Page 86 of Forever Flirting

“Yes, Caleb, your Daddy is still kissing our Everly.”

“Can he breafve?”

“Good question, kiddo! Hey Maestro? Can ya’ breathe?”

“Caboose!”

“Nicky! I’m happy for my former wingman…”

“Yes, he can breathe, kid…”

Alex slowly released her as she looked up at him through half-lidded eyes and saw his warm, possessive smile.

“I love you, Mrs. Wilcox,” he said tenderly, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose, causing her to laugh softly in sheer joy as she clung to his shoulders, still hugging him.

“You sure look handsome in this uniform, husband,” Everly teased softly, testing the new word on her tongue… only to see his smile widen as he winked at her.

“I look even better out of it, wife…”

Everly couldn’t help but burst out laughing at his outrageous flirting, and buried her head against his shoulder, hugging him again in delight.

“Alright! Alright, you two…” Firefly said loudly, rising from his seat in the distance, holding a little girl in his arms. “My Betsy wants cake, and Dixie makes the best last-minute wedding cakes around… Everyone head over to Dixie’s – including you two. We’re celebrating, and you need to hang out more with us, Mrs. Maestro!”

“Mama, I‘ant cake too!” Caleb was announcing, as several other children began yelling happily, chanting for ‘CATE’ at the top of their lungs. Mallory got to her feet and hefted Caleb onto her hip, smiling at them.

“We’ll meet you there.”

“Thank you, Mallory – and I meant what I said,” Everly began as Alex stepped forward, nodding in agreement. “We’re family in the strangest ways, but it works for us. You’ll always be Caleb’s mom – and we want you to be a part of this somehow.”

“Yes, we do,” Alex said gently, holding out his hand towards Mallory, shaking it politely. “I am so sorry I ever hurt you, but I will never be sorry for our sweet boy – and I hope that makes sense.”

“It does,” Mallory said quietly, looking a little taken aback by the open conversation they were having. “I’ve got a lot of bitterness to get past, and I’m slowly working through it, but knowing Caleb and the joy he has brought me as a mother – I wouldn’t change it either.”

“Let’s go have some cake together, as a family,” Everly offered.

“And talk,” Mallory mumbled, looking away.

A man walked up with his wife, looking at Alex, and smiled.

“We’ve all got a lot of talking to do, don’t we, Maestro?”

“Sure,” Everly replied easily, already knowing the subject the quiet woman wanted to discuss due to her brother’s evasive email, and wondered what Alex would say in response to her friend’s fascination with the other pilot that had made a sudden appearance on Mallory’s radar…

Paradox.

CHAPTER22

EVERLY

As they gotto Dixie’s, Everly could already see this spontaneous ‘party’ was already in full swing. There was music playing, pilots standing outside waiting for them to arrive, and several people were inside, moving around the building. A paper sign on the door was hastily put up, boldly claiming that the café was closed for a ‘Private Event’.

Alex got out of the car and came around to open her car door, causing several of the men to clap stoically, almost in a teasing, slightly-mocking fashion.

“Bravo, Maestro…”

“Alright, fellas…” Alex grinned as they walked up – and hesitated. Everly glanced at him in surprise, only to see that he was staring at a couple by the door and looking thrilled. “Everly, I don’t think you’ve had a chance to meet the first wingman I was assigned to. Everly, this is Maiden… and her husband Caboose.”

“You ladies go on inside while us guys have a little manly discussion…” Caboose smiled, winking at his wife and extending his hand towards Everly, shaking it. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Wilcox.”

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