“I know,” he says, swiping at his tears.
I want to wrap my arms around him, but I don’t want to push his boundaries. Luckily, he closes the distance, wrapping his small arms around me. I hold him close, wanting to take away all his heartache with this hug alone.
I know it isn’t remotely possible, but if I could, I would.
“I love you,” I tell him.
It’s barely audible from the way his face is buried against my shirt, but he mutters the words back. I can’t keep a few of the tears from falling.
This kid is ripping my heart from my chest, but in a good way this time.
“Ols,” Mav shouts, barging into the kitchen. “What is taking—oh. What’s going on?”
Oliver hugs me for a few more seconds before stepping back. “We were just talking,” I tell Mav.
He smiles. “My mom’s good at talking.”
I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. It really is a toss-up.
Mav spots the snack on the counter. “Yes, I’m starving,” he says. I want to roll my eyes because he ate like an hour ago.
He grabs the plate with one hand and Oliver with the other. They disappear around the corner and into their room.
“Where are we going?” Mav asks for the fifth time since we all climbed into Kane’s truck.
We really do need to invest in a vehicle with third-row seating. We barely fit in here.
I’m not complaining about being sandwiched between Kane and Linc up front, but Wyatt crammed in the back with the boys is a different story. He’s practically a kid himself, so he was the logical choice to join them.
“It’s a surprise,” Kane says, looking at him in the mirror. Mav thunks his head back against the seat, making all of us laugh, including Oliver.
When Kane finally pulls the truck to a stop in the animal shelter parking lot, both boys gasp. “Are we getting a pet snake?” Mav asks.
Of course my nerdy kid would think we’re getting something obscure like a snake, not something normal like a dog or cat.
“No snakes,” Linc says firmly. “Maybe a dog.”
“Oh yeah… a dog,” Mav says as we walk across the parking lot, like the thought had never occurred to him.
“That makes more sense,” Wyatt says, smirking down at Mav. Mav can be so serious, and I love how Wyatt tends to bring out the sillier side in him.
Kane steps up beside me, sliding his fingers through mine. He presses a kiss to my temple. “I don’t want a fucking snake,” he whispers in my ear.
“I’ve been telling him that for years,” I say.
Linc swings the door open, and a big blob of black fur bursts through the door.
“Cash,” Hadley yells, running after him. The big furball doesn’t make it far before he starts running circles around the boys, who think it’s hilarious.
“You sure you want one of these?” Hadley asks, looking at me over her shoulder.
“Well, maybe not that one,” I say, pointing at Cash, who’s currently licking Mav’s face. “That might be a little much.”
“I might have the perfect dog,” Sienna says, leaning against the doorframe.
“I was just getting ready to go, so I’ll leave you guys to it,” Hadley says. She says goodbye and gets Cash loaded into her car before driving away.
We follow Sienna through the lobby and into the back. “I have a little lady that I think could be the perfect fit for your family,” she says.
