Chapter 28
DALTON
“The sun is shining, and we’re singing, Toby and me, and we’re having fun,” Sage sings and dances with Toby in the living room, and I can tell he is having the time of his life.
“It’s time for breakfast. Let’s hope it’s not smelly.
” Sage giggles and waves her fingers in the air and sticks her tongue out at Toby.
I watch as he rolls around on the ground, laughing. His shrieks are young and boisterous as he jumps up and runs over to get onto Sage’s shoulders.
“Sing it again. Sing it again.”
“I think I might be losing my voice right now,” Sage says to him as she rolls him to the ground and tickles him. “How’s about we make some pancakes instead?”
“Ooh, can I get chocolate chips in them, please, please, and blueberries?”
“I think so, but I’ll have to ask your dad first.” Sage looks over at me, and I nod, a warm smile on my face as I watch them.
“Yay, blueberry and chocolate pancakes are my favorite.” Toby goes running into the kitchen. “Are you coming, Sage?” he calls back.
“I’m coming. I’m not an Olympic athlete, you know?”
“What’s that?” he asks, and she laughs.
I follow them into the kitchen, my heart warm as I watch them.
Sage looks slightly rumpled in my oversized T-shirt and boxer shorts.
Her long hair is up in a ponytail, and her eyes look tired.
Neither one of us slept the night before, but not because we were messing around.
In fact, we didn’t even touch. We just lay side by side in the bed, not speaking until I asked her if she was okay.
She nodded and turned over onto her back.
I am almost positive that she didn’t get a wink of sleep though.
“Can I have bacon as well?” Toby asks excitedly. “And fried eggs and French toast?”
“I don’t know if you can have French toast and pancakes, Toby. And bacon and eggs? That seems like a lot,” Sage says in a soft voice. “Maybe, just maybe, you can choose two of the above.”
“Two?” His little lip wobbles like he’s about to cry. He bats his eyelashes at her. “What about three?”
“What about one?” she says.
“One? You said two.”
I hide a smile as she winks at me.
“You can have one or two—that’s it.”
“Okay, I’ll have pancakes and eggs, please, Sage.”
“You’re welcome. And do you want to do a shape in the pancakes?”
“A shape like what?”
“I don’t know. Maybe bunny ears, or we can do a dragon.”
“Can you really do a dragon?”
“Actually, I don’t know if I’ve ever done a dragon, but I can try.” She laughs and then tugs on the T-shirt. “Maybe your dad knows how to do a dragon.” She looks over at me. “Or maybe you just fight them?”
“Only for princesses,” I say softly, and she offers me a wry smile.
A loud banging makes her jump, and I see fear cross her face until she realizes it’s just Toby throwing a toy to the ground. It makes my heart hurt to see her so nervous, and I’m furious with Brett and myself. I know better than to mention her nerves to her though.
“You’re asking the wrong guy.” I shake my head vehemently. “I can barely make a circular pancake, let alone a dragon, and I certainly can’t do bunny ears, but I would like to request a dog, baby.”
“Really, Dalton?” She smiles at me.
“If you’re making cool pancakes?”
“A dog though?”
“Daddy said he’s going to get me a dog,” Toby says. “Maybe you can come with us to the shelter.”
“That would be cool.”
He slips his hand into hers. “You can help me pick which dog I’m going to get. I think I want a big dog, but then maybe I want a small dog, and maybe I want a black one, but maybe I want a brown one or a white one or a green one.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a green dog,” Sage says.
“Can I ask you where the flour is, Dalton?” She looks at me and then around the large marble kitchen. “I have no idea where anything is.”
“Sure. I’ll grab it for you.” I walk over to the pantry and step inside. “What else do you need? I’ll grab it while I’m in here.”
“Milk and eggs and chocolate chips. Of course, the milk and eggs will be in the fridge.”
I look back at her. “Let me see if we’ve got some chocolate chips. I’m almost positive we do from the last time Toby made chocolate chip cookies.”
“I want chocolate chip cookies as well,” Toby screams. “Right now.”
“Not this morning, Toby.” Sage bursts out laughing.
“Okay, Sage.”
