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The backyard scene was chaotic Children were everywhere, their laughter contagious Daie watched over the children fro your cousins," she remonstrated one of her fourteen-year old twins as she put a bandage on her seven-year old son, riggled around, ready to get back in the pool, despite the recent scrape to his knee

Nick studied the swi heads until he'd pinpointed their other three children aie and their older children, Nick began strolling over to his brother with E to hiht," she whispered conspiratorially as they neared her Uncle Damian

Only halfway across the yard, Nick stopped in his tracks as he looked at his daughter in surprise Angie and Daels, as far as he'd been aware "What'd she do?"

"Nobody would tell est complained, a pout on her lips

"Your brothers and sister wouldn't even tell you?" he asked, knowing that his and Courtney's four kids always stuck together

"The boys wouldn't; they were being stupid They prolly don't really know Jenny didn't know either but she told ie took Madison's cell phone away"

Nick kissed her on the cheek and scolded softly, "Don't call your brothers stupid, baby"

"Even when they're being stupid?" E eyes that couldn't fail to remind him of his wife

Nick chuckled "Even then" He kissed her again and then set her on her feet "You've got twenty minutes left to play with your cousins before we head home You want to do that or come with me to talk to Uncle Damian?"

"Play!" she screamed as she ran back across the laard the pool

Nick walked up beside his brother and pounded hireeted as Daers

"Hey," Damian responded with a nod

"Thanks for having the kids"

"Not a problem You kept ours last month; paybacks are hell," Damian quipped "So, hoas the Caribbean?"

"Awesoh, just like it always does" Even after all these years, his ouldn't travel on the saerous than putting the President and the Vice-President on the same plane It just wasn't done

Da her soet over it completely"

"You're probably right," Nick responded, knowing he'd happily deal with that one small inconvenience in his otherwise perfect life At least Courtney agreed to go aith him once a year, to leave their children with either his s and their spouses His life had worked out brilliantly as far as Nick was concerned, he wasn't co about shit He kneas the luckiest man alive