His shoulders dropped.“I haven’t asked her yet.She said no last year, but it’s not like I’ll be able to sleep anyway.I don’t see what the big deal is.”
Honestly, I didn’t see what the big deal was, either.If it were up to me, the kid could stay up as late as he wanted on nights like this.It was a rite of passage.But it wasn’t up to me.
“Your mom’s the boss here.Go ask her first.And stop trying to guilt me into stuff.You know it won’t work.”
“Got me Mojo, didn’t it?”His eyes, so much like my own, filled with mischief.
“No, wise guy.You got the dog because your mom and I both agreed.Now quit causing trouble and go do the right thing.”
“Yeah, okay.”He sighed dramatically and trudged off toward Jamie.
I watched him launch into his negotiation from across the room—animated, throwing everything he had at her.Jamie’s exasperated sigh was visible from where I stood, but so was the smile she was trying to hide.
Warmth moved through my chest, settling deep.
I’d missed so much of him.Her entire pregnancy, his birth, his first everything.I’d told myself at seventeen that I wasn’t ready to be someone’s dad, that they were better off without me.By the time I’d understood what I’d lost, Jamie was gone and the door was closed.
Eric appeared from somewhere behind her, sliding into the conversation.His hand moved to her shoulder, and he smiled down at Hunter like my kid was his own.
The warmth in my chest twisted into something ugly.Not quite anger.Not quite grief.Something primal that I didn’t have a name for and sure as fuck wasn’t proud of.
“Kids are fun, aren’t they?”a deep voice interrupted my thoughts.
The man who’d wandered up beside me was big.Really big.Tall and built, with reddish-brown hair and a thick copper beard that made him look like a fucking lumberjack.
“Depends on who’s asking.”The words were defensive sounding, even to me.But fuck, I already had to share my son with Eric.I wasn’t in the mood to share this moment with a stranger too.
His laugh was bold and boisterous, the kind that drew people’s attention whether they wanted to give it or not.Mine included.
“Don’t worry.It wasn’t a test,” he said with a smirk.“I like kids but I’m always glad when they go home with their parents.”
“You’re one up on me, then.I don’t like most people’s kids.Love mine like crazy, but he rarely comes home with me.He’s usually with those two.”I nodded toward Jamie and Eric, who now had their arms wrapped around each other.Hunter had run off, probably in search of Caleb and whatever trouble they could get into.
“So you’re just the baby daddy, eh?That’s gotta suck.”
Was this guy for real?“No, doesn’t suck at all, but thanks for bringing it up.”
He laughed again, and I actually fucking smiled.
“I’m Sean.”He stuck out his hand, and I took it.
“Dylan.”
“How’d you get suckered into this shindig?Especially if that’s what you’ve got to deal with?”He looked back toward Jamie and Eric, who were now locked at the lips.
His distaste for their display was clear, though I doubted it ran as deep as mine.And I was pretty sure he wasn’t considering knocking Eric’s teeth in the way I was—an urge that appeared like clockwork every time he touched her.
“No idea.Sylvie keeps inviting me and I keep trying to say no.Guilt, I guess.”I shrugged.“You?”
“Same.She’s a hard woman to say no to.”He smiled.“Plus, I kind of owe her husband my career.”
“Really?”
Glenn Alexander was brilliant and intuitive, probably where Caleb got it from, but he was a psychologist, and not the kind of man who took credit for other people’s success.I couldn’t imagine many people willing to admit he’d helped them, either.
“You’re a shrink?”I couldn’t picture this mountain man handling someone else’s mental health.
His laughter filled the room.“Hell no.I’m not smart enough or patient enough for something like that.”