“Hey, Cap?” she whispers.
“Beauty?” I kiss her neck, tasting the sweat I earned.
“I love you.”
My tongue freezes on her, my muscles right there with them, but her touch never slows, her fingers continue to draw on my skin.
I pull back, meeting her eyes.
So sure, so honest and open and infinite.
My baby.
My Beauty.
I smash my lips into hers and she slides her hands into my hair, smiling against my lips.
“I think there’s a little girl waiting for you out there,” she says when it takes me two seconds to get lost in her all over again.
“No, baby,” I whisper, kissing her lips quickly and pulling away, tugging her up onto her feet with me. I push her hair from her face. “She’s waiting for us.”
She inhales deeply, nodding.
“But first, pajamas.”
She laughs, moving to her drawers while I grab a towel to wrap around my waist and move for my room.
As I reach for the handle, I glance back at her, and her eyes are already on mine.
“In case you weren’t sure, or had any doubt, don’t,” I tell her, opening the door. “I love you with all that I am, and I’ll never stop.”
Tears fill her eyes and she nods. “See you in five, Cap.”
“In two, Beauty.”
She laughs, turning away as I head to my room to get dressed.
The second I step back in the hall, Zoey and Royce step off the stairs.
She runs past, spotting Victoria right as she comes out of hers while Royce pauses beside me.
He holds up the popcorn and thermos full of what I’m sure is hot chocolate, a pack of foam cups hanging from his mouth.
I laugh, yanking it from his teeth and he grins.
“What do you say, brother?” He nods his chin.
My smile is soft, and I nod, hitting his back and he grins, walking ahead of me, following the girls into the media room.
Victoria grabs the remotes while Royce sets the items on the table and begins pouring small cups.
I drop onto the couch and Zoey climbs up beside me, Royce lowering beside her while Victoria moves over to my free side.
The moment she gets the TV on, Maddoc and Raven walk in, hand in hand.
I look to Maddoc who shrugs, and the two walk around, sitting beside Victoria.
Raven bumps her in the shoulder and she laughs, glancing her way.
Royce smiles around the room and leans forward, pouring a couple more cups.
“Got one more?”
All eyes snap to the doorway when our dad speaks.
He holds up Zoey’s blanket and she gasps, her hands lifting and waiting for him to toss it over.
Royce nods, revealing one last cup in the bag.
He pats the seat open on his other side. “Come on, Dad.”
Our dad sits down and the six of us look to Zoey.
“What are we watching, ZoZo?”
Everyone laughs as she shouts, “Trolls!”
The answer was expected, and any other night we might try and convince her to pick something different, but not tonight. Tonight, we take whatever we’re given, all taking comfort in what each of us clearly need right now—each other.
Our family.
Brayshaw.
I run my hand along Zoey’s head, and she swings her smile to me, climbing onto her knees to grip my face.
She rubs her little nose on mine, smiling when I do the same back.
“Eskimo kisses, Daddy.”
And butterfly hugs, baby girl.
With ease in my mind, and a full heart, I smile at the TV screen.
This.
This is what life is about.Chapter 38Captain“Daddy, who’s that?” Zoey asks as I place a framed photo on her little vanity.
I stare at the man’s face, at the smile I never got to see in real life but shines bright, young and youthful, in the photo my dad gave me. “That’s your other grandpa. His name was Connor.”
“Can he come to the zoo with me and Papa, too?”
I swallow. “No, ZoZo, he can’t.”
When her little shoulders fall, I bend down, kneeling in front of her with a small smile, and pull her into me.
Her little hand comes up, and she sticks it in the small pocket on my t-shirt, her eyes slowly lifting to mine again.
“He might not be able to go places with you, Zo, but when you go to sleep at night, before you close your eyes, you can tell him all about it,” I offer her all I can of the man who gave his life for mine. “If you want.”
“Okay!”
“Okay,” I whisper. “Grab your backpack, you’re gonna go play with Mac and Chloe for a little bit, remember?”
“Yep.” She grabs her bag and runs ahead of me, not stopping until she meets Royce outside, who has his backdoor open and ready for her to climb inside.
The others walk out then, too, Maddoc and Raven taking their own car as well, our dad and Maybell riding with them.
“Meet you out there?” he asks.
“Right behind you.”
I watch them drive off, pulling my phone out as soon as they’re gone and forward the email that just came through to Victoria’s phone.