She nods. “Yeah, they were concerned about the whole dating-my-boss thing, but they see how happy I am, and they haven’t brought it up since.”
“Good. Let me run upstairs and change.” I glance down at my sweats and faded Rampage T-shirt I’m wearing. “What about Camden?”
“He’s coming,” she says, her tone firm.
I smile. This fucking woman, she’s my everything. “I know that. I meant what should he wear?”
“Oh, um, I’ll grab an outfit for him.” She steps back, or tries to, but I hold strong.
“Kiss me.”
Her lips meet mine, but it’s over far too soon. “Hey, Cam,” she calls over her shoulder to where my son is playing with blocks. “We’re going to go visit my mommy and daddy. We have to get you changed,” she says, her tone light and filled with excitement that she knows he’ll respond to.
“Cam, go.” He climbs to his feet and comes rushing toward us as fast as his little legs can carry him. He crashes into us, laughing.
“Come on, little man. Daddy will give you a ride.” I lift him to my shoulder, stand, and bounce around a few times, making sure to give him some extra jiggles as we head upstairs. I drop him off in his room with Sloane, while I head to mine to get changed.
I don’t really know what one wears to meet the parents, so I grab a pair of light-washed jeans and a black long-sleeved button-up. It’s casual, yet not my normal sweats, and I don’t want it to look like I’m trying too hard.
As I’m walking out of the bedroom, Sloane and Camden are stepping out of his, and she laughs. “What?”
“The two of you match.”
I take in what my son is wearing, and she’s right. He, too, has on a pair of light-washed jeans and a button-up, but his is plaid with different colors of blue. “Great minds, I guess.” I smile at her. “Come on, bud.” I hold my hands out for him, but he turns his head and grips on to Sloane.
“I’m sorry.”
“What? Why on earth would you be sorry? I know he’s attached to you. You love him, and he loves you. There’s nothing to be upset about. I know he loves me, too. Right, Cam?”
“Cam wove Daddy,” he says. “Cam wove Swoan.”
“See.” I smirk. “What can I do?”
“The diaper bag is downstairs. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of diapers, wipes, and an extra outfit. We’ll need to make sure he has toys, some snacks, and a sippy cup. Mom and Dad will have milk for him. My dad drinks it like the two of you.”
“I’m on it.” I kiss his head, then do the same to hers, and bound down the stairs to get us ready to hit the road.
“Oh, my goodness, look how handsome,” Nancy, Sloane’s mom, says as we enter the kitchen. She walks up to Sloane, who’s carrying Camden—at his insistence—and offers him her hand. He shies away from her, turning his head.
“Sorry about that,” I say. “He’ll warm up to you.”
“Baker, it’s good to see you again,” she says, hugging me.
“You, too, Mrs. Peterson.”
She waves her hand in the air. “Nancy.”
“Welcome. Can we get you something to drink?” her dad, Carl, asks.
“Happy Birthday, sir. I’m good for now, thank you.”
“Cam, do you want some milk?” Sloane asks.
He nods his reply, still keeping a tight grip on her sweater. By the time I get the sippy cup out of the diaper bag, her dad has a gallon of milk ready to fill it up. “Thank you,” I tell him, then hand the cup to Nancy and nod toward Camden. She beams at me.
“Look at what I’ve got?” She shows him the cup, and he gives her a half grin. “This is for you.” He takes it from her and takes a full drink.
“Sloane tells us he’ll eat what we do, but I can make a mean grilled cheese,” Carl offers.
