Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“For sure, Trap will,” Rubin said, sounding far too pleased. “His twins not only inherited a combination of crazy genetics, but they are extremely intelligent.”
“The worst combo,” Diego agreed, sounding just as pleased as Rubin.
The tone of their voices and the humor in Diego made Leila laugh. “You don’t sound in the least sympathetic,” she pointed out. “Just saying, karma can be a bitch. What you’re wishing on your friend could just as easily happen to the two of you.”
Jonquille nodded her agreement. “And you both would deserve it.”
“Just remember, baby”—Rubin kissed Jonquille’s ear—“whatever happens to me, happens to you, and the same goes for Diego and Leila.”
“And still, you’re wishing this on your friend Trap,” Leila said.
The two brothers looked at each other and burst out laughing. The sound filled the kitchen and warmed Leila even more. She couldn’t help exchanging a raised eyebrow with Jonquille, and they both burst out laughing. It felt—right. Perfect. A perfect moment. Diego just kept giving them to her.
“Trap deserves to have his little twins giving him heck,” Rubin said as he casually reached into the cupboard and pulled out four plates.
Leila found it strange that Rubin knew where the dishes were in her home and she didn’t. She also immediately caught on to the very close relationship between the brothers. Diego would never expect Rubin to knock and not enter their home immediately. That meant the brothers would have the code to each other’s homes. Diego would expect his brother and sister-in-law to be welcome to any meal. It was a statement of their family dynamic.
She took a moment to think about how she really felt. Did she consider it an intrusion? Did that kind of closeness appeal to her? She would be expected to welcome Rubin and Jonquille anytime, day or night. Most likely, with any child they had it would be the same. But Gracie would have that closeness. They would treat her like their own, just as she knew Diego would treat Rubin’s child as his. The way he embraced Grace. It was the way Nonny became a grandmother to all of them. She accepted them into her family without reservation. She would be giving that legacy to Grace and any other children she and Diego had together.
It wasn’t that they didn’t have their own lives or their secrets. She certainly knew Diego did. But there was such beauty in the closeness of the brothers. They showed each other unconditional love. Diego was giving her that gift.
She looked at him and knew her heart was in her eyes. “What does Trap do that you both are certain he needs his children to be like Ginger?”
“Worse than Ginger,” Diego corrected. “Ginger is an escape artist, but there isn’t anyone better than Pepper at it, and she’s their mother. She had to have passed her genetics to those kids.”
“Already the dynamic in the household has changed,” Rubin said. “And for the better. Before, Trap said and did just about anything he wanted, and Cayenne went along with it. He would disappear into the lab for days, sometimes weeks on end. Cayenne brought him food and took care of any of his other needs, but he ignored her and the outside world. That had to change after the twins were born.”
Jonquille nodded. “Cayenne had never so much as held a baby. She was terrified of being a mother and still is. She’s always relied on Trap to show her the way. I think he thought Nonny would do all the teaching, but Cayenne became super protective of the babies and wouldn’t take them out of the house for a long time. That meant Trap had to deal with them instead of hiding himself away in his laboratory.”
Again, Leila heard the underlying laughter, this time in Jonquille’s voice. Diego had told her that Trap could be abrupt and rude, and if he was, not to take offense. She was beginning to get the feeling that the three of them had great affection for Trap but wanted him to work a little harder at social interaction. She thought he had made an effort when he was introduced to her.
Leila found herself enjoying dinner with Rubin and Jonquille even though she wanted to be alone with Diego. She wanted to explore the house and sit on her front porch as well as check on Grace repeatedly.
Diego sat beside her rather than across from her, his hand on her thigh when he wasn’t cutting up his food. “One of Trap’s best traits is his absolute loyalty and love of Cayenne. If she needs him, he’s going to be there. There’s no question about it. And he would never yell at his children. If he did, Cayenne would take them to the basement and weave spiderwebs around them and in every doorway. When Trap first was enticing Cayenne to stay with him, he remodeled the basement and told her that part of the house was hers and he wouldn’t invade it. She’s held him to that.”