Finally, I pulled out carefully and collapsed beside him, immediately pulling him into my arms.
"Love you," he mumbled against my chest. "Love you so much."
"Love you too, bud." I pressed a kiss to his sweaty forehead. "So fucking much."
We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, just holding each other. Eventually, though, I knew we needed to clean up.
"Come on," I said, sitting up. "Bath time."
"Carry me?" he asked hopefully.
I laughed and scooped him up, carrying him to our bathroom. While the tub filled, I grabbed a washcloth and gently cleaned him up, taking care of him the way he needed.
In the bath, I settled behind him, letting him lean back against my chest. My hands moved in soothing circles over his skin, and I felt him melt into the warmth.
"Daddy?" he said sleepily.
"Yeah, bud?"
"I'm glad I broke down that night. Glad I came here."
"Me too, sweet boy. Me too."
"Do you think…" He paused, like he was gathering courage. "Do you think we'll always be this happy?"
I thought about my years with Wren, about the happiness we'd shared and the grief that had followed. I thought about finding Tanner, about building this new life together.
"I think we'll have hard days," I said honestly. "Life doesn't work any other way. But yeah, I think we'll always have this. This connection, this love. It's not going anywhere."
"Good." He laced his fingers with mine under the water. "Because I never want to lose this. Lose you."
"You won't. I promise you that, Tanner. You're stuck with me."
"Best news I've heard all day."
After our bath, I dried him off carefully and helped him into his softest pajamas—the elephant ones, naturally. Then I tucked him into bed, making sure Peanut was within reach and his weighted blanket was positioned just right.
"Story?" he asked hopefully.
"Of course." I grabbed one of his books from the shelf and climbed in beside him.
As I read, I watched him slowly drift off, his breathing evening out, his face relaxing into sleep. The nightlight projected stars across our ceiling, and somewhere in the house I could hear the old furnace kicking on.
This was my life now. This beautiful, unexpected, perfect life.
I thought about that first night when Tanner had shown up, lost and broken and desperate for something he couldn't name. Thought about how I'd been drawn to him immediately, how every instinct I had screamed that he was mine to protect.
And now here we were, months later, building a life together that was everything I'd hoped for and more.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand—a text from Atticus.
New arrival tomorrow. Young guy, high-powered job, burnout. Thought you and Tanner might want to help him get settled. Sound familiar?
I smiled and typed back.
We'll be there.
Because that was what this place was about. What we were about. Taking in the lost ones, the broken ones, the people who needed space to heal and rebuild.
