Tyson doesn’t take the bait. Instead, he sits down next to him. “Max, what would you say if I told you I was going to be your dad?”
Max laughs and scrunches up his nose. “You already are my dad,” he says.
“But what if I said it was going to be official?”
“I don’t understand,” Max says, setting his controller in his lap.
“I want to adopt you, Max.”
“Really?”
“Yes, real—oomph.” Not at all bothered by his ankle, Max throws himself into Tyson’s arms. Then he squeezes his eyes shut as Tyson wraps his arms around our son.
My heart swells with so much love that I’m afraid it may actually burst, and I cover my mouth with a shaky hand as I watch the two of them embrace.
“I love you, Max.” Tyson kisses the top of Max’s head several times as he repeats those three little words.
“I love you too, Dad.”
2 weeks later
“Hey, babe!” Harley bends down and kisses my cheek and then heads straight for the coffee pot. “What do you have planned today?”
“Nothing much,” I say with a shrug. “I think I might take Max fishing.”
“That sounds like fun.” Harley pours herself a cup of coffee and sits down next to me at the table. “Quinn will be here to pick me up in about ten minutes.”
“Ah, that’s right,” I say. “What are you girls doing again? Getting your hair done?”
“Not just our hair,” she says, blowing across the top of her mug before taking a sip. “We’re getting the whole shebang. Manicure and pedicure, too … oh, and Quinn’s trying to talk me into getting my makeup done. She wants us to go have drinks with her tonight at Blue.”
“You should do it. Although I think you look beautiful with or without your makeup.”
“You’re so sweet.” Harley leans forward and brushes her lips across mine in a gentle kiss. “That’s why I love you,” she mumbles before pulling back. A loud horn honks from outside and Harley jumps up, her coffee completely forgotten. “That’s Quinn. I better go.”
“Have fun!” I watch Harley grab her purse and walk out the door. As soon as it closes behind her, I fly from my chair.
“Get in here, Max!” I yell, running through the checklist in my head to make sure I’ve got everything I need.
Max runs into the kitchen. His feet hit the tile and he slides across the floor, coming to a stop in front of me. “Is she gone?”
“Yup. Are you ready?” I ask, picking up my keys and heading toward the door.
“The question is, are you ready?”
I stop midstride and turn to Max. “Where do you come up with this stuff?” I laugh when Max just shrugs, and then he follows me as I walk outside.
We drive straight to Quinn’s parents’ house. It’s a gorgeous Victorian-style home that sits on one hundred sprawling acres with a view of a lake that will take your breath away.
“Wow.” Max peers out the window as we drive down the lane. “This place is huge.”
“Wait until you see the inside.”
Both Harley and Quinn’s parents appear from the side of the house, and I throw the car into park, turn it off and climb out with Max following behind. They’re all walking toward us, and when I get within reach, Harley’s mom pulls me in for a tight hug. Her dad nudges Max in the shoulder before ruffling his hair, and of course Max bats his hand away.
“Thank you so much for letting us do this here on such short notice,” I say, shaking Quinn’s dad’s hand when Harley’s mom loosens her grip on me.
“It was no problem at all,” he says, glancing at Harley’s parents. “Harley has been like a daughter to us. We were happy to do it.”