Chapter Seventeen
Emily
Only a few days had passed since Chris and I exchanged I love yous .
My smile hadn’t lessened.
The happiness hadn’t subsided.
I was still floating on a cloud.
Three little words, and my world was forever changed.
My phone chimed, indicating a text from Chris. Since that wonderful day at the farmer’s market, he now had his very own special ringtone.
Chris
Not going to make it to the park for social hour.
Me
We’ll miss you.
Chris
H and I can meet you afterward. Dinner?
Me
Okay.
Chris
Can’t wait to see you.
I was calculating the number of hours I’d have to wait to see them when another text popped up.
Chris
Oh . . . And, I love you.
I giggled like a giddy schoolgirl.
Me
I love you too! ??
Chris, Hudson, and Luke surprised me when they showed up at the tail end of my group session at Bark Park.
After saying my goodbyes, Moose and Rufus and I walked over to Chris’s truck.
“I thought you weren’t going to make it,” I said, sweeping my hair back off my face.
“Not to practice. But we—” Chris nudged Hudson.
“Will you go on a picnic with us?”
“A picnic, huh?”
“I helped pack it,” Hudson said when Chris pulled out a large picnic basket from the bed of his truck.
“Hudson thought it would be fun.”
“It sounds like a lot of fun,” I said, smiling at Hudson.
My heart pitter-pattered when Hudson took my hand in his.
“Where should we sit?” I asked him.
His big, brown eyes would make girls swoon when he got to that age where crushes started developing.
He pointed to an empty picnic table under a huge tree. “Over there.”
“That’s a good spot.”
The three of us worked together to secure the turn stakes into the ground so the dogs wouldn’t get loose. I wasn’t too worried that they’d run off, but taking the necessary precautions gave Chris and me peace of mind.
I oohed and ahhed as Chris and Hudson unpacked our picnic. Submarine sandwiches and potato salad never tasted so good.
“I have to hand it to you, Hudson. This is the best dinner I’ve had in a long time.”
“Even better than Dad’s chicken and bacon pasta?”
“Definitely,” I said.
He beamed up at Chris.
“Are you going to spend the night tonight?” Hudson asked.
“Oh,” I stammered. “Um . . .”
Chris cleared his throat and said, “Hudson and I talked earlier about you spending the nights sometimes.”
“Yeah, because you’re his girlfriend,” Hudson explained. “Dad said that Moose and Rufus would spend the night too. They can sleep in my room with me and Luke.”
I chuckled as the heat bloomed in my cheeks. “I hadn’t planned on it.” When Hudson’s smile turned down, I added, “But, I tell you what. I can go home and pack a bag really quick.”
“Awesome!” he shouted.
“Why don’t you do that while Hudson and I pack this stuff up.”
“Okay,” I said, feeling jittery inside. This was a big step for us.
“We’ll take Moose and Rufus,” Chris said.
Hudson’s enthusiasm about a sleepover tickled me.
“The sky looks like it does in Star Wars.” Hudson’s neck was tilted back as he looked up at the night sky.
“It looks like diamonds,” I said.
Hudson pointed his finger. “Look,” he said as a shooting star flew across the sky.
“Make a wish,” I told him. “Shooting stars are good luck.”
His eyes snapped shut. I couldn’t help but wonder what he wished for as I watched his little mouth purse and move.
I closed my eyes and made my own wish.
Chris yawned and stretched his arms overhead. “Hudson, a few more minutes, okay? Then it’s time for bed.”
“Okay,” he said.
When Chris yawned again, Hudson and I did too. “I guess we’re all tired,” he said, stroking Hudson’s head.
“But tomorrow’s Saturday, so you know what that means?”
“Cartoons with breakfast,” Hudson said.
Even though I was thinking about sleeping in a little, I said, “Which one’s your favorite?”
“Logan’s Laboratory. It’s about Logan and his best friend. They like science like me.”
“I’ve never seen that one.”
“You can watch it with me. I’ll teach you about them.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
Chris stifled his yawn. “All right, buddy. Time for bed. Pjs, then brush your teeth.”
“Will you read me a story?”
“Of course,” Chris said.
“And Emily, too?”
“I’d love to.” Immense joy and love flooded me. Hudson’s invitation to his father-son ritual made me feel like a real part of their family.
Chris sighed and kissed my hand as Hudson dashed inside.
“Have I told you how happy you make me?” he asked.
Had it not been for the dim lighting, he would have been able to see my red cheeks.
“Come here,” he said, tugging on my hand.
I leaned closer.
“No, come here,” he said, patting his leg with his free hand.
Crawling into his lap, I hooked my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too.”
“And even though he hasn’t said it, I know Hudson does too.”
“I can’t begin to understand my feelings for him. I don’t know how I got to be so lucky, finding the two of you. This has been, by far, the greatest time of my life. Getting to know you, falling in love with you. And Hudson? He’s just the icing on the cake.”
“I love that kid so damn much.”
“He’s a little mini you .”
“You think?”
“He’s sweet and kind and has this adorable little smile that lights up his face.”
Chris brushed my hair back and rested his palm against my cheek. “Being with the two of you is the best thing in the world.”
He touched his lips to mine, and I melted into his embrace.
