The Favor

I smiled as Alicia led Emma over to the sofa, declaring she should sit and rest. “She’s a bossy little thing for sure,” I said.

Dane hummed. “I wonder where she gets that trait from.”

“I don’t.” I knew exactly who she got it from.

Ashley came over, her glass empty. “Anymore punch?”

“I’ll get some for you,” said Melinda, plucking the glass out of her hand. “I’m off to get more for myself.”

“Thanks, Melinda,” said Ashley.

Feeling something brush against my leg, I glanced down. “Dane, your owner’s back.”

He scowled as Blue then rubbed up against his leg. “Go to Addie,” he told her gruffly, but the feline just blinked up at him.

Right then, a cry came over the baby monitor in my hand.

“I’ll go,” said Dane, giving my hip a little squeeze.

It did not surprise me that Blue followed him. Dane was still her favorite person in the house, but Blue also loved being around Addison.

The music again stopped. Only Addison and Kian were left on the dance floor. Both were completely still, not even moving their eyes. But then Kian, who was balancing on one leg, suddenly lost said balance.

“Addie wins!” Simon declared.

Everyone clapped, with the exception of Kian.

“Uh-oh,” muttered Ashley. “His face is going all red.”

Because he hated to lose.

Kian huffed. “I should have won, Wyatt.” He jabbed a finger at Addison. “She kept moving—you just didn’t see.”

Apparently offended on behalf of her sister, Alicia got right up in his face—which wasn’t easy to do, considering she was a good few inches shorter. “That’s a lie!”

Ashley groaned and looked at me. “Do we step in?”

Once upon a time, we’d done it immediately, but nowadays … “I’ve kind of given up on trying to stop them from locking horns.” The two did not get along. Honestly, they argued so often it was unreal.

“Take it back!” Alicia yelled at him, her hands balled up into fists.

“Or what, shorty?” he taunted.

Tucker quickly crossed to them and tried to smooth over the situation. He was such an optimist, bless him.

Kian glared up at his father. “I should have won! Even Frodo knows that.”

Alicia gasped at his nickname for her. And, yep, she leapt on him.

“Dammit.” I crossed the room, intending to intervene, but my father beat me to it and pulled her away. I gave her my usual “it’s wrong to hit people” talk while she gave me her usual “I know, I know, but he’s such a loser” answer in justification.

After I sent her off to play with Sabrina, I turned to my father, who was shaking his head and smiling.

“Why is it that they always end up fighting?” he asked.

“Both want to be top dog,” I said. “Kian figures that, as the oldest, it should be him. Alicia sees no reason why being four should stop her from doing anything—even driving.”

Simon snorted. “She’s a Davenport through and through.”

I nodded. “Pure truth.”

Right then, Addison skipped over in her devil outfit. “I won, Mommy!” she told me, her eyes bright.

“I know, and I’m super proud of you.” I scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “Well done.”

She looped her arms around my neck. “Where’s Daddy?”

“He went upstairs to get your brother. Ah, here he is now.”

Dane walked into the room, carrying Oliver Hugh Davenport, who I’d dressed in a pumpkin suit, much to his father’s consternation.

Addison’s face lit up. “Can I hold him again? And feed him? And burp him?”

“Sure,” I said.

“Yay!” Alicia shrieked, running over. “Ollie’s here! Ollie’s here! Ollie’s here!”

Dane glanced at me. “No more sugar for her tonight.”

Alicia curled her body around Dane’s leg. “He’s just so little, Daddy. I love how he smells. It makes me want to eat him.”

“I’m glad you restrain yourself,” said Dane.

Before I even had the chance to try to hold my son, my father carried him away—earning himself a frown from Wyatt, who’d also tried to take him. Melinda shoved a glass in Ashley’s hand and then followed them, clearly also wanting to get her hands on Oliver.

Sidling up to me again, Ashley cleared her throat. “Alicia, Kian would like to apologize for calling you Frodo.” She gently nudged her son. “Go on.”

“Sorry,” he bit out.

Alicia sniffed, releasing her father’s leg. “Apology accepted,” she said, as gracious and haughty as any royal.

“Now you apologize for hitting him,” I told her.

She looked like she might argue, but then she turned to him and said, “Sorry.”

“Fine,” he mumbled.

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re supposed to say, ‘apology accepted.’”

Instead, he snickered.

She looked at me, her eyes flaring. “Mommy, he didn’t accept my sorry.”

“He did,” Ashley cut in. “Didn’t you, Kian?”

He snorted. “No.”

Alicia clenched her little fists and leaned toward him. “Then I’m not sorry anymore.”

“And I don’t care,” he yelled.

“Because you’re a goof-trooper!”

I quickly separated the two. “You both have a choice. You can say one nice thing to each other, or you can say nothing at all.”