Page 56 of Better Daddy

She, Sloane, and both boys are laughing so hard they’re crying.

“Let me,” Lo forces out between giggles. She scurries over to Cal and quickly buttons the flap back into place.

When the boys finally tire of laughing, T.J. tips his head and surveys Brian.

“You don’t have kids,” he says, pointing to theDaddy Brianstitched on my best friend’s arse.

Lo giggles. “We all know he’s Dammit’s daddy.”

Brian drops his head back and groans. “For the love of God, I didn’t ask for a cat. He’s not mine.”

“Don’t say that,” Cal hisses, frantically scanning the room. “He’ll hear you.”

The cat has disappeared, along with the whole bag of treats. He’s probably living it up in Brian’s room.

“No, he will not,” Brian grumbles. “Let’s open presents so I can get the image of Cal’s hairy ass out of my head.”

Both boys break into fits of giggles again.

“I don’t have a hairy butt,” Cal whines.

“You have a perfect butt.” Lo rubs her boyfriend’s back. “I love your butt.”

T.J. guffaws. “You love his poopy butt? That’s so weird.”

“Presents.” Sloane claps, changing the subject before he segues into a conversation about poop.

“Why don’t we give Mum hers first?” I suggest to my son. It’s a miracle his excitement hasn’t caused him to ruin the surprise. He was so proud of himself when he found the pink lava lamp.

Sloane’s genuine smile as she opens it fills me with confidence. Yeah, she’ll like the rest of her gifts too.

After the boys open presents from Brian—a Lego Santa sled and Christmas tree—Murphy gives Lo a set of illustratedPercy Jacksoncoffee table books.

It’s too late for the boys to tear into their Legos, so we send them into the kitchen to get the cookies for Santa, then settle in to readThe Night Before Christmas.

Cal pulls Lo onto his lap in the oversized chair while Brian and Sloane join me on the couch.

T.J. and Murphy wiggle their way between us, and I tuck them into my sides while I read.

When I get to the last line, one of many I have memorized from years of practice, I look at Sloane.

I stumble over the words, my breath threatening to escape me. Because her gaze is filled with a tenderness I haven’t seen in far too long. And fuck, I’ve missed it.

In this moment, it seems possible that my wife might actually like me. And it feels like a turning point. Like this moment could change everything.

Chapter 20

Sloane

“Tonight was a good night,” Lo says as she snatches torn wrapping paper from the floor.

Brian, trash bag in hand, nods, wearing a small smile.

The expression makes me pause. It’s been so long since I saw him smile. Truly, even though we’re living in the same space, it’s been a while since we’ve spent any real time together.

I’ve never been the kind of person who has a whole lot of friends. In law school, Brian was one of the precious few I was close to, and not long after Lo came to work with us, she became another. It feels good to relax with the two of them and not feel awkward.

Because awkward is a mild descriptor for the interactions Brian and I have had over the last few months. When I filed for divorce, Brian suddenly became my adversary, working on Sully’s side while ironing out the settlement. Naturally, that made me push him even farther away. Now, with a little time, I can see he was doing the best he could in a very difficult situation.