I cast a sidelong glance at Derek. “I mean, I kind of do.”
That earns me a beaming smile as a reward. “See? You’ll still have me to help whenever you need it, but you’ll also have this hunk of a man to help too.”
“Mom. You cannot say things like that.”
She shrugs. “I can if they’re true.”
“Have I told you how much I like you, Tammy?” Derek says from over my shoulder.
“I like you even more because you’re taking my daughter off my hands.”
“Only if she wants to,” Derek tells her. “I love her, but if she’s not ready?—”
“I am,” I cut him off, turning on the bench. “I want to live with you. I want a chaotic life with our kids and meals together. Screaming kids. Happy kids. Everything.”
Derek cups my cheek. “You do? You’re not just saying this because your mom wants to kick you out?”
“Hey,” she butts in. “I didn’t say that.”
“Same difference.” I wave her off.
“But you want this?” Derek asks again.
This time, I smile at him. “Yeah, I want this. So you better mean it, Derek.”
“Oh, hell yes!” He grabs my face and lays one on me.
“What’s going on?” Lydia’s voice breaks through my happy bubble.
“Can we tell them?” I ask him.
“Might as well.”
“Tell us what?” Troy asks, coming to stand beside Lydia.
“Lydia.” I take her hands in mine. “How would you feel about moving in with Derek and Troy?”
“Would Troy be my brother?” she asks.
“Do you want him to be?”
She nods, her curls bouncing around wildly. “Yes. I want Derek to be my daddy too, even though I already have one.”
“I’d love to be your daddy too.” I can hear the emotion in Derek’s voice.
“Can Sutton be my mommy even though I have one?”
This has Derek eyeing me. “Your mom isn’t going to be coming around anymore, Troy.”
“Why not?” he asks.
This was something that we didn’t plan for. How do you tell a five-year-old that his mom gave him up? It makes me hate Missy that much more. Thank God she won’t be coming around.
“She realized she couldn’t be a good mom and decided to let Sutton be your mom.” Derek eyes me.Is that okay?he mouths.
I nod through the blurry vision that takes over.
“Yeah. I love Sutton.”
