I move to hand him Tanner, but Easton swarms both of us in a hug, his head dipping to kiss the top of Tanner’s head.
“God, I missed home.”
The wordhomehits me square in the chest and makes me feel something I’m not ready to identify.Besides, it’s not as if I’m part of the home Easton is talking about.
I don’t pull away but allow him to hold us as long as he needs to now that he’s back because I heard it in his voice every time I FaceTimed with Tanner while he was away.
This past week, I witnessed a side of Easton I’d never seen before, even if he was trying to hide it through his usual jokes and casual demeanor.It was in his voice—the sadness every time he had to say goodbye.
He eventually pulls back and puts his hands out to take Tanner.I pass him over.
“How was your week?”he says to Tanner.
Tanner’s little hands land on Easton’s face, running along his scruff, which is new.
I move to the kitchen to give them some privacy—and a little son-and-daddy time—preparing the surprise that I’ve been waiting to try with Tanner until Easton got home.
But Easton follows me.“I was thinking, can you play hooky tomorrow?”
I glance at him while I dig the frozen grapes out of the freezer.“Why?”
“Thought maybe we’d take Tanner to the zoo.”
My head tilts.“You don’t want to go just the two of you?”
I’m still unsure where this whole nanny thing stops since we’re also technically married.
“I love Tanner, and I’m sure it would be fun with just the two of us, but we’d have more fun with you there… plus, we’re due for a public appearance, don’t you think?”He eyes what I’m doing, which is pulling out the mesh.
“Okay, I’ll join you guys.”
“Yay!”He tickles Tanner’s stomach.“Hadley is going to join us.”
I put the grapes in the mesh holder.
“What do we have here?”He stares at the mesh contraption I bought while he was away.It’s used to give Tanner a little treat that would normally be a choking hazard.
“I went shopping with the girls at a baby store, and they were raving about these things, so I thought, let’s try it.I was waiting for you to get home to give it a go.”
Something passes over his face that I can’t nail down, but I think he’s happy I waited.
I take it over to the high chair.Easton sets Tanner on the seat, straps him in, and secures the tray.I put his bib on and hand the mesh holder to Easton to give it to him.
He holds up his hands.“You do the honors, you got it for him.”
I grab Tanner’s wrist and place the plastic handle in his hand, urging him to bring the mesh popsicle-looking thing to his mouth.
At first, he’s not very into it, and I think this is going to be a failure, but Easton pulls up a chair next to him and encourages him to try it again.I sit in the other chair, both of our heads right in front of Tanner, trying to persuade him to try it, that he’ll like it.
I feel as if we’re in a commercial, promising the kid he’ll like the more nutritious cereal if he just tries it.
Tanner finally licks it, and some of the sweetness of the grape must come through because he brings it to his mouth again.Easton ends up holding the mesh thing for him, but we laugh as Tanner’s eyes widen and his feet kick with excitement.
“I think we have a winner.”Easton looks at me, and our gazes hold for a beat longer than they should.“Good pick.”
I shrug.“Well, the girls told me to buy them.That they were good.”
He shakes his head.“You still didn’t have to do it.And thanks for waiting for me.”
