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LEVI’S #1 FAN with a baseball and a bat.

“Will you be a part of our team?” I asked. “Forever?”

Emotion filled Gage’s eyes as he took the shirt, pulling it over his head and smoothing it over the white tee he’d worn.

I’d seen this man in designer suits, walking around his house like an underwear model, fully naked in all his muscled glory, but with the wrinkled fabric pulled over his chest, I thought he’d never looked better.

“Of course I will,” he said. “I love you, sunshine.”

And I kissed him, hard, before uttering, “I love you too.”

60

Gage

Three Months Later

I pulled Farrah’s minivan up to The Hen House in Cottonwood Falls, turning down the sunshine playlist blaring through the radio. “We’re here!”

“Finally!” Andrew moaned as Cora said, “YAY!”

Levi finished texting and shoved his phone into his pocket. “Is Rhett or Grandpa Jack going to let us ride horses after? Alyssa wants a picture.”

“I’m not sure,” I said. “We’ll have to see how the party goes.”

Farrah said, “If not, maybe we can get a picture of the horses on the way home.”

I reached across the console, squeezing her thigh. “Great idea, babe.”

She smiled over at me and then said, “Let’s go inside before we’re late. Drew, can you grab the present for Jack and Diedre from the trunk?”

“Sure,” he replied.

When we were all out of the car, Cora said, “Can you carry me inside, Gage?”

“You’re almost six,” Farrah said. “You can walk.”

“Can and should are two different things,” I teased, picking Cora up and holding her on my hip. “What’s the point in working out if I can’t carry kids around?”

Farrah shook her head at us, smiling, and then licked her thumb, rubbing a spot from Cora’s cheek.

“Gross,” she said, dodging her.

Levi laughed, holding Cora in place while Farrah cleaned the spot.

“Ha ha,” Drew said, catching up with the gift bag.

Farrah grinned. “You’re next.”

“What happened to us growing up?” Drew groaned, squirming away from her glistening thumb.

“You’re never too old for a good spit shine,” Farrah said. “Isn’t that right, Gage?”

“Right,” I said.

Levi got on my other side and muttered, “Whipped.”

“Coming from the guy wanting horse pictures,” I teased back, walking up the front steps.