care in the least as she watched her sexy husband prowl around the bonnet of the Rav4 to the driver's door.
Moments later they were on their way to his parents' house where Kelly had been staying. Adele was filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Both emotions sent the butterflies in her stomach into overdrive. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't be sick.
~ * ~
Dominic eyed his wife warily as they walked up to the house. She had a secret, and she was having way too much fun keeping it from him.
"You can't even give me a hint before you tell everyone?"
"Nope. It's your own fault, chèrie . You're just so cute when you're frustrated."
He growled low at his cheeky mate as he reached to grip her hips. The front door swinging open prevented him from doing any more.
For the moment.
Adele was so going to pay for teasing him.
"Adele!" Kelly's high pitch squeal pierced his ear drums as the young girl sprinted toward them—still wearing her pajamas—throwing herself into Adele's embrace.
He watched with pride as Adele wrapped her in her arms and cuddled her tightly. "Oh, my petite fille, I missed you."
"I missed you too. And Dominic. Did you have fun?"
"We had lots of fun. Next holiday we'll take you too, I promise."
As Adele released Kelly, Dominic swooped in to give her a hug and twirl her around before setting her back down. "Missed you too, kiddo. You're definitely coming with us next time."
"Come inside all of you! Kelly's not the only one who missed you, you know."
He looked to the doorway to see his mother standing there, arms crossed with the biggest grin spread over her face. He strode over to her to kiss her cheek and give her a hug. "Hi, Mum. I'd spin you around too, but you'd probably slap me for it."
"Too right I would my boy."
Patting his cheek, she moved back into the house with them all following her.
Everyone settled in the lounge room. Kelly stole the seat next to Adele, snuggling into her side. Dominic sat in a single chair opposite with a chuckle. His girls were so sweet. His dad came in with a tray of coffees, and a hot chocolate for Kelly. Once everyone had their drinks, Dominic cocked a brow at Adele. "Well, beautiful, are you going to put me out of my misery now? We're all here."
"You are so easy to tease, Dominic. I've had a secret for less than a week and you're just about jumping out of your skin." She shook her head at him with a giggle. "Okay, I received a very interesting phone call yesterday..."
Dominic sat awestruck as Adele relayed everything that she'd accomplished yesterday. Part of him felt hurt she hadn't needed his help, but mostly he was extremely proud of her. His wife and mate was an extraordinary female indeed.
"Someone found her. So, she's really dead." Kelly's whisper cut through the room like a sharp knife.
The poor little mite had tears streaming down her face. Dominic's heart broke for her. Kelly's young mind had obviously chosen denial as a means to cope with what she knew must have happened to her mother.
"Kelly, chère , how about we get a special headstone made up for her grave and have a memorial service for her? That way, you can say goodbye to your mum. Would you like to do that?"
With a slight nod, Kelly buried her face into Adele's shoulder. Adele pressed her cheek against her hair and began humming to her a French lullaby her mother used to hum to her as a child. Curious, Dominic had quizzed her about the tune before their wedding.
A hand on his shoulder brought his attention to his younger brother. Conner looked stressed and worn out. Not like his usual carefree self at all.
"What's up, Conner?"
"So much. Too much. Want to go for a run?"
"Sounds good. The girls could use some time without us males around, I'm sure."
He glanced over to Adele who was watching him and nodded that she'd heard. Grabbing his keys out of his pocket, he followed Conner out to the Rav4, to head deep into the Cradle Mountains where they could run in their snow
Moments later they were on their way to his parents' house where Kelly had been staying. Adele was filled with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Both emotions sent the butterflies in her stomach into overdrive. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't be sick.
~ * ~
Dominic eyed his wife warily as they walked up to the house. She had a secret, and she was having way too much fun keeping it from him.
"You can't even give me a hint before you tell everyone?"
"Nope. It's your own fault, chèrie . You're just so cute when you're frustrated."
He growled low at his cheeky mate as he reached to grip her hips. The front door swinging open prevented him from doing any more.
For the moment.
Adele was so going to pay for teasing him.
"Adele!" Kelly's high pitch squeal pierced his ear drums as the young girl sprinted toward them—still wearing her pajamas—throwing herself into Adele's embrace.
He watched with pride as Adele wrapped her in her arms and cuddled her tightly. "Oh, my petite fille, I missed you."
"I missed you too. And Dominic. Did you have fun?"
"We had lots of fun. Next holiday we'll take you too, I promise."
As Adele released Kelly, Dominic swooped in to give her a hug and twirl her around before setting her back down. "Missed you too, kiddo. You're definitely coming with us next time."
"Come inside all of you! Kelly's not the only one who missed you, you know."
He looked to the doorway to see his mother standing there, arms crossed with the biggest grin spread over her face. He strode over to her to kiss her cheek and give her a hug. "Hi, Mum. I'd spin you around too, but you'd probably slap me for it."
"Too right I would my boy."
Patting his cheek, she moved back into the house with them all following her.
Everyone settled in the lounge room. Kelly stole the seat next to Adele, snuggling into her side. Dominic sat in a single chair opposite with a chuckle. His girls were so sweet. His dad came in with a tray of coffees, and a hot chocolate for Kelly. Once everyone had their drinks, Dominic cocked a brow at Adele. "Well, beautiful, are you going to put me out of my misery now? We're all here."
"You are so easy to tease, Dominic. I've had a secret for less than a week and you're just about jumping out of your skin." She shook her head at him with a giggle. "Okay, I received a very interesting phone call yesterday..."
Dominic sat awestruck as Adele relayed everything that she'd accomplished yesterday. Part of him felt hurt she hadn't needed his help, but mostly he was extremely proud of her. His wife and mate was an extraordinary female indeed.
"Someone found her. So, she's really dead." Kelly's whisper cut through the room like a sharp knife.
The poor little mite had tears streaming down her face. Dominic's heart broke for her. Kelly's young mind had obviously chosen denial as a means to cope with what she knew must have happened to her mother.
"Kelly, chère , how about we get a special headstone made up for her grave and have a memorial service for her? That way, you can say goodbye to your mum. Would you like to do that?"
With a slight nod, Kelly buried her face into Adele's shoulder. Adele pressed her cheek against her hair and began humming to her a French lullaby her mother used to hum to her as a child. Curious, Dominic had quizzed her about the tune before their wedding.
A hand on his shoulder brought his attention to his younger brother. Conner looked stressed and worn out. Not like his usual carefree self at all.
"What's up, Conner?"
"So much. Too much. Want to go for a run?"
"Sounds good. The girls could use some time without us males around, I'm sure."
He glanced over to Adele who was watching him and nodded that she'd heard. Grabbing his keys out of his pocket, he followed Conner out to the Rav4, to head deep into the Cradle Mountains where they could run in their snow
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