Sitting in the kitchen with Ava and little Theo as she feeds him something dark green in a jar, I think about what she’d have to say if she ever found out her firstborn son was named after a bastard who only thought of himself. Let’s just hope this Theo doesn’t grow up to be like that uncle.
“Thanks for staying around, Marius. I know Eleanor’s been thrilled to see everyone rally around her.”
I wave off the idea that what I did was anything incredible. “You know me. I love to hang out here with you guys.”
She slips a tiny spoonful of that dark green stuff into Theo’s mouth before turning to look at me. Hesitating, she says, “Not that I don’t love having you here, because I do, but I’m wondering why you’ve never gotten your own place. Is it just a nomad thing?”
It’s questions like that one that make me feel like a shit for lying to my family, but if I told them the truth about my life, then they’d be in my business all the time. God knows I can’t deal with that.
I shrug and flash her a smile. “I guess I’m just a wandering soul.”
“Well, I’m glad that when you decide to rest your head somewhere it’s here. I think it’s good for Matthias to have you around. Without Theo, I have the sense that he was feeling a bit disconnected, like he was so much older than the rest of you guys. Having you hang out bridges that gap for him.”
Once again, I shrug and smile. Ava’s always been too naïve when it comes to her years as Theo’s best friend. That kindness and thoughtfulness he never cared a damn about is good for Matthias, and unlike the second born King, the oldest one of us has never not known exactly how lucky he is to have Ava.
I watch her tenderly clean her older son’s face before she refills his bottle. When she sits down again, she lets out a heavy sigh.
“Seriously, tell me how your mother had five kids and so close together. Two are wiping me out.”
“You’re doing a great job, Ava. Never doubt that. Even more, never doubt how much Matthias and the boys are lucky to have you around.”
My compliments surprise her, and she stares at me oddly for a moment or two before smiling. “Thank you, Marius. Are youokay? You seem very…I can’t think of the right word, but you seem different today.”
“Maybe a little more introspective than usual. Don’t worry. I’ll be back to my usual joker ways soon,” I say with a chuckle.
“I like your joker ways. I always have. I like them even more because they lighten my husband’s mood. You have a good effect on Matthias, you know that?”
Waving away that idea, I stand up and tussle the baby’s hair before putting my dirty glass in the dishwasher. “Speaking of the man himself, where is he today? I don’t think I’ve seen him all day.”
“He drove into work today to handle a few things. I think he might be stopping by Kellen and Salem’s place to say hi. Salem’s been so busy with that client of hers lately. I talked to her last week, and she sounded like she was going to pull her hair out.”
For a moment, I try to remember if I know who Salem’s new client is. Oh, yeah. The university president accused of embezzling millions of dollars and running off with a student.
“Is that guy still refusing to behave?” I ask as the memory of something I heard about him flying off to some island instead of sitting down for a scheduled interview floats through my brain.
Ava nods. “From what she was telling me, this guy makes Kellen look like a choir boy.”
I laugh out loud at that idea. “That’s saying something. No one has ever accused that brother of being good.”
“Kellen just has middle child syndrome. He wanted to be noticed, but I bet it was hard being one of five. Strangely, you don’t have that. I think Theo did, though.”
Even though I want to say Theo was just an asshole, I bite my tongue. “I think those two operated on the principle that any attention is good attention. I prefer the exact opposite. No attention at all. I make sure to live my life below the radar.”
“Is that why you never wanted to try anything with Eden? Because then we’d all be in your business?”
Her question catches me off guard, and I’m not sure how to answer. Lie? I can’t tell her the truth, so I guess lying is the only option.
“Yeah, I guess.”
The new nanny walks into the kitchen with Matty and walks over to the refrigerator. “Someone’s hungry now that he woke up from his nap.”
Ava jumps into action, hurrying to get the bottle warm enough for the baby to eat while checking that his older brother doesn’t need anything. I consider offering to take Theo for a little while to give everyone a break, but before I can, Lynn lifts him out of the high chair and announces she’s going to give him a bath.
“I’ll leave you guys to this. I have some stuff to do today.”
“Oh, please don’t leave on our account. It’s just that we’re trying out a new schedule with the boys to see if we can get them to sleep through the night together,” Ava says as she sits down with Matty in her arms.
I smile and shake my head. “I don’t know how you do it. I’m getting tired just watching you with these kids. I think I have a new appreciation for my mother.”
