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“I look just like Daddy!” he exclaims, twisting around to seek Chance’s approval.

“Just like him, little man,” Chance says, rocking Jackson on his hip while our mom and Sophia wrestle the other three boys into their costumes.

Chance shoots me a look over Theo’s head—one raised brow that says exactly what I’ve heard a million times. Just like him. Especially dressed like this. My DNA didn’t even try.

I smooth the cheap polyester collar of the costume and straighten the name patch on his chest.

S. Crane.

Except Mom worked a little magic with her sewing kit and turned the S into a slightly crooked T. Seeing it on my son—his father’s tiny clone—makes my stomach twist. A sudden, panicked urge to get out of here and pour something strong into my system hits me hard.

“You sure you’re not coming with us?” Dad asks, giving it one last try.

It isn’t like me to skip family nights. Once a month my parents have everyone over and we turn it into a whole event. Normally I look forward to letting loose with everyone. But tonight I need that drink more than I need more family time.

“I have plans with Jamie from work,” I say, focusing on lacing up Theo’s little combat boots. “She doesn’t get many nights without her son, and she wants to go out.”

Dad nods, though the disappointment in his eyes is obvious.

Brittney mutters something under her breath about “abandoning us in the trenches,” and Mom shoots her a warning look from across the room while wrestling Adam into a dinosaur costume.

I tie the final knot and force a smile. “I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon and we can do family dinner. Alright?”

Dad concedes, ruffling Theo’s hair and giving me a tight smile. “Alrighty. Be safe with your friend. I won’t let this one have too wild a night.”

Sophia snorts from the couch. “Famous last words.”

“Mama not coming?” Theo turns his big doe eyes on me and almost makes me change my mind. My stomach clenches. For one stupid second I consider canceling on Jamie entirely.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, and Daddy will call at 8 like always.”

“You call too?” he asks, eyes already watering.

“Of course, baby. I’ll call you too.” I pull him in for a hug and press a kiss to his forehead. “You’re going to have so much fun with Papa, and your cousins, and you’re going to get so much candy. Doesn’t that sound awesome?”

Chance’s kids are bouncing off the walls now, cheering and chanting about the trunk-or-treat—“Candy! Candy! Candy!”—riling Theo up until he’s over his feelings about me leaving him behind tonight. I watch him join the chorus, my smile holding even as the knot in my stomach tightens.

***

An hour later I’m at Jamie’s apartment, shoes kicked off by the door and a glass full of wine already in my hand. The pregame is in full swing—cheap wine and Jamie sitting on her bathroom sink as she does her make up.

“God, this is nice,” Jamie sighs, picking up her blush and pilling it on a brush. “No one asking me for snacks or wiping their nose on my shirt. I almost forgot what silence sounds like.”

I laugh, checking over my hair in the mirror. “Tell me about it. Theo’s been vibrating since this morning. I’m pretty sure my dad’s going to regret volunteering by the time the sugar crash hits.”

“Same with mine,” Jamie says. “He was packed and ready to go to my moms before noon.”

“Theo’s been talking about this costume nonstop,” I say, topping off my glass. “Little army guy, just like his dad. Simon even gave me some old patches to slap on it. He’s been strutting around the house practicing his salute for days.”

Jamie laughs, nearly spilling her own drink. “At least that’s adorable. My kid’s in a full-on ‘bro’ phase. Everything’s ‘bro.’ ‘Bro, can I have juice?’ ‘Bro, watch this.’ I caught him calling the cat ‘bro’ yesterday. The cat. I’m raising a tiny frat boy.”

“God, that’s hilarious,” I say, wiping at my eyes. “At least yours is talking. Theo’s been bouncing off the walls since sunrise. I swear my dad’s gonna text me at midnight begging for backup.”

Jamie looks at me through the mirrors reflection, pulling out her eyelash curler. “Okay, enough wholesome mom talk. I have to tell you about this guy I’ve been seeing.”

I raise a brow. “New guy?”

“New-ish. He’s actually really sweet. Opens doors, remembers how I take my coffee, texts me good morning. The whole package.”