cautious than leaving his house unlocked.”
“Hey, Squirt.” Peter reached for the remote and paused the movie. “But then we’d miss out on surprise visits with whoever wanders by.” His glance lingered on his wife’s subdued greeting. Always good at reading the women’s nonverbal body language and knowing when they needed to talk, Peter pointed toward the kitchen and stood. “I’m... Just going to go make some popcorn.”
Faith tucked her feet under her and waited for Skye to speak.
“So.” Skye bridged her fingers, then put them at her waist. “Whatcha watching?”
“ Just Go With It .”
“Jennifer Aniston?”
Faith nodded.
Skye shook her head. “I don’t think I ever saw it. Funny?”
“Uh huh.”
Unable to bear the stiffness between them any longer, Skye slid onto the couch and faced her sister. “Faith, I’m sorry for being such a butthead. I...I was just shocked and... Well, shocked pretty much covers it. And hurt that you hid your pregnancy from me and worried—but that’s no excuse. I acted like a selfish brat, and I’m sorry.” She bit her bottom lip. “A-n-d. I’ll do my best to be supportive. Can you forgive me?”
Faith blinked back tears. She nodded and held her arms open wide.
Skye launched herself at her sister, careful to not press against her belly. “I hate it when we fight.”
“Me, too,” Faith whispered, and she squeezed her tightly.
“I’m so scared for you. But I’ll control it,” Skye rushed to assure her as she pulled back.
“I’m scared, too.” Faith’s hand rested on her rounded stomach. “I mean I never thought we’d have more kids. We hadn’t planed on this.” She patted her belly. “I’m thirty-five now—a whole lot older than when I had Niki. And twins? Good Lord. Where am I going to find the energy for twins?” Faith ran a hand through her hair and propped her head on her hand as if it was suddenly too heavy to hold up.
“Don’t be silly—you’re not old. And you’re not alone. Peter’s a pro with a bottle and diapers.” Faith didn’t look convinced. “A-n-d... I can help if you need me.” Skye slowly spread her lips into a semblance of a smile.
“Really?”
Faith looked so hopeful and strangely unsure of herself that Skye had to force some optimism. One of them had to be confident and positive. “Sure. I can bring you meals from the bar. I’m a whiz at laundry and a genius with a Swiffer . ”Skye patted her arm and smiled brightly. “Absolutely. It’ll be fine.”
Fine and dandy.
Chapter 6
Edward Hastings left the front seat of his assistant’s Audi and rounded the car to hold the door open for his wife. Drawing in a deep breath of crisp night air, he watched Noelle gracefully slide out of the car and walk toward their Tudor home. The click of her high heels pierced the quiet night, and the diamonds at her ears winked brightly in the full moonlight.
The event with the Right to Life group had been typically long and boring, yet Edward owed them many more nights of speeches and schmoozing for their considerable financial support. These were the people getting him reelected, and if he was ever tempted to forget that fact, Ben was there to remind him.
“That went well.” Ben grabbed an armful of binders, shut the car door, and headed for the house.
“It did. Thanks for the ride.” Edward hurried up the brick drive and patted Ben’s shoulder. “What’s that?”
“We have some stuff to go over. Shouldn’t take long, but I gotta confirm a few things so we can firm up your schedule, and this—” he hefted the binders in his arms. “—is your bedtime reading. I—”
“It can wait till tomorrow.”
“Nope. You’ve blocked out tomorrow as family time, and Sunday you fly out. It won’t take long to go over—an hour, two tops.”
Edward looked toward the house where the kitchen and family room lights cast a warm glow into the cold fall night. They’d be waiting for their
“Hey, Squirt.” Peter reached for the remote and paused the movie. “But then we’d miss out on surprise visits with whoever wanders by.” His glance lingered on his wife’s subdued greeting. Always good at reading the women’s nonverbal body language and knowing when they needed to talk, Peter pointed toward the kitchen and stood. “I’m... Just going to go make some popcorn.”
Faith tucked her feet under her and waited for Skye to speak.
“So.” Skye bridged her fingers, then put them at her waist. “Whatcha watching?”
“ Just Go With It .”
“Jennifer Aniston?”
Faith nodded.
Skye shook her head. “I don’t think I ever saw it. Funny?”
“Uh huh.”
Unable to bear the stiffness between them any longer, Skye slid onto the couch and faced her sister. “Faith, I’m sorry for being such a butthead. I...I was just shocked and... Well, shocked pretty much covers it. And hurt that you hid your pregnancy from me and worried—but that’s no excuse. I acted like a selfish brat, and I’m sorry.” She bit her bottom lip. “A-n-d. I’ll do my best to be supportive. Can you forgive me?”
Faith blinked back tears. She nodded and held her arms open wide.
Skye launched herself at her sister, careful to not press against her belly. “I hate it when we fight.”
“Me, too,” Faith whispered, and she squeezed her tightly.
“I’m so scared for you. But I’ll control it,” Skye rushed to assure her as she pulled back.
“I’m scared, too.” Faith’s hand rested on her rounded stomach. “I mean I never thought we’d have more kids. We hadn’t planed on this.” She patted her belly. “I’m thirty-five now—a whole lot older than when I had Niki. And twins? Good Lord. Where am I going to find the energy for twins?” Faith ran a hand through her hair and propped her head on her hand as if it was suddenly too heavy to hold up.
“Don’t be silly—you’re not old. And you’re not alone. Peter’s a pro with a bottle and diapers.” Faith didn’t look convinced. “A-n-d... I can help if you need me.” Skye slowly spread her lips into a semblance of a smile.
“Really?”
Faith looked so hopeful and strangely unsure of herself that Skye had to force some optimism. One of them had to be confident and positive. “Sure. I can bring you meals from the bar. I’m a whiz at laundry and a genius with a Swiffer . ”Skye patted her arm and smiled brightly. “Absolutely. It’ll be fine.”
Fine and dandy.
Chapter 6
Edward Hastings left the front seat of his assistant’s Audi and rounded the car to hold the door open for his wife. Drawing in a deep breath of crisp night air, he watched Noelle gracefully slide out of the car and walk toward their Tudor home. The click of her high heels pierced the quiet night, and the diamonds at her ears winked brightly in the full moonlight.
The event with the Right to Life group had been typically long and boring, yet Edward owed them many more nights of speeches and schmoozing for their considerable financial support. These were the people getting him reelected, and if he was ever tempted to forget that fact, Ben was there to remind him.
“That went well.” Ben grabbed an armful of binders, shut the car door, and headed for the house.
“It did. Thanks for the ride.” Edward hurried up the brick drive and patted Ben’s shoulder. “What’s that?”
“We have some stuff to go over. Shouldn’t take long, but I gotta confirm a few things so we can firm up your schedule, and this—” he hefted the binders in his arms. “—is your bedtime reading. I—”
“It can wait till tomorrow.”
“Nope. You’ve blocked out tomorrow as family time, and Sunday you fly out. It won’t take long to go over—an hour, two tops.”
Edward looked toward the house where the kitchen and family room lights cast a warm glow into the cold fall night. They’d be waiting for their
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