I loved them more than I could even say as I laughed at their antics. Where Aine was dainty and enjoyed dressing up and having tea parties with her stuffed animals, Saoirse enjoyed mud, running with her brothers, and getting her hands dirty at the garage with her uncles Hunter and Landon. Bonus, their brothers doted on them and spoiled them rotten. Even though Aine didn’t find the appeal in getting grimy, her brothers made time to join her for afternoon tea. They also allowed her to try out the new fingernail polish she bought with her allowance on their nails and practice makeup tutorials on them too. They were so wrapped around their sister’s little fingers it was sometimes scary.
“Good morning, kitten,” Mack said to Aine as she joined him at the table. When Saoirse skipped to her sister’s side, he then added, “Good morning, freckles.”
Saoirse scrunched up her nose. “Daddy, quit picking on my freckles.”
Mack grinned kissing her on the forehead. “Never. They are the most special part of you that came from Mommy, besides all of this incredible red hair.” He then booped her nose before kissing Aine’s forehead as well. I couldn’t believe how fast the time had gone by. It felt like yesterday when I found out we were having twins. But I wouldn’t change it for anything, because these girls completed us. “Are you excited for your first day of kindergarten?”
Aine nodded. “It’s going to be so much fun.” She fluffed her hair before smoothing out her pretty dress. She’d seen one of mine and wanted one exactly like it. I couldn’t say no. So, I found the pattern online and made it, right down to the tulle underskirt to give it a little height. The Mary Janes on her feet came from a vintage store I still frequented as did the change purse in her cherry covered backpack.
“I can’t wait to confuse everyone,” Saoirse said with her wild giggle that sounded like a horde of demons. It was both adorable and scary as fuck. She stuck her fingers into the straps of her overalls and rocked back on her heels. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out where Mackinley IV found kid-sized Doc Martens, but he bought her a purple pair, and she’d refused to wear anything but them since. “It’s going to be so much fun.”
“Something tells me they’ll be able to distinguish the both of you, kid,” Rory said, snagging a piece of toast and his lunch bag from the counter. “See you later, losers, I’ve got early practice.” As the captain of the soccer team, he was going into his senior year with hopes of landing a scholarship to pay for one of the biggest Pac-12 teams.
“No way,” Saoirse chided, as she marched after him. “We’re identical in every way, right down to the freckles on our noses.”
That’s my baby girl.Give him hell.Rory laughed as he picked her up and spun her around. “Have a good first day. I want to see all the pictures when I get home, okay?” He kissed her cheek as he set her down.
“I will!” She waved from where she stood as he climbed into his pickup truck. When he backed out of his spot then pulled away, she sniffed. “Bye, Rory.”
Aine joined her, wrapping her arm around her twin’s shoulder. “We’re going to school now. Maybe we’ll see him later?”
Saoirse sniffed. “You think so?”
“There’s always a maybe,” her sister replied. “Let’s eat.”
“Okay.”
Once the girls were done with breakfast, Mack and I gathered up their stuff while Mackinley IV and Calhoun did the same. While Calhoun put their booster seats into Mackinley’s car, I, of course, did the requisite picture taking and hugs at home. Mackinley IV promised to take them at the elementary school for us before dropping Calhoun off for his first day of his sophomore year. Then he’d head to shop to open up. Where had the past five, going on six years gone? I looked at my boys and my twins then the love of my life and couldn’t believe how lucky I was. I had brothers I adored, even though they were assholes, a family full of love, and a thriving business. This was living. This was home. This was happiness.
As we stepped outside to watch the girls leave with their brothers, Mack tucked me into his side and whispered, “It’s okay to cry, cupcake.”
I scoffed, even though I’d been wiping my eyes. “Everything is peachy keen, husband.”
He pulled away from me in slow motion, the look of fear and excitement warred within his gaze. “Cupcake...”
I laughed as Mackinley IV’s car drove away. “Gotcha.”
“Why you little...”
I squirmed out of Mack’s embrace and hurried inside all the while laughing.
“I love you, Mack,” I said in a sing-song voice as I climbed the stairs toward our room.
“I love you too, Ireland,” he said coming up behind me. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t be spanking that pretty little ass of yours.”
I smirked. “I dare you.”
He chortled, corralling me toward our bed. “Oh, it’s on, wildcat.”
