Jeopardy in High Heels (High Heels #12) - Gemma Halliday Page 0,39
a more healthy spaghetti along with some prepackaged turkey meatballs I had in the freezer. The kids slurped, twirled, and even launched a couple of meatballs at each other. They were just finishing up and getting a wipe down when Ramirez walked in the front door.
"Honey, I'm home," he said with a teasing lilt to his voice as he came into the kitchen. He gave the kids hugs before plopping into a chair next to them.
"Hey," I said. "Just finishing dinner. You up for spaghetti and meatballs?"
"Sounds great. I'm famished." He pulled me in for a quick kiss on the cheek as I set a plate in front of him. "How was school today?" he asked Livvie.
"Good. Then we had cookies, and Grandma and Grandpa came over."
"They did?" Ramirez said, twirling pasta on his fork.
"Yeah, Mom had to go out," Max chimed in.
Ramirez's pasta paused halfway to his mouth. "Where'd you go?" He looked up at me with a questioning gaze. So did the twins. My little blessings.
"Nowhere special." I picked up the kids' empty plates from the table. "You guys, it's bath time. Go to the tub, and I'll be there in a minute."
"Maddie." Ramirez narrowed his eyes.
"Give your father a good night kiss."
Livvie and Max both kissed and hugged him and then raced each other down the short hallway.
Ramirez got up and grabbed a beer out of the fridge, eyeing me suspiciously as I stacked the kids' plates in the dishwasher. "So, this nowhere special you went. I take it this was after you ambushed me at lunch?"
"I'd hardly call it an ambush," I protested.
"Uh-huh." Ramirez sat back down, sipping his beer. "And this somewhere wouldn't have anything to do with Dog's death, would it?"
I pursed my lips. "Not really." It had been more about his relationships than death, so not a total lie.
"Not really? As in maybe a little bit?"
I shrugged noncommittally, scrubbing a pan of red sauce.
Ramirez sighed. "Okay, just please don't tell me you went to meet this friend of yours in the press."
"I did not go to any members of the media." Technically, she came to me.
I'm pretty sure Ramirez could hear the omission in my carefully chosen words, as he looked at me over his meal. "Maddie??
"Kids are waiting for me! Bath time. Why don't you finish eating and then relax and watch TV until I get back?" With any luck, he might fall asleep and this discussion could be postponed until tomorrow. Or next year.
After the twins had been bathed and were cozy in their pajamas, I read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie while they yawned sleepily and took turns reciting the next line. On the rare days he was home on time, Ramirez often joined us in the bedtime banter. He loved to read to Max and Livvie as much as I did. When he didn't appear that night, I took it as a sign that he'd drifted off to sleep. I kissed the twins and turned out the light. I paused outside their bedroom door and cocked my head for noise from the living room. It sounded like a ball game was on the television. With a deep breath, I softly tip-toed into the room.
Ramirez was stretched out on the sofa, his eyes closed. I couldn't help taking a moment to stand back and admire him. His dark hair was disheveled and his shirt unbuttoned and wrinkled, revealing a six-pack that was definitely not Dad-bod material. A light dusting of stubble ran across his jawline, which relaxed as he breathed deeply. I reached up to turn off the lamp next to him.
His hand caught my wrist, and I jumped.
"Holy cow. I thought you were asleep."
He shot me a wicked grin and raised himself into a sitting position. "Not a chance."
I sat down next to Ramirez, and he slipped an arm around my shoulders as he checked the playoff game's score. He nuzzled his lips in my hair. "So, where did you abandon the children to take off to today?"
"I didn't abandon them." I gave him a playful elbow in the ribs. "They were being spoiled rotten by Grandma."
He chuckled. "Okay, fine. But enough stalling, Lucy. Let's get to the 'splainin' part."
I sighed. "Fine. I went to see Angela Gold."
He turned his attention away from the TV, his dark eyes falling on me. "Okay, I'll bite. Why?"
"Did you know that she and Dog dated?"
From the frown he gave me, I could tell he did not. "She told you that?"