Page 76 of Captivating Mr. Second Chance

“Does Laney like this love-sick thing you have going on?”

Ethan nodded.

“Pussy-whipped, huh?”

“Language,” Leah hissed, backhanding Justin as Ethan grinned.

“Oh yeah, for sure. And I would live there if I could.”

“All right, all right,” Leah said, tapping Trace on the shoulder to nudge him off Ethan’s lap. “Let’s go inside and wash your hands. You can help Mommy cut up strawberries.” She gave the brothers a warning look to watch their mouths.

Justin smiled at his wife. “Love you, babe.”

“I think you two are really cute together,” Leah said to Ethan then narrowed her dark eyes at her husband. “And if you ever want to see mine again, Justin, you better keep that language contained around our son. Because if I get a call from preschool that he’s running around saying he’s pussy-whipped, you’ll be beating it in the shower alone.”

Ethan shook his head, tsking his brother, who licked his lips at his wife. “You know I love it when you get stern with me.”

Leah cocked her hand on her hip, eyeing him for a moment before Trace yelled from inside, “Mommy! Where are the strawberries?”

When the brothers were left alone again, Ethan pushed Justin’s shoulder. “You fucker.”

Justin laughed. “Should I start writing my best man speech now or what?”

“Let’s see if you even get invited. Leah might murder you first.”

Justin rubbed his hand over his chest, inhaling audibly, his gaze over at the window, where they could see her head bent over at the sink. “Yeah. That woman owns me.” He sucked air through his teeth then turned to Ethan, a more somber expression on his face. “Don’t wait too long, huh?”

It was moments like this when the uncertainty of Justin’s disease reared its head. It was not necessarily the end of the line, but it also didn’t guarantee anything, including time.

“I won’t,” Ethan said and then pressed send on his email to his birth mother before the two sat in silence for a while.

About a half hour later, Laney showed up with some store-bought dessert and hugs for everyone. After handing the platter of cupcakes to Justin, she tucked into Ethan’s side, slipping her hand into his back pocket. She grinned up at him. “How’s your day been?”

“Good. How’s yours?”

“I signed the contract for the location, went to the party supply store to order some things, and sent out all the invitations.”

Leah snapped her fingers. “I keep forgetting to give you the name of my friend’s sister, for the catering.” Grabbing her phone from where it charged in the corner of the counter, she tapped on the screen. “Let me do that now before I forget again.”

Trace came careening into the kitchen. “I went potty and didn’t get any on the floor!” Justin held his fist out, and his son jumped up to bump it with his own before noticing Laney. “You’re here! You’re here!”

“I am, I am,” she said, letting go of Ethan to sink on the floor. Trace promptly wrung his little arms around her neck, and she laughed, hugging him back. “Nice to see you too.”

“You want to play with me?”

“Yes, of course. That’s why I’m here.”

She stood back and took his proffered hand, tossing a smile to Ethan as Trace led her outside. “Look, it’s like a playground out here. See? See? You want to go on the slide with me?”

“Race you,” she said and took off with a giggling Trace running after her.

“All right,” Justin said, smacking a pack of burgers into Ethan’s chest. “Put your googly eyes away for now and open this for me.”

Outside, Justin got the grill going, and Ethan popped the top of a beer for each of them while Leah and Laney each had a bit of wine, talking and laughing while Laney pushed Trace on a swing, one hand holding her drink, the other waving about as she told some story. Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off her. That was until his cell phone buzzed in his pocket, and he grabbed it, finding a new email. “Oh my god.”

Justin turned, a broad spatula in his hand. “What?”

“She got back to me already.” Ethan listed his gaze to his brother’s. “My birth mom.”

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