Page 163 of One Night with Number Nineteen

“It’s stir fry and banana bread.”

“A weird scent combo that teases the senses.”

I giggle, jerk my chin toward the table. “Sit down, handsome. Grub’s ready.”

He scoops up Ollie and turns.

Then freezes, clearly spotting the cheerfully printed bag sitting in the middle of the table. “What’s that? It’s not my birthday yet.”

That’s a few weeks away.

“But it is your birthday month,” I say.

And my man is going to be spoiled.

“Just a little something,” I say. “Ollie and I picked it out together.”

“Open it, Sawyer!” Ollie commands.

Sawyer laughs softly but dutifully pulls out the tissue…then the stuffed cow.

It’s grumpily adorable.

And his name is⁠—

“Sawyer!” Ollie says, taking it from his namesake and making the grumpy cow dance around the table. “Meet Sawyer!”

“I couldn’t resist,” I say as Ollie has the cow kiss his way up Sawyer’s chest.

Who snags the cow, points his grumpy face in my direction. “Because we’re both so grumpy?”

I grin. “Exactly.”

“Rude.” He tugs at a curl, smiles. “Thanks, Pages.”

“Do you like it, Dad?”

Sawyer and I both go absolutely still, our eyes locking, a thousand emotions crossing between us.

That’s the first time Ollie⁠—

My throat goes tight, but before I can summon the right thing to say, Sawyer does it effortlessly, turning to Ollie and saying, “I love it, bud.”

“Yay!” He plucks up a carrot, shoves it in his mouth. “Then all my Ollies and Holly and Sawyer can be friends.” He grins toothily. “Just like us.”

More emotions.

More love.

More…carrots.

It’s as we’re cleaning up and Ollie’s picking out his books for bedtime that Sawyer comes up behind me, wrapping an arm around me and drawing me back against his chest as he says, “So you think I’m a gorgeous, devoted Viking with silky blond hair and a body built for sin, huh?”

My cheeks go hot, but I just lean back against him. “Maybe,” I tease. Then spin in the circle of his arms. “So, what’d you think?”

He cups my jaw. “It’s really good, Pages. I didn’t want to put it down.”

“Does that mean you didn’t make it to the end yet?”