"You think I'm letting you child-proof alone? You'll probably bubble-wrap everything."
"That's not a bad idea actually."
“Maybe I’ll just make him wear a helmet and hockey gloves. He can’t break anything that way or get pie in his mouth.”
She laughs, and I kiss her, tasting her cherry lip gloss.
"Come on," she says, pulling me up. "Let's deal with that shirt. Then we can make a list of everything that could potentially kill a three-year-old in your apartment."
"That's romantic."
"Welcome to dating with a kid."
Dating. Is that what we're doing? It feels bigger than that. But I follow her to the kitchen, already mentally cataloging every sharp edge Tyler could crash into Thursday.
My first Thanksgiving as someone's dad.
No pressure at all.
Chapter 15
Reese
My heart gallops as we stand at Jessica's door, Logan's hand warm against the small of my back. This is my first time joining the hand-off ritual, and I've overthought everything from my casual-but-put-together outfit to how I'll greet Tyler without overwhelming him. Logan knocks, his knuckles steady against the wood while my stomach performs Olympic-level gymnastics. "Relax," he whispers, leaning close enough that I feel his breath on my ear. "Tyler's been talking about today all week. He's excited you'll be there."
I nod, swallowing the knot in my throat. Before I can respond, the door swings open. Jessica stands there in jeans and a forest green sweater, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Her eyes flick over me before settling on Logan.
"You're early," she says, stepping back to let us in.
"Sorry. Traffic was light," Logan replies, his voice casual but his posture stiff.
From somewhere inside, Tyler shouts, "DADDY!" followed by the thunder of tiny feet. He barrels around the corner and launches himself at Logan's legs. Logan scoops him up effortlessly, and Tyler's laughter bubbles up pure and sweet.
"Hey, buddy! Ready for turkey day?" Logan asks, tickling Tyler's side.
"Uh-huh! And pie!" Tyler spots me standing slightly behind Logan and his face lights up. "Reese! You came!"
"I wouldn’t miss it!" I offer him a high five, which he slaps with enthusiasm before reaching for me. The weight of him transferring from Logan's arms to mine feels huge. He’s like a feather in Logan’s and a stone in mine.
Jessica moves efficiently around the apartment, gathering Tyler's things. "His backpack has extra clothes, his favorite book, and Fred." She zips up a small dinosaur-print backpack. "And his allergy medicine, just in case. No nuts, remember? And he's been fighting a cold, so if he seems tired?—"
"I'll make sure he rests," Logan finishes. This isn't their first hand-off, but the tension between them crackles like static electricity.
I set Tyler down so he can say a proper goodbye to Jessica. He bounces in place.
"Be good for Daddy, okay?" She smooths his hair, her touch lingering. "I'll pick you up at five. That's after lunch and pie and a nap."
"I don't need a nap! I'm big!"
Jessica's mouth twitches. "We'll see about that." She kisses his forehead, then stands. "Five o'clock, Logan. Call if anything comes up."
"We will." Logan takes Tyler's hand. "Ready, champ?"
Tyler nods, already tugging Logan toward the door. I follow, catching Jessica's eye as I pass.
"Happy Thanksgiving," I offer.
She gives me a half-hearted smile. "You too."
