Emmett
I got home from the office later than I thought, but I was glad that Autumn and Pen were back from their day out.
“Did you have fun at the Sparkly Spa?” I asked.
“Yes, I got to pick purple polish and a new purple top. Paisley picked periwinkle blue.” It was good to see that she’d had a good day, and just when I gave Autumn a kiss, Kaye walked into the room with Paul.
“Well, looks like the gang’s all here,” I said.
“We made dinner, too!” Penelope ran to the fridge to get the salad.
“Yes, we’re going to have a nice dinner, and I thought we’d make an announcement.” Autumn glanced over at me and smiled. I nodded at her, knowing we still hadn’t shared the wedding date with our family.
Kaye’s eyes widened with excitement. Then, she got the basket of bread and took it into the dining room. Paul watched her as she went and then walked out behind her.
“What’s up with those two?” I asked. “Are they going public?”
“They’ve been talking,” Autumn said. “I spent the day getting the dirt on what’s going on, and they’ve both reassured me that they aren’t going to make tension with Pen if it doesn’t work out. Either way, I think we’re good.”
“It’s nice to see him with a good girl for a change, too. There’s been a few that I was worried he’d get stuck with, but I like Kaye.”
“Good, I think she’ll be with us a while.” Autumn smiled and then took the last dish into the dining room.
We sat at the table, and everyone passed the dishes around and engaged in conversation over how amazing it all looked. Autumn’s cooking skills had improved a bit since she’d started watching more food videos, and even though Kaye would sometimes start dinner or take something out to thaw, Autumn finished dinner every night.
Once we were good and busy stuffing our faces, Kaye cleared her throat. “What was this big news you were going to share? I’m on pins and needles waiting.”
“Are you ready to tell them?” I asked.
“Yes, I guess we can go ahead and tell them.” She took a sip of her water, and I gestured for her to continue. “We’ve set a date for the wedding. May twenty-fifth.”
Paul leaned back in his seat. “Next month? Or next year?”
“Next month. Autumn and I didn’t want to wait.” I reached over and took her hand which was resting on the table.
“And here I thought the big announcement would be that you were expecting.” Kaye made a pouty face, and then she and Paul shared a laugh.
“I was putting my money on that, too,” Paul said.
“We’ve got a long time for kids,” I said. “We’re happy with the way things are.” I couldn’t fathom having another kid anytime soon. It wasn’t that I didn’t want a child of my own to love, but I wanted to have time to be Pen’s step-dad first.
Paul liked to egg things on, though. “Pen wants a little brother, don’t you, Pen? Everyone needs a brother or a sister. Look how lucky I got.” He gestured toward me.
“Thank you, little brother. I think I did okay, too.” I knew Pen would make a great big sister one day.
“I didn’t have brothers and sisters,” Autumn said. “You two are the closest I had, and I can honestly say I’ve never been lonesome.”
Penelope’s eyes widened. “I do! I want a brother and a sister.”
Autumn smiled, but I waved my hand. I knew Pen hadn’t really had time to think that through, and while I was glad she wasn’t opposed to the idea, I also didn’t think we needed to subject her to it anytime soon. “We have plenty of time to expand the family, but I’m content with the way it is.”
Autumn shifted in her seat and then took a sip of water as she turned her face away from me. I couldn’t help but think the conversation was causing her discomfort. Before I could change the subject, Paul leaned in.
“Just wait until Autumn’s biological clock starts up again, and you’ll have no choice.” My brother gave me a wink.
“I think it’s something we’ll agree on when it’s time.” I didn’t want to make it seem that I was opposed, but I really had other things to focus on. I was still considering the new job, which I hadn’t discussed with Autumn. Surely, I wouldn’t have time to be a new father.
“Sometimes things happen unplanned,” Autumn said with a shrug. “You don’t always get choices.”
“Yeah, but we’re not even trying. Not deliberately. I’d rather plan it out.” I knew we’d have to be more careful than we had been recently. We’d decided to start using protection now and then but didn’t bother with it half the time, especially when our passion was really intense.
“Well, as I was saying earlier, Autumn, I’m here whether you have one or two,” Kaye said.
“You talked to Kaye about us having children?” I asked.
“I wanted to see how she felt about infants.” She shrugged it off like it was no big deal. “Some nannies don’t deal with newborns.”
“I love babies. They are so sweet.” She turned to smile at Paul.
“I do hope you’re talking about other people’s infants,” he said. “You’re not going to start wanting a baby anytime soon, are you?” Paul gave her a joking smile, and she nudged him.
“Don’t start, and don’t worry, I’m not interested in having my own children. I’d rather play with someone else’s until it’s time for me to go home to peace and quiet. Being a nanny, I get to do that every day.” Kaye took a sip of her drink and then wiped her mouth as my brother nodded.
“That’s the way you do it. See that way, I get to be Uncle Paul, I get to spoil Pen, but I don’t have to pay for orthodontics or tap-dancing lessons.”
We all shared a collective laugh.
“Being a parent is different when it’s your own child,” Autumn said. “You won’t mind all of those things. You’ll love them so much you’d sacrifice anything for them.” She spoke with such conviction that I reached out and took her hand to give it a kiss.