“I love you,” I whispered against his mouth right before he grabbed hold of me so tight that I thought I wouldn’t be able to draw breath. In his arms was where I belonged. Being with him was the most complete I’d ever felt.
I pulled away, knowing that if we kept kissing, Hudson might walk in on something he shouldn’t see.
When Chris groaned, I laughed and patted his chest. “Let’s go read Hudson a story.”
We took turns reading to Hudson from the book they were currently reading at night. Hudson fought to stay awake, but soon, Chris and I were reading to each other. Eyes shut tight, safely tucked into bed, and three dogs guarding his room, I closed the book and placed it back into Hudson’s bookshelf. Taking one last look to make sure he was asleep, we slipped out of his room and tiptoed toward Chris’s.
“I’d like to pick up where we left off,” he said, pressing against me. I moaned into his mouth when he kissed me, palming my breast and cupping my ass.
The next day whizzed by, and before we knew it, it was dinner time.
Hudson was in the backyard playing with the dogs. “Do you need help with dinner?” I asked.
“Nope,” Chris said, smiling at me before leaning over for a kiss. “Go relax by the pool.”
“I’ve been in the pool all day,” I said, laughing.
“Well, if you want to help?—”
“I actually bought Hudson a gift the other day. Would you mind if I . . . I need to set it up in his bedroom. Can you make sure he doesn’t go in there until I’m done?”
“Sure. How long do you think you’ll be?”
“An hour or so.”
“Do you need any help?”
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I want to do this by myself.”
“Okay.” I’d only taken two steps when Chris called me back. “One more kiss. An hour’s a long time to wait.”
Delightful shivers chased their way up my back. Chris gave me the kind of kiss that made me want to stay longer because it promised delicious results—the kind of results that would have my eyes rolling back into my skull and make my toes curl.
“Go on, then,” he said when he pulled away.
“You’re such a tease,” I said, squeezing his face in my hand.
“Oh, I can put these burgers in the fridge right now.”
“No, no,” I said as I fought the urge to tell him yes. “I want to get this done for him before he goes to bed tonight.”
He lifted a brow. “What are you doing?”
“It’s a surprise,” I said, turning away. “You’ll see it when Hudson does.”
As I worked in Hudson’s room, I couldn’t wait to see his face light up. The other day, I wandered into the local toy store and saw these decorations that made me think of Hudson. I thought of giving them to him as a gift but decided it would be much more exciting to put them up to surprise him.
It took an hour and a half to get every little piece in place. I stood back and took a look, supremely satisfied with my work and very proud that I did this all on my own. It would have been fun to have Chris help me, but I thought it would be more meaningful to do it alone. Sometimes, it was the little things in life. I chuckled as my mind immediately went to the little boy laughing as he played with the dogs outside.
I left the bedroom lights on like the directions instructed and shut the door behind me.
“Perfect timing,” Chris said when I walked into the kitchen.
“Burgers smell good,” I said, giving him a kiss.
“Hudson!” he called. “Come wash up.” Hudson ran inside with three furballs quick on his tail. “How’d it go in there?” Chris asked as boy and dogs rushed past us in a blur.
“Good,” I said, chuckling along with Hudson’s giggles. “I think he’s going to really like it.”
Chris ensured Hudson wouldn’t see his room until bedtime.
While Hudson took a shower to clean away the chlorine from swimming earlier that day, Chris picked out some pajamas and took them to him in the bathroom. He kept Hudson busy until he’d brushed his hair and teeth.
I was sitting on the couch when Hudson ran up to me. “Daddy said you have a surprise for me.”
“I do. Are you ready for bed?” I asked.
“Yep.” The eagerness in his voice had me hopping up.
We met Chris at Hudson’s bedroom door. I turned the knob and let Hudson lead us inside.
“I hope you like it,” I said, turning off the light.
Hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars lit up on the ceiling and walls.
“Wow,” Hudson said, amazed. “It looks like the sky in Star Wars .”
“This is seriously cool,” Chris said.
The soft glow from overhead allowed us to make our way toward the bed without turning the lights back on.
Before he crawled under the covers, he turned to me and gave me a fierce hug.
“What do we say?” Chris prompted.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Hudson laid back on his pillow and tucked his hands under his head.
For a few minutes, we stayed with him, looking at the spectacular scene above us.
Later, when Chris and I were basking in the high of making love, I looked at him and sighed. “I love you,” I said. “I am so completely and fully in love with you, Chris. And with Hudson, too.”
“I love you more than you know,” he said, brushing my hair back, then resting his hand against my cheek.
I leaned into the warmth and cuddled closer to his body.
“My life . . . well, it hasn’t always been easy or full of the love that I know you had growing up. But you’ve shown me the possibilities that giving yourself, fully giving yourself to someone else, can bring. I never thought I could be this happy, Chris. And now that I know what it feels like, I’m scared to lose it.”
“I’m scared too sometimes.” His tender kiss made my heart flutter. “But here’s the thing, baby. Being scared shows me how much you mean to me. I won’t ever take you for granted. I will always have your back. I will protect you the same way I would Hudson. You are a part of me. You’re a part of Hudson now, too. No matter what, you have me. You have my whole heart, Emily.”
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you, Hudson, and our dogs.”
I loved how my life had changed. As our lips came together again, I thanked my lucky stars that my wish upon a star had come true. I happily fell into his kiss, his body, and his heart.