Page 62 of Mad Love

“You’ve gotta have this,” I say, holding up the tinkle tent.

“What is it?” He frowns, studying it. His eyes widen when he gets it and he cracks up. “I had no idea babies needed so much shit. Yeah, we’re taking that.” He grabs three more and laughs again when he looks at them.

He pauses in front of an orange and white device. “What the hell is a baby shusher?” he whispers.

I giggle. “I have no idea. Try it.”

He turns it on and we both look at each other wide-eyed.

“No,” I whisper.

“Hell no. Is it me or is that creepy?” he whispers back.

“Totally. I’d rather him listen to waves or something nice than a constant shush. That makes me think of the librarian at school, shushing everyone all the time.”

“Agreed. Oh look, what does this one sound like?” He plays another sound machine and it has waves and rain. He looks atme likecan you believe this?“Did you not just say you wanted waves? It’s a sign.”

I laugh and he picks up the boxed one behind the display. I stop saying what I love because he picks up everything I like and puts it on the counter. By the time we leave the store, he has dropped bank and we haven’t even gotten to the crib yet.

We chat all the way to Denver, the vibe way more comfortable between us now, and according to the directions, we’re almost to the store Autumn recommended when Weston pulls into a large bookstore parking lot.

“A bookstore?” I ask.

“I feel so wrong going here instead of Twinkle Tales, but…we’re here and they’ll be closed by the time we get back to Silver Hills. Caleb needs a few more books, doesn’t he? I like the ones he has, but I’m ready for some variety.”

I press my lips together to keep from laughing, and we go into the store. He has a stack of a dozen books when I hold upWhere the Wild Things Are.He gasps and I can’t stop smiling.

“I was looking for that one. It’s my favorite,” he says.

I almost tell him I overheard him talking to Caleb about it, but I just grin and say, “I thought you might be into this one.”

He takes the book and holds it reverently, flipping through the pages.

“I can’t wait to read this to him,” he says.

I’m able to take him in more freely while he looks at the book. His long eyelashes, his full lips, the way his hair curls around his ears now that it’s a little longer. His childlike excitement over everything we’ve bought for Caleb, but the way his broad shoulders fill the aisle of the bookstore is all man.

I’ve thought vile things about this man, and they’ve all been wrong. He’s a good man. A good dad. And when he meets the right person for him, he’ll be a good partner.

That thought sobers me up, and I turn away from him, looking at books but not really seeing them at all.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

BOOKS AND MOVIES AND SOUND MACHINES

WESTON

By the time we’re driving home with Caleb in the backseat, we’re flying high. We found so many great things today. When I told my mom what all we’d bought, she laughed and said she guessed I could afford it.

“But geez, save some for his college fund,” she teased.

His crib will arrive tomorrow morning, so after I’ve read a few of his new books to him, savingWhere the Wild Things Arefor last, I start to place him in his portable crib.

“Only one more night in this thing and then you’ll be sleeping like a king in your new bed,” I tell him.

Sadie walks by and then comes back and stands in the doorway.

“Want to give him one more kiss goodnight?” I ask.

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