Logan — 11
I was fuming. I already knew Rhett was stressed and things were getting to him. My first priority was to him and our babies. The rest of the family could deal. I knew that somewhere, deep down, they meant well. But Phoebe was five now, and it had been some time since my mom had a grandbaby.
I’d been warned. Both Boone and Kait had warned me. Mom had already been bugging them for more grandkids, and she seemed genuinely hurt when they told her they were finished, final decision, they medically couldn’t have any more. Something even I didn’t know was that Boone had had a vasectomy after Phoebe was born. They were truly finished having children.
I knew Rhett was upset, and I was going to talk to him, but not just now. I wanted to calm down a bit more before doing so. Our children were the perfect tool for doing that, and as I held Abi in my arms, I could feel my frustration lessening.
I looked at Rhett, who had Ash on his shoulder and was gently patting his back. Abi had long since burped, and I knew I needed to talk to my husband. After placing our daughter in the crib, I carefully took our son and put him beside his sister. Then I turned and took Rhett’s hands and gently pulled him up and out of his chair.
I leaned down, giving him a quick kiss before I picked up the bottles and motioned for Rhett to follow me. Once we made sure the baby monitor was on, Rhett gave Scarlett ear rubs before we left the nursery and went downstairs. We had bottles to clean and sterilize, as well as formula to mix and put back into the ready bottles. It was a never-ending cycle, but one I was all too happy to have.
We put the bottles in the sink, and I turned and looked at my husband, who appeared unsure. That was the last thing I wanted. Unfortunately, there was a knock on the door before I could begin the conversation I knew we needed to have. I held up a finger and offered Rhett a smile because I knew he’d be in a better mood once he realized what was going on.
“Hey! Thanks for coming out on short notice,” I told the locksmith as I stepped aside to let him in.
“No problem. Usually it’s people locked out that need an emergency call though.”
“Yeah, we’re the opposite here. We want to make sure we’re the only two with keys to the place, so there’s where you come in.”
“Got it. And it’s the three doors?” he asked, looking around the house.
“Yes. The front door, back one you just entered through, and the one on the side of the garage. The only other door is the sliding door, and it’s a completely different lock without a key,” I told him. I threw a stunned Rhett a smile as I showed the locksmith the front door. He’d start there and then work his way around to the other two.
Rhett was still in the same spot when I returned to him. I walked up behind my husband and wrapped my arms around him before I leaned down and started nibbling on his neck. He tilted his head to the side, giving me easy access, something I loved about him. He was always so giving when it came to affection between us.
“You called a locksmith?”
“Yep.”
“He’s changing the locks?”
“Uh-huh. I have no idea how many copies my mom had made. Nor do I know who all has a copy. I’m not taking any chances with us having wall sex and her just waltzing on in.” I turned Rhett in my arms and looked down at my husband. I knew he was extremely upset when we’d come home earlier and found people in the house. I was, too, and it took a lot to not go off on my parents and aunt and uncle. Although, Aunt Cammie and Uncle Sam didn’t realize it wasn’t okay for Mom and Dad to still have a key.
“It used to be her house though. I do understand,” Rhett said as he once again started playing with the buttons on my shirt. I loved it when he did that. It was so damn cute. “And I have to admit, wall sex sounds good.”
“Doesn’t it? We’ll have to see about working that in later after the twins are fed tonight. But I don’t want to have to worry about having an unannounced visitor in the middle of it. This hasn’t been my parents’ house for a decade, munchkin. They need to knock. It’s common courtesy.”
“Well, I know for a fact they knock at Boone and Kait’s. Aunt Cammie knocks at Sean and Simon’s every time she visits. I just feel bad.”
“Don’t. She needs to know there are boundaries that she needs to abide by. Boone would tear into her if she just walked into their place, something I reminded him of when he kept doing it here, remember? Let’s not talk about my parents anymore. Right now, we have bottles to prep, and one of us should figure something out for supper.”
The blush on Rhett’s cheeks was more than enough to let me know he was remembering the time I got upset with Boone just being in the kitchen one morning. Our family had all since respected that this was mine and Rhett’s house and they needed to knock. New babies didn’t change those rules.
“Oh, I’m ahead of you there. I pulled some chicken out and was going to make chicken and dumplings. I know you like it.”
“I love you. Marry me?” I asked as I dipped Rhett back over my arm, causing him to laugh. I loved that sound.
