Page 54 of The Path To Us

Addy: Sounds great. Zoey will want fries, too.

Me: Smart girl.

Addy: Just like her mama!

I grin and pocket my phone then run a few more errands before going to the store to get everything we need for supper. While I’m out, I also pick up some triple chocolate cupcakes because hopefully tonight we’ll be celebrating. Or possibly, hopefully, doing something else after Zoey goes to bed.

* * *

I arrive at Addy’s house and her car is already parked in the garage. When I put my pickup in park, Zoey comes flying out of the house to greet me. Luckily I’m able to stop her before she goes head first into my crotch.

“Mommy said we’re havin’ hamburgers!”

“Sounds delicious!”

“I know!”

I set her down after a big squeeze and grab the groceries out of the back seat of my pickup. I have to stop myself from getting too eager, too excited about what I want to talk to Addy about. But that effort proves to be all for naught when I walk into the kitchen and see Addy standing at the counter in a pair of black cotton shorts and a t-shirt. I love it when she’s dancing to no music, like she is now. Her hips swaying back and forth and the faint hum of whatever song is stuck in her head filters through the room. Her legs look long and lean and like they’re meant to be wrapped around my waist while I drive into her.

I want to toss the food to the floor and walk up behind her, angle my head so it’s sitting perfectly in the crook of her neck, and inhale her sweet scent. My hands itch to wrap around her and slide up her front to cup her breasts or tangle in her long wavy dark blonde hair.

Fuck me, but I have so many things I want to do to her. With her. For her.

“Look, Mommy! Unca Beau’s here!”

She whirls around as if she’s been caught.

“Hey.”

She sighs and I swear it’s breathy when she says, “Hey back.”

I’ve never wanted Zoey to disappear in my life until this moment. Not disappear completely, obviously. I’m not an asshole. Just… make herself less present for a few minutes.

“Grabbed everything for supper.”

“And cupacakes!” Zoey shouts. I love the way she mixes up the pronunciation of words. Adorable.

“You been snooping through my bags, Squirt?”

She shakes her head, trying to look innocent but she’s anything but. I grab her around the waist and lift her up, blowing a raspberry on her soft belly. She giggles and wiggles in my hold, shouting my name. “Unca Beau! It tick… it tickles!” The words are barely understandable as she moves around in my arms, laughing the entire time.

My gosh she’s cute.

A little mini of Addy, but there’s plenty of Chris in her, too. And even though it makes me jealous, I wouldn’t have Zoey any other way.

“What do you think, Mama? What should we do with her for being such a snoop? Make her eat upside down?” I ask, flipping her over and holding her upside down by the ankles.

“Oh, that’s a perfect idea!” Addy zooms over next to us, tickling her belly gently all while little belly laughs roll through Zoey, Addy, and myself.

We’re all breathless by the time I set Zoey down on her feet, but she doesn’t go far.

“I love you, Unca Beau,” she says, hugging me around the legs. I lift Zoey back into my arms so I can give her a hug and whisper back, “I love you, too, Zoey. So much.”

Addy’s soft look almost does me in when she takes in the two of us and I can’t stop myself from pulling her in, too. With one arm under Zoey’s butt, I hold Addy around the shoulders by my other arm and kiss the side of her head.

Zoey gets tired of the hug-fest long before I do and not so subtly demands to be set down and runs to play with Macaroni. Before Addy can leave me also, I hug her alone, loving the feel of her softness in my arms. “I got something I want to talk to you about after Squirt goes to sleep.”

She looks up at me, chin resting on my chest. “Good stuff or bad stuff?”

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