“Oh. Is he asleep?” I ask.
He pivots so I can see the little boy’s face. Milo gives me a glance and a shy smile before burying his face in his dad’s arm.
“We’re at that age,” Harper says, smiling, combing her fingers through his hair.
“He’ll come out of his shell,” I say.
As we saunter to the house, a chorus of voices resonates in the air.
Not much of a surprise, my daughter's voice rises above everybody else’s. As we get closer, Jaden’s voice thunders, and silence fills the air.
“Sam?” I call her out.
“I didn’t do anything,” she says.
The four-year-old looks at me, her nose creasing with a smile, her blue-gray eyes twinkling with mischief.
“You’re lying.”
She turns her nose up and gives me a cheeky grin, reminding me of her father, her fair locks and eyes making her a carbon copy of him.
“She’s definitely your daughter,” I say, cutting my eyes at Jaden, who’s barely stifling his laughter.
“Daniel?” I call my son.
Her twin brother raises dark green eyes, glistening with tears. Brown bangs fall over his brow.
“What did she do?” I ask.
He doesn’t say anything, and I know him well enough not to expect him to rat out on his sister. No matter what she does to him, he never talks.
Samantha glues her hands to her hips and smiles. Suppressing my grin, I motion to Jaden. He scoops her up, and I snatch Daniel, and we all walk into the house. Sara and Nick enter the room from the other end of the terrace.
“How’s Jacob?” I ask, laying Daniel on the sofa.
“He’s asleep. Emma’s with him.”
“She doesn’t have to. Our nanny can watch him,” I say, walking toward the kitchen.
“Mommy?”
Daniel's voice rings in the air–– the first time I hear him talking this evening. I turn to him.
He looks at me with puppy eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere. Okay?”
He nods and flashes an adorable smile.
“And stay away from Sam.”
I sweep my gaze around, searching for my daughter.
Oh, God. She found Milo. All I can do right now is roll my eyes as she pokes at him while the little guy tries to hide in Abel’s arms.
A soft voice comes from behind.
Emma, a tall, slender eight-year-old, strolls into the room. She comes to me and hugs me, and then searches for Jaden. As soon as she spots him in the kitchen, her face brightens with a smile.