Page 130 of The Bluffing Game

“Oh, well, actually, Toby, I got you something really special.”

“You did?” He looks at me eagerly. “What is it?”

“I got you a root beer float.”

“A root beer float for me? Only for me?” He jumps up and down. “Thank you! Thank you!”

I pick him up and hug him. He kisses the side of my face, and I squeeze him. I love this little boy so much.

“Thank you, Sage. I love you,” he says softly, his lips quivering.

He looks over at his dad, and I see his dad shake his head slightly.

“What’s going on?” I ask, wondering what the look meant.

Dalton looks at me for a second, and then he looks down at Toby. “Toby wanted to ask you something, but I didn’t want to put you on the spot,” he says softly.

“Oh?” I look down at Toby, and his eyes are wide and happy.

“I wanted to ask you a question, but the first two times, I didn’t really get an answer, and I don’t know if I can do this or not, but I want to do this, and Daddy said that I have to ask you, but …”

“What is it, Toby?” I hold him close to me and stroke the side of his face.

“Can I call you Mommy?” he says, lower lip out. “I just really wish you were my mommy.”

I look over at Dalton because I don’t want to give an answer unless I have his permission. He nods, and I grin at him before turning back to Toby.

“You can call me Mommy, Toby,” I say softly and kiss the side of his face. “I love you, and you’re the most perfect little boy, and I love your daddy, and we’re a family, and we’ll always be a family. You know you can always count on me, okay?”

“Yay. Thank you, Mommy.” He hugs me around the neck and squeezes tight.

Dalton steps forward and strokes my back. “I love you, Sage. I don’t know how I got so lucky as to meet someone like you, but I did, and I thank the Lord every single day that you came into my life.”

“I love you too, Dalton.”

“Are you two going to get married?” Toby asks, giggling.

“One day,” I say, nodding.

“One day soon,” Dalton says, kissing me on the forehead. “Very, very soon. And when we get married, you can be in the wedding if you want, Toby.”

“Yay! I want to be in the wedding. Can I get my root beer float now, please? Can I tell Auntie Izzy that you said I can have it?”

“Okay.” I let him down, and he goes running to the back.

“My mommy said I can have a root beer float,” he screams so everyone in the restaurant can hear.

Dalton grabs my hand. “You just made his day.”

“He just made mine, actually. I love him. It’s crazy to me how much I love him, but I do.”

“I guess maybe he was made to be ours,” he says. “When we get married, if you’d like to formally adopt him⁠—”

“Of course.” I press my lips against Dalton’s and hold him close to me. “We really are a family, aren’t we?”

“You’d better believe it,” he says. “Oh, yeah.” He lowers his voice. “I wanted to tell you something.”

“What is it?”