My eyes drift down, nearly ashamed of the thought. “It was the plan. Not the sleeping-together part but the request from Zac part to stay only six weeks.”
“Maybe plans change. It’s hard to think past tomorrow. I arrived in Lake Spark not at all thrilled with his wish, because you and I were not on the radar, and I didn’t know how to process. We both were not thrilled and showed it. Now? It seems you and I are a lot more than two people dreading a request. I feel too compelled to explore this, but we can both acknowledge that we have two very different approaches of how to handle this situation.”
Stepping closer to them, I feel a whoosh travel down my body. “I think I needed that clarification. The timeline factor.”
A firm line forms on Nash’s mouth, and he focuses his attention on Bo. “One day at a time, right, buddy?”
A second or two then I switch our focus. “Get in position,” I tell him, and my hand slips into the pocket of the carrier still loosely buckled around me to grab my cell. “Weneed some photos of you two. Your parents will lose their cool if they see this. The number of heart emojis your parents send with every Bo picture has made me wonder if they know how to use any other emoji or just insist on pressing the same one a million times.” I crack a smile because it’s so true and also sweet.
“Geez, they still do that stuff? When I was playing hockey, after every game they would send me the emoji of a flexed muscle and a hockey stick, then repeat that pattern about a thousand times in one message. So don’t worry, they have two more emojis in their portfolio.” Nash has a warm smile glued to his face as he kneels down and holds Bo on his knee as my son reaches out for a pumpkin.
“It’s not every day a parent can say they have a professional hockey player and a doctor as sons. I’m sure they were starstruck even with their own kids. Now stop stalling and give me a photo that is holiday-card worthy.”
Nash ruefully shakes his head and glances down at Bo, and that’s the shot. I need no more. There is love there. Bo is calm, and Nash seems invested. It’s all apparent through the camera and also to me.
It’s an overbearing wave of consolation.
I snap a few more photos just in case, until a hand on my shoulder causes me to bring my attention to an older woman who seems to be the grandmother of the little girl running up ahead.
“Do you want me to take a photo of you three together?” she offers.
“That’s kind of you to ask. Sure.” I show her the button on my screen and scurry to Bo and Nash. Leaning down and balancing on my toes, I touch Nash’s shoulder for support. My other hand grabs my son’s little hand, and I guess we are all smiling when the old lady takes a photo. I can’t seebecause we all face the same direction, but I feel our elated faces.
I smile and walk back to the older woman. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem. It will be a lovely picture, you’re a cute little family,” she compliments.
I pause for a second and soak in her words. “Thanks.”
I glance over my shoulder back to Nash who is throwing goofy faces at Bo who in return is grabbing his nose. Reminding myself that it’s okay to have a day to feel like myself again and be hopeful, I throw on a smile, take a deep breath, and place my cell back into the pocket.
“I think we need to load the pumpkins and grab some cider, maybe a few bottles of wine, and while we’re at it, I think I saw lemon bars somewhere,” I list.
“Someone just got bossy.” Nash winks at me.
“That’s normally your department.” I clearly forgot to filter out innuendo, and now Nash has a devilish grin. My face warms, and I’m well aware that I’m blushing. “Let’s just find cider, okay?” Move us along. That’s my plan.
We managed to get more photos when we saw a swing by the pond and had a delicious lunch, too. The Blisswood farm doesn’t really have many animals, but they let us see the horse when they discovered we’re from Lake Spark, and Bo looked at the horse with wonder.
I don’t think Bo will sleep on the way back to Lake Spark, but that’s okay. Nash and I take a moment to rest before we start the drive, and I take this as an opportunity to catch his fingers and entwine them with mine.
“Thank you for today. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to kind of turn off,” I admit.
Nash brings my knuckle up to his lips for a kiss that is near saccharine. “You need to go easy, Summer. You’reallowed to take time when you need it. Beyond the circumstances, I can only imagine just being a mom is tough work. Guys that I used to play with looked like hell when they had a baby at home. I mean, a few even had to sleep in separate rooms away from their kids just to get proper sleep before a game. You’re doing it all alone.”
“I’m going to give myself a little more compassion, but distraction is also my thing.”
I elongate my body and bring my hand to touch the side of his head as I kiss his lips. We’re not in public in Lake Spark, nobody can judge me for being in my own little world with Nash. He returns the kiss in full, and it causes me to murmur because it’s so perfectly tender, and I wanted it like this, which is why I initiated our lips finding one another. My thumb rubs a circle on his gruff cheek when I pull away with our foreheads touching.
“I’ve missed this. Being with you as if the world can stop. Kissing you when I want,” I convey to him.
“Me too, Summer. Me too.” He kisses the tip of my nose.
A break of a cry begins, only to build.
“You totally jinxed us earlier by saying he never cries.” I pull away with a wide grin.
Nash chuckles as he starts the car, and I reach back to set the pacifier back in Bo’s mouth.
