Walking up to the front door together, she abruptly stops before entering the house. Turning to me, she grabs both of my shoulders and brings me in for a kiss. I slightly bend to her level, meeting her lips with mine. The taste of cherry will never get old.
“Alright, be prepared because my mom is going to lose her shit,” she says, peering at me from raised tiptoes.
“Losing her shit in a good way, I hope?”
Bailey lowers then lets her palm rest on the handle of the door. Quickly glancing over her shoulder before pushing it open, she says, “Oh yeah. My mother has been your biggest fan. And for reasons I still don’t understand.”
I slap her ass. “I knew I always liked your mom.”
The moment we step inside, I hear Luca’s voice first. “Mason!” He sprints down the stairs, skipping the last step and jumping right into my arms. I’m so happy to see this little guy.
“Hi, dude, how’s it going?” I ask, patting his back.
“What? No hi for me?” Bailey teases, opening her arms for a hug.
I set him down right when she kneels and brings him into her.
“Mason, it’s interesting seeing you here.” Mary inquires with the typical smirk on her face. My eyes dart over to Bailey’s as she straightens to a stand and blushes.
“I think you’re going to see me over here more often,” I say.
Bailey’s mom smiles. “I’m really looking forward to that.” Then she calls out over her shoulder to Fred in the backyard. “Hey, Fred, it looks like we’ll be seeing Mason over here more often!”
“I already knew that, Mary. It’s not like it’s a surprise!” he yells back to her through the closed screened door to the patio.
We all share a laugh.
“Luca, can you go grab your stuff so we can head home?” Bailey tells Luca.
He runs over to the couch, grabs his already-prepared bag, and then rejoins us in the entryway. “Mason, can you come over and play with my new Legos with me today?”
I playfully rub my hand on the top of his head, then take the overnight bag from his straining arms. “We can play Legos as much as you want.”
“Oh, and Luca, guess what tonight is?” Bailey asks Luca, his eyes wide with excitement.
“Taco night!” he screams, looking right at me and squeezing his cheeks together.
“I’m so excited!” I mimic his high-pitched tone, knowing that this is exactly what I’ve wanted—to be a part of this little family that I’m determined to make mine. “Let’s go get you into the car.”
He bolts out the backdoor to say bye to Bailey’s dad and runs back in to give Mary a hug before bouncing over the stone steps on the porch and toward the car.
“It was nice seeing you, Mary,” I say before following behind Luca.
“See you soon!”
I bend over and lean into the backseat of the car, helping Luca with the straps on his car seat.
Over my shoulder, I see Bailey and her mom share an exchange, followed by a long embrace. It brings a smile to my face now, imagining a life with them. I wonder if she’d be opposed to marrying me. I shrug off the thought. I still need to convince her to move in with me first.
Epilogue
Bailey
Six Months Later
Icarefully pull my phone from my cross bag to text Mason to tell him that I’ve arrived in Burbank for my overnight layover.
Mason: I’m glad you made it there safely.
