The locker room door swung open, and Dakoda came running through it, holding a crooked-ass sign over his head.
“Daddy!” he yelled, and I laughed immediately. The sign looked like it had lost a fight with a glue stick and a tube of glitter. I stared at the words written in Dakoda’s handwriting.
GO DADDY GO!
Every letter was a different size, and glitter covered half the poster board, but my son had made it for me, so it was perfect.
“There my boy goes.” I pulled him into a hug, and Dakoda grinned.
“You like it?”
“I love it.”
“Don’t encourage him. He got glitter all over the hotel room.” Lyrius shook her head behind him as she made her way over to me. I greeted her with a kiss on the forehead, and Dakoda looked between us, real serious, like he’d just discovered a hidden treasure or some shit.
“My mom is your girlfriend now, right?” he asked, and the entire room went quiet. Jaylen started laughing first, and Pops was right behind him.
“Yeah.” I wrapped an arm around Lyrius’s waist and pulled her closer, and his whole face lit up.
“Cool.”
“Cool?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “I always wanted y’all to be boyfriend and girlfriend anyway.” The room exploded. “Best day ever!”
Lyrius laughed as I checked the time. It was ten minutes to showtime.
“Everybody out.” I stood, and everybody started moving, asking questions. They knew the drill.
“Come on, Grandson.” Pops grabbed Dakoda’s hand, and Dakoda frowned.
“I wanna stay.”
“Nah, lil’ man.” Jaylen opened the door. “Your daddy needs a minute with your mama.”
“They trying to be romantic?” Dakoda asked, and Lyrius and I both fell out laughing as the door shut behind them.
“Your son, man.” I shook my head.
“Our son.” Lyrius climbed onto the training table. The short dress she’d worn tonight rode up higher on her thighs. My eyes followed automatically, and I crossed the room and stopped between her knees. Immediately, her hands found the waistband of my sweats, and I grabbed her hands before she could start some shit we couldn’t come back from.
“Nah.”
“Nah?” She looked confused, and I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her into me.
“Tonight, I just want you close.”
“Maturity?” One eyebrow lifted.
“A little.”
She laughed and rested her forehead against mine.
“You nervous?” she asked softly.
“No.”
“Lie.”
