Page 57 of Heart of a Hero

“Dad!” Benji yelled. “They’re here!”

“He’s excited.” Richard laughed. “Although, it might be because we’re having pizza.”

Chuckling, Mark walked toward the front of the house where Benji was bouncing with excitement. As soon as he saw his dad, he stopped and took a big breath. “Sorry, Dad. I have to play this cool.”

Lifting a brow, he stared at his son, amused but also taken aback. “You have to play this cool?”

Benji nodded solemnly, the kind of seriousness only a ten-year-old could muster when discussing something of grave importance. “Yeah. I mean, the girls are older, and they run in a different group at practice. But I don’t want Laura and Olivia to think I’m just some dumb kid.”

Mark raised his hand, instinctively reaching to ruffle Benji’s hair—a gesture he’d made countless times since Benji was little. But this time, Benji shifted slightly, dodging the affectionate tousle. The movement was subtle, but it hit Mark harder than he expected. It was one of those quiet moments of fatherhood when the realization crept in—his son was growing up. That innocent phase of childhood was slipping away bit by bit.

He cleared his throat, trying to mask the pang of nostalgia, and smiled down at his son. “Just be yourself, bud. You’re a cool kid already. They’ll see that. Trust me, they’re going to love hanging out with you.”

He hoped he’d said the right words, and the smile on Benji’s face struck him straight through the heart. “Okay. Let’s get this party started.”

If Mark had any reservations about how the evening would go, they were laid to rest within the first ten minutes. As soon as Karen and the girls arrived, the atmosphere felt easy and natural. Laura and Olivia greeted him with smiles, their familiarity instantly putting him at ease. Olivia and Benji bonded almost immediately, diving into a conversation about one of the latest games that had taken the kids at school by storm. Their laughter echoed through the house, a sound that eased the tension in Mark’s shoulders.

Karen had brought fudgy brownies, and Richard greeted her with a warm hug, which was visibly reciprocated. Soon, they were seated around the dining room table, plates filled with mostly pizza for the kids, with some salad and fruit added for the adults.

Richard asked the girls about school, and Karen discovered what Benji liked to do for fun. After dinner, Benji’s excitement couldn’t be contained any longer. “You have to check out my new game system!” he exclaimed to the girls, his eyes bright with anticipation.

Olivia’s face lit up, and without hesitation, she and Benji bounded into the family room, already chattering about the games they’d play.

Mark noticed Laura seemed torn. He knew there was a significant distinction between not wanting to be with younger kids yet not feeling comfortable with adults.

“Laura,” he said, gaining her attention. “If the new game isn’t your thing, why don’t you hang with us?”

She looked at him, her expression softening with relief at his understanding. “Thanks,” she said quietly, her voice thoughtful. “I think I’ll stay for a bit.”

Karen, seated next to Mark, smiled warmly at her daughter, clearly proud of her quiet maturity. She reached over and squeezed Laura’s hand. “You can always join them later if you change your mind.”

Mark said, “You can tell me what Baytown High School is like nowadays. It’s probably a lot different from when I went there.”

At that, Laura’s eyes widened. “You went to Baytown High School?” Her voice was laced with surprise, and excitement filled her expression.

“Believe it or not, I did too,” Richard said.

At that, Laura’s eyes widened even more. Mark fixed coffee while the others chatted. Laura and Richard walked off to take a look at some of Richard’s old yearbooks he kept on a bottom shelf in the family room.

Soon, it was just him and Karen left in the kitchen. He held her gaze and watched as a beautiful smile moved over her face. “What do you think? Success?”

She laughed and nodded while still holding his gaze. “I think it was very successful, and believe me, Mark, I understand the significance.”

He placed a cup of coffee on the counter in front of her. Watching her carefully, he asked, “Just to make sure we’re on the same page, how do you see the significance of tonight?”

Without hesitation, she said, “You’re a single father of a wonderful boy who is the center of your world. From everything you’ve told me, you had a good marriage to a good woman, and Benji had a wonderful mother. I’m a single mom with two girls who are about to be teenagers. They are also the center of my world. And I was married to a wonderful man who was also a wonderful father.” She tilted her head to the side. “How am I doing so far?”

He nodded slowly. “Every word you just said is exactly how I feel.”

“I haven’t brought men around the girls, and you said you haven’t brought women around Benji. This is significant in that we are bringing the families together, even if it’s just for a meal.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, nodding. “This time together means everything to me.”

She glanced around and then stepped closer. “I really want to kiss you right now.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “It won’t be the longest kiss in the world, but I think we can manage.” With that, he lowered his head until their lips touched. Sealing his mouth over hers, he touched her lips with his tongue. She opened, and he swept his tongue along hers, swallowing a groan. Forcing his head back, he reluctantly ended the kiss and stared at her smile. “You are so beautiful.”

Her body rocked against his as she laughed softly. “I keep thinking about the night we spent together. I hope we get a chance to do that again soon.”

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