Page 20 of Knox (Comeback Duet #2)

Knox

The pitter-patter of little feet raced down the hallway a second before the bedroom door swung open.

“Time to wake up!” Grady shouted as he launched himself onto the bed.

I groaned and yanked the comforter over my head. “G, do you know how early it is?”

He crawled over my legs and plopped down between his dad and me, tugging the blanket off my face. “Yeah, but we’re going to the zoo today.”

Crew was already sitting up, rubbing a hand over his face and grinning. “Come on, sleepyhead. We promised this guy a day full of elephants, tigers, and monkeys.”

“Can’t I get five more minutes?” I pouted, acting more like a kid than the one climbing all over us.

“Nope.” Grady chuckled. “Bunzy says you need to get up.”

“Well, if Bunzy says so then I guess we better,” I said, pushing up onto my elbows with an exaggerated sigh.

Crew leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I’ll get breakfast started.”

Grady hopped off the bed and followed his dad out of the room, chattering about what he wanted to see first at the zoo.

I sat there for a second, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

As much as I complained, I didn’t actually mind being woken up early on an off day.

Crew had been all smiles on the flight home the night before, looking forward to seeing his son.

We’d worked it out with Archer to bring Grady over, and they were waiting for us at the condo when we got in.

The difference in my boyfriend’s demeanor when we were home was impossible to ignore.

Just like during spring training in Phoenix and our first road trip of the season, I could see the toll it took on Crew being away from Grady.

I hoped it would get easier as we settled into the routine of being home for a bit followed by a week away, but I wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to leaving his boy behind.

I stood and, following the smell of freshly brewed coffee, padded to the kitchen. Grady sat at the counter, eating a banana while Crew grabbed the ingredients for pancakes. The coffee maker finished the first cup, and I reset it for the second one. Then I prepared Crew’s coffee the way he liked it.

“Thanks,” he replied as I handed the mug to him.

Once I had my coffee in hand, I slid onto the stool beside Grady. “Did you decide what animals you want to see first?”

He nodded eagerly. “The elephants. They’re so big. Then I want to see the monkeys, and the lions, and the snakes.”

“Sounds like we’re going to be busy.” I ruffled his hair.

I glanced at Crew, who was smiling as he mixed the pancake batter. For a moment, nothing else mattered. It felt like I was where I belonged.

By the time we made it to the tiger exhibit, Grady’s cheeks were flushed, and his shirt was stained with ketchup from our lunch. Still, he seemed to have just as much energy as he’d had when we’d arrived.

“This is the last stop,” Crew said as we stepped up to the railing.

Grady nodded. “Tigers are the best. They’re orange and strong.”

I set down the backpack I’d been carrying most of the afternoon. It was overflowing with souvenirs we’d picked up throughout the day: a light-up bubble wand, a hoodie, and two new stuffed animals.

“Do you think any of these are going to make the starting lineup at bedtime, or is Bunzy still the team captain?” I teased.

Grady looked at the lion poking out of the top of the bag. “Bunzy is still the boss, but I think they’ll all be friends.”

Crew chuckled. “We’re going to need to buy you another bed for all of your animals.”

Below us, one of the tigers stretched and yawned wide, showing all of its teeth before flopping onto its side to bathe in the sunlight.

Crew wrapped his arm around my back as we watched Grady crouch down to get a better look at the big cats. “He’s going to pass out the second we get in the car.”

“I might too,” I muttered, leaning into him. “But it’s been fun.”

When it was time for us to leave, Grady reached one hand out for his dad, and the other for me. I doubted it felt like a big deal to the almost five-year-old, but the three of us walking out of the zoo as a family meant everything to me.

Sure enough, Grady was out cold by the time we pulled onto the highway. Crew drove with one hand resting over the steering wheel and the other on my thigh, his thumb absently rubbing back and forth.

Since it was getting late, we hit up a drive-thru for dinner. Grady barely ate half of his cheeseburger before his eyes got heavy again. Crew carried him to bed, and I followed, arranging his new stuffed animals and helping tuck him in.

We stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind us.

“Man, I’m beat.” Crew leaned against the wall and let out a sigh.

“Same.” I dragged a hand over my face. “But I can think of one thing that might wake me up.”

He smirked. “Oh yeah. What are you thinking?”

I slipped my arms around his waist and pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth. “It starts with you getting naked and ends with us sweaty and satisfied.”

He pulled me against him. “You really know how to sweet-talk a guy.”

“When have you ever liked it sweet?” I teased.

“You’re right,” he agreed. “You know exactly how filthy I like it.”