Page 143 of Golden Ruin

I laugh at that, pausing to think before I respond. “Honestly, I’ve tried to imagine it and can’t. Guess we’ll find out in a bit, though.”

Because there are tiny footsteps thundering down the hallway, getting louder by the second.

Lexi lets go, kissing my chest before we separate completely. And the second Jax lays eyes on me, his light up.

“Daddy! You’re here!”

I drop to one knee when he runs at me, and I swallow him into the biggest hug I think I’ve ever given him.

“I am. And I’ll always be here,” I tell him.

Emotion swells in my chest as I hold him, growing when Lexi’s hand lands on my shoulder. This is all I wanted.

Them.

“You made pancakes?”

I laugh when he pivots at the sight of food. “Sure did. Ready to eat?”

He nods and lets go as I stand to fix his plate.

I catch a glimpse of Lexi, seeing the smile still set on her lips after watching me with our son. If that look means what I think it does, this might be all she wanted, too.

She pours coffee while I set Jax’s plate in front of him, and he starts in right away. Lexi and I share a look, and I nod when we silently agree that now’s a good time to spring the news.

I rest my elbows on the counter, watching him eat.

“Got a sec to talk?” I ask with a smile. Kid’s already halfway done with his first pancake.

“Yeah,” he answers, then gets back to chewing.

“Well, Daddy and I have something we’d like to tell you,” Lex starts. “It’s really important that we tell you what’s happening, because it’s about you, too.”

She takes my hand, squeezing a little to signal me to finish.

“So, we talked last night, and a lot of nights before that, and we decided that we’re… going to be together again.”

My wording feels clunky, not quite knowing how to break this down for a four-year-old. A four-year-old who’s distracted by food at that.

Jax quirks a brow. “But we’re already together.”

I glance at Lexi. “Kid’s got a point.”

“Yeah, but… what we mean is that we’re going to be a family. Like, you know… together.”

She shrugs and mouths a desperate ‘I don’t know’ when she lands on the same word I did, and I laugh because I’m pretty sure we’re botching this.

“But we’re already family,” is Jax’s response, and I’m searching for another way to put this.

But… then I’m not. Because he’s completely right. So, instead of giving it another shot, I just agree with him.

“Exactly. So, I guess what we’re trying to say is… we’re going to just… keep being family.”

He smiles at that, then puts another forkful into his mouth without another word.

And I guess that settles it. We’re just family.

Still.