Loving Her (Mitchell Family #9)(20)

Van started laughing. “You know, Mommy and Uncle Ty knew each other as kids. I used to think he was stinky too.”

“You did?” They seemed shocked as both girls looked from me to Van.

“Yeah, she hated me. She said I was a turd, like every single day. I tried to share my cookies with her and everything.”

She nudged me and laughed. “He also called me a boy and so did your daddy.”

The girls started to giggle. “They did?”

“Yes. Then one day everything changed. Now I love them both and Uncle Ty is right. One day you will all be friends. It’s how family is.” Van handed Christian the last Barbie and we both stood up as they began to play again.

Once outside of the playroom, she stopped me. “How are you doing?”

“It’s been a shitty day.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you, Ty. You have to know how much Bella loves you.”

“You know what it’s like, wishing that you could be that one thing to them that you can’t ever be. My blood will never run through her veins and as many times as I try to think it doesn’t matter, something always reminds me of how much it does. How much longer can I live with this lie, Van? Will it be when she gets sick again? When she’s a teenager? When she’s an adult? Don’t you think that the longer the lie lasts the worse the repercussions will be?”

“You don’t want to tell her the truth, do you?”

I shrugged. “No. I want to be her father. It’s all I want.”

Van hugged me tightly and I rested my head on her shoulder. “I wish Noah was mine, but I’m okay knowing that he loves me no matter what. I have to believe that Bella would feel the same way about you. She’s always loved you, Ty.”

I pulled away and kissed her forehead. “Thanks.”

When we got back downstairs, Miranda and Colt were sitting at the table with cards dealt. “What took you so long?”

“Yeah,” Colt laughed. “We saw the boys come runnin’ down. What’d they do now?”

Van sat down next to her husband. “They ripped the heads off all the Barbie’s.”

Miranda and Colt began to laugh. My wife looked at me and shook her head. “They get it from their father. I swear he reads them his book of pranks every night before bed.”

“I don’t have a book, but I bet people would buy that shit.” Miranda wouldn’t complain if my actions made her rich. “Just think about it, baby, I could buy you diamonds, fancy cars, and all the sex toys your heart desires.”

Miranda kicked me under the table. “Shut up. I don’t care about any of that. I’d rather have a husband that knew how to act his age, at least for twenty four hours in a row.”

“Sorry, I’d need a lot of medication for something like that to happen,” I teased.

Colt shook his head and we saw the twins walking in the kitchen. The puppy had been sleeping in the corner and Jax picked her up. “Get up puppy.”

They started carrying her out of the room. “Hey, where do you think you’re going with her?”

“Nowhere,” Jake replied.

The four of us knew that nothing always meant something. “Put that dog down and go find something to do that doesn’t cause destruction, or I’m going to take you to the guest house and leave your butts there alone. Remember that monster living under the bed?”

They put the puppy down and ran out of the kitchen.

Miranda nudged me. “Great, Ty. They’re goin’ to be sleepin’ with us tonight.”

She was right, but at least I got a kick out of seeing them scared

“They’re sleeping here, right Colt?” I smiled and looked over at my cousin, who didn’t seem amused. “That’s what Van told me upstairs.”

She tried to kick me under the table, but ended up making contact with Miranda’s leg. “Ouch, shit! That was my leg!” Miranda leaned down and rubbed her limb while Van put her hands over her face.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry. I meant to kick the ass sitting next to you.”

Miranda elbowed me as I began to laugh.

“Actually, Ty, I recall Randa and Savanna sayin’ the kids were all stayin’ at the guest house with you, on account of us needin’ some alone time.”

“What do you need alone time for? You’re too old to perform. Did the Doc finally prescribe you Viagra?”

Colt looked annoyed, but realized that if he tried to come back at me, I’d keep pushing his buttons. “Yeah, that’s exactly what happened. In fact, I already took one a few minutes ago. In about an hour, we’re goin’ to need to go upstairs.”

The room got quiet, and only him and I started laughing.

Van shook her head. “I heard those pills make a man last for like four hours. Who has time for that? I want twenty minutes and then I’m ready for bed.”

Miranda giggled. “I know, right? It’s a good thing Ty’s a minute man.”

They laughed more.

I gave them both dirty looks. “I have never been a minute man.”

That was apparently funnier. They reached across the table and held hands laughing, as if they’d discussed the subject before.

“Keep telling yourself that, Ty.”

Even Colt, who normally got pissed when my old relationship with Van was brought up, seemed amused. “You got them gangin’ up on you now, cuz.”