Page 20

Chapter Twenty

STEVIE

“D o you have to work today?”

Bode’s head pops over the couch. It’s been a lazy morning here. Since he doesn’t have to play until this afternoon, we spent what little time there was before Caleb woke up in bed.

It’s still dark outside, a fog lingering.

I shake my head, adjusting Caleb in my lap. He’s playing with a toy while watching some show that Marcus and Harper recommended to us. “Not today. I have the day off.”

Bode’s head moves closer. “Want to take Caleb apple picking?”

I turn toward him ever so slightly. My eyes adjust at how close he is. “Can he even eat apples?”

“Not a whole one. I’d have to cook it for him, and make sure there’s no skin so it’s easier for him.”

That pulls a smile from me. Well, a bigger smile. Because how can you have the world’s cutest human on your lap and not smile?

“What’s that face for?” Bode asks, leaping over the back of the couch and settling next to me. Every inch of him lines up to me and warmth radiates off him. Even through the sweatshirt of his I’m wearing, I feel it.

“Nothing. It’s sweet you know these things.”

Bode shrugs, taking Caleb into his arms. Caleb’s hands go to his face, trying to find purchase. “Well, as his dad, I need to figure this shit out.”

“I think you’re doing a pretty good job.” I press a kiss to his cheek.

He rests his head against the back of the couch, staring at me. Emotions bubble up inside me. How can looking at someone make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside?

I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like this. Sure, I’ve dated guys in the past, but one look from them never made me feel so happy.

“Honestly? I’m glad I have you and our grandmas helping. I don’t know if I’d be able to do it without you guys.”

I stroke Caleb’s soft cheek. His focus is on the toy in hand, ignoring the two of us. “I think you’re doing better than you think. You don’t need us.”

“Don’t even say that,” Bode tells me. “Besides, Gran is supposed to watch him tonight.”

“What are you three up to this morning?” Nan walks into the living room with Eve behind her.

Bode stands, hefting Caleb up into his arms. “I’ve got my game this afternoon, but we’re going to go to the apple orchard this morning. Want to come?”

“Apple picking with him? Oh, Deb, we have to put him in the pumpkins and take a picture.” His grandma’s eyes light up. Eve takes him from Bode’s arms and heads upstairs. “We’ll get him dressed. Be ready to go in twenty minutes.”

They’re gone before we can get another word in.

“What, that’s it?” Bode stares down at me, a smile playing on his face.

I jump up to meet him and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my chin in the center of his chest. “We better get moving. We don’t want to keep them waiting.”

“You know,” Bode starts, his eyes dark, “I was going to shower before we left.”

“Imagine that. I was planning on doing that too.”

“Should we maybe save time and do it together?”

“I don’t know how much time we’ll be saving…” I trail off. Grabbing Bode’s hand, I put a sashay in my hips and lead him upstairs.

Bode grabs me around the waist and throws me over his shoulder. “Better make it fast, Stevie, because we only have twenty minutes, and you know they won’t wait for us.”

* * *

“Really. You’d think we didn’t give you two enough time,” Nan moans as we all hop out of the car.

The gravel parking lot is crowded. Even with low clouds hanging in the sky threatening rain, it’s still busy.

“Twenty minutes is not enough time to get two adults and a baby ready to go,” Bode tells them.

“One adult,” Eve corrects him. “We took care of Caleb.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Bode gets the baby carrier out of the trunk and secures it to his chest before putting Caleb in it. “At least you put him in a cute outfit.”

The orange, red, and yellow striped romper has leaves and pumpkins all over it. Paired with a mini jean jacket and tennis shoes, he looks adorable. His legs are kicking in front of him as he faces out toward the orchard. A bucket hat sits on his head in case it rains.

“He’ll be the cutest kid out here.”

A wooden house with a red roof welcomes us to the Bradford Family Farms. The smell of leaves hangs heavy in the air. Tractors roll out toward fields filled with pumpkins. Wooden crates filled to the brim with apples sit on either side of the walkway.

“Want to start picking apples and then we can head toward the fields?” Bode asks.

Sunglasses cover his eyes, and a worn, plain black hat covers his hair. You would never know he plays for the Knights with the gray hoodie and plaid jacket he’s wearing. I threw on the first thing I could find that was clean—a black sweatshirt, olive jacket, and leggings. There was no use in putting on a hat when I swept my wet hair up into a bun.

By the time I was dressed and covered my face in basic makeup, we were getting yelled at.

