He draws me a bath and puts bubbles in it. He’s such a DILF, or is it DIHF? It really doesn’t matter. He’s all in. And me? I still have to tell him so much.
The water is lukewarm when I push up out of it and grab the towel to dry off then slide my robe around me and quietly step out, listening to him whisper on the phone.
“Yep, she said yes, Miss Molly.” He chuckles. “Imagine her surprise when she realizes I’m not gonna let her go.” He chucklesagain. “Yeah. So, I was thinking this weekend. My mom is flying up. My brothers, too. They’re gonna spend the week here and stay for the playoff game. Can I ask where you and Cory were married?”
Oh. My. God.
“And would you be all right if we carried on that tradition?” Pause. “All right, so vows there, dinner at Brooks Brew. Perfect. Now I’d be honored if you’d allow Lily to call you Grandma and Grandpa. Is that …?” He stops and laughs. “Perfect. I’ll chat with you soon. I wanna go check on our girls. Good night, Miss Molly.” He laughs. “That days coming, and I can’t wait to call you Mom.”
He’s sitting on the floor in the spare room when I walk in, and he looks up.
“You know, there’s a whole living room with furniture downstairs.”
“This room’s become my favorite.” He winks and holds out his arm. “Bring it in, wife.”
I squat down at the threshold and pick at the rug. “I need you to know something, and I need you to promise no matter how you feel, it’s my story to tell and react to however I see fit.”
“Sydney, always, I got you.”
“I’m not on birth control, because I don’t have to be.” My eyes begin to burn even though I just spent half an hour talking myself out of crying about this ever again. “I had a miscarriage and the one ovary I have no longer works. I will never have a child.”
The big brute crawls over and presses his forehead to mine. “Well, it’s a good thing I come with a kid and we’re both yours.”
My lower lip trembles.
“And one day, you decide you want a kid or ten, we make that happen.”
“Beau—”
“There isn’t anything stopping us, Cupcake, least of all our own stubbornness or doubt.” He holds out his pinky. “I promise.”
Chapter 15
Making Plans
Boone
“You’re sick.” She knots her hands and brows in unison.
“You’re fucking adorable, you know that, Cupcake?” I grab her hand and yank her down on top of me.
“Boone,” she grumbles as she gives a weak attempt at freeing herself from my clutches.
“It’s a slight fever, a three-day thing,” I tell her like she told me when she took over with Lily so I could take care of other shit. “I’ll be all good by tomorrow. You and the little flower have been holed up in here since Tuesday. Go get mani-pedis and lunch on Big Daddy Boone.”
“Would you stop calling yourself that?” She rolls those big, beautiful blue eyes.
“Is BDB okay? Or just for your group chats?”
“Yes, that.” She giggles.
Lily comes flying out of the bathroom, grabs Syd’s foot, and pulls on her. “I will save you, my Syd!”
I get a hold of Lily, pull her up on us, and tickle the hell out of her.
“Daddy, stop.” She laughs and squirms, and it feels so damn good to see this, see Lily happy.
“All right, all right, all right.” I stand, holding them both and setting their little feet on the ground. “Coats, boots, hats, and mittens, little ladies—it’s a cold one.”