But she tipped up her sweet lips and he got to kiss her again. When he lifted his head, she said, “Okay, then. Dillon and I will be there—what about Shane?”
“He’ll be there, too. I’ll pick him up at one and take him back to Lenore’s first thing Tuesday morning.”
“Lenore won’t be at the cookout?”
“Nope. I invited her, but she said she’d been invited to a party a friend’s house—a friend from her discussion group.”
“Go, Lenore!”
“I know, right?” He was just about to steal another kiss when he heard footsteps on the stairs above.
She heard them, too, and stepped back. “We really do have to go,” she said.
Five minutes later, Josh and Shane stood in the yard waving as Riley and Dillon drove away.
“Wish Dillon could have stayed.” Shane kicked the dirt and pooched out his lower lip.
Josh could have done a little dirt-kicking right then, too. But instead, he turned for the steps. Shane fell in beside him as Josh said mildly, “Your mom’s expecting you in half an hour, so you couldn’t have hung out much longer anyway.”
“I know.” Wrinkling his nose, Shane squinted up at him.
“What’s that face you’re making?” Josh pushed open the front door.
“It’s my sad face, Dad.” Shoulders slumped, Shane trudged across the threshold, Roger right behind him.
Josh entered last and shut the door. “You’re putting on your sad face just because Dillon had to go?”
“Yeah. And my birthday’s over, and now your birthday’s over. It’s practically a whole year till I’m six. A year is a really, really long time.”
“A year will go by before you know it,” Josh promised.
Shane wasn’t buying. “Dad, come on. A year is averylong time.”
Maybe Shane had a point.
In a year, Shane would have a seven-month-old sister. That would be something. Josh couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms.
In a year, a lot could happen. In a year, if Josh had his way, they would all be together—Riley, Josh, Shane, Dillon and the baby. One big happy family…
He needed to make it happen. He just didn’t exactly know how.
“Dad?”
“What is it, son?”
Shane slipped his small hand in Josh’s. “You okay?”
“You bet.”
It was only half a lie. Because Shane’s hand in his reminded him to be grateful for all that he had—a good life, a large, loving family, a wonderful son and a daughter on the way…
“We need to get a move on,” Josh said. “You should head back upstairs, grab your pack and whatever else you’re taking to your mom’s.”
Shane smiled then. “Watch me! I’m fast!”
“No running in the house…”
“I know that, Dad. But I can walk fast, too!” And off he went at a quick clip, across the living area to the stairs and up them. “See?” he shouted when he paused on the landing.
