Page 86 of Brazen

Sam laughed and picked me up, swinging me in another circle.

“What Mommy? What’s going on?” JT demanded, left out.

Sam scooped JT up, so he was part of our circle. “How would you like a little brother or sister?”

JT pumped his fist in the air. “Yeah!”

Sam and I both laughed.

“JT,” Sam glanced at me, then back at JT. “I was wondering if you’d be my son.”

“Okay,” JT agreed, like Sam had asked if he’d like a sandwich. Or wanted to go on a bike ride.

“I, ah, don’t have a ring yet” –he glanced at me again– “but I was going to ask your mommy to marry me. And I’d like to officially adopt you, if you’ll have me.”

“Sure,” JT said, not understanding the depth of Sam’s words. “Can I climb on the excavator again?”

“Yep. Wait for me to start it, though.” Sam set JT down, and he raced back to the giant machine, climbed up into the big seat, and pretended to run it.

Sam wrapped both arms around me, swaying slightly like we were in a slow dance. “Marry me?” he murmured.

“Okay,” I shrugged, mimicking JT’s light tone, then kissed him. “I don’t need a ring. I already have your mark.”

Sam kissed me back, then pumped his fist in the air like JT had. “Woo hoo! We’re having a pup!”

“Congratulations!” Rand appeared out of nowhere and slapped Sam on the back. “Let’s get this house up, then. Sounds like you’re gonna need it even sooner than we planned.”

“Come on,” Sam tugged me toward the excavator, too. “We’ll do it together. As a family.”

A family.

I had a family now. It wasn’t just me, solo parenting JT. It was me and Sam and the pups.

Sam climbed up and pulled me onto one knee and JT onto the other before he started the excavator. Three of us cut across the site, clearing the land for our new home.

Making space for our new family.