Page 79 of Your Soul to Keep

“You want to play mommy with me?”

The blood drained from my face.

Gabe’s smile dropped from his as he reached for my hand.

Dylan sat up on Gabe’s chest and plopped her feet on the mattress between us. “I the big mommy, you mine baby.”

I exhaled a shuddering breath and gave Gabe’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Dylan crawled across the space between us and hovered over me, her little face so close to mine her features blurred. “You want to play mommy with me?”

I stared into her eyes and nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

Moving closer until her two eyes merged into one, her nose touching mine, she explained, “I going to tuck you in. You sleep now, okay, Shibaby?”

I nodded again, quelling my smile, wholly fascinated by the sight of Gabe’s eyes set in her tiny face.

Moving around the bed, she tucked the blankets around me, grunting with exertion and climbing over me while she worked.

The weight of her little body, those hands, so tiny and so capable, her tiny face intent and determined.

“There, there, Shibaby,” she cooed, her breath on my face as she patted my head. “Don’t cry. Be a good baby sleepin’,” she murmured before turning to Gabe to do the same.

By the time she left in search of a more exciting activity, we looked like two burritos laying side by side.

Maeve hollered from the kitchen. “Breakfast in 30!”

Gabe chuckled.

I extracted my arm from the covers and threw it over my eyes. “Your mom is making us breakfast.”

He freed one arm and reached for me, tucking his hand under my neck. “Yup.”

“This is quite the mindfuck,” I giggled, peeking at him from under my arm.

He turned his head and grinned at me. “She’s so excited you’re back in my life she’s lost all boundaries. Count yourself lucky she hasn’t tucked herself in here beside you to catch up.”

“I’ll be out back.” Brian’s low rumble came next.

My mouth gaped open. “Your father is here.”

“Those two tend to move in a pack,” Gabe murmured.

“That’s nice,” I mused.

“It is.”

The lawn mower started.

I began to laugh. “Is your dad mowing your lawn?”

Gabe nodded, his eyes dancing. “He’s uncomfortable with emotional displays. He’s uncomfortable with emotions, period. He feels bad about yesterday.”

“What about yesterday?”

Gabe’s face shuttered. “The whole school thing.”

“What do you mean?”

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