Page 59 of Knox

Mallory was outside watering a few of her plants when I pulled into the driveway. She waved while Grady bolted down the steps with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Daddy! Look what I made!”

He shoved the drawing into my hand before I could even shut the driver’s side door. It was a weirdly drawn version of me, Knox, and him, all in Seawolves hats, standing in front of what appeared to be a lopsided baseball field.

“That’s awesome, bud.”

“I used Mommy’s good markers.”

“He was very focused,” Mallory said as she joined us. “Didn’t even bug me for a snack while we waited for you.”

“That’s not normal.” I chuckled, then glanced at Grady. “Come on, let’s get going. We’ve got movies and popcorn waiting.”

Grady climbed into his car seat, chattering about some cartoon movie and how he was going to eat an entire bag of popcorn while I got him buckled in. Archer brought out his backpack and handed it off with a quick nod.

“He’s all set,” Archer told me.

“Appreciate it.”

He lingered a second. “I should get back inside and check on dinner.”

As he walked off, I turned to Mallory. “He’s making dinner?”

Mallory shrugged. “Yeah. I still can’t stand for long, and he offered.”

I raised a brow but didn’t question her even though she had been out watering a few plants and now was standing here talking to me. “Right.”

She leaned in to hug Grady, said her goodbyes as she handed him his tablet, then she said to me as I shut the door, “He’s been counting down to this all day.”

“Yeah, I’ve been looking forward to this too.” I glanced at the drawing again. “I’m glad I get more time with him while I’m off, but …”

“You miss Knox already.”

I didn’t deny it. Usually, Knox would be with me, picking up Grady or waiting back at my place. He was probably already in the air, headed for LA. “Feels like I can’t win. If I’m with Knox, I miss Grady. If I’m with Grady, I miss Knox. And for the next eight days, I’m only going to see my boyfriend through a screen.”

“That’s hard.

“Yeah.”

She bumped my arm with hers. “Maybe you should propose.”

My head snapped toward her. “What?”

“I’m just saying. Grady isn’t going anywhere. He’s your son. But maybe you need to make sure Knox knows you want him to stay too.”

I shook my head and chuckled. “Your mom would lose her mind.”

Mallory rolled her eyes. “I don’t care what my mom thinks. Knox is a great guy, and I love him too. If he makes you happy, that’s all that matters.”

I peered through the window at Grady, who was engrossed in something on his tablet.

“Yeah,” I said quietly. “Knox really does, and Grady loves him too.”

She squeezed my arm. “Then maybe tell him. Or show him. Or both.”

“Knox knows. I tell him all the time I love him.”

She tilted her head. “Do you show him?”