I turn to him. “I am. I really like being with your dad.”
He grins. That grin. The one that’s just like Hunter’s but softer around the edges.
“You love him?”
I bite back my smile. “Maybe.”
He crosses his arms over his chest, studying me with a seriousness that belongs on a man four times his age. “I think my daddy loves you a lot.”
My chest squeezes. “I think he does too,” I say quietly.
“So does this mean you’ll pick me up from school all the time?”
I nod.
“And watch movies?”
“Absolutely.”
“And go horse riding? And make sure Daddy doesn’t work all the time?” He’s bouncing in his seat now, rattling them off likea wishlist to Santa. “And I can be like my friends at school who have brothers and sisters?”
That one stops me.
Brothers and sisters.
This kid, this beautiful, brave, goat-obsessed kid who’s been through more in his six years than most people face in a lifetime, is sitting in the passenger seat of his daddy’s truck asking me if I’m going to give him a family.
I want Hunter to be here for the big conversation. When we tell Wyatt we got married today. When we explain the fun party we’re going to have, where he gets to wear a little suit and walk me down the aisle.
But right now, in this truck, outside this diner, I can give him this.
“So you want me to stick around?” I ask.
“Yes!” He says it so fast. It takes everything in me not to cry.
I reach across and take his little hand in mine. “Then I’m not going anywhere, Wyatt.”
He squeezes my fingers. “Promise? Daddy says you have to stick to a promise forever.”
“I promise.”
It’s the easiest one I’ve ever given.
He holds my hand for a second longer, then unbuckles his car seat. “Come on, Lola! I’m so hungry!”
He’s out of the truck before I’ve turned off the engine. I watch him sprint to the diner door, pull it open with both hands because it’s twice his size, and hold it there, looking back at me.
Waiting for me.
I grab the keys, wipe my eyes with the back of my hand, and follow my boy inside. I want to give him everything. For now, I’ll start with food and ice cream.
And then when we go home to Hunter, we can explain that I really am not going anywhere because I married his daddy today.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
LOLA
Wyatt tookthe news of our marriage almost too well. To the point he’s started picking out baby names for us. We somehow successfully managed to divert that conversation and instead have him help pick out a bow tie for Gary to wear to the big day, whenever that may be.