Page 137 of A Moment In Time

“Wow. Now I’m going to feel guilty about taking that dream away from you.”

She sat up. “Gage. You need to stop. I love you. I want to be with you. I want to spend sixty years with you, like yourgrandparents. If we have kids, that’s great. If we don’t, that’s fine too. I’m really okay either way.”

He rolled onto his side and looked at her. “Why did it take me three years to figure out how awesome you are?”

She smiled. “I am pretty awesome. Can we put this away for now?”

“Yes. Do you want to go back to sleep?”

“Unless you have a better idea.”

He pulled her in close. “I might.” He kissed her. “Sixty more years, huh? I like the sound of that.”

When Gage went to see Paxton in the afternoon, he found him behind the bar with Raphael in a carrier on his chest.

“Okay. That’s a new one. And slightly inappropriate.”

“I’m not open yet. Besides, I’m sure when Dad helped out at the bar back in his day, he had a baby or two with him from time to time.”

Gage shook his head. “I can’t really see that.”

Paxton shrugged. “Me either.”

Gage sat down. The baby was sound asleep. “How is he sleeping through you moving around?”

“The movement puts him to sleep.” Paxton patted the baby’s back. “Do you want a beer?”

“Yeah.” He watched Paxton take a beer from the cooler and set it on the bar. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Don’t you feel a crushing responsibility for him and Joaquin?”

“Yeah.”

Gage shook his head. “So why do it?”

Paxton shook his head, then turned so Gage could see Raphael’s face. “Look at this face.” Gage nodded. “That’s all it takes. One look at this face. It makes the crushing responsibility all worth it.”

“Hmm.”

“You should hold him. You’d get it, then.”

Gage shook his head. “No. I’m not ready for that. I’ll hold him when he’s walking and talking.”

Paxton laughed. “Man. You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“I’m pretty sure I do.”

“You’ll find out. When you and Sydney have a kid. You’ll see.”

Gage took a drink of his beer. “Why do you think Syd and I are going to be together forever?”

“It’s damn obvious. Please don’t tell me you still don’t see it.”

“I do. I just didn’t think everyone else did.”

Elaina came into the room, and Paxton left the bar to meet her. He gave her a kiss, then she kissed Raphael.

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