Page 69 of Sterling Clay

“Maybe.” Clay draws out. “That okay with you?”

Asking Dutton’s permission sort of wins me over, even if I wish he’d asked me first. I can’t remember the last time I was on a date, with Wesley or otherwise.

Dutton shrugs. “Sure.” He lowers his head, returning to his French toast.

“Maybe you and me could have a special day, too. Soon. If that’s okay with your mom?” Clay’s attention turns to me.

“Oh, now you’re asking my permission?” I giggle.

“Am I doing this backward?” His brows cinch before releasing, realizing he might have forgotten a step. He crosses the small space and leans into the counter near the stove, placing his hand on my lower back.

“Want to spend the day with me, beautiful?”

I smile back at him. Who can resist that face, and the sudden hesitation in his eyes? As if I’d say no.

“Of course, honey.”

He smiles, lighting up his entire face. Without a care for Dutton’s presence, he leans in and kisses the corner of my mouth. I glance at Dutton when Clay pulls back, but my son hasn’t noticed, or he doesn’t have a reaction if he did.

“And what about a day with Dutton?” Clay raises a brow. “Something just for us.”

“That sounds nice, too.” Dutton would love it and it would be good for him. Like father and son time.

The thought hits me so hard I almost drop the spatula I’m holding. A brief moment of panic sets in.

Is that good for Dutton? Is it fair to Clay?

As his hand coasts up my arm and squeezes the back of my neck, I settle into the warmth of his touch. He’s been so good to us, to me. With a deep breath, I smile back at him. His brows pinch again, knowing something concerned me when I was lost in my head a second, but he lets it go, noticing it was only momentary on my end.

“Okay then. A date with Mom. And then one day soon, a date with Dutton.”

Dutton chuckles. “That’s what mom calls special days. Date with Mom days.”

Clay playfully purses his lips but sadness washes over his face. “I like that. I didn’t have enough of those with my mom.”

Dutton looks up, eyes wide. “You had Date with Mom days, too?”

“I sure did.” Clay helps himself to the coffee and notices my cup is half full. He tops it off.

“Where is your mom?”

“She’s in heaven.” Clay rests his backside against the counter near me while addressing Dutton. “I lost her when I was ten.”

Dutton’s gaze leaps to me, almost begging to say something. I nod, as if I can read his thoughts. We can trust Clay to keep our secrets.

“My mama died when I was still a baby. May-May took me in, and now she’s my mama.”

Clay softly smiles, watching Dutton. “Lucky you, you have two mamas who love you so much, they shared you with each other.”

Dutton thinks about that a second before nodding. “And where is your dad?”

Clay’s shoulders lift as he takes a deep inhale. “I suppose he might be in heaven as well, but he doesn’t deserve it.”

“My granddaddy says my father can rot in hell.”

“Dutton!” I shriek.

“Well, it’s true.” He shrugs, swinging his legs beneath the table like he knows he said a bad word and got away with it.