Luke smiles. “Yeah, like that.”
“So when I grow up, I’ll only have to eat them at Christmas?” Sean asks.
The three of us laugh, and Luke says, “No, little man. Vegetables are an always thing, even when you’re an adult.”
Sean slumps against the counter and groans. “I think God should have made ice cream a vegetable.”
“I’m with you on that, mate,” I agree.
Paris nods. “Aren’t we all?”
“You know what goes on pancakes, right?” Luke says.
Sean sits up straight and grins. “Ice cream!”
Paris turns to her brother in shock. “Since when does Daddy allow ice cream at breakfast?”
“Since today.”
Paris shakes her head and turns to me. “You need to stay over more often. Daddy Luke is like the strictest daddy in the world. We never get ice cream at breakfast.”
I love the affection these two have for each other.
“I’ve kind of figured that out since last night,” I say.
“I swear he’s overcompensating for the way his mother raised him,” she says as she grabs plates and cutlery.
I take the plates from her. “She wasn’t strict?”
Paris rolls her eyes. “Have you met the woman?”
Following her to the table, I say, “No.”
“I’m right here,” Luke says from the stove.
We ignore him.
“Apparently, she let him get away
with everything. I’m surprised he’s turned out the way he has. He could have become so bratty with the way he was raised,” Paris fills me in.
“Tyler’s a little bratty,” I say. I’ve witnessed Luke’s brother pull some really bratty stunts, but for all that, he’s still a good guy.
Paris nods. “Yeah, he is. He’s lucky his father pulls him into line when needed.”
Luke joins us with a plate of pancakes and Sean jumps off the stool to come sit at the table. As we all sit and shovel pancakes onto our plates while laughing and joking, I feel a sense of belonging I’ve never felt. This is all new to the four of us, and I’m not really a part of their family yet, but I feel a little like I’m home.
About halfway through breakfast, Paris remarks to Luke, “You really need to come up with a better design for the backyard. I wanted to lounge on the sunbed while Sean was playing in the sandpit yesterday, but they’re too far away from each other. We need something near his swing and sandpit for me to be able to lie down and read while he’s playing.”
“You designed your backyard?” I ask, eyeing Luke. I explored a little out there last night. He has an awesome setup for Sean on one side of the yard and an area that looks like an adult’s retreat on the other side. Between the two is an immaculate lawn and well cared for plants.
“Luke’s an architect,” Paris declares.
His eyes meet mine. I hope my complete surprise isn’t showing. “I didn’t know that.”
“He’s won stacks of awards and worked for one of the best firms in Australia,” she says, her pride in her brother clear.
“Did you give up your job to take on the bar?”