“Naw, my husband wouldn’t like it if I married someone else. He’s possessive.” Rhett smiled up at me. I pulled him back up before responding.
“Damn right. You start supper and I’ll clean bottles. Sound fair?”
“So fair.”
I noticed there was a happiness and relief to Rhett that hadn’t been there for a few weeks, and hopefully he was starting to adjust to us being parents. I went to the sink and started washing bottles while he went to the fridge and got out what he needed. Once the bottles were clean, I put them in the sanitizer and started it.
When I turned around, Rhett had the chicken in a pot on the stove and had pulled out the stuff to mix up the dumplings. “Do you need help?”
“Naw, I have it handled. Did you want to go check on the locksmith? I’m going to whip up a batch of scones for you as well.”
I did a double take and simply stared at Rhett, wondering what I’d done to deserve scones. He chuckled at me, able to read me so well.
“It’s simply my way of saying I love you and appreciate everything you do for us and our family. I feel terrible about your parents, but I can’t thank you enough for what you did.”
I walked back over to Rhett, and after taking the container of flour from him, I placed it on the island before I pulled him into my arms.
“Sweetheart, I love my parents. I honestly do. But you and our children are my life. You’re the reason I get up in the mornings. You’re the reason I smile, love, trudge out to the barn in subzero temperatures. I want you to be happy, healthy, and comfortable. I’d do anything for you.”
“I love you, too. Which is why you’re getting scones and wall sex later. Now, go check on the locksmith and leave me to it,” Rhett said as he reached up to pull me down for a kiss.
I pulled away and went in search of our guest. I found him just as he was finishing up with the front door. I tried both keys in the lock, and when he was satisfied with both, he gave me a curt nod and then we were off to the garage door. I didn’t last long before I had to go back inside and get my coat because even in the garage, it was below freezing.
By the time the locksmith had all three locks changed, I’d paid the bill—emergency fee included—and he was on his way to the next call, I could smell scones in the oven and my mouth instantly started watering. I didn’t get any over Christmas because the twins had arrived.
“You know you spoil me, right?” I asked as I sat down at one of the barstools at the island and Rhett placed a coffee cup in front of me. When he brought over the carafe, I groaned.
“Yeah, but it goes both ways. You spoil me, as well. We need to shake the food container or something. Scarlett needs to eat her dinner.”
“I’ll go up and get her,” I told him as I got up. As quietly as I could, I climbed the stairs and when I peeked into the nursery, the twins were sound asleep, and Scarlett…well…she looked almost bored. “Come on, girl,” I whispered to her while quietly patting my thigh. She got up and with one last quick glance toward the babies, she followed me out of the nursery and down to the kitchen where Rhett was waiting for her.
“There she is. I’ve missed you, Scarlett. You don’t have to stay with the babies all of the time,” Rhett told her as he leaned down and gave her a hug. He had a carrot in his hand, and after he gave Scarlett hugs and ear rubs, he gave her the treat and she plopped down in the middle of the floor where she put it in her paws and chewed on it.
While she munched on her carrot, I eyeballed the scones that Rhett had on the cooling rack. They weren’t iced yet, so I had to wait because they simply weren’t the same without the icing. I glanced over to Rhett just in time to see him rolling his eyes at me.
“They’re still too warm.”
“When has that ever stopped me? Just one? Please?” I wasn’t above begging for a scone, and he knew it. It continually worked; he always gave in, and I got one before the rest were ready.
“Fine. But only one. You need to wait until after supper, and I should have the dumplings rolled out and cut already.”
“I’ll help. Promise.”
I watched as Rhett pulled out a container of icing and a knife. He had one iced, and then he piped the cinnamon glaze on top before he handed me my treat. I glanced at Scarlett, who was still munching on her carrot, and thought I got the better end of the deal. I was correct and I knew it when I took my first bite. They were still warm, almost on the verge of being too warm, but I didn’t care. I moaned with a mouth full of pumpkin scone and gave my husband a look that promised things that I knew he would understand.
“Later. I need to get the dumplings going,” Rhett said as he turned around and pulled a glob of dough out of the mixer. Once the island was covered in flour, he plopped the dough down and then rolled it out. Once cut, he started dropping the dumplings into the pot of boiling broth. My scone long gone, I took the spoon from him and stirred the broth and dumplings while Rhett continually dropped the dough in.
“Thanks. That’s so much easier with help.”
“You know I love spending any time I can with you. Cooking is fun. Especially when it means I get to spend extra time with you.”
