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The meeting with the agent had gone well, better than well, fantastic. Dad was as amped as I was after we’d left this afternoon. It went better than I ever could’ve imagined.
It was then, while I was reeling on the high, we’d walked past a toy store on the way back to our vehicle.
Downtown parking was always a bitch, and normally, I would’ve complained about the inconvenience of having to park a block away but not today. Not after I saw that sleek exterior of the motorized toy car in the display window.
As soon as I saw it, I knew my son needed to have it.
Youcouldblame it on the agent hyping me up, telling me that if I kept it up, they’d help get me into the pros. When I saw it, I knew I needed it. The flashy bright-red paint and chrome finishes on the wheels were perfect for Aiden.
Besides, we need something to liven up this “joint bachelor party” anyway. This one is way less fun than the one I’d planned for my boys up at the lake house.
My best friend and sister are smart when it comes to business strategy but lame as fuck when it comes to planning parties. This joint thing is no more than a cookout. I haven’t even seen one boob or penis-related thing in sight.
I’m disappointed in everyone.
Pulling them from my pocket, I give Aiden a matching pair of black shades. They’re identical to the ones I’m currently wearing.
The sunglasses are an unnecessary upgrade considering the sun’s about to set outside, but who could deny my son looks cute twinning his dad?
No one, that’s who.
“You ready?”
Aiden nods, his head bobbing with too much excitement at the new toy.
It warms my chest seeing that excitement on his face, so much so that I want to instantly go back tomorrow and buy him one in every single color they have.
Restraining myself, I stand back to my full height, reaching for the patio doors and opening them.
The sound of the car’s motorized engine draws everyone’s gaze over to Aiden before he speeds by.
If I thought that smile on his face couldn’t get any bigger, it was nothing compared to when everyone was looking at him.
I glance over at Hailey, who’s been chatting with a random group of guests and realize she is smiling too. Her head is shaking from side to side, but she’s laughing. Our kid knows how to make a statement, that’s for sure.
Besides, how much of a lady-killer would Aiden be rolling down the aisle in this thing? He’s upgrading his ring-bearer status to a whole new level, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Now all that’s left to do is convince Rory it’s a good idea, but with the way her mouth’s curved up, I don’t think it’ll be an issue.
I would’ve said I’d ask Cole, but he’d probably tell me he didn’t care and to ask his almost wife. All that matters to him is my sister making it down the aisle, so I saved myself the steps and my pros list for who matters.
“So, is this a go for the big day?”
“I think it’s definitely a contender,” Rory concedes as she continues to watch him zoom around, the same as everyone else.
Beeping, the high-pitched sound of the toy horn goes off when a group of individuals isn’t fast enough to move out of his way.
She tips her glass as a way of pointing with a small chuckle, catching it. “That is absolutely your son.”
My beam is so wide I swear it reaches my hairline. Yeah, it is.
Lapping the patio, another beep of the horn rings as Aiden rounds the pool. He’s a good ten feet from the water, but still, I keep an eagle eye on him.
Sometime later, I catch Hailey’s gaze over the edge of her champagne flute. Her eyes not allowing me more than a moment for the sake of our son. That dimple of hers is on full display when her lids flick back, tracking Aiden’s every move.
She’s a good mom—a shit person for what she’d done, leaving me in the dark for years—but a good mom.
This time I’m the one to seek her out, and I know she can sense me watching because I’ve known it every time she watches me.
