Page 47 of Here's to Now

The now. I need to sweep aside the thoughts of the past and strictly be in the now whenever the kids are around.

And that’s exactly what I do.

“Thanks for the ice cream,” Gia says quietly as I pull up to my aunt’s house and shift the car into park, leaving it idling since I’m just dropping them off.

“Yeah, no problem. It was good to spend some time with you guys.”

“Can you take us for ice cream again?” Gunner asks from the back seat.

I twist around to see him smiling brightly and Gillian giving me the same breathtaking grin. “I’d love to, man. I’ll run it by Mercy and we’ll try to set something up.”

“This weekend?” Gillian asks.

“I’ll try my hardest.”

After glancing to Gia, looking for some sort of approval, she smiles wider, pleased with my answer. They begin piling out of the car and I follow, walking around to the passenger side. After an awkward pause, Gia steps forward and gives me a quick hug, so fast that I’ve barely folded my arms around her before she’s pulling away already. Gunner waves and races off toward the house as Gillian reaches in and gives me a sort of one-armed hug. I give one back, a little stunned she did. Usually Gia’s the only who hugs me, but I guess I won them over with the ice cream tonight.

From the corner of my eye I can see Graham hovering, so I glance to Gia, silently asking her for a moment alone with him. She hesitates before nodding, coming in for another quick hug. I watch her retreating back, almost rolling my eyes when she looks back not once, not twice, but three times to ensure everything’s okay.

I mosey my way closer to Graham, who has his hands shoved in his pockets, the earbuds of his headphones hanging out.

“Great job tonight,” I say to him.

He nods.

“It was nice spending some time you guys. I appreciate you talking to me.”

He shrugs.

“Okay, well, I’m gonna take off.”

Another nod.

I take my time walking back around to the driver’s side of my Civic, hoping he’ll say something else. I’m popping the handle on the door when I catch him step forward from my peripheral. I lift my head to find him standing there, his posture stiff.

“Thanks, Gaige.”

It’s quiet and sad, but my entire fucking face lights up, and my heart beats wildly in my chest. It’s like I’m on top of the Empire State Building staring out into the horizon. The world is mine right now and nothing can take that from me.He said my name. He’s never said my name before. I fucking love my name!Tears instantly spring to my eyes. As annoying as they are, I can’t help it. Never before has something so insignificant meant so much.

“Yeah, kid, any time.” I’m so elated, so dazed, I don’t even mind the fact that I’ve said it to his retreating back. I catch the way his head tilts as I respond, so I know he heard.

Grinning like an idiot who just won a hundred bucks on a dollar scratch-off ticket, I climb into my car, pull my phone out, and bring up a text to the one person I want to share my excitement with.

Me: You still awake?

I grin when she responds instantly.

Nikki: This better not be a booty call.

Me: Stop trying to trick me into sleeping with you.

Nikki: As if.

Me: That was so 90s. Looking for any company tonight?

Nikki: Sigh. I guess.

Me: I’ll be there in thirty.

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