Page 36 of Night By Night

“Oh, yes!” JJ jumped up and ran down to her bathroom, almost slamming the door behind her.

“Easy!” Hank called behind her.

“Sorry, Daddy!” she yelled back.

Maddox took the opportunity to stand, hopefully sparing his balls from further accidental ball taps. “Give me your keys and I’ll get her car seat moved over to my car while you get her stuff ready.”

“Oh, thanks.” He handed them over, and Maddox fought the urge to stare into Hank’s eyes as their hands touched.

Shit.

He knew he had it bad for the guy.

He walked outside, so distracted he nearly tripped when he caught his toe on a large crack in the driveway concrete. He retrieved the car seat from the truck, then had to figure out how to attach it to his back seat. Hell, he only used his back seat for groceries and stuff.

By the time Hank emerged from the house with the first load of stuff in his arms, Maddox had figured it out and had it secured. Then he hurried around to pop the trunk open for Hank.

He wondered why Hank pulled up short, then Maddox walked back and realized he was staring at the two wrapped presents.

“What’s wrong?” Maddox asked him.

Hank set the grocery bags down in the trunk. “You bought her presents?”

“Yeah. That kitchen set she saw in the store, and a cool starter robotics kit I hope she likes. I’ll help her with it.”

Hank stared at them for another second or two before he threw his arms around Maddox and hugged him tightly. “I love you, dude,” he whispered. “Thankyou.”

Maddox held him, his eyes dropping closed for a moment as he imagined other circumstances where he wished he would hear Hank say those same words. “Love you, too, dude,” he said.

Hank headed back into the house to get more stuff, and Maddox stood there for a moment, watching him.

I’m so screwed.

* * * *

Hank couldn’t get the sight of those two large, wrapped boxes in Dox’s trunk out of his mind. He thought maybe Dox would’ve gotten her a little something, but that he’d gone to the trouble to actually get her what she’d asked for, something outside his own budget for now,andsomething else…

It humbled him.

I don’t deserve him.

Fortunately, they didn’t have any trouble finding parking, and one of the covered pavilions was completely empty. With JJ bouncing around and excitedly chattering, he was glad his best friend was with him today for this.

“Why don’t you go take her down to the water,” Dox suggested. “I’ll handle setting everything up.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” Dox smiled as he checked his phone. “Give me about thirty minutes or so.”

“Okay.” He hugged him again. “Thank you. Hey, pumpkin, come here.” He called her over to him and took her sundress off her so she wouldn’t get it soaked. Then he slathered her with sunscreen, grabbed a towel, and leaving their shoes behind, he led her up the boardwalk over the dunes.

She let out a squeal and started running when they crested the dune. “Daddy, look!”

He smiled as he followed her. “Wait for me at the water.” He deeply inhaled, loving the sweet salty tang of the Gulf. He hadn’t realized how badly he’d missed this, missed the clean air, missed the sunshine bouncing off the white sand.

He kept his eyes on her as he followed her so he wouldn’t lose sight of her. The water today was calm, light blue-green waves gently licking the sand.

Damn, I’m so glad to be home.