Rhett wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and laid his head on my back, between my shoulder blades. “Thank you, again, for earlier. I don’t need to know what all you said to everyone, but I want you to know that I really do appreciate you getting rid of them. I do feel bad, but I just…”
“Sweetheart, it’s okay,” I said as I patted Rhett’s hands he had laced together in front of my stomach. He let go and when I glanced over my shoulder, I watched as he cleaned up the mess on the island from the dumplings. Once he was finished with that, he all but pushed me out of the way while smiling up at me.
“I know you need to make some phone calls and probably work on some paperwork. Why don’t you go do that while I finish up supper? I’ll let you know when it’s ready. You have about twenty minutes until the dumplings are ready.”
“I do have some paperwork I should look over. And a few phone calls to make. Are you sure though? What if the twins wake up?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Go. It’s not like you’re going to be far. If they wake up, I’ll give a shout for you and then we’ll feed them. Go, get your work done, and I’ll keep an ear open for the babies,” Rhett said as he gestured to the baby monitor receiver that was on the counter.
I gave Rhett a lingering kiss, promising much more later, before I turned and picked up my coffee cup and headed to my office. Boone would be thrilled if I took care of the paperwork that he hated doing. I never minded because it had given me something to do in the evenings before I’d met Rhett. Now I’d have to learn to balance everything, but that was okay. I was more than willing to do that for my husband and children.
And up first was calling the trainer about Scarlett. We’d gotten busy and hadn’t called yet, but it needed to be done. Once I was in the office, I closed the door and found the contact. I hit the green button on my phone as I sat down at my desk.
“Hello, Mr. Redfeather. How was your holidays?”
“Jim, they weren’t bad actually. Rhett and I became daddies on Christmas Eve, so things have been hectic.”
“Daddies. Wow. Congratulations. How’s Scarlett taking it? Any problems? I assume that’s why you’re calling.”
“I have a few questions,” I said as I picked up a pen and found some paper to jot down notes if needed.
“No problem. We’re always here. What’s going on?”
“Rhett’s been doing better, so he hasn’t really put Scarlett’s vest on much. And we’ve always told the family it’s okay to pet her as long as she’s not working. Is that okay still? Even if she doesn’t work much anymore?”
I heard Jim chuckle through the line, and I tried to not sigh. “Yeah, Logan, it’s fine. Scarlett and Rhett have been paired for a couple years now. She’s more than just his therapy dog at this point. She’s more like family, and she’ll act like it. She’s okay. But she’s going to take attention anywhere she can, just like most dogs.”
I did sigh then. That was a relief to hear. “Good. We all love her, but we just weren’t sure how or what we needed to do.”
“It’s pretty safe to say that at this point, even without her vest on, she’s still going to be working. Have you noticed she still goes to Rhett when needed? Even when she’s not wearing it? She doesn’t sleep in it, right?” I thought about that for a moment, and I couldn’t remember a time she had.
“No, she’s never slept in it as far as I know. And yes, even on Christmas Eve, she came to Rhett immediately when she sensed he was starting to panic.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about. Just be sure to put her vest on her if you take her out in public. Otherwise, you’re good.”
“Great. One other thing.” I was hesitant to even ask, but I needed to. I needed to be sure everything was okay.
“Sure. Ask away,” Jim said in an encouraging voice.
“Is it normal for her to want to be near the twins?”
“Wait, twins? Holy smokes! Wow. Double congrats, man.”
I laughed at Jim’s excitement for us but tuned in when he started talking again.
“Yeah, she’s going to want to be near them. She’ll be their biggest protector, most likely. Is she still sleeping with Rhett though?”
“Yes. She spends a lot of time in the nursery when the twins are there, but she ends up with us at night, always.”
“Then don’t worry. If Rhett does have problems, have him put her vest on at home for a few days and she should be fine. If you have any issues that don’t seem right or resolve quickly, either call or bring her in and we can put her through some paces.”
“Thanks so much, Jim. That’s such a relief. And I know it will be for Rhett as well.” I sighed; a huge weight had been lifted from my chest. I felt so much better about our furry child now.
“No problem. We’re always here for you. If you need anything, just give us a holler.”
“Thanks again. Have a good New Year.”
“You too. Tell Rhett hello for me.”
“Will do,” I said before hitting the red button and ending the call. Now that that was taken care of, I needed to go tell my husband that everything was just fine.