"Apparently you being here is a very good thing that makes the house happy," Mitch said to him.
Now Enrico was back to staring at him in astonishment.
"But it was better when you were sleeping here," Sammy she said then she turned to Mitch. "Daddy, we should make Rico stay here with us then we can keep him."
"Keep me?" Enrico said like he was afraid they might lock him in the basement.
"Yes," she confirmed with a decisive nod. "I was worried when you didn't come over like before, and I told DJ and Ry about it, and they told me how they got to keep Sam."
"Aha," Enrico said and he looked from her to Mitch.
Sammy told them more. "Now Sam always stays with them, and he's going to be their dad. I'm gonna do that too. But, Daddy, you have to help."
"This involves me?" Mitch said with a grin.
"Yes, Daddy. You have to make Rico like you," Sammy instructed him.
"Oh. That's a tall order," Mitch said and looked doubtful.
"Yes. It is. You have a lot of work to do, man," Enrico said and stared at him evenly.
"You have to do it, Daddy. DJ and Ry told me that's how they got to keep Sam. And with dates."
"Dates?" Enrico said and looked a little panicked.
She nodded. "You need to have dates together."
Enrico looked unsure, but Mitch didn't let that stop him. He turned to Enrico and asked him, "Would you like to go out on a date with me?"
Surprised, Enrico only stared speechlessly at him for a minute, so Sammy answered for him. "Yes."
"Oh, I say yes too," Enrico jumped in to say. Then he leaned over to ask Mitch, "Does skinny dipping and chicken sandwiches count as a date?"
Mitch shook his head then told Sammy. "It looks like me and Enrico will be going on our first date."
"Yay!" Sammy celebrated then she asked, "Do you know how?"
"We'll figure it out, honey," Mitch told her. He wasn't willing to take any more dating instructions from his kid. "Why don't you go and see if the kittens found any more cups for us to pick up."
Turning to Enrico, Mitch saw that he still looked pretty stunned. His hazel eyes were wide, reflecting the morning light coming through the open kitchen door. He blinked at Mitch a few times and gave him a shaky smile. As Mitch took hold of his hands, he had to ask him, "Is this all really such a shock to you?"
"Yeah," Enrico admitted. "But it's a good kind of shock. Like winning the lottery."
"I'm not the lottery," Mitch told him.
"Oh, you are," Enrico insisted and slid his arms around Mitch's waist and pressed himself against him. "Especially when you tell me we're boyfriends."
"I just wish I got to say it first," Mitch said and rubbed his hands over Enrico's arms.
"Around here you drag your feet for even a minute, and little kids will end up running your life," Enrico said.
"I didn't believe Wyatt when he said that's what happened to him and Sam, but I'm starting to believe it. Now we better finish cleaning up. We have work to do for the festival after." He kissed Enrico then lingered in his embrace. Sighing, needing him, hating to let him go, Mitch dragged himself away from Enrico.
Stepping out the back door, they found Sammy lying in the grass while the kittens climbed all over her.
"What's going on here?" Enrico asked her.
"They are walking on me," Sammy said and she giggled.
