Page 41 of Forever Flirting

“Nana, I keep my hair short already,” Alex laughed.

“Both you boys have hair touching your ears, I swear.”

“We can’t cut Caleb’s hair, Nana… Mallory will want to be present for his first haircut.”

“Will you be?” she said bluntly – and he hesitated.

“Probably not…”

“Do you think she will wait for you, be considerate of you?”

“I can’t,” he said quietly. “Not without her permission.”

“That’s your son, too.”

“I know – and I’m just really getting my bearings with her, him, this mess, and I don’t want to cause problems this visit. Maybe next time. Okay?”

“Alright,” she sniffed, wiping her eyes. “I just know you are getting ready to leave, and I’m not ready for you to be gone.”

“I’m not ready to go either – but I promise I’ll be back,” Alex said – and hesitated. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” she waved him off. “Just an emotional old fool that is feeling a little lonely sometimes. It’s been nice to have you home.”

“It’s been nice to be home – and I will let you know when I’m coming back.”

His grandmother nodded and Alex glanced at the clock, painfully aware that he was going to need to go. The last few visits he’d felt like he was intruding and hadn’t bothered to stay here, but something about this visit was different.

She seemed… lonely.

Unfortunately, with it being his last day here and he was flying out at nine in the morning? Alex was sleeping at Flyboys so he could grab a ride out early. They were going to be there picking up another pilot at DFW who was coming to visit, and he hadn’t paid attention to who was after him on the vacation chart.

“I’m going to have to head out, Nana…” Alex whispered, hugging her again. “I’ve got to take Caleb to Mallory, and I have a two-hour car ride in the morning.”

“I know.”

“Nana, sock?” Caleb called out – and the two of them laughed easily, before Alex scooped up his son and the trio hugged.

Yeah, for the first time, he really was not ready to go – at all.

* * *

Alex pulledinto the parking lot and saw Mallory standing there waiting, looking exceedingly irate. He certainly wasn’t in the mood for her to be snapping at him or calling him ‘Sperm Donor’ again.

He’d already cried once putting Caleb in the car and waving goodbye to his grandmother, feeling emotionally raw… and didn’t know how he was going to act making his farewells to Everly.

“You’re late,” she said simply.

“I know. I’m sorry,” he replied, avoiding her gaze and moving to get Caleb out of the seat. “Hey buddy, it’s time to go see Mommy…”

Caleb scrambled out of the car seat, his face smiling and beaming as he looked at Mallory – but Alex wasn’t ready to let go. No, his eyes and nose stung as he realized that this was it… for an unknown length of time.

“Hey,” Alex said hoarsely, feeling tears threaten again. “Daddy is going bye-bye… Can I have a hug and a kiss?”

Caleb immediately squeezed his neck and lay a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the scent and feeling, knowing it could be a couple of months before he was back.

“I love you, Caleb,” he said thickly. “You hear me? Daddy loves you very, very much – and I’m going to miss you.”

“Yuv you,” came the sweet reply, along with another wet kiss on his cheek that nearly broke him. Not bothering to hide it, Alex looked at Mallory and saw her eyes widen in surprise as her expression softened.

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