Valan Playboys (10 page)

Behind me, a sharp knock sounded on the front door. I glanced at the clock seeing it was close to eight o’clock at night. It was probably the neighbor complaining about the tiny—loud—terror of a Chihuahua I had yet to let in while we finished our dinner. Setting my plate on the coffee table, I lifted myself from the couch. I walked across the room to open the door. My blink was, oh so, slow as I stared at the two Valan standing on the front porch of my foster parents’ home, both appearing entirely peeved. Lifting a brow, I mumbled, “If you’re selling Girl Scout cookies, we already bought some.” Even though I found that thought entirely amusing, they didn’t seem to.

King Jerome peered inside my home, his gaze raking over every inch he could see, pausing on the cartoon playing on the big screen. “What the hell are you doing here?”

King Balar grunted softly and actually tipped his head inside to glance around.

“Babysitting,” I answered evenly. “King Jerome and King Balar, what the hell are you two doing here?”

Both appeared taken aback, their cross expressions vanquished, but King Balar did point at himself, saying, “Cut out the King crap. We’ve been intimate. I’m Adam.” A point at King Jerome. “That’s Vance.”

Hanna’s head popped up from the couch. “Who’s here?”

“Just some friends of mine,” I called loudly, pointing at her show as she half hung off the back of the couch, staring at them. “Eat your dinner and finish watching your show. It’s almost bedtime.”

She pouted, her bottom lip sticking out. “I’m not sleepy.”

“Just eat and watch your show,” I ordered, then turned my attention back to the men still silent on my front porch. I raised one brow. “So…what are you two, Adam and Vance, doing here again?” My head cocked as I crossed my arms. “And how did you know I was here?”

Adam cleared his throat, and then muttered quietly, “When you didn’t show for dinner, Queen Clover told us where you were. Although, she failed to mention why.”

My lips curved cruelly. “And you would have called,” I snapped my fingers a few times, pretending to think hard, then pointed at him, “except you lost my number, right?” I snorted but made a shooing motion at the insufferable men. “You made the trip for nothing. There’s no emergency that requires your expertise.”

Vance’s eyes ran over my features. “The Queen said you were going to be here for a few days.” His brows lifted. “Why?”

I had my own question. “The Queen gave me an earful about you two before I left.” My Queen had definitely figured out what was going on. “Apparently, you two leave quite the extended list of broken hearts in the dust. And that’s just one of you to a lady, much less, the two of you to one gal. I had to listen to it for two hours before she let me leave.”

Vance sighed heavily. “What she said to us before we left the mansion was probably worse.” He asked pointedly, slowly, “Why are you here for a couple of days?”

I hummed. “You know, you only warned me about Adam breaking hearts.”

He—actually—rolled his eyes. “I have lived a long time. I’ve said that before. Of course, I have a past, too.” His brows slammed together, asking gruffly, “Is that why you’re here? Because of the conversation that she had with you?”

“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m here to babysit for a few days. Mr. Manter’s mom had a small stroke. She lives in Tennessee, so they flew down there.”

“Lana!” Hanna griped, still hanging over the back of the couch. “Come on!”

Adam stared at me. “The foster parents are gone?” A grin instantly graced his features when I nodded, practically blinding me in sweetness. He stepped closer. “We’ll stay for a bit.” He patted my shoulder, continuing on into my foster parents’ house. “Thanks for the invite.”

Mouth gaping, it bobbed for all of a beat before I sputtered unintelligibly when Vance also slid passed me, both of them walking around the living room, eyeing the pictures on the walls and the mantel. Not wanting to make a scene, I swiftly shut the door, smiling reassuringly at Hanna, then I decided to ignore them since they had just come on inside. Taking my seat on the couch, I lifted my plate, telling Hanna softly, “They’re just going to stay a little while.”

She flopped back onto the couch, putting her head on my lap, covering herself with her blanket while she munched on her fries absently. “Okay.” Although, she waggled a fry at Adam when he stepped in front of the television. “Move it!”

Adam eyed her for a moment, and then glanced over his shoulder at the television, watching it for a beat before he stepped out of the way, studying the books on the bookshelf. Honestly, I was pretty sure Vance had snuck upstairs while we finished our dinner when Adam wondered into the kitchen, eating a few of the spare chicken strips left in the cooking pan.

As the show ended, Hanna peered up at me with big doe eyes. “One more?”

I shook my head, putting my plate down. “You still need to take a bath. No more tonight, but we can watch the other movie tomorrow morning.”

She groaned heavily, even whining a bit until I picked her up. An enormous yawn overtook her then, and she rested her head against my shoulder, and asked, “Make a deal. No bath tonight. Take it tomorrow after we watch a movie.”

My arms wrapped around her protectively. “
Before
the movie tomorrow and you have a deal.”

After a moment, she nodded. “Okay.”

Kissing her head softly, I maneuvered around the couch, almost bumping into Adam, not even hearing him move, but he steadied me quickly. He then allowed me to pass, tilting out of my way as I squeezed passed him, feeling his eyes on me as I walked to the stairs. Ascending them slowly, I saw Vance was, indeed, upstairs, actually in my foster parents’ room, snooping around from the looks of it. Sighing quietly, I sent him a cross glance, not letting Hanna see him in there before I moved on, walking into her bedroom. After changing her into her pajamas, I tucked her in tight and kissed her forehead, then turned her nightlight on before shutting her door softly behind me. Both men were now in my bedroom, once more, eyeing everything in sight, taking the longest on the many pictures I had on top of my dresser.

