“Clean.”
“Good, because I’m barely holding the water down.” Putting the glass on the bedside table, he accepted his son. “Give Daddy the drugs.”
Rocco swung away. “No!”
“I thought of something to write on my present list.” Maddie slid out of bed and ran. Seeing her go, Rocco wriggled to get down.
Kayla confiscated the Advil, set their baby on his feet and he was off, following his sister.
Shielding his eyes, Jared peered up at his wife, who was looking remarkably fresh and pretty. “I turned off the stove, right?”
“Everyone said the pasta sauce was delicious.”
“Those bastards. Now you’ll have to take my word for it.”
“Honey, I believe you.” Unscrewing the lid, she handed him two tablets.
“Kiss?”
“Anywhere but the mouth.”
As he picked up the glass, Jared managed a weak smile. “Damn, I was hoping for tongue. Did we have crazy monkey sex last night?”
“What do you think?”
“That I was carried to bed, but not by you?” He swallowed the pills, chased them down with water.
“Good guess.” She kissed his forehead. “Sleep. I’ll keep the kids away.”
“You are a goddess among…something…” Handing her the glass, he collapsed on the pillows.
“Think you’re up to getting the Christmas tree this afternoon?”
Dimly, he remembered promising something of the sort. “Yes, we’ll get the tree.” He was determined to prove he could put his family first. I’m not falling at the first hurdle.
“You might have other things to do, Grammy nominee.”
“No, today is tree day. Just…” Gingerly, he replaced the pillow over his aching head. “Give me a couple of hours.”
When he resurfaced, it was ten a.m. He showered, dressed and checked his messages. Dozens. Phoning Dimity, he gave her all his passwords on social media. “I’ll phone my parents, but please be me everywhere else,” he begged her. “I’ve got to buy this Christmas tree.” I’ve got to show Kayla I’m reliable.
“Okay, but I’ll own you for the next two days for promo.”
“We’ll negotiate.”
Dimity wouldn’t push. His Rage family had seen his devastation when Kayla left the tour, and understood his first priority was to make things right with his family.
Palms and forehead pressed to the glass, Rocco was at the patio doors watching birds eat pizza remnants in the yard when Jared walked into the living room. Other than the smeared windows, the house was spotless. Damn, she’d already done the clean-up. Picking up his son, he carried him into the kitchen, where he found his wife unpacking groceries.
“Good timing,” she greeted him. “There’s coffee freshly made,” she said. “And a bagel—”
She broke off as he backed her into the counter, seized the celery she was holding, and gave it to Rocco.
“You still owe me a morning kiss.”
Her lips curved. “Do I, now?”
“With tongue,” he said solemnly.
“In front of our baby?”
Rocco was chewing the leafy head of the celery.
“Okay, I’ll take a rain check on the tongue.” He pressed his lips to her smiling mouth.
“Someone’s feeling better.”
“I’m a Grammy nominee. Ever done it with a Grammy nominee before?”
“No.” She widened her eyes. “Is it different?”
“You’ll find—” Jared laughed as celery brushed his neck. “Son, you’re spoiling the mood.”
“And that celery isn’t washed yet.” Kayla reclaimed it, and their baby screeched.
“Have some of Daddy’s bagel instead,” Jared told him. Next to the coffee-maker, the bagel sat on a plate, oozing cream cheese and jam. “Where’s our daughter?”
“Getting dressed for Christmas tree shopping. Apparently that requires another outfit.” Kayla opened the fridge and put the celery in the crisper. “She’s been hanging out waiting for you to wake up.”
“Then I’ll eat fast.” Putting Rocco in his high chair, he gave him a piece of the bagel, wolfed the rest, and poured two coffees into travel mugs. “Want me to help?”
“Nearly done. Go see what’s keeping Maddie. Oh, and I need my wedding ring back.”
“Sure.” He fetched it out of his jacket pocket on the way to his daughter’s bedroom, where he found her preening in her dragon dress. “Maddie, you’ll need to change into something warmer. Your coat won’t fit over the dragon wings.”
“I won’t be cold.”
“You will when we get outside.” He went to help her undress and she spun away from him. “No, I wanna wear this.”
Overtired. “We can’t get the tree until you change clothes.”
Her lower lip jutted. “You’re not the boss of me, Mommy is.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d said that since he came home. She was punishing him for his late start. At this point, he normally conceded the field. But his relationship with his wife wasn’t the only one that needed recalibrating. “Kayla,” he called. “Can you come in here a moment?”
She stuck her head round the door. “What’s up?”