I knew I’d do anything for Penelope, no matter the cost, including lay down my life for her. I only wished that Jason would give her up, and then I could adopt her as my own. He’d called her on her birthday, right in the middle of our fishing trip, and while I hated him for it, I was glad he had at least tried for Pen’s sake.
Just then, as if reading my mind, Paul ran his mouth. “Are you going to adopt Penelope?”
Autumn looked at me and Pen dropped her fork. “What do you mean, Uncle Paul? I’m not adopted, am I, Mama?”
Autumn shook her head. “No, he meant that Emmett might like to adopt you.”
I gave Paul a look that let him know to shut his yap.
“But won’t he be my new daddy when you get married?” Pen asked.
“He’ll be your stepfather,” Autumn explained. She appeared to be getting a bit nervous about where the subject could lead.
“But my real daddy doesn’t want me.” She didn’t seem upset by the fact. “I thought Emmett was going to be my real daddy now.”
Kaye spoke up. “You don’t need an adoption for that, Penelope. A father isn’t made up of adoption papers, he’s made from love, and I think Emmett loves you so much that he’s already the best daddy you can have.”
Pen smiled. “I think so, too. When he and Mama get married, I’m marrying him, too. I’ll be his new little girl.”
Kaye’s eyes widened. “That’s exciting.”
Autumn nodded. “Speaking of exciting, I was hoping that you might know of a wedding venue, Kaye. I’m looking for a nice place, but I don’t want anything big.”
“I’ll ask around and see what I can find out,” Kaye said. “Being such short notice, you’re going to have a hard time finding something.”
“I think so, too,” Autumn said.
“If I might make a suggestion, why don’t you just have the wedding here?” Paul gestured to the room around us.
“I suppose we could,” Autumn said. “What do you think, Emmett?”
I had been listening to them all talk, and all I could think about was the adoption. I wished her dad would do me that one solid, but our days of friendship were over, and he wasn’t going to do me that honor.
“I think it’s fine. Whatever you want, baby.”
“Then I’ll think about it. Good idea, Paul.” Autumn smiled and then we fell into comfortable silence as we finished eating.
Paul and Kaye started talking about movies over dessert. They made plans to catch a late one, and as soon as dinner was over, they hurried out together.
I helped Pen and Autumn clean the kitchen, and then we took her up to her bed, where we tucked her in. She was already near dozing off when I kissed her goodnight, and as I pulled away, she lifted her little hand and touched my face. “I love you, Daddy.”
My heart melted, hearing her call me that for the first time, and I leaned in for another kiss. “I love you too, kiddo.” I didn’t want to leave, but she curled herself into a ball and pulled her covers up tight to her little chin. I had never felt so blessed in all my life, and just knowing the child made all of the time her mother and I had been apart worth it.
As we walked out of the room and headed to ours, Autumn took my hand. “Feels good, doesn’t it?”
“She’s never called me that before.”
“I think she realized tonight that you’d earned it. You’re a wonderful father to her. And you’ll be a wonderful father to our children, too.” All the talk about families and children really had me thinking about refusing the promotion. When we did have a baby, she wouldn’t want me away all the time. I needed to hear her opinion now that we were alone.
“I had something I wanted to run by you, Autumn. I mean, it’s purely hypothetical, but I was wondering what we’d do if I got a promotion that might take me away from you and Pen.”
She seemed a bit puzzled by my asking. “You don’t need a promotion, Emmett. I don’t want you to think you have to work for that. We’re comfortable, we’re happy. Don’t worry yourself over that.”
“You wouldn’t want me to take something if it comes along?” I was surprised that she wouldn’t want me to better myself for her and the family.
“If that happens, I’ll support you, of course, but I’m just saying that there’s no reason to stress yourself out over work. I don’t mind you going in like you did today now and then, and God knows I’ve had to go in a time or two on the weekends, but I like our life. Of course, we’ll support one another if those things arise.”
“Okay, that’s all I needed to know.” I pulled her close and kissed her, knowing there was no way I’d be able to take the promotion. Even though she’d tried to reassure me that we’d support one another, I could tell by her tone that she didn’t like the idea.
I didn’t even want to think of how her father was going to react when I told him I’d made up my mind and the answer was no.
Autumn leaned over and whispered in my ear. “Will you tuck me in too, Daddy?” She batted her lashes at me, and I pulled her closer to kiss her on the mouth. Her lips were warm and soft, making me long to touch her in other places.
I pulled away and met her eyes. “I don’t know; you’re such a bad girl.” I took her hand and walked her to the bed. “I might have to give you a spanking first.” Sitting on the end, I pulled her into my lap.
“That was a nice dinner. I’m glad Paul and Kaye are getting along, and they’re really cute together.” She kissed my neck and then reached for the buttons on my shirt.
“Yes, they are. I know a much better couple.” I reached up and tugged the strap from her shoulder and then reached down to slip her blouse up over her head. She held her arms up, her breasts heaving in the thin, lace bra she wore, right in my face. They were too tempting not to kiss, and after her arms came around me, I reached back and undid the clasps.
I pulled a tight nipple into my mouth, licking and sucking the tight bud as my hands roamed over her body.
She stood up and slipped off her jeans as I undid my pants and left them beside the bed.