As we approach the barn, I hear Wesley mutter a curse to himself and a metal tool hits the concrete floor. Maybe now isn’t a good time to bother him, but it’s a little too late to turn around. Caden’s going to rip my fingers off if I don’t start walking faster.
“Wes! Ready or not, little ears are coming through!” I announce, crossing the threshold. He looks over his shoulder at us, his face of frustration lightening almost instantly.
“There’s my buddy.” Wes stands and wipes his hands on his jeans before walking over. Kneeling in front of Caden, he says, “Are you being good for Addie?”
Gosh, I don’t care what anyone says, a man talking to a little kid like this will always be so attractive. Even if it’s my best friend. The way he got down on his level to see his little face…instant swoon.
Caden lets go of my hand and snatches Wesley’s sunglasses from his head, only pulling a little of his hair in the process.
“On,” he babbles, shoving them back in his face.
“You wanna wear them?” Wes asks, and Caden nods.
I watch him carefully put them on for him, making sure he doesn’t poke him in the eyes. Caden’s big smile lights up the entire room, easily painting one on Wesley’s face as well.
We watch him toddle off into the barn, sunglasses and all. He looks up at the lights and stops to see himself in the reflection of the chrome truck bumper.
Wesley stands back up. “How long you watching him for?”
“Like, two hours. They just went for dinner.”
Wesley nods and we watch Caden walk around the barn like he owns the place. His curious hands touch everything alongthe way, his cute little voice chattering away to himself.
* * *
As I stack my pillows behind me in bed, I settle back against them and feel my body decompress.
“You look tired, babe,” Brantley says over the phone. He adjusts the screen in his hand and lies back in his bed. He’s not wrong. I did a lot more than I usually care to fill my schedule with, but it was all a lot of fun.
Brantley and I usually Facetime once a week, sometimes more often, it just depends. He lives forty-five minutes away, and given it’s the summer, he’s pretty busy with rodeos.
“I was up early,” I remind him, fighting a yawn from escaping. “I barely had my eyes open before Mom had me help can tomato sauce.”
He laughs. “That and you played mom to Caden for a few hours.”
“That too.” I smile. “Sometime I want you to come with.”
His brows knit. “Why?”
“Because I’ve never seen you with a baby,” I say, like it’s obvious.
“So?”
“So? I want to.” Like I said earlier, men with babies is very attractive to me, and if Brantley is my future, I want a sneak peek.
“I’m not very good with them.” He laughs.
“What do you mean?”
“They scare me.”
“Brantley.” I cock my head. What does he mean he’s scared of babies? They’re babies, they’re cute and fun. Total opposite of scary.
“They’re just…little. And they don’t talk,” he says as an explanation.
“Caden talks. He says all kinds of things.”
“But you can’t understand it.”
