Three Lovers on the Grift - 21

"The next time we decide to take a road trip across the country, the kids will be twenty and on their own," Nigel stated emphatically.

"Now, now, it hasn't been that bad," Page said tiredly, reaching across the back of the seat to pat his shoulder.

Nigel rolled his eyes before turning to watch where they were going. "Look at that. Damn, I feel like a kid myself." He grinned happily, pointing to the water that surrounded them on both sides of the interstate, as if Vaughn and Page wouldn't notice it if he didn't.

Vaughn chuckled, reaching over to give Nigel's thigh a squeeze. "Yes, there really is water here, lots of it actually. Our house is only about four blocks from one of the bays, according to the realtor."

Twenty minutes later, after a stop at the realtor's to pick up the keys, Vaughn pulled the van into the driveway beside their new home.

"It's a real house. I mean with two stories and a yard and—everything. See?" Page picked Marcia up, holding her so she could look, much to the men's amusement. "Blue and white," Page told her daughter as if she'd understand.

"Hey now," Nigel said, leaning over the back of the seat to get Brian. "He's feeling neglected." The baby chortled as if agreeing.

"Okay, you two, enough. We need to get things inside before it gets dark."

In much less time than it had taken to pack up the van, they had it unpacked, the boxes sitting in the middle of the living room floor. Once they had the babies nestled together in the bassinet—the first thing they'd set up and their only piece of furniture—the three adults explored the house.

Page was ecstatic at how much room there was. She kept hugging one or the other of her men in her excitement, telling them what furniture they'd need for each room. Finally, Vaughn put a hand over her mouth to quiet her, picked her up, and carried her back downstairs.

"Furniture, we will deal with tomorrow. For now we'll unpack the sleeping bags and then call out for supper."

She made a moue of disappointment, about to protest that there was still time this evening to go shopping. Marcia's cry of hunger stopped that thought in its tracks and soon she was busy feeding the twins while Nigel dug out the sleeping bags and the last of their stash of diapers. Vaughn used his cell to find a nearby restaurant that delivered, ordering enough to feed a small army after checking to make certain the refrigerator was up and running.