Chapter 266

They’d been home about a month, when Richie hung up the phone and turned to his wife. “Prepare to be invaded.”

Tori looked up from the diaper she was fastening around Stevie’s waist. “What’s up?”

“We finally got a time window with Shanks. The guys are coming out next week.” The band was once again working with producer John Shanks and had been waiting for him to have some time to work on the new album.

“For how long?”

He shrugged. “Depends on how well things go. A couple, three weeks maybe.”

“There goes our peace and quiet Peanut. Daddy’s got to go back to work.” The baby’s eyes opened, his lips parted and a bubble formed in the opening.

“Mommy too.” Richie informed her. “Jon wants you in on this.”

She frowned. “In what capacity?” While she’d started playing again, she didn’t know the songs and certainly wasn’t prepared to play on an album!

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask him when he gets here.”

“Somebody’s coming over?” Ava had caught her father’s last words as she came in from the kitchen, a drink for herself and Tori, and cookies for Richie in her hands.

“Your uncles are all coming out next week to work on the new album.” Tori replied.

“Cool. Can Kate spend the weekend and can we go to the beach?”

“Yes to Kate staying, and we’ll see about the beach. It’ll depend on the weather.”

Richie frowned. “Not sure the beach is a good idea for Peanut just yet.”

“We’ll see how hot it is. We’ve got that beach umbrella for shade, and if there’s a breeze it should be okay. If it’s too hot, he and I can go sit in that restaurant just down from our favourite spot.” She didn’t like the idea of not being with them, but she didn’t want Ava to miss out on things she liked because of the baby.


On Friday, Richie tracked Tori down in the office answering e-mail. Leaning on the desk beside her, he ran his fingertips over the nape of her neck and her shoulder left bare by her tank top and ponytail. “Why don’t you pump a bottle or two for Peanut this afternoon and we’ll go out tonight?” She’d pumped the other day just to see if he’d take it in case she needed to be away from him for a feeding. He wouldn’t take it from her, but he had from Ava.

She tilted her head back to look at him, ignoring the goosebumps that rose on her skin at his touch. “Where?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. Dinner. Maybe a movie. It’s been months since we’ve been out alone and you haven’t been able to leave the baby for more than an hour or two in over six weeks. I just thought it would be nice to get away by ourselves for a few hours.”

“Before the big kids arrive?” She smirked.

He chuckled. “Yeah, and your perfectionist brother takes up all our time.”

She thought about it for a minute. They had been getting along really well, Richie had been incredibly attentive and sensitive and she was feeling more secure, more…connected… to him than she had in months, but she was also aware that none of that had been put to the test yet, other than their one visit with Heather. They’d stayed in the house except to walk around the neighbourhood a bit with the baby. They hadn’t been out in public since they’d gotten home. Was she ready? She had to face it sometime if they were to have any hope of moving forward. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay. Sounds great.”

“So you’ll help Rosa with Peanut, Bean?” Tori asked. “We’ll probably be home before you go to bed.”

“Yeah, but how come I can’t come with you?”

“Because kids don’t come on dates.” Her father answered, tweaking her nose.

“A date? But you’re married. Married people don’t go on dates.”

“Sometimes married people need to go on dates more than single people.” He responded. “Especially when they have kids bugging them for attention all day.” His dark eyes twinkled as he waited for the reaction.

“Richie!” Tori swatted his arm. “You’d be more upset if she didn’t ‘bug you for attention’.” Ava wrinkled her nose at him.


Dinner was a quiet affair at their favourite steakhouse. Richie sat in the booth across from Tori so that he could look at her. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Even dressed casually in a simple floral sundress she took his breath away. Her sun kissed skin seemed to glow and her eyes sparkled. She looked….happy, and he was determined to keep her that way. When she leaned towards him to share a bite of her lobster with him, he couldn’t prevent himself from taking advantage of her change in position and enjoying the view she gave him of the one part of her body that hadn’t returned to pre-pregnancy size, much to his and Peanut’s delight. Okay, maybe his more than Peanut’s although Peanut was the only one of them getting close at the moment.

Leaving the restaurant, they ran into a few vultures. Tori stiffened, but held her head high. Richie stepped closer and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Hey Richie, how’s Heather doing?”

“Fine.” He gave Tori a squeeze.

“Where’s the baby?”

“At home.”

“How old is he now?”

“A little over six weeks.” Tori answered.

The reporter closest to her, looked her up and down. “Really?”

Richie pulled her even closer. “Doesn’t she look great? Hard to believe she recently had a baby isn’t it?”

“Fantastic.” There were murmurs of agreement around the group.

Tori blushed. “Thank you.” Richie kissed her temple.

In the lobby of the movie theatre, Tori made Richie wait to get seats until she called home and checked on the kids. He wandered and read the posters while she talked to first Rosa, then Ava. “Everything okay?” He asked when she hung up and joined him.

“Yeah. Looks like Stevie’s being a little finicky though. He wouldn’t take the bottle from Rosa either, but Ava got him to eat. She wants us to bring her home some sour Skittles.”

He sighed and headed for the concession stand. “I hope he gets over that soon.”

“Why?”

“Because if he doesn’t, I can sense the demands growing if I want to have you to myself for awhile.”

She chuckled. “It could be worse. Be thankful she’s not a teenager yet.”


It was cool in the theatre and Tori shivered and huddled closer to Richie for warmth. He wrapped his arms around her and rubbed at her goosebumps. “Are you too cold? Do you want to go?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m okay.” Relaxing more against him, she leaned her head on his shoulder and settled in to watch Tom Hanks sort out Dan Brown’s latest puzzles.

Starting the car, Richie noticed her rubbing her arms and turned the heat on. “Still cold?”

“A little.” He reached into the back seat and handed her a sweatshirt he’d left there. She pulled it over her head. “Thanks.”


“How was the movie?” Ava was sitting in the big armchair, a video game in her hands when they entered the livingroom.

“Pretty good.” Tori peeked at Stevie, asleep in his bassinet.

“How did you like your first babysitting experience?” Richie handed over the Skittles.

“Thanks. It was pretty easy. You should have see Rosa’s face though when she couldn’t get him to eat.”

“Guess he only wants his Mommy or his big sister.” Richie stroked her hair. “Thanks for helping out.”


That night when they climbed into bed, Tori leaned over and kissed him. “Thank you for tonight. I really enjoyed it.”

He pulled her into his arms. “You’re welcome. I had a good time too.”