“Hi ladies,” Wrath greets us at the front door. All polite and professional. I mean, he’s still a scary-ass, tattooed giant, but in this setting, he doesn’t seem as intimidating. Almost approachable. I suppose terrifying his customers would be bad for business.

After greeting Trinity with a searing kiss, he messes with Hope, ruffling her hair in a familiar way, like she’s a five-year-old. She slaps his hands away and he laughs. It’s an odd sort of brother-sisterly scene. Unexpected, because of how mean she used to say he was when she first started dating Rock.

Wrath holds his arms out for Grace. “You here to test out the new baby daycare room your uncle Murphy talked me into?” he asks, holding her up over his head.

Hope snickers into her hand. “Murphy’s brilliant,” she mutters.

“That’s a great idea, Mr. Wrath.” Mara gives him a sly smile. “Every mom in our neighborhood complains they can’t go to the gym because they have no one to watch the kids.”

“I heard all about it.” He rolls his eyes. “Murphy hammered me when we were re-building. Problem is, I don’t want to hire some random college kid to watch the kids. It’s been a real pain finding someone qualified.” He turns and searches the room. “Murphy swears it will pay off eventually.”

“Yeah, when he needs childcare for the baseball team of kids he plans to have,” Trinity says under her breath and grins.

“Come on, let me show you around.” Wrath grins down at Hope. “I know you’re intimately acquainted with the locker room, but I’m going to give your friends a tour.”

Hope’s cheeks turn red and she smack’s Wrath’s arm.

Ignoring her, he hefts Grace up and kisses her cheek. “Did your mom tell you how you were almost born here?” His gaze lands on Chance and he lifts his chin. “You hiding out, little man? You remember me, don’t ya?”

Chance looks up at me before answering, “Yes.”

He holds out his hand to Chance. “Come on. You and Gracie can have a front row seat for the tour.”

Eager to get near Grace, my son scampers forward to accept the invitation.

“Swoon,” Mara sings, rolling her puppy eyes Trinity’s way.

After the quick tour, Wrath leaves us in one of the larger classrooms covered with thick, squishy gym mats. Heidi and Charlotte pop in a few minutes later. We’re busy talking and catching up when a man joins us.

“Hi, Jake,” Heidi calls out to the dark-haired stranger.

“All right, ladies. Settle down.” Jake paces at the front of the classroom for a few beats, then stops and gives us a smile that probably drops panties for him every day of the week.

“Wait, why isn’t Wrath teaching us?” I ask.