Page 17 of Legal Returns
“Daddy,” Karen sings. “Come have tea?”
“Give me one sec, sweetheart. Save me some of those cookies you baked.”
Karen smiles from ear to ear as she pulls the plate of imaginary cookies away from her sisters to save them for her father. She looks adorable in her little apron with her thick curls pulled into a single puff on top of her head.
It’s LaSalle’s signature style. The only one he can manage on his own without looking and feeling lost while trying to do our youngest daughter’s hair on his own. I love the man for even trying.
Karen will wear whatever her daddy does. LaSalle can do no wrong in her little eyes. She’s as smitten with him as he is with her. I cover my mouth to keep from laughing when Jessica reaches for another imaginary cookie and Karen glares at her.
“Go on, baby. I’ve got them,” LaSalle says, pulling me from my musing.
“I don’t want to oversleep. I’m excited about tonight.”
I am. It’s been a while since we had a night out and I can’t wait to get some alone time with my husband.
“Don’t worry. I’ll wake you in time to get ready. You look as tired as this guy,” he says, nodding to a passed-out Sunny in his arms.
Watching this man with our children just does something to me. I know the other side of LaSalle, so to see how gentle he can be with our brood always warms my heart.
“A bath and a glass of wine do sound good. Thanks. Let me know if they start to drive you crazy.”
He winks at me. “I’ve got them. I’m going to put this one down in his room and then I’m going to sit with my girls for tea. Maybe my boys will let me play a round once they’ve all had a turn.”
“You won’t have time. You’re going to be late if you choose to play. The restaurant has mixed up your reservation, and you will lose your table if you delay. The wait will make you angry,” Sammy says.
“Thanks, buddy,” LaSalle says. “I’ll call to double-check.”
“That’s not going to help. The person who will answer your call is the problem. They are new and overwhelmed.”
LaSalle chuckles and shakes his head. “I guess we’ll have to be on time. Go rest,” he says to me and nods toward our room.
I get up and round the couch to where my husband stands. He dips his head to peck my lips. I smile up at him in anticipation of later tonight.
Another smile comes to my lips as I can feel his eyes on me as I walk away. Almost eight years and it still feels like the day we got married and bound our lives together forever. Would I marry this man all over again?
I look over my shoulder and confirm his gray eyes are locked on me. Yes, I would. I’d marry him again and again. He’s the love of my life and our children are all icing on the cake.
LaSalle
I shakemy head as Tasha adds an extra sway to her hips as she leaves to go relax. I have plans for us later. Some time alone for us to relax and focus on ourselves.
This date feels needed and earned. With so much always going on between raising our family and running the Alliance, we don’t get a lot of moments to call our own without some type of interruption.
Tonight will be about us. No outside people and no little ones who need our attention. Tasha has demanded to be a hands-on mother.
We have staff to help, but she’s always there for our children when they need her. The nannies pretty much collect free money. However, since things can change so quickly around here, they are a necessity to keep around.
“I will take him,” Mary, one of the nannies, says as she appears to take Sunny from my arms.
“Thank you.”
She takes Sunny and I go over to sit for tea with Karen, Jess, and Meg at Karen’s little table. She has the new tea set I had specially made for her in Russia set up. I had to head there to check in with Misha for a bit.
“Two sugars or one, Daddy?” Karen asks happily as I take my seat.
“Let me see, you can count to ten. I’ll take five cubes and a slice of lemon, please.”
“Okay, one, two … two, um.” She pauses and knits her brows. I know I’ve made her nervous because she’s been an excellent counter since she was two.
