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Sweet Spur Creamery hasn’t changed much over the years.

It still smells like fresh waffle cones and cherry syrup.

The wooden floorboards creak under my boots, and the original vinyl booths are patched with duct tape.

A chalkboard menu with the flavor of the day and other specials is displayed behind the counter.

Before my parents gambled everything away, this was our go-to spot.

My dad’s favorite flavor, black licorice, only came around once a month, so he made sure we never missed it.

That is, until their addiction caught up with them and we lost the farm and ended up living in a run-down trailer park on the edge of town.

Until this summer, I never thought I’d set foot here again, let alone with my son.

He’s endured losing the person he loved most, but I’ll make sure he never questions how deeply he’s loved—surrounded by people who would do anything for him.

It’s a stark contrast to my own upbringing, but I’m grateful for my past because it showed me the mistakes to avoid and gave me a roadmap to become a better father.

Caleb makes a beeline for the ice cream case, pressing his hands to the glass and rising on his tiptoes as he scans the lineup of flavors.

A lanky teen in a Sweet Spur Creamery T-shirt, with a name tag reading “Beau,” leans against the counter. “Welcome in. What can I get y’all?”

I glance at Briar. “What would you like?”

“Rodeo rocky road, please,” she says, smiling at Beau.

“And a scoop of butter pecan, both in cups with a cone on top,” I turn to Caleb whose nose nearly touches the glass as he studies his options. “Do you know what you want, buddy? Or do you want to try any samples?”

The last time we came in, he was too shy to ask to try any flavors before ordering, so I’m not expecting him to make eye contact with the server and point at the cookies and cream.

“Can I try that one?” he asks softly.

“Sure thing, kid,” Beau says.

He scoops a small sample onto a spoon and holds it out for me, and I pass it to Caleb. He takes a small bite, pursing his lips, and shrugs.

“Can I try another?”

“Sure. What’ll it be?” Beau questions.

Caleb waves to the bucket of cotton candy ice cream. Beau hands me a sample, and this time, Caleb takes a generous taste, scrunching his face like he just licked a lemon.

“Not a fan of that one?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Can I please have chocolate with sprinkles?”

No surprise there. That’s what he got when we came in before.

“Great choice,” I say with a grin. “Glad you tried other options before deciding. You wouldn’t want to get stuck with a whole scoop of a flavor you didn’t like, right?”

“Yeah. Chocolate is the best ever!”

“One chocolate with sprinkles,” Beau says, handing me Caleb’s order.

“Thanks.”

I give Caleb his ice cream, and when I glance up, I find Briar already at the register, taking her wallet out of her back pocket.

“What do you think you’re doing, sugar?” I ask, stepping in beside her.

“You and Caleb were kind enough to invite me, so I wanted to return the kindness.”

“When we’re out together, you don’t pay,” I state.

She ignores me, turning back to the counter and holds out a twenty-dollar bill. “Woman, don’t test me, or I’ll throw you over my shoulder. ”

She smirks. “Don’t tempt me with a good time, cowboy. I happen to know that’s the best view in town.”

Beau sets our cups of ice cream on the counter, looking between us, ultimately making the wise decision not to accept Briar’s money.

I slip an arm around Briar’s waist and lift her clean off the ground.

She squeaks in surprise as I carry her a few steps away from the register.

Caleb giggles as he watches the spectacle, clearly entertained by my antics.

Still stunned, Briar stares at me as I grab her cup of rodeo rocky road and give it to her with a kiss on her forehead.

“You and Caleb go find a table. I’ll be right there.”

“I could argue, but I’d rather not let my treat melt while I do.” She lifts the cone from her cup, meeting my eyes as she takes a lick of ice cream.

God, there she goes again—teasing to get a rise out of me.

It drives me wild, and when we’re alone later, I plan to make sure that mouth of hers is too busy to sass me.

For now, I’m going to enjoy the afternoon with my favorite duo, because nothing beats hearing them laughing together at an inside joke or watching Caleb smile at Briar as if she’s made his day brighter.

After I pay the bill, I spot them at a booth in the corner, and take a seat across from them.

“This is so good,” Caleb says, chocolate smeared across his mouth and cheek.

Briar chuckles. “I’m glad you like it, little man.” She leans over to grab a napkin from the dispenser and gently wipes his face.

“I wish we could eat ice cream every day,” he exclaims.

Briar’s eyebrows shoot up. “Every day? If we did that, you might turn into a giant sprinkle.” She tickles his side, and he bursts out laughing.

Simple moments like this make everything else fade away, showing me what matters most.