Page 77 of Here's to Tomorrow

“DAWWY! FIFWY CWENTS! CWAP COUNTS!” Joey yells from the bathroom, apparently with a mouth full of toothpaste.

We laugh.

“Sorry,” Hudson whispers to me. “She’s still working on that whole manners thing.”

“Again, adorable. Do you ever charge her for saying bad words?”

He laughs and shakes his head. “No. It’s actually for her college fund. Between Tucker and Gaige, she’s sitting quite comfortably right about now, and I’m sure after tomorrow she’ll have at least twenty more bucks.”

“Tomorrow?” I ask, curious.

“Movie night with Joey, something we do every month or so.”

“You, Gaige, and Tucker?”

He nods. “And my mom. We all sit around, eat junk food, and watch whatever movies Joey wants. She usually makes it through two before she passes out.”

I laugh because I can just picture Gaige and Tucker during that whole thing. “That sounds like a lot of fun.”

“It is. You should come.”

Panic zings through me. Is that something I’m ready for? Meeting his mom? Being in his life?Fuck.I don’t know if I should…but I want to.

“You can say no, Rae. I won’t be mad,” Hudson offers, mistaking my silence for me saying no.

“I’d love to.”

He squints and tilts his head like he can’t believe what he’s hearing. “Really?”

“Yeah, I think it’d be fun.”

Hudson claps his hands once and rubs them together. “Great!” He walks into the kitchen and then right back out. He hands me a piece of paper. “Here’s my mom’s address. Is five okay?”

“Perfect.”

“Perfect,” he echoes.

Just then, Joey runs out of the bathroom in someAdventure Timejammies. “Ready, Daddy!”

“Dude, what did I say about running in the apartment?” Hudson’s hands fly to his hips. I get the feeling this is his “dad stance” that he breaks out when he means serious business.

Can’t say I don’t like it. It’s doing wonders for his ass right about now.

Joey’s small shoulders drop and she hangs her head. “Don’t,” she says quietly.

“Right. And why is that?”

She lifts her head and scrunches her nose up. “’Cause you said so?”

“Good enough for me.” Hudson shrugs. “Come on, let’s get you tucked in.”

He steers her toward his bedroom but she wiggles from his grasp, turning back to me. “Come on, Rae! Dad reads the best stories!”

I look to Hudson; I’m not sure how to answer her.

“Yeah, come on. We’re readingHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I’m apparently really good at it.”

I shrug and follow them to the bedroom. I stop in the doorway and watch as Hudson tucks Joey into his bed. Rocky jumps up there too, circling for a spot until he’s comfortable. They all curl up close together—Joey under the blankets, Hudson lying on top of them, and Rocky on Joey’s legs.

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