Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82186 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I nodded.
“I wonder if Sam is careful when he’s out doing his marshal thing.”
“Well, he was shot not too long ago, and a couple years ago, he leaped off the side of a building chasing down a suspect, so I think the answer is no.”
“Really?”
“To a point,” I said hoarsely. Thinking about losing Sam Kage always made my heart skip a beat and formed a lump in my throat. “I think he tries not to put himself in harm’s way to begin with, but if he’s put in the position to act to save others, he has no choice. It’s in his nature to protect, to be a knight, and I would never ask him to change. It’s part of who he is.”
He nodded. “Yes, it is.”
We were quiet for a few minutes.
“Jory.”
I met his gaze.
“You know when Sam first told me all those years ago that he was marrying a man, I was…stunned.”
“Lots of people were.”
“But I have to say, your home is very traditional, so I understand why it works for him.”
I squinted.
“No, crap—I don’t mean that you’re the mother and he’s the father. I just mean that Sam always wanted what his parents had, the house, the kids, the dinners on the table and––”
“I like to cook, so I do,” I clarified. “But Sam cooks, Hannah cooks—somewhat experimentally—and Kola cooks as well. We all pitch in, and if I work late or Sam does… I think the family unit is an evolving idea and everyone has their own version.”
“Of course. I just meant that it seems to me that Sam Kage has exactly what he always said he wanted, and the fact that he fell in love with a man and still got it is somewhat amazing.”
“We’re just normal and a bit boring,” I assured him. “All except Sam’s job and of course the pandemic—which reminds me, how did that work for you? That had to have been nuts, trying to travel.”
“Oh God, you have no idea,” he groaned and proceeded to explain about trying to get into Hong Kong and Guyana and Mali during quarantine.
When I was headed up for bed after setting the alarm, Gale called over to me, stopping me on the stairs.
“I just want to tell you that it’s been really nice staying here and spending time with you and your kids and their friends, and even your psychotic cat.”
“What about the dog?” I teased him.
“Of course the dog.” His chuckle made me smile. “But really, I get why Sam loves coming home to you. I would love it myself.”
“That’s really nice of you to say,” I said with a yawn. “We’ll see you in the morning. It’s crepe Sunday so…” I tipped my head back and forth. “Depending on who’s making them, it can go a lot of different ways.”
“I can’t wait,” he replied, smiling at me as he put the sheet on the couch.
The following morning, Gale nearly choked to death on his orange juice when I shot him a look as Hannah proudly served him his asparagus, spinach, and kale crepe plated beautifully with sliced apples.
“What?” she snapped, facing him, hands on hips. “It’s yummy.”
He pointed at me. “It’s your father’s fault.”
“What?” she almost shouted, rounding on me. “Why are you casting aspersions on my food?”
“Honey, kale gives me hives.”
“Oh, it does not,” she grumbled at me. “And it’s good for you.”
“Yes, but it tastes like dirt no matter what you do to it.”
“Pa!”
“Oh God, why is it green?” Kola whined as he walked into the kitchen in pajama bottoms and a T-shirt.
“It’s healthy,” Jake chimed in, clearly on Hannah’s side while she was looking at him and beaming with appreciation. Seconds later, though, he gave Kola a quick shake of his head as soon as her attention returned to the pan.
My son snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
“Stop talking,” she ordered him. “You’re getting a green one.”
“Can I have cereal instead?”
“No,” she yelled in answer.
Kola, who preferred apple juice, was pouring himself a glass when the back door opened and Dobby was off like a shot, barking out a song of welcome.
“Who’s a good boy?” Sam asked as he picked up the dog.
“Daddy!” Hannah shouted, moving the pan off the burner so she could turn and run and leap at her father.
He had enough time to put Dobby down before he caught his daughter, hugged her tight, making her squeak, and then set her on her feet as Kola was there to give him the guy hug, followed quickly by Jake.
“Oh, excellent. I made it for—wait.”
“Don’t start,” Hannah warned him.
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna green one,” he informed his daughter as I reached him.
“What?” she growled. “It’s good for you.”
His rakish smile for me made me catch my breath before he bent and gave me a quick kiss. He then walked over to Gale, who stood to hug him.