“Your call, honey,” I said softly. “It’s always been your call. And it’ll be your call if something happens and you change your mind.”

He stared at me a beat before he turned back to Merry.

“I’m ready to keep on rollin’, Merry,” he stated.

Merry gave him a grin.

“That’s my boy.”

My heart fluttered.

My son’s chest visibly swelled.

I heard Mom clear her throat.

“Right, I’ll grab the ice cream,” Rocky said.

“Everyone back in the living room,” Dave ordered.

People moved. Merry straightened.

I kