Page 71 of Wood You Knot

“You both look beautiful,” I told them, grinning. “Are you ready for our date?”

“Where are we going?” Daphne asked, practically bouncing on her tiptoes with excitement.

“I figured we’d grab something to eat, then go check out Lakeview Mini Golf.”

“That sounds fun, doesn’t it, Daph?” Sage asked, and Daphne nodded eagerly.

“I’ve never played mini golf before,” she exclaimed.

“Let’s go put those flowers in some water, and then we’ll go,” Sage said. They came into the kitchen, and as Sage passed me, she noticed the other bouquet in my hands.

“These are for you,” I told her, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Thank you.” She smiled, taking them from me and bringing them to her nose to sniff. “These are beautiful. We love them…don’t we, Daph?”

“Yes!” Daphne nodded her agreement. Sage put their flowers in water, leaving them on the island, and grabbed her purse off the stool.

“I guess we should probably take my car…for Daphne’s car seat?” She looked at me with uncertainty.

“Yeah, that’d probably be best. Mind if I drive?” I asked. Sage nodded, grabbing her keys. We waited for her to lock the apartment up, then the three of us headed down to the parking lot to get into Sage’s car.

I moved the seat back to accommodate my longer legs, grinning when I met Daphne’s excited eyes in the rear-view mirror. The kid was grinning from ear to ear. “Who’s hungry?” I asked.

“I’m starving,” Daphne said, buckling her seat belt. I pulled out of the parking lot, driving us to the Mexican restaurant.

Juan in a Million was owned by the Lopez family, and they were known to have the most amazing chimichangas and enchiladas in three counties. It was another gem of a spot in Hartwood Creek I was excited to introduce Sage—and Daphne—to. And I was glad I had. They both loved the restaurant and the renowned enchilada sauce.

After finishing our meal, we headed to the zone to play a round of mini golf. Daphne loved the nautical theme. The mini golf course holes had running water, shipwrecks, and caves, each hole more of a challenge than the last. But to Daphne’s delight, she beat both Sage and me at every round.

“Are you sure she’s never played mini golf before?” I asked, eyeing the six-year-old with suspicion as she sent the golf ball directly through the lighthouse on the last course, effectively winning the round.

“No.” Sage laughed. “But she picks up on things fast.” She looked at her daughter with pride.

“She gets it from you,” I remarked, and Sage turned to look at me with an appreciative smile.

“Thank you for including her. It means a lot to us both.”

I put my arm around her waist, tugging her close. “Get used to it. I’m just as serious about her as I am about you…and I’m really serious about you.”

“Most guys say they’re serious, but they don’t want the added aggravation of accommodating a kid or including them on date nights,” Sage pointed out.

“Well, I’m not most guys. And if I’m going to make her mother fall in love with me, I better make sure she does too.”

“You won’t have to try very hard to make me fall in love with you. I’m already there. As for Daphne, I’m sure you could win her heart by continuing to make her feel important.”

I gazed at her with adoration before leaning in, sealing my promises and intentions with a kiss.

* * *

When we got back to Sage’s house later that night, I stuck around until after Daphne went to bed. I had a little gift for Sage I’d wanted to give her that had burnt a metaphorical hole in my pocket all night.

Once Sage returned from tucking Daphne in, she poured two glasses of wine and we curled up on her couch. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and she leaned into me.

“I had an amazing time tonight, Nix. So did Daph. Thank you for taking us out,” she told me, resting her head on my shoulder.

“Honestly, I had a great time too. We’ll do it again sometime soon. Maybe we could check out the Fall Fair together next weekend?”

Sage lifted her head, glancing at me. “That would be great. Daphne loves fairs.”

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