I’m happily surprised that he doesn’t throw a tantrum. I finally find the flour and a small bag of chocolate chips, bring them out, and place them on the countertop.
“I suppose you need a bowl and a frying pan.”
“All the good stuff, please,” Sage says, a wry smile on her face. “Do you guys cook breakfast a lot?”
“No,” Toby says softly. “Daddy will make me cereal, but not even the delicious cereal. He says I have to eat Cheerios, and I don’t like Cheerios.
They don’t taste good. I like Frosted Flakes and Fruity Pebbles, and sometimes, Auntie Lucia lets me have them.
” He places his hand over his mouth and giggles. “Oops, she told me not to say that.”
“You see what I’m dealing with here, Sage? A sister who doesn’t listen to me.”
“Well, I have a feeling she probably learned from you, Dalton.”
“What are you trying to say?” I tease her. “That I don’t listen?”
“I think we both know you don’t listen,” she says.
“Ooh, let me help.” Toby picks up the flour, and it goes flying everywhere—onto the floor, onto Sage, onto the countertop. “Wow,” Toby says, looking up nervously at Sage. “Oops.”
“It’s okay. Your daddy will clean it up for us.”
“Me?” I make a face.
Toby bursts out laughing. “Daddy has to clean up. Daddy has to clean up.”
“I guess I’ll get the vacuum cleaner later. Who knows how much mess you two will make?”
“We won’t make a mess, will we? At least not too much more of a mess.” She ruffles the top of his hair. “Do you want to tell me how many chocolate chips you want?”
“I want all of them.”
“I don’t think you can have all of them, Toby.”
“Yes, I can. I can eat every single chocolate chip in the world, even if I become a chocolate chip myself, which Daddy says will happen if I keep eating them.”
“Oh, really. Is that so, Daddy?” Sage says, and the words make me want to grab her and pull her into my arms.
Sage raises an eyebrow at me, and I grace her with a wicked smile in return.
“Well, you know, there are things that are good for you, and things that are bad for you. Chocolate chips are not good for you. Other things,” I say, “are much better for you.”
“Sage, can I tell you something?” Toby says, tugging on her hand.
“Of course. You can tell me anything.”
“I wish you were my mommy.” He looks over at me. “I wish you were married to my daddy, and I wish you lived with us always and made me pancakes with chocolate chips every morning and played with me and read me stories.” He beams at her. “Will you be my mommy?”
“Oh, darling,” she says, looking at me with a nervous expression. “I’m your friend, and I love you, and I’ll always be here for you.” She bends down and gives him a warm hug. “You’re such a cutie pie.”
“Are you Daddy’s friend too?”
“Yeah, I suppose I am.”
“I’m going to hold you to that,” I say with a laugh, though friend seems lackluster for what we already are to each other. “I will say that Daddy’s hungry right now. Real, real hungry.” I wink at Sage. “I’m hoping you’ll make me a special meal.”
“Yeah, well, you’re going to hold me to a number of things, aren’t you?
” she says with a sassy smile. “I really should go and freshen up real quick.” She looks down at Toby and then at me.
There’s water in her eyes, and I think she is overwhelmed.
The last twenty-four hours have been crazy.
“I’ll be right back, okay?” she practically whispers as I nod.
Toby runs over to me and grabs my hand as she leaves the room. “I love her, Daddy. She’s so pretty, and she’s so nice. Do you think she’ll stay?”
I look down at him, at his innocent expression, at his innocent face, at the hope in his eyes, and I realize that Toby has completely fallen under her spell.
I recognize the expression on his face because it’s the same way that I feel.
I’ve fallen for her as well, and I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do.
I have to protect her, and I have to protect Toby, but more than anything, I wish his dreams would come true.
I wish she would stay here forever. My heart belongs to her.
Every single fragment. I don’t just want to be her protector.
I want to be the man she comes to every single time.
I think about checking on her when I see my phone buzzing.
Brett just texted me, and I open it quickly.
We need to talk. It’s about Sage. And it’s not good.
I stare at the message and ignore the thumping in my heart before putting the phone in my back pocket. I’ll deal with that later. Right now, I want to keep on playing happy family, even if it’s just for one morning.