Risking Fate (Mitchell Family #4)(85)
Author: Jennifer Foor

She giggled, “I know.” She looked down and grabbed the necklace so she could look at the charm. “It says my name too.

“It’s the only necklace in the whole world that says your name on it. Daddy wanted you to know how special you are to him.”

I wrapped my arms around her little waist and kissed her on the cheek. “The day you were born was one of the happiest days of Daddy’s life. I just can’t believe it was five years ago.”

She rolled her little eyes. “I know, Daddy.”

I started tickling her. “I just don’t want you to ever forget it, silly girl.”

When Noah came running into the room, we knew it was time to start getting the house ready for the party. Colt and Van were at her parents, but everyone else was staying at my parents. It was only a matter of time before they all started showing up.

Our daughter was going to be spoiled with gifts in just a short while and my wife was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, trying to have the house perfect. The twins were finally starting to be in a good enough routine where she could get things done while they napped. Of course, sometimes she took a nap with them.

I was really looking forward to spending my life working on the family farm and being able to spend more time with my kids. The boys were starting to smile when I talked to them and I loved watching them grow every single day.

Izzy came out of her room dressed in a tutu with some glittery shirt. She looked ridiculous, but was proud of her outfit. “Daddy, do you like my birthday outfit?”

Miranda came out of the room behind her. She lifted her eyebrows when she saw the look on my face. “Mommy bought that for you?”

“Yep!” she twirled around, causing the skirt to fly up.

Before I could even comment, Miranda approached me. “Tell her how pretty she looks,” she said quietly.

I put my face into her hair next to her ear. “She looks ridiculous, Baby. Please tell me you didn’t pick that out.”

She pulled away and laughed. “Bella picked that out herself. I think she did a great job.” She said it loud enough that Iz could hear. She got a big smile on her face as she continued twirling around.

I leaned down and kissed my daughter. “You look pretty in anything you wear, Sweetie.”

I saw Conner walking in the house and seeing Izzy’s outfit for the first time. He looked as shocked as I did. I walked past him into the kitchen. He kept looking at her in the multi-pink colored tutu and bright green glitter shirt. “Don’t ask.”

He laughed and leaned against the counter. “It’s your kid. Anywhoo, I got the surprise in the barn, so let me know when it’s time and I will bring it in.”

“Sounds good, Bro, thanks.”

The family showed up a little while later and the house filled with chaos. The twins were in rare form and crying every time someone tried to hold them. Christian was trying to walk all over the place, even though she didn’t have it mastered yet.

All of the sudden a loud scream was coming from the bedroom. Izzy came running out crying her eyes out. “Mommy!”

Miranda was feeding Jake and gave me that look where I needed to get my ass up and attend to the kids or I was getting cut off for a week. I sat down my beer and rolled my eyes as I walked away from Colt and Conner. I could hear them making fake whip sounds as I headed in the direction of my daughter. I held up the middle finger behind my back as I walked.

“What’s wrong, Iz?”

“Noah pinched me.” She screamed at the top of her lungs and pointed to her red-face cousin.

I could hear Colt across the room. “Noah, get your little butt over here right now!”

“Why did Noah pinch you?” She obviously made him mad about something.

She was still dramatically crying. “I don’t know.”

Colt grabbed my nephew by his shirt collar and drug him over to me and Iz. “Tell her you’re sorry.”

Noah put his head down and I could tell he was pretty scared of his dad. “Sorry, Bells.”

I nudged Noah and made him look at me. “Why’d you pinch her?”

“Cause she said that I smelled like a turd.”

Colt and I let out a cackle. “A turd? Iz, did you say that?”

She shrugged her shoulders and started twirling around again. Van squatted down in front of them. She held up her damn fancy ass camera. “Let’s hug and makeup.”

Colt and I rolled our eyes and got up to leave her with the two trouble makers. Once we got back in the kitchen, we found Conner talking to Amy. They moved away from each other as we approached. Colt cocked his eyebrow but said nothing, until Amy walked away. “You got it bad.”

“I ain’t got shit.” Conner sat down and attempted to not look as Amy sat down next to Miranda.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Don’t let your sister catch you. I had to threaten to spank her if she said anything to Amy today, but I have to warn you, I think she wants me to spank her anyway. I guess I should have threatened her with something she doesn’t enjoy so much.

I heard the two guys make comments under their breath and started laughing myself. Izzy sat down on the floor and started opening her presents. Of course, she opened the largest boxes first, because she was a kid and thought the best presents were in the largest packages.

The whole family had coordinated her gifts this year. She wanted one of those dolls that looked like her. My family took that as a go ahead to buy her every single thing that you could buy that went with the doll. After all of the boxes were open, she had the doll, a friend for her doll, a giant dollhouse, with a bedroom suite, a living room, a bathroom and a salon. She also got a horse for both dolls and a scooter. Even Noah was excited and they immediately began playing.

We were still having a party for her friends at school, but our family wanted something separate and that was fine by me.

I nudged Colt. “Look, your son is playing with dolls. You better make sure he doesn’t go home and try on tutus.”

“Shut up, idiot. They are just kids.”

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”

Christian had held on to everything she could to reach her father. Colt picked her up onto his lap and kissed her little face. “Here’s my favorite girl.”

I watched him giving her his best baby voice. “You made fun of me for the way I was with my daughter. Now I think you actually get it.”

Colt played with his daughter’s little dress. “Yeah, I get it.”