Page 166 of The Wrong Heart

She mouths to me,“How is it still alive?”

The thing has got to be four or five. Pretty sure it’s an alien hamster. Or a robot, like my sister.

I shrug.

Speaking of Bree, I step away from the crowd to pull out my phone. She was heading over to the party after her shift at the hospital, but it’s typical for her to get roped into more work.

While there are no notifications from Bree, thereisa new Hangouts message waiting for me.

A genuine smile creeps in when my eyes skim over the message from my favorite pen pal.

RacerDude:I made the baseball team!!!

Fuck. Yes.

Zephyr79:Atta boy. I knew you would.

RacerDude:Thank u for helping me pitch the other day. I know u don’t really like sports.

Zephyr79:It was fun. You’re a natural. You can pay me back with a joyride when you’re a famous race car driver someday.

RacerDude:Yea right! Oh.. mom told me to tell you that we have a b-day present for August. Sry we can’t make the party today.

Zephyr79:That’s okay. She drew you a picture. It’s just a red scribble, but it’s supposed to be a car. Act excited.

RacerDude:Cute!! :-) thx August.

Zephyr79:Gotta go, but let me know when you have your first game. We will be there. Proud of you, Owen.

RacerDude:Ur the best. TTYL

Slipping my phone into my back pocket, Melody is standing in front of me when I raise my head. Her knowing smile flashes bright.

“Owen?”

“Yeah. He made the team,” I tell her, unable to hide my own proud grin.

“That’s so wonderful. I knew he would.” Melody saunters over to me, wobbling a little like Walden does, which is charming as fuck, and leans up to kiss me. It’s sweet and gentle at first, but I clasp her cheeks between my palms, deepening it instantly. She sucks in a sharp breath and lets it out as a squeaky sigh, our tongues touching and tasting, and we lose ourselves for a moment, uncaring of the guests only a few feet away.

A satisfied moan escapes when I pull back, dusting my thumbs along her rouge-stained cheeks. “Mmm. You taste like lemon frosting.”

“I got hungry,” she whispers back, caressing our noses together, her eyes glazed and amorous.

Another groan filters through my lips when she grinds up against me. “You’re makingmehungry.”

I’m about two seconds away from begging Leah to keep an eye on August so I can borrow my wife for highly importantreasonswhen the doorbell rings again, stealing our opportunity. Electricity still crackles between us, green embers dancing in Melody’s eyes, and she lets me know with just a look that these flames will be stoked again later.

Can’t fucking wait.

But first, it’s time to watch my little girl annihilate aPeppa Pigpiñata.

The sun sets low in the sky, highlighting the horizon in a burnt orange blush. It captures my attention for a striking moment, and I reminisce my father’s words from all those years ago.

Fleeting beauty.

The most precious kind.

But as my eyes dip away from the setting sun and take in the blur of smiles, laughter, and joy all around me, I realize something pretty fucking powerful.

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