Wet bun it was.

“Now, you know Caleb can’t eat apples, right?” his gran points out.

“You’d think I’d never done this before. Almost like she doesn’t trust me.” Bode ignores her and speaks at me, heading toward a wagon to start loading up with apples.

“What? It’s not like you’ve ever raised a kid before. Just making sure.”

I grab Bode’s free hand, and we wander through the rows of trees. Leaves are crunching under our feet as we stop every so often to peruse the fruit.

“These look good.” Bode grabs some of the apples sitting on the higher branches.

“You know this is why we always need a tall person around,” Eve says.

“So I can pick apples for you?” Bode smiles at her.

I love the relationship the two of them have. They always poke fun at one another, but you can feel the love they have for each other.

“Hey, I don’t want grubby little kid hands on my apples.”

I burst out laughing and grab a few red ones that look good. “We’ll have to make sure we get some green ones too. I can make some apple crisp when we get home.”

“Does everyone get this?” Nan asks.

“Only the people who are picking apples,” Bode points out.

So far, neither of our grandmas have picked apples. They’re walking behind pointing out which trees look good and oohing and ahhing over Caleb.

“Look,”—Eve reaches up to pick a ripe piece of fruit—“I get apple crisp now.”

I shake my head at her antics. “I promise, everyone will get apple crisp when we get home. As long as you promise to save some for Bode when he gets home.”

“At least someone is on my side.” Bode presses a kiss onto the crown of my head.

“Oh, Deb. Grab a picture.” Eve waves at her and passes her phone over.

Bode tugs me close and before I can look at them and smile, Caleb starts making noises at the apple in his hand and I laugh. Based on the reaction of the two of them, it’s a good photo.

“Look how cute you all look together.” Nan holds the phone out so we can see.

I suck in a breath. Caleb is looking at the apple with a confused face, not quite sure what he’s supposed to do with it, I’m laughing at him, and Bode? Well, he’s looking at the two of us like we’re the best things in his world.

“Would you look at that?” he whispers so only I can hear him.

“I love it.” It’s the only thing I can say. Because in reality, saying we look like a family would be too much.

When I moved in, the last thing I expected was to fall for Bode. I didn’t need to get involved with anyone. I was trying to lick my wounds and recover from my ex kicking me out.

Falling for Bode and his kid? That was unexpected to say the least.

Learning how to trust myself again has been a process. With Bode, I feel safe to do it. He never pushes me to do anything I don’t want to do.

The man who says he only ever worried about himself isn’t that same guy. Every day spent with him, I see how selfless he is. With Caleb. With me. With our grandmas.

He’s the first thing I think about in the morning and the last at night.

Could I…could I be falling in love with Bode?

No. It’s way too soon. We’ve only been together a few weeks. Having sex the last few days.

Right?

“You alright, sweetheart?” Nan links her arm through mine as we follow Bode, Caleb, and Eve through the rows of trees.

“I’m good. Just thinking.”

“About how cute all of you are together?”

“Nan,” I moan.

Leave it to her to know. She’s always been able to read me like a book, but I’ve never been one to hide my emotions away.

“What? I’m only saying what I can see with my own peepers. Even I don’t need glasses to see how much you two are into each other.”

“You know you sound like you’re in high school when you say that, right?”

Nan laughs. “Well, someone has to be the fun one around here.”

“Hey. Are you saying we’re not fun?” I goad her. “I’ll have you know today is a perfectly fun day.”

She stops and stares me down. Her brown eyes are wide under her round glasses. “A fun family day. You don’t go out and have enough fun on your own.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I take Caleb from Bode as we settle onto a picnic bench and he goes to get us some drinks. “Why don’t you and Eve go see if there’s any pumpkins we can take home.”

She gives me the side-eye. “I see what you’re trying to do.”

“Get rid of you so we can be done with this conversation? Maybe I should be more subtle.”

“Okay.” Nan stops Eve and heads back toward the pumpkin patch.

“Did you get the same lecture?” Bode asks, sitting next to me and setting a warm glass of apple cider in front of me.

“About how we’re no fun?”

Bode laughs. “I don’t think they’d understand, but this is the most fun I’ve had in years.”

“Me too.”

“Good.” Bode clinks his glass to mine. “This is the kind of fun I want to keep having.”

“Same.”

Because sitting by Bode’s side in the cool fall air, life finally feels like it’s looking up. Like I clawed my way out from rock bottom and the sun is finally shining again.

The perfect day.