“It should be.”
“I just met her.”
“So.” Maddox holds my eyes.
“It’s complicated.”
“Because of us?”
“No, sweetheart.”
“Then how’s it complicated?”
I never thought I’d be having this conversation with my kid, but here I am. And knowing Maddy, she isn’t going to stop until I give her a reason. “I’m older than her.”
“Someone has to be.”
I sigh and shake my head. The kid always has an answer for everything.
“You’re also not getting any younger either.”
I’m stunned into silence, something that doesn’t happen very often.
Maddox reaches over and takes my hand in hers. “Hazel and I were talking, and we think it’s time you get back out there and date again. You were happier today than you’ve been in a very long time.”
“That was because I was spending the day shopping with my girls.”
Maddox tilts her head and purses her lips. “It’s not nice to lie, Dad.”
“Did you two set this up? Get Tate inside so you could have a talk with me?”
Maddox shrugs and smirks innocently. “Maybe,” she sings.
I pull her against me and kiss the top of her head. “I love you, sweetheart. You have such a big heart.”
She peers up at me with her big brown eyes. “So do you, Daddy, and you need to share it with someone other than us, and we like Tate.”
I never thought my kids would like someone else in my life who wasn’t their mother. Maybe I haven’t given them enough credit.
“We’ll see, sweetheart.”
“Don’t wait too long, or you’ll be sorry.”
Tate and Hazel come back outside, and it hits me. I like this. No. I love this. Hazel’s smiling, Maddy’s curled up next to me, and there’s a beautiful woman, who’s also one hell of a kisser, with us too. She looks like she’s always been here… She belongs.
CHAPTER12
TATE
“Tate.”
I glance toward the street, finding my grandmother on the sidewalk. For a moment, I freeze, surprised to see her this far away from home.
“Gram, what are you doing down here?”
“That’s your grandma?” Maddox asks, sitting on the swing next to Wylder.
“Yeah,” I say softly, taking a few steps toward the railing with Hazel still holding my hand.
