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“Yep. With a banana for my fruit.”
“Good choice. Grab your banana, and I’ll get the cereal.”
He did as I’d asked, then took it over to the table and opened it, chomping into it right away. I got the cereal and milk out, poured him a bowl, and brought it to the table before putting everything away and grabbing my coffee. When I sat next to him, he frowned at my coffee.
“Why do grown-ups drink coffee? It smells gross.”
I wanted to laugh at his disgusted expression, but I put a dad face on instead. “Remember what I told you about that?”
“Oh, yeah. Don’t say somebody else’s food is gross,” he said in a singsong voice. “My bad.”
My parents were sticklers about manners, and all of the same rules I’d grown up with were staples with my kid, too. No elbows on the table, chew with your mouth closed, always hold the door for the person going through behind you. It was kind of cool to see him do that stuff without being told. It made me feel like I was doing good as a dad. There was plenty of stuff that made me feel like I was messing up, but these little things seemed important somehow.
“Anyway, grown-ups drink coffee because they like it. Most kids don’t like the taste of stuff until they’re older. Like onions. I hated onions when I was a kid. Now, I love them.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Well, since you’re not eating them right now, I’m gonna say they’re gross.”
I laughed and sipped my coffee, then pursed my lips, hoping we were far enough past the nightmare stuff that I could bring up the topic of Layla. “So, uh, about Halloween shopping today. I was wondering if you’d be cool if we brought someone with us.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but then Jo walked in, sweaty from a run. “Oh, hey, guys.”
“Hi, Auntie Jo,” Grayson cried.
“Hey,” I said.
I swallowed, mildly annoyed at the interruption, but not at her. It bugged me how nervous I was. Even though I knew Layla and I were meant to be, if Grayson was uncomfortable with her coming with us today, it would throw a monkey wrench the size of Texas into our plans.
“How was your run?” Grayson asked her.
“It was good. Trevor says hi. We’re going hiking later if you guys wanna come.”
“You went for a run with him this morning and you’re going hiking later?” I asked, quirking a brow at her.
My sister wasn’t anywhere close to what I’d calloutdoorsy, other than her running habit, which wasn’t really the same thing. But Trevor was big on camping and hiking, and he’d been slowly getting her to branch out over the last few months.
“Yes, and wipe that look off your face. I’m great at hiking.”
“I’m sure you are. Anyway, we can’t, we’re going shopping for Gray’s Halloween costume.”
“Ooh, yay,” she said, taking off her running shoes and putting them on the small shelf by the door where we kept the shoes. “What are you going to be, Gray?”
“I’m not sure yet. Maybe Iron Man.”
Now, my raised brow was in his direction. So much for not liking Iron Man’s suit.
“Cool, dude. Have fun. I’m gonna go shower and relax for a bit before I have to meet Trev. See you guys.”
“Bye,” Grayson and I said at the same time.
I waited until I heard the bathroom door close behind her before I got back to my conversation with Gray. I’d told Jo I planned to talk to him about this, but it was something I wanted to do by myself. As much as Jo helped with Gray and loved him like he was her own, I knew it had to be just the two of us.
“So, Gray, what do you think about bringing Layla with us to go shopping later?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Sure. But why?”
I could keep it simple and say because we were friends and she wanted to spend time with us. But the whole point of waiting this long was to be sure we were solid before we dropped the heavier bomb of us dating. Shifting in my chair, I braced myself. “Uh, because, well, you know how Layla is my friend?”
“Yeah.”
