Page 122 of Between Now and Forever
“Because I had to fix things with my girl. Priorities.”
I sigh happily. “The kids will be gone for another six hours.”
“I know a way we can pass the time.”
“Me too.” I kiss him again. “Let’s change the outlets.”
His eyes twinkle. “Well, since you need my help, you’ll have to buy my time. And I’m not cheap.”
My stomach clenches. “And how do you suggest I do that? What kind of currency do you trade in, Mr. Stetson?”
“Let’s go upstairs. I havelotsof ideas.”
I giggle as he carries me to my bedroom.
EPILOGUE
GABRIELLE
Boys! Time for dinner!” I shout into the backyard.
My heart sings as I wait for a reply. Happiness bubbles out of me so freely that I annoy myself.Life is damn good.
“Mom! Come here!” Carter’s voice finds me before I can find him. “You gotta see this.”
I toss the hand towel I was carrying onto the kitchen counter and make my way onto the deck. Carter and Jay are in the field between our houses, playing catch. Dylan is in Jay’s driveway with the derby car and a pint of paint.
“I finally taught Jay how to throw,” Carter says. “Watch this!” He punches a hand in his glove and focuses on the man across from him. “You ready, big guy?”
Jay gives me a look, making me giggle.
“Okay,” Carter says, holding up his glove. “Right here. You can do it. Step and throw.”
Jay barely tosses the ball, and it sails through the air and hits the middle of Carter’s glove. He doesn’t squeeze it fast enough, and the ball falls unceremoniously to the grass.
“Ugh. You’ll get it. Keep working on it,” Carter says.
Jay shrugs, holding his arms out to the sides.
“Yeah, Jay,” Dylan says. “Keep working on it, and one day, you might not suck.”
Jay turns his back to me. I can’t hear what he says to Dylan, but it gets a full belly laugh out of my older son.
It’s hard to believe that two months have passed since Jay showed back up on my porch. Carter and Dylan weren’t surprised to see Jay at the house that afternoon, leading me to believe that they plotted together to fix things.
God love them.
“Wanna see the derby car, Mom?” Dylan asks, getting to his feet.
I step outside into the bright evening sun and cross the yard. Jay hasn’t stayed at his house more than once or twice since our reunion. Whenever he tells the boys he must go after dinner, they give him hell until he agrees to stay.
I’m not complaining.
Jay reaches for me as I walk by. I stop, letting him pull me in for a kiss.
“They wanted this thing red,” Dylan says, motioning to the car. “I told them every derby car is red.”
“And I didn’t want to do the painting,” Jay says, walking with his arm around my waist.
