Page 81 of Crew

After a beat, he stared up again. “Can I call you Daddy?”

My voice cracked a little. “Yeah, bud. You can.”

He rested his head on my chest and closed his eyes like it was nothing new—like he’d always belonged right there.

Mallory brushed a tear from her cheek as she quietly watched us.

Grady sighed. “Are you gonna be my daddy even when I go back home?”

I smoothed a hand over his curls. “Always.”

His voice was quiet. “Even if I don’t see you all the time?”

“I’ll still be your dad every single day,” I promised him. “That’s not gonna change. No matter where you are.”

He pressed closer. “Okay. I think that’s good.”

After a few minutes, his breath slowed against my chest. His fingers stayed curled in the fabric of my shirt, the foam ball still tucked between his arm and his side like he wasn’t ready to give it up, even in sleep.

I waited a couple of more minutes before easing us both up carefully. He stirred but didn’t wake as I carried him to the guest room and laid him down on the neatly made bed. Mallory had packed one of his superhero-themed blankets and I tucked it around him before stepping back.

Mallory stood in the doorway, her arms folded gently across her chest. “He’s out cold.”

“Yeah.” I kept my voice low. “Guess he had a long day.”

We both stood there for a bit, watching him sleep. Then I clicked off the light and followed her back into the living room.

She grabbed the half-full water bottle she’d left on the counter and took a sip before sinking into the armchair. “You okay?”

I nodded, the feel of Grady’s little hand pressed against my chest still lingering. “Better than okay.”

“You did good, Crew.”

Running a hand through my hair, I settled onto the couch across from her. “Thanks. I was nervous. Still am.”

“Understandable.” She curled one leg under the other. “But you handled it right. He trusts you.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “I hope he always does.”

She studied me for a second. “And things with Knox? Still good?”

A smirk tugged at my mouth before I could stop it. “Yeah. They’re good. Better than good. He’s … kind of perfect, actually.”

She laughed softly. “You were so calm when you told me about him in Harvest Ridge. Like it was no big deal.”

“I didn’t want it to be a big deal. Just the truth.”

“Did it ever cross your mind to tell me when we were together?”

I hesitated. “I wasn’t even close toready.”

“But you knew you were bi then?”

“Yeah. I felt things back then.”

Her brows knitted together slightly. “Like what?”

I took a breath. “Like I had a huge crush on Levi.”