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“Yeah, I bet,” Mae murmured with a split second glance at Merit.
His pulse skipped as he realized their baby would be six months old this time next year. Holy shit. He looked closer at the guy holding the baby. One year from now, that would be him.
Little Elliott’s blue gaze locked on his, and when he smiled at the baby, he received a two-toothed grin in return.
Wow. Yeah. He really was okay with being in those shoes in a year.
He lifted his gaze and noticed the dad watching him with curiosity. He offered a smile just as Mae said, “Tom and Dawn, this is Merit. He came to watch Ian play.”
As hellos were exchanged, he fought a prick of resentment at the generic introduction. He hadn’t expected her to announce they were having a baby together, but she could’ve at least said he was a friend or something.
Except, they weren’t even friends, were they?
Not yet. He was going to work on that—among other things.
Dawn laid a hand on both boys’ shoulders. “I assume these two have already presented the grand plan?”
“I was told about a water park,” Mae confirmed.
“Yes. Ian can come with us now, and we figured it would keep them busy when it’s raining later.” The brunette glanced from her, to Merit, and back, her own curiosity on full display. “But I don’t want to mess anything up if you had other plans?”
Clearly the woman was fishing, but Mae waved off her concern. “Oh, no, we’re good. What time do you need me to pick him up later?”
“We were going to get a room and spend the night. We’d love to have Ian stay with us, if you’re okay with that?”
Both boys shouted in excitement and started jumping up and down, begging and pleading for her to say yes. Merit liked the idea so much, he wanted to join them.
“I’ll need to get him some clothes.”
“He can borrow some of Cory’s. And we have extra swim trunks, too. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, but I know Cory would love to have someone other than us adults and his baby brother to play with.”
Mae tilted her head down toward the boys. “Are you sure you want to go?” she teasingly asked Ian.
“Yes, I do, I do, I do! Pleeeeease?”
Merit grinned at his earnestness, as if that question had actually required an answer.
When she agreed, he practically leapt into her arms. “Thank you, Mom!” A second later, he let her go, and he and Cory took off running.
“Hey, whoa, get your little butt back here.”
He skidded to a stop and spun around. “Love you.”
“I love you, too. But you’re still forgetting something.”
Merit was surprised when she motioned toward him with her head. Ian grinned and ran back to stop in front of him. “Thanks for coming to watch me play, Merit.”
“Anytime. Thanks for asking me.”
After one more high-five and Cory’s parents arranging to drop him off the next day about three p.m., Merit and Mae walked to her truck, just the two of them. He was starting to fantasize about just the two of them back at her house when she waved goodbye to a woman and a couple of young
er girls about Ian’s age getting into a car. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as he and Mae walked past their vehicle.
“You don’t bring guys to Ian’s games very often, do you?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Never. I’ve only ever brought my brothers. Why?”
“Because it still feels like I’ve got a hundred eyeballs crawling all over me.”
