Her Second Soulmate | Steve Rogers

Chapter Twenty Seven

~Steve's POV~

"Either me or Mummy, those are the options."

Angie's lip quivered as she hugged her Mr Grumpy bear against her chest. She shook her head, unhappy at the mere thought of going to school after the Christmas holidays.

"I don't want to go," she pouted.

I pulled her onto my lap, stroked her hair and whispered softly, "I know Angie. But just imagine how much fun you'll have when you get there. You can see all of your friends, and play and draw. And by the time we pick you up later the time will have flown by."

She took a deep breath, nodded, and tucked her face under my chin, "okay Stevie, can you take me?"

"Of course I can sweetheart. Now why don't you eat some of this delicious toast and then we can pop your shoes on."

She crawled off my lap and took the plate of buttered toast, showing Mr Grumpy it before she began eating. I stayed a moment longer, checking she was okay, then went to the kitchen were Noelle was staring at a box of cereal.

"You okay doll?"

She jumped slightly, "no I'm okay, I just thought I'd put this away but when I turned around it was there."

I hesitated, "I did make myself a bowl earlier."

"Ah," she turned and smiled at me, pushing her glasses further up her nose, "that'll be why it's out."

"I'm going to take Angie to school, are you okay to nip to the shop and get another two tins of that white paint? I ran out on half a wall at the back and I haven't done the second coat yet."

The list of jobs for the gym was growing longer than my arm, but Noelle, being organised and having a background in design, took it in her stride. "Of course, I'll grab some testers of that blue for the office wall too."

"You are an angel," I kissed her gently, savouring the moment as I could feel her smile against my lips.

"You best get moving if you don't want to be late." She slid her hand into the back pocket of my jeans, as I wrapped my arm around her waist.

"Stop teasing me and maybe I'll move quicker," I whispered into her ear, before pressing my lips to the skin there.

I could feel her slight shiver before she tapped my chest playfully, "get going!"

Angie was tapping her foot behind me, her large coat half on, and her eyes wide as she stared at me, "come on Stevie."

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I surrendered, as I slid my shoes into my trainers. I pecked Noelle's cheek softly, "I'll meet you at the gym once I've dropped Angie off."

"Sounds like a plan," she grinned, and she walked us to the door, waving her hand as we headed down the stairs.

I swung Angie's hand slowly, letting her babble about the story I had read to her last night - the latest instalment of Pirate Angie making snowmen that came to life to play with her.

Snow was expected soon, but it wasn't falling today. Instead of being wrapped up to avoid the fat snowflakes she wanted to fall, Angie was bundled up in her coat, hat and gloves to shield her from the wind.

"And then we can make snowballs and throw them at each other. And we can have a wall of snow, and hide behind them, then I can throw them at you!"

I squeezed her hand gently threw her glove, "like a snowball throwing competition?" I helped her up the short steps that led to her school gate.

"Yeah! But don't tell Mummy because it can be a surprise and then we can surprise her with snowballs!" She babbled, barely letting a breath in between her words.