Page 144 of Butterfly Effect

Delaney returns with a large album. “Look what I found,” she sing-songs. She wedges herself between Indi and me as everyone on the sofa scoots over to make space for one more. Others hover from behind.

It’s Landon and Indi’s wedding album.

Stunning photo after photo isoohedandaahedat as she flips through the pages.

They tease Landon for being bricked up in all of the pictures, posed or candid.

I stifle a giggle at the series of groomsmen poses.

Landon tears through the loosely forming memory of that night by shooting his arms in the air. “I couldn’t help it! My wife is fuckinghot.”

A raspy voice draws my attention away. It blends with the sweet pitch of a young child. I escape the clutches of the couch by crawling away and find Wade in the kitchen, seated on abay window with Landon’s nephew on one knee, his overgrown blond curls bouncing as they sing the lyrics of “Beggin’” by Måneskin. My shoulder bites into the wall where I lean, needing all the support I can get, considering my ovaries are spontaneously combusting.

Wade peters off when he notices me. Landon’s nephew pouts.

“No stopping!”

Delaney rushes in. “There you are, ya lil stinker. Come on, Gunnar. Time for bed.” She picks him up with a grunt and waves. “Goodnight, Uncle Wade. Night, Miss Gabe.”

When we’re alone, my neck swivels to the little liar. “You sing?”

His shoulders lift and drop. “I sing all the time.”

“Not like this. You can actuallysing.” An exhale hurls from my windpipe. “So what? You’re pretending to be the NHL’s worst singer?”

“Better than being the worst goalie.”

“You got me there. Hey,” I nudge him with my knee, “that was pretty cute.”

“I know.”

That dimple in his cheek is a menace to my swooning reproductive system.

“You don’t even know what I’m talking about yet.”

“That’s okay. I’m always cute.”

“And annoying. Don’t forget annoying.”

His elbow digs into mine before the same arm squeezes our shoulders together.

“I’m not used to saying nice things about you, especially nottoyou, but…” My nose kisses his stubbled cheek. “I think you’d be an amazing dad someday.”

The smirk on his face dissolves. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure I’m always right, so…”

Wade tosses his head back and laughs, the three quickhaha ha’s enveloping my heart in their warmth. He slopes toward me and drops a lingering kiss in the corner of my jaw. “You’re the best.”

In bed later that night, Wade addresses the massive elephant in the room. We stare at one another from our pillows.

“What’s the game plan for after New Year?”

“Um.”

“It ends.”

“Yep.” My tucked hands shift under my head.

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