Page 63 of Before It's Too Late

A gentle hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed.

Zach turned to glance at her, giving Marleigh a small smile. She smiled back.

“After the accident, my mom said something to me that got me thinking and looking at him differently.”

Zach leaned back against the bench, turning to watch Cael and the guys. Cael was looking in their direction, but quickly returned his attention back to the game when one of the guys hollered at him. Marleigh dropped her hand from his shoulder.

“It was a dawning realization over a few weeks. Then, one evening, we were just going to hang out, kid-free, so I could burn off some stress, and he kissed me. Now, we’re together.”

“That’s sweet, and probably explains why you’ve seemed happier the past few weeks.”

Zach grinned, blushing a little. “Yeah, that’s all him.”

“Well, I better get going. I hope things stay happy between you two, and I hope your sister wakes up soon. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m always happy to listen.” Marleigh hopped to her feet like it was nothing.

“Thanks, Marleigh. I’ll see you in the morning when I drop Taylor off.”

“I’ll be there. Bye Taylor.”

Taylor looked up and smiled behind her binky. Marleigh took off in a brisk walk. With Taylor still content and playing with her toys, Zach went back to watching Cael and the guys.

“Dog-gy!”

“You see a doggy, Tay-tay?” Zach asked, glancing around.

Behind them, a couple of women were running side-by-side, one of them holding the leash of a golden retriever. Taylor pushed to her feet and began a clumsy run across the grass toward the dog. Zach jumped up and scooped her up from behind.

“Hey, stinker. Where do you think you’re going?”

Taylor squealed and laughed as Zach swung her around, her little orange and blue Broncos T-shirt riding up a little, enough to see her diaper poking out from beneath the elastic waist of her jeans.

“Air-pane!”

Zach complied with her request, situating her in his arms so he could fly her around. He circled and dipped and pretended like she was going to crash, and Taylor giggled the entire time.

“Okay, time to land,” he said, bringing her to rest on the grass near her toys.

Zach settled back onto the bench. Taylor grabbed her pink puppy and stood, setting it on the bench beside him, then attempted to climb onto it.

“Up,” Taylor said.

Zach lifted her and sat her next to him. Taylor cuddled her puppy against her and settled back as if she were watching the guys play too. It didn’t last long. Within a few seconds, Taylor climbed down off the bench and stood, looking toward the guys with big, bright eyes. God, she looked so much like her mom.

Zach’s phone chirped. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen, finding a text from Chloe.

“Cael!” Taylor squealed. “Ball!”

Forgetting the text, Zach looked up just as Taylor darted toward the football lying in the grass. Cael saw her running toward it and slowed to a walk, allowing Taylor to reach the ball before him.

“Hey, munchkin,” he said. “You gonna get the ball for me?”

Taylor bent over and picked up the regulation size football with both hands then turned toward Zach and ran, even if she was still a bit uncoordinated. Zach took a quick video, capturing most of the fucking adorable moment on his phone.

“Oh, that’s it. I’m gonna get you now,” Cael said, chasing after her very slowly. “Get back here with my ball.”

His light-hearted taunting made Taylor giggle, and when Cael caught her and grabbed her up, she dropped the football and squealed and laughed even more, especially when he started his assault of tickle-kisses, as he called them.

Cael eased up on Taylor, and she quieted, breathing hard with a big grin on her face. Zach stopped the video recording and pocketed his phone.