I stated coolly, “If you’re done investigating the human’s home, it’s probably time for you both to go.”

Vance waved a bored hand, still staring inside my closet. “It’s the weekend. We’ll be staying the night.” He ignored my annoyed expression to step inside my closet.

Rubbing a hand over my face, sighing in defeat for tonight, too tired to argue too much, I grumbled, “Hanna can’t know you two spent the night.”

Adam shrugged a shoulder, flicking through my clothes, his nose still crinkled. “That won’t be an issue. We’ll slip out the back door before she notices us.” He lifted a black slinky dress from the mix, appraising it quietly before hanging it back up, and continued on with his perusal. “We haven’t eaten dinner, though. Can you make us something?”

Muttering a few curses at them, I turned and headed downstairs to make dinner all over again, sticking with the same as what we’d had tonight. Eventually, I called them down. I took it out back, started up the fire pit for a little added heat against the late night chill, and sat in one of the recliners, staring up at the stars with Hinkle, the family Chihuahua, on my lap. I barely noticed when they came out. Not five minutes later, completely relaxed, I passed out in quiet contentment, listening to Hinkle growl at them periodically.

“Hanna?” I called, tossing my purse over my shoulder. “Let’s go!”

“Lana! Lana! Look who’s here!” Hanna squealed happily, racing around the corner into the kitchen. I stared a bit cross-eyed when Vance and Adam turned the corner right after her. She jumped up and down in excitement, grinning adorably. “I let them in.” More jumping. “Can they go to the store with us?”

They had only slipped out the back door three hours ago. At least, they had stuck with the deal Hanna wouldn’t know they had spent the night. Now, they were back. I was beginning to feel more than a little ambushed. “I’m sure they’re too busy to go—”

“The store sounds wonderful,” Adam murmured cordially, even as he interrupted me.

“Wonderful,” I mimicked him, smiling sweetly, then turned stiffly and headed toward the garage, grabbing Hanna’s hand, yanking her alongside me. “What did your mom say about answering the door?”

She merely shrugged. “Saw them out the window. Knew it was them.”

“Perfect,” I grumbled, opening the door, herding her outside to the garage. “Give me just a second. Go ahead and get in the car.” Shutting the door as she bound down the steps, I turned back to the men behind me, holding up my hands, speaking softly. “Look, I’m feeling…a smidge…overwhelmed with the both of you. If you could just back off for a little while, I would appreciate it.”

Vance’s jaw bounced as he eyed me. “You want us to go?”

Cracking my neck, I shook my head. “I just need you two to not be so dictatorial. You walked inside as if you owned the place last night. You just told me you were going to stay the night. And now, you’re back again. So, if you’re going to stay, just don’t...hover.” I paused, and then pointed a finger at them. “And if you’re hungry, make your own food. Shopping is only the first of our activities today. I don’t have time to cater to your needs. Okay?”

Ever so slowly, they nodded in agreement, their expressions carefully serene. At least, they were getting along.

“Thank you.” I brushed hair out of my face before turning to open the door, muttering under my breath, “
I could seriously use a damn drink right about now
.”

“Holy God, I’ve died and entered Hell,” Vance muttered.

Adam grunted. “That would be Heaven compared to this.”

My lips twitched as I walked toward Jane’s mom and shook her hand. I asked politely, “Where should I start first?”

Her expression instantly turned grateful, pointing to the table in the corner. “Over there with the presents, then maybe set out the party hats. I’m going to greet the parents as they arrive.” She shook her head. “Your mom going out of town when she volunteered almost sent me into a panic, so I’m extremely grateful you can help.”

“It’s no problem,” I stated courteously, then gestured to the men behind me. “I hope you don’t mind, but two friends of mine offered to tag along today, so I brought them. This is Adam and Vance.”

She chuckled quietly, eyeing them. “I don’t mind, but I’d like a before and after picture of them when this birthday party’s done with.” A gentle shake of her head. “At least Jane and the kids will have a great time.” A quiet beat, glancing out where Jane and Hanna were already playing on the moonwalk with tons of other kids racing about in the indoor gymnasium. “As long as they don’t break anything.”

I snickered quietly, patting her arm. “It’ll be fine, and we’ll go start on the table.” Grabbing Adam and Vance’s hands, I pulled them along, watching as they dodged child after child who swerved and raced between us. My grin was pure sweet sugar. “Isn’t this fun?”

Vance shuddered. “I think I’m allergic to your concept of fun.”

“I may throw up,” Adam rumbled in dry repulsion, staring off to the left. “A human just picked his nose…and ate what he dug out.”

“He’s three,” I grumbled. “Give him a little slack.”

“Eating one’s buggers does not allow for slack,” Adam pronounced clearly. He pointed at the man standing near the three-year-old, who was absently scratching at his rounded belly while eating an extra-long chilidog. “Ah, that must be his dad.”

I giggled quietly, holding back my laughter at the clear arrogant revulsion on his face, and managed to deadpan, “Remind me not to pick a wedgie in front of you.”

The expression he sent me was spectacular. “Tell me you don’t do that in public.”

Vance growled under his breath, literally, and hopped to the side and then to the other, as to avoid being touched by the children running amok. “My God, where are their owners?”

Adam pointed at the man eating the chilidog. “Perhaps, they all belong to him. He doesn’t appear much of a breeder, but you know humans mate like rabbits.”

I lost it, actually snorting as I laughed so hard I released their hands in order to hold my stomach. I left them frozen in place amongst the children and headed for my duty at the table, only to glance back to see them creep forward like there was ice under their feet, careful where they walked, less the bitty humans touch them.