Sal looks like he wants to say something else, but then leaves it, just nodding at my words. We still have a long way to go, but I’m confident we’ll get there. It’s all new to us, this new dynamic. We’re not just friends anymore; we’re more than that. Perhaps one day, Sal will be my father-in-law, too. I really hope so. That’s going to take some getting used to for sure, but no matter what happens, we both have one goal in common—to make Kayden happy.
“... I just think you’ll get tired of the beige really quickly,” Vivian muses as she appears at the end of the hallway, a clearly annoyed Kayden trailing behind her. He looks one step away from losing his mind. I can’t help smiling at the two of them. They’re so similar.
“If we do, we can just paint it again,” Kayden counters, then rolls his eyes when his gaze connects with mine.
“But why waste time, money, and good paint if you’re just gonna change your mind anyway?” Vivian’s voice has that slightly shrill edge to it, her cheeks flushed from running around helping us all day.
“No one says we will!” Kayden’s voice takes on the same shrill edge as he holds up his hands behind his mom and does a strangling movement, mouthingI swear to fucking God.
Sal and I both snort, and Vivian’s eagle eye shoots in our direction. “What?” she snaps.
“Nothing!” we both blurt at the same time, then burst into laughter.
She holds up her hands in resignation. “Surrounded by stubborn-ass men! Why do I even bother?”
“Like the pot calling the kettle black,” Sal mumbles under his breath.
Like she has eyes in the back of her head, Vivian zeroes in on her husband. “What was that?”
“Nothing, darlin’. Just talking to Caleb.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m sure Kayden appreciates all your advice, don’t you, Kayden?” Sal says fondly, shooting a pointed look in his son’s direction before pulling Vivian against his side. She struggles at first, then leans her head against Sal’s shoulder, patting his chest.
“I do. You know I do, Mom.”
“We should get out of your hair,” Vivian says. I haven’t talked to her alone since Kayden told her about us, but I know we need to at some point.
“Thanks again,” Kayden says, walking up to his parents, hugging his mom first, then Sal.
“Of course,” Sal rasps, wiping at his eyes as soon as Kayden walks to the front door. He gives me a short nod. “Seeyou tomorrow, Caleb.”
“See you, Sal. Bye, Viv.” Yep, awkward as fuck, but Rome wasn’t built in a day.
“Oh, thank God,” Kayden groans, leaning back against the door as soon as his parents have left. “I wanted to wring Mom’s neck.”
I laugh. “I could tell.”
“She thinks she knows everything better.” He pushes away from the door and moves up to me.
I wink at him. “Takes one to know one.”
“Fuck off!” He scowls, then walks straight into my arms, resting his forehead against my chest. “I’m notthatbad.” I wrap my arms around him, my body relaxing, the feel of him against me soothing as always.
“No, you’re not. If it makes you feel any better, you won’t have to argue with me when it comes to decorating. You’ve seen my taste.”
“As in no taste?”
I squeeze his ass. “Oh, I have taste. Just not when it comes to meaningless stuff like paint or curtains or furniture. My taste is more…singular.”
“Singular, huh?” Kayden licks my neck, and I fucking ignite inside.
“Yeah, you know me, baby, I’m a simple kinda guy. One-track mind and all.” I tilt my neck, chasing his lips.
“Well, I just happen to love your simple, one-track mind.”
“Yeah?”