“Hey, buddy. How are you feeling?” There was a crack in my own voice, at both knowing he was okay and hearing him after all this time.
“Tired. Mom says it’s the medicine. I feel kinda woozy.”
“Get some sleep. I’ll call your mom tomorrow to check on you.”
“Okay, Nick.” Kevin drifted off.
“Thanks for calling. I’ll keep you updated if you want.” Maddie was back to the cold, all business tone I remembered so well.
“Yeah. Please. Text me tomorrow and let me know how he is.” Pete mentioned Maddie’s fiancé. I was only a voice on the phone to Kevin now and hoped the new man in their lives was a nice guy who treated them right. They deserved that. She’d moved on and so had I.
Now, Jack was the only little boy who lit up in my presence. My stomach twisted a bit at the thought, as he wasn’t really mine either.
I started the engine and continued to Ellie’s house. Both were laughing on the steps until they saw my approach. Ellie’s face broke out into a big smile and Jack beamed at me. I was in deeper with her than I ever was with Maddie, even though we had been engaged. I moved my mother’s engagement ring from the safety deposit box to my dresser drawer right after Easter, but I couldn’t find the guts to do what I really wanted with it.
“Hey, good-looking.” Ellie kissed my lips as she slid into the passenger seat.
“Hey yourself, sweetheart.” I grabbed the back of her head and tugged her closer for a longer kiss.
Ellie cocked her head. “Are you okay? You seem a little shaken up.”
“Yeah. Long story. I’m fine.” I lifted her hand to my lips.
“I can’t wait to see Lucy’s dog!” Jack bounced as he strapped himself into his seat.
Ellie pursed her lips as she craned her head. “You weren’t this excited to see the new baby.”
“Oliver can play with us. Alex just . . . sits there. And she smells.”
Ellie and I burst out laughing. Jack was honest to a fault. I hoped he never lost that, even if I worried someone would punch him in the face for it.
“Can we work on our car tonight?” I glanced at his widened eyes in the rearview mirror.
“Not tonight, Jack. We can work on it after breakfast tomorrow.”
I held in a laugh at his pursed lips. Jack and I had been working on his car for the Pinewood Derby all week. Whether we had the best car at the event next month, I doubted any of the other Scouts worked harder than Jack did.
“You guys are going to have the most awesome car there!” Ellie chirped.
“Maybe.” Jack shrugged.
“What do you mean,maybe?” I craned my head to Jack after we pulled up to a red light. “Our car willabsolutelybe the most awesome car there.”
“Yeah, it is awesome,” Jack agreed. “But the best part about making the car is that I get to do it with you.”
My chest pinched as a lump gathered in the back of my throat. My fingers tightened on the steering wheel as I tried to look unaffected.
“That’s the best part about it for me too, buddy.”
“He can already fetch, Jack! Come see!” Lucy yanked Jack into the backyard the second we arrived with the feisty Yorkie squirming in her arms.
“Oliver keeps Lucy occupied for hours.” Evan strolled into the hallway with baby Alex on his shoulder. She was a little bundle of black hair and big hazel eyes, her father’s mirror image. “Trying to get her to sleep,” Evan whispered as he rubbed her back. Her eyelids fluttered as Evan rocked her back and forth. He was a natural at this father thing.
“In the history of the world, there was never a bigger daddy’s girl than my daughter.” Paige rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Isn’t that right, Alexandria?” She cooed at her four-month-old baby.
“Still want to try for a boy?” Ellie raised an eyebrow at Paige. A smile ghosted Ellie’s lips as she grazed her fingers through Alex’s tuft of hair.
“Shehasa boy.” Evan motioned to the backyard with his chin. “She even dresses the dog up. She’s fine.”
