AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I laugh. “I guess I’m going to have to watch what I say in certain company, huh?”
“Yeah, keep laughing, asshole,” Drew says. “You just wait.”
“Unca’ Drew! Add another dollar!” Nathan says excitedly.
“Damn it!” Drew shouts.
Brody cracks up. “There goes another one.”
Drew mutters something under his breath as he digs out his wallet and shoves several bills into the jar. “Consider this a deposit. I have a feeling I’m going to earn it today.”
DEVYN
BRODY LEFT BEFORE THE night game saying he had to collect on a bet but Riley stayed through all three. I’m internally freaking out about how easy it is being with him. Watching him interact with our son is so much better than I had imagined. Who knew he’d be such a natural with kids?
Nate clung to him the whole day, hanging on every word. I wonder if he can sense something. One thing that I’ve learned as a parent is how intuitive kids can be. Nate blows my mind constantly. Speaking of mind-blowing, Riley has me floored when it’s time to put Nathan to bed.
“Can I do it?” he asks.
I crinkle my brows. “Do what?”
“Put him to bed.” He ruffles Nate’s hair. “Would you like that, buddy?”
Nathan pumps his fist in the air. “Heck yes!” He tugs on my pants. “Momma, is that okay? Please?” He extends the last word.
I smile. “Sure, honey. Why don’t you go pick out a book and Riley will be there in a minute?”
Nathan bounces down the hall into his room.
Riley grabs my hand. “Thank you.”
I stare at our joined hands. “Um, yeah. Sure.”
We stand there in silence looking at each other.
Drew gets up from the couch and stretches. “Yeah…so I have to be on shift early tomorrow so I’m going to bed too. You kids have fun. Don’t do anything I would do.”
Riley smirks as Drew closes the door to his bedroom. “Doesn’t he mean don’t do anything I wouldn’t do?”
I chuckle. “No, I’m pretty sure he said what he meant. Don’t get me wrong…Drew’s incredible; he saved me when I didn’t have anyone.” I shift on my feet as I catch his somber expression from my comment. “Anyway, he’s really just a big kid at heart. He definitely doesn’t act his age most days.”
Riley tugs on my hand and pulls me in for a hug. “Hey, I don’t think apologizing for everything is even close to adequate, but you know that I wish I were there, right? Through everything? I don’t think I could ever regret anything more in my life.”
Tears form in my eyes. God, I missed this. “Riley, I—”
“Eeeewwww!” Nathan says. “Are you guys going to make a baby or somfin’?”
“What?” we both ask as we break apart.
“Christopher says that babies get in their mommy’s tummies when grownups hug.”
Riley raises his eyebrows. “Who’s this Christopher kid?”
I laugh. “A friend of his at preschool.” I kneel down to Nathan’s level. “Honey, you see me hugging other grownups all the time. That’s not where babies come from.”
“Well then how do you make ‘em?” he asks.
“Isn’t this conversation supposed to happen much later?” Riley mutters.
