Page 94 of I Wanna Be Your Lager

Lach

Kids are no joke. Eve and I haven’t had a night alone for two months. In fact, it’s been hard for us to even spend time with each other. While I’m working the close shift at Porter’s, Eve watches Asher. During the day, while Eve is killing it with her photography, I’m chilling with my buddy. She’s been killing it with her photos. She has bookings through December. While she still doesn’t have a studio, she’s been able to manage to do everything on location. To say it’s exhausting is an understatement, but I know it won’t last forever.

Two bright, big, blue eyes, sparkling with mischief, stare up at me, then shift to the ceiling, taking in the world or the townhouse. He continues to chug down the bottle like a college senior at a keg party. He wiggles his legs as he continues drinking.

I stare down at him, and his eyes connect with mine. “I want you to know your mom is the most amazing, fierce, determined, beautiful-inside-and-out woman I’ve ever known. You’re not biologically mine, but you’ll always be my son. We’re family. I’ll always be there for you and your mom.”

“Dammit, Lach.”

I jerk my head up to see Eve standing in the doorway. She swipes a tear off her cheek. She strolls into the nursery and takes a seat on the rocking ottoman in front of me.

“You can’t say things like that.”

“I meant every single word.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Sunflower.”

She leans in toward Asher. “Whoa!” She rears back, her body recoiling like a spring. “We have a DEFCON One explosion.”

I lean down for a whiff. “Damn. I don’t know how someone so little could create a big stink like that.”

“Here,” Eve holds her arms out. “I’ll change him.”

I pass her the empty bottle. “I got it. Why don’t you pick out a movie for us to watch?” Leaning in, I press my lips to hers.

She pulls away a fraction of an inch. “I think I know the perfect one.” Eve rises to her feet. I smack her ass as she turns. Her head spins around, and she flashes me a sexy smirk as she saunters out of the nursery.

“Alright, little man. Time for damage control.” I keep my head away from ground zero. Rising to my feet, I shuffle to the changing table and set him down. I peel away the blanket wrapped around him and pull the snaps from his onesie. “Oh, you really did a number here. You had some force behind that one. Also, I didn’t know poop could be that shocking shade of green.” I wrinkle my nose. After I clean him up and snap on a new onesie, I lay him down in his crib. His blue eyes blink up at me and slowly grow heavy.

“Good night, buddy.” I tap the button on the mobile above his crib, and a sweet, tinkling melody fills the room. With the baby monitor in hand, I shut off the light and climb down the stairs. When I reach the living room, Eve is sitting on the couch with abowl of popcorn in her lap. “So, what are we watching?” I take the cushion next to her, leaning my shoulder against hers.

“This.” She flashes me a bright smile before pressing a button on the remote. A scribbled sketch of the Seattle skyline shines bright on the screen while “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts plays through the speakers.

My lips pull into a smile. “Perfect.” Life couldn’t get any better. But tomorrow might prove me wrong.

The following morning, I stroll into the nursery. “Hey buddy, are you ready for your first outing?” Lifting him out of the crib, I press a kiss to his forehead and carry him to the changing table.

Asher wiggles and coos while I pull the snaps from his onesie. My head rears back, and I frown. “Well, I’m glad you dropped this bomb before we left and instead of in the car. You would have gassed us all out.” I hold my breath while I work on putting him in a fresh diaper.

Two months ago, I found a farm online and knew I needed to take Eve. Since Asher was born, we’ve been too busy to get out of the house, but time is running out. After clearing both our schedules, I told Eve this weekend was ours, and we’re taking a little family road trip. After I’m finished changing Asher, I hold him to my chest and head down the stairs to where Eve is packing half the kitchen.

“Are you moving out?”

Eve peers up at me from stuffing diapers into a bag. “We need all these things. Sometimes Asher gets fussy, and he doesn’t want breast milk, so I have to bring formula.” She holds up the container of formula before dropping it in the bag. Then I have to bring the warmer because no one wants cold formula.Then I have to pack my breast pump just in case and extra pads so we don’t have another nipple leakage incident. I got snacks. She lifts an economy size bag of sour gummy worms.

“Only the best road snack.”

She smiles. “Duh. And I packed an extra stash of diapers and two changes of clothes for Asher.”

I bend down, pressing my lips to her forehead. “Alright, you seem to have it handled.”

She blows out a deep breath. “I think so.”

“But you know we are only going to be gone for like half a day.”

Leaning toward Asher, she tickles his belly. “You underestimate what this little man can do in six hours. You’re a little terror, aren’t you? You’re our little terror, though.”

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