Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 99413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99413 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
“Thanks, buddy,” LaSalle says. “I’ll call to double-check.”
“That’s not going to help. The person who will answer your call is the problem. They are new and overwhelmed.”
LaSalle chuckles and shakes his head. “I guess we’ll have to be on time. Go rest,” he says to me and nods toward our room.
I get up and round the couch to where my husband stands. He dips his head to peck my lips. I smile up at him in anticipation of later tonight.
Another smile comes to my lips as I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away. Almost eight years and it still feels like the day we got married and bound our lives together forever. Would I marry this man all over again?
I look over my shoulder and confirm his gray eyes are locked on me. Yes, I would. I’d marry him again and again. He’s the love of my life and our children are all icing on the cake.
LaSalle
I shake my head as Tasha adds an extra sway to her hips as she leaves to go relax. I have plans for us later. Some time alone for us to relax and focus on ourselves.
This date feels needed and earned. With so much always going on between raising our family and running the Alliance, we don’t get a lot of moments to call our own without some type of interruption.
Tonight will be about us. No outside people and no little ones who need our attention. Tasha has demanded to be a hands-on mother.
We have staff to help, but she’s always there for our children when they need her. The nannies pretty much collect free money. However, since things can change so quickly around here, they are a necessity to keep around.
“I will take him,” Mary, one of the nannies, says as she appears to take Sunny from my arms.
“Thank you.”
She takes Sunny and I go over to sit for tea with Karen, Jess, and Meg at Karen’s little table. She has the new tea set I had specially made for her in Russia set up. I had to head there to check in with Misha for a bit.
“Two sugars or one, Daddy?” Karen asks happily as I take my seat.
“Let me see, you can count to ten. I’ll take five cubes and a slice of lemon, please.”
“Okay, one, two … two, um.” She pauses and knits her brows. I know I’ve made her nervous because she’s been an excellent counter since she was two.
“You got this, baby. Take your time.”
“Three, four, five,” she says with a smile. “I did it, Daddy. Yay.”
“You did. That was great. What kind of cookies did you bake today?”
“We have sugar and chip.”
I chuckle as she calls the chocolate chip cookies chip. Her sisters sit along with us with proud looks on their faces. I love how invested they are in playing with their little sister.
“I’ll take three sugars and four chocolate chip, please.”
“Okay,” she sings as she counts out my cookies.
“The chocolate chip cookies came out so good today,” Jess says as she looks longingly at the plate as if real cookies are on there.
I have to bite back my laughter. However, the smile that comes to Karen’s face makes me so proud of Jess. She’s so good with her younger siblings.
At thirteen, she’s become so mature. Megan is right along with her. My girls have grown up so fast. I can’t believe I will have two teenagers by next year.
I glance at my oldest son. Sammy will be eleven soon. His special day is coming. I’m so proud of him and all the progress he’s been making.
Suddenly, as if feeling my eyes on him or as if knowing I’m thinking about him, Sammy freezes and turns to look me in the eyes from where he’s sitting with his younger brothers.
“She wrote a letter for this birthday. You will have to give it to me. There will be one for you this year too. Don’t ignore it. That may have been their final major challenge against you.
“It is me they will challenge head-on next. Her words will free you for what’s to come, what the others have to do. Who I must become,” he says.
With that, he hands Elijah the controller, then stands and turns to walk off as if he said nothing. I look after him with my brows knit. After a moment, I shake it off and turn back to the girls to finish our teatime.
However, my thoughts remain with my son. Something is about to change.
CHAPTER 8
Next Play
Tasha
I wake to LaSalle dropping kisses all over my face. Opening my eyes, I lock on his gray ones as he stares back at me. A groan leaves my lips as I smile and reach to cup his cheek.
“What time is it?”
“Four thirty.”
“Oh wow. After that bath, I couldn’t hold my eyes open. I hadn’t planned to sleep that long.”