But Matt said he thinks our kids are not challenged enough mentally and physically. As much as we want them to have normal lives, they are extraordinary, Kate. We won’t force any training on them. We’ll let them decide what skills they want to develop.”
Kate looked at the yard as if studying each child. After a few seconds, she nodded. “I’m game.” She glanced at him and grinned crookedly. “As long as you stop trying to get me pregnant so I can at least get this project off the ground.”
“Well, they did say it’s good to have the ages of siblings close to each other.” Colt waggled his brows.
“Montgomery, aren’t four kids enough?”
“You have no idea how sexy you look when you’re knocked up.”
“And that’s no excuse to keep me barefoot and pregnant.”
Colt raised a brow. “That’s embedded in a man’s DNA, babe.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Besides the obvious reason of dirty diapers, midnight feedings, and constant sleep deprivation … our older ones?” She nodded to Josh and Olivia. “Are about to hit puberty. That’s the age when they turn from our darling angels to demon spawn.”
Shit, he forgot about that.
His wife grinned and patted his cheek. “I see I’m finally getting through that Neanderthal skull of yours with a one-track mind to propagate the species.”
Colt barked a laugh and hugged his wife tight and kissed her square on the lips. “God, I love you, Goldilocks.” The mother of his children. He’d never get enough of her. The way they simply got each other, the way they verbally sparred. And the sex … How could it be anything but amazing when their love for each other was soul deep?
Her eyes twinkled. “Back at ya, cowboy.”
He gave her a squeeze and repeated, “I love you.”
She looked puzzled for a moment and then her face softened as she remembered their promise to each other.
“Every day for the rest of our lives.” She smiled, pure bliss on her face. “I love you.”
***The End ***
Trent & Cassie’s book - Fighting Chance
Matt & Grace’s book - Saving Grace
Connect With the Author
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Facebook: Victoria Paige Books
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Also by Victoria Paige
Guardians
Fire and Ice
Silver Fire
Smoke and Shadows
Always
It's Always Been You
Always Been Mine
A Love For Always
Misty Grove
Fighting Chance
Saving Grace
Unexpected Vows
Standalone
Deadly Obsession
Captive Lies
Reclaiming Izabel * coming soon
* All series books can be read as standalones
Unexpected Vows Page 28