After Happily Ever Afte- Astrid Ohletz Page 0,90

not letting you sacrifice your mother’s ring.”

Austen slumped against her.

Dee tenderly combed her fingers through Austen’s pixie cut. “You really were willing to give up your mom’s ring just so my family won’t think I’m a failure?”

“Mmm,” Austen mumbled against her shoulder.

“God, you’re something else.” Dee pressed her lips to Austen’s head. “If push comes to shove, I could borrow against my 401k. That would give us enough money to get the Christmas tree project off the ground and maybe hire another employee.”

“No,” Austen said without having to think about it. “Thanks for offering, but you know raiding your retirement fund is not a good idea. We’ll just have to accept that we won’t be able to fund any big projects this year.”

They looked at each other. Just as they were about to exchange a heartfelt kiss, Toby landed in Austen’s lap and let out a demanding ping.

Laughing, Dee got up. “He’s right. We need some food—non-donut food. We’ll figure out what to do about the Christmas tree project on Monday. For now, we’re off the clock.”

“Hmm, off the clock… Does that mean I can seduce the company’s co-owner without it being unethical?”

Dee gave her a slow, sexy smile. “Only if said co-owner doesn’t seduce you first.”

Austen dug into her second piece of chocolate birthday cake—not just because she loved anything chocolate but, more importantly, if her mouth was full, no one would expect her to make small talk with Dee’s family.

Not that they were talking to her—or to Dee—anyway.

Dee’s father, her uncle, her four brothers, and several cousins were busy discussing their various businesses. Austen caught words such as cash flow, net profits, and asset turnover.

Jesus, what is this? A business meeting or Tim’s birthday party?

Dee’s youngest brother didn’t seem to mind. He was probably used to birthday parties like this because discussing business was all his family did at get-togethers.

Well, the male part of the family.

In a stunning example of last-century gender roles, the women were all squeezed into Janine’s kitchen, discussing kids, marriages, and recipes.

All but Dee, who had been kidnapped by her eighteen-month-old niece and nephew. She lay stretched out on the living room floor and was building a castle with colorful wooden blocks. Clearly, Dee hadn’t spent much time around kids in the past and had no idea how to deal with them. She tried to get the toddlers to participate in stacking up blocks, but the twins were more interested in toppling over Dee’s elegant towers. When the blocks scattered all over the floor, Mason and Mila giggled and jumped up and down. Dee’s scowl made them laugh even harder.

Austen hid her grin behind another forkful of cake.

Tim’s wife, Janine, dropped into an empty seat next to Austen and regarded her with an amused smile. “Are you eating for two?”

“What? No! We’re not… I mean, we are, but it’s not like we can…um…” Austen’s cheeks heated.

Janine laughed. “I meant, are you eating Dee’s cake too since she’s busy entertaining Mason and Mila.”

“Oh.” Austen shoved another forkful of cake into her mouth.

“Although you two really should think about having a baby. Dee’s so adorable with the kids.” Janine gestured across the room.

Dee had apparently given up her attempts to make the twins appreciate her architectural genius. She lay still as the toddlers piled blocks onto her.

Aww. Austen watched her with a smile. “Maybe one day, if Dee is up for it. But first, we have to get Feathered Friends off the ground. Plus we’re not even living together.”

“Dee still hasn’t asked you to move in with her?” Janine widened her eyes comically. “And here I thought lesbians were supposed to be the U-Hauling kind.”

Austen shook her head. “Not us. We spend the entire day together at work, so we thought it would be healthier for our relationship to keep separate places for a while.”

Not that they ever spent their evenings apart. Most days, they drove to Austen’s apartment after work and spent the evening there so Toby wouldn’t have to be alone. Half of Dee’s clothes had somehow migrated to Austen’s place by now, and even though the apartment was small, Dee hadn’t asked for some alone time yet.

“That sounds reasonable.” Janine rubbed at a wrinkle between her brows as if trying to remember something. “I’m not sure, but I don’t think Dee has ever lived with any of her girlfriends.”

She hadn’t, and that was part of the reason why Austen had wanted to give her space and take it slow.

They both turned to look