Page 17 of Daddy on Tap

Riley giggled, and I could see so much of his concern rolling right off him. “How did we not talk about this sooner?”

“I guess we were both trying to make each moment last, but now we know it should be easy to make things last a long time.”

Our number was called right then, so I kissed the back of his hand and then released it to go grab our tray of food from the counter. When I got back, Riley was doodling on his napkin with a big smile on his face.

“I guess you really are excited for your mac-and-cheese balls.” I placed his plate and bottle of apple juice in front of him.

He shook his head and pushed his doodle across the table to where I was sitting. “Nope. I just drew a map. So you could find me when you get home.”

I dropped into my chair and took a look at his drawing. Two stick figures with a squiggly line in between and a heart drawn in the center of the line. “This is very nice. What’s the heart for?”

He dragged his lip between his teeth and watched me for several seconds before responding. “That’s my heart. It’s for you. You own it now. And I want you to know exactly where to find it.” He put his hands over his chest. “It’s right here. Anytime you want it, you gotta come and get it.”

I couldn’t resist getting up and rounding the table to give him a kiss and hold him in my arms for just a moment. “I’m honored. I will always cherish this gift you’ve given me, and I promise to protect your heart with my life.”

He smiled and nodded. “I know you will, Daddy. That’s why I pick you to be my Daddy forever. Do you pick me to be your boy?”

My throat was tight, and tears blurred my vision as I nodded too. “I do, sweet boy. Forever.”

Chapter 15

Riley

It had been two weeks since I said goodbye to Daddy. Two very long weeks. But it was finally the day—the day he was coming here to see me.

We weren’t that far apart, not really. It wasn’t as if he was in New York and I was in San Francisco, but it might as well have been. Our schedules had been hectic. After being in Vegas, there was a lot on our plates back home. We’d been able to FaceTime and send text messages, but nothing more than that.

And I missed him.

I knew it would be difficult to come back home and just go on with my life like nothing had changed. Because it did change. I met Adam, and maybe it was too soon, too fast, too whatever society decided was the way to foster relationships, but I knew that he was for me, and I was for him.

At least, I did until yesterday, when I had a nightmare that tore me from my seat. I’d woken up hugging my stuffie, sweating, and crying. It wasn’t the kind of nightmare I’d had as a kid, where abig bad guy was chasing me or a recreation of some horror movie I snuck down to watch when I shouldn’t have.

This one felt real—almost too real.

Adam and I were out on a date. I didn’t recognize the restaurant, but it felt like we’d been there before. We were talking about random things, but I wasn’t really interested in what he had to say. Based on the fact that he didn’t seem to know anything about the conversation either, it seemed like he felt the same.

Then, when we went outside, he said, “Oh, I guess that means we really weren’t meant to be.”

And I said, “Yeah, guess so.”

We walked our separate ways.

Done.

It was a bizarre dream, and it shouldn’t have hit me so hard. I should’ve woken up and known it was just a dream and not at all real.

Back in Vegas, I’d asked him, “Do you pick me to be your boy?” And he said, “I do, sweet boy. Forever.” That wasn’t gonna change because we hadn’t seen each other in two weeks. It was ridiculous for me to even worry about it.

But what was I supposed to do? Was I supposed to text him and say, “Hey, I need reassurance?” Probably not. I let that sit with me all morning long, and it slowly started to fester. Now, I was on my way home, knowing Daddy would be there shortly afterward, and I was petrified.

What if he got here and things were different? What if suddenly he decided thatwhatever happened in Vegas, stayed in Vegasand this was all a mistake? Or worse, what if he’d already turned around and decided not to come at all?

When I got home, I realized I shouldn’t have worried. He was already outside waiting for me with the hugest smile on his face, a suitcase by his side, and a gift bag in his hand. That was not someone who didn’t want to be with me anymore.

I ran up to him and wrapped my arms around his middle. “It’s so good to see you.”

He hugged me tight. “I missed you, my sweet boy.”

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