Evan pulls out a chair and motions for me to sit. I take the seat and he hands Lex to me, dropping a kiss on top of my head as he pulls back. I don’t even think he realizes he did it. I see my mom grinning from the corner of my eye.
“Hey, you’re back,” Aaron says, joining us.
“Yeah, Mom said Lex was a little cranky, so we packed up.” Evan brings me a plate and sets it in front of me before going back to make his own. Once he’s done, he takes the seat next to me. “You want me to take her?” he offers.
“I just got her,” I complain. He grins and shakes his head.
Lexi settles in my arms, watching her surroundings, so I pick up my fork and begin to eat. Evan does the same, resting one hand on the back of my chair.
“So our flight leaves at four,” Aaron speaks up. “Before we go, I was thinking you and I could hit that fishing hole you’re always yammering about.”
Evan’s eyes flash to mine, and he winks. “You okay with that?” he asks me.
I’m taken off guard by his question. “Uh . . . yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
He just shrugs and turns to look at Aaron. “Sounds like a plan.”
“You want me to keep Lexington?” his mom asks. Again, Evan turns to look at me.
“I’m sure you want as much snuggle time as possible before we leave tomorrow, but I’ll be here either way,” I tell her.
The rest of breakfast is small talk. Evan, Aaron, and our fathers talk about fishing while Mom and Carol talk about the cute outfits Carol bought for Lexi. When we’re done, Evan takes our plates and adds them to the dishwasher. Lexi is now sound asleep in my arms. He stops beside my chair and kneels at my side. “We won’t be gone long, a couple of hours.” He reaches over and pulls her sock up. I nod and smile, and before I know what’s happening, he leans in and kisses me. It’s a soft chaste kiss, but it’s in front of our families. Pulling back, he winks before standing and turning to Aaron. “Let’s head out, can’t have you missing your flight,” he says, heading toward the door.
Aaron looks between me and Evan like he can’t believe what just happened. Did he forget he left us a little present in the hotel room? He finally shakes his head and follows Evan out the door.
“I was hoping, since Evan’s gone, I could take a few pictures of the two of you and Lexi,” I tell his parents. “I know I’ve taken a ton this week, but I thought maybe a few that were a little more formal might be a good surprise for him.”
“Of course, but I have one condition,” his mom says. I smile and nod. “You have to send me copies.”
I laugh. “You got it. I’m going to go lay her down, and when she wakes up, we’ll take a few. It won’t take long,” I say, looking over at his dad. He looks worn out from all the excitement.
“Sounds like a plan, young lady,” he says, his voice gruff.
“This is it?” Aaron asks.
“Yep, we need to walk through that clearing.” I point through the front window of the Durango.
“Let’s do this. We only have about two hours before I have to get back,” he says, climbing out of the SUV.
I keep waiting for him to call me out. I kissed McKinley in front of all of them, but it just felt right. She had my daughter, who I know she loves, in her arms and she was smiling at me, my smile, damn it. How was I supposed to resist that? I wanted to kiss my wife and I did. No regrets.
We make it through the clearing and I guide us away from the spot where I proposed to McKinley. We set up our chairs, bait our hooks, and kick back for some male bonding. Aaron and I have been fishing more times than I can count over the years.
“What was that this morning?” Aaron breaks the silence.
I play dumb. “What was what?”
“You asking my sister for permission to go fishing.”
Oh that. “She’s my wife.”
“I know that, but this was supposed to be for Lexi,” he counters.
“Plans change.”
“Really?”
“You really want to have this conversation?”