Page 8 of A Constant Christmas
“Uh, no. It will remind us exactly why we are just fine with being the cool aunt and uncle,” she winks. “But seriously, you have to get away. My brother has gone to great lengths to make sure this is going to be amazing for you. You need to go and remember who you are outside of just a wife and a mom. I promise the kids will be okay. Alexander and I will even stay here at your house so that they are the most comfortable, and Mom and Dad have already said they will be available to help if we need them to.”
I take a moment to weigh all my options. I could keep saying no all day long, but if Tyler and Tess have one thing in common, it’s that they are stubborn as hell. And I knew they weren’t going to give up their stance any time soon.
In an attempt to not be arguing about this all afternoon, I mutter, “Okay, fine.”
“Yay!” Tess exclaims before skipping out of the room to let Tyler and I have a moment alone.
He pulls my lips to his and gives me a gentle, yet sensual, kiss. “Thank you,” he says when he finally pulls back.
“Thank you for looking out for me. But I do have one condition.”
His brow furrows. “What’s that?”
“We can’t leave until tomorrow morning. I have some errands I need to run today, and I want to spend time with the kids tonight.”
A wide grin crosses his face. “That sounds perfect. Now, I am going to handle the kids for the day and explain to Tess everything that needs to be done. You go do whatever it is you need to do.”
I can’t help but laugh at him. “Just watch the kids. I’ll make a list for your sister of everything she needs to know.”
His laugh echoes mine. “Fair enough.”
He walks out of the room, and I fold a few more pieces of laundry before getting ready to head out. I figure that if I am going to try to have fun on this trip and get back to feeling like my old self, maybe a little bit of self-care before we leave is in order.
Chapter Seven
Tyler
“Lilah, stop feeding your broccoli to the dog under the table. You know it gives him gas,” I say.
“It gives me gas too,” she says while handing him another piece.
“Even if that were true, you giggle every time you fart. You still have to eat your broccoli,” I say, and both her and Abby erupt in laughter.
Behind me, I hear Sam come walking into the kitchen through the door leading from the garage.
“What’s so funny?” She asks.
“Daddy said fart!” Abby giggles.
“Well, I guess it isn’t the worst word Daddy could have said,” she says with a small giggle of her own.
She steps further into the kitchen, but Jonathan is spitting up on himself, so I don’t immediately turn around.
Lilah stops laughing and says, “Wow Mommy, you look so pretty!”
“Yeah! Like a princess!” Abby exclaims.
I turn my attention from Jonathan to my wife, and my breath hitches in my throat. Looking back at me isn’t the tired, worn-out woman that left the house earlier this afternoon. The woman standing in the kitchen is more reminiscent of the woman I fell in love with all those years ago.
Don’t get me wrong, Samantha Wendell could be wearing a potato sack, and she could still get my dick hard every time. I’ve always thought she was beautiful.
But today, she looks absolutely radiant.
Her dark blonde hair is now streaked with lighter blonde highlights, and it’s been cut into more of a layered style. She wears a hint of make-up on her face, making those green eyes of hers pop. And she’s in an all-new blue dress that has pink flowers all over it. It’s beautiful while still being casual.
Without a word, I stand up and walk over to her, my mouth gaping open. She returns a wicked smile that I haven’t seen in ages.
“You like?” She asks.