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Brooks chuckled. “Blake might say otherwise.”

“She adores you.”

“She tolerates me,” he joked, then sobered. “But if it happens, I wanna be like my pops. He loved us hard. Did what he had to. Let me be both strong and soft. I didn’t realize it until years later, but he was preparing me for Blake. I miss him, man.”

Something about the way he said it made her stop walking.

“You think about them a lot?”

He shrugged. “Lately, yeah. Pops would’ve told me to go get your stubborn ass when you ghosted me.”

She bumped his shoulder. “Shut up, Brooks. But you’re gonna be a great dad. A great husband. You’re already a great man.”

His gaze softened. Then, without a word, he pulled her in and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“And you,” he murmured against her skin, “would be an incredible mother.”

Taylor leaned into him, letting the moment wash over them.

∞∞∞

They spent their last night in Denver at a rooftop restaurant with fire pits and string lights, the mountains stretching out behind them like a painted backdrop. The night was filled with laughter, shared stories, and new truths. Brooks’ boys had joined them Kirk, Slim, and Ace each of them playing their roles effortlessly. Kirk kept the jokes rolling, making Taylor laugh until her stomach hurt. Slim, the smooth talker, took it upon himself to order the best dishes on the menu, making sure she tried everything. And Ace, who barely spoke unless necessary, gave her an approving nod that Brooks told her was a good thing and if he felt that way she did too.

Taylor had expected to feel like an outsider, but she didn’t. Not with Brooks’ hand on her thigh beneath the table, his favorite spot.

Between bites of food and masterfully craftedcocktails, she spoke about the things she’d set aside, the dreams she still carried, the parts of herself she was rediscovering. Brooks opened up about the weight of responsibility, how much he had sacrificed to get where he was, and what he wanted his legacy to be.

They were learning each other, piece by piece, history by history, and the more they shared, the more Taylor realized she had grown strong feelings for him. Not just the way he made her feel, but the man he was outside of that. He was just good. He was pure. Honest. Consistent. He was love. He didn’t do anything that wasn’t genuine.

“Nah, nah, listen,” Kirk leaned in, his grin wide, clearly enjoying the attention. “Don’t let anybody have my phone. Feel me?”

Slim chuckled, sipping his drink. “Facts. I’m dead throw it away. Don’t let my momma have it, don’t let my woman have it. Toss the bitch. Yall hear me?” he pointed at his friends.

“Men are ridiculous. Why settle down if you gotta hide?” Taylor said there were too many men at the table for her.

“My momma would shame me if she saw the photos of butt naked freaks in my phone. I’m worried about my momma not my woman.”

“Lord have mercy. Y’all are a wild bunch. Is it my turn?” She giggled.

“Yeah, it’s your question.”

Taylor grabbed a card from the table and looked around at them.

“Ok, who’s not coming to get you from jail if you go?”

“Ace,” everybody said in unison. Taylor looked atthem with a smirk.

“What is that about, Ace? You would leave them in jail?”

“They don’t listen worth a damn. I probably already told them not to do the shit. But I’d go get them fools eventually. It would just be when I felt like it.”

Kirk threw his hands up. “See? This is what I’m talking about. No loyalty. Eventually?”

“The nigga petty. But he solid.” Brooks said. Ace leaned up and extended his fist.

Taylor laughed, shaking her head. “Brooks, what about you? Are you a ‘pick up on the first ring’ type or a ‘let me think about it’ type?”

Brooks smirked, rubbing his beard. “For you?” His voice dropped just enough to make her eye flutter and butterflies settle in her belly. “First ring. No questions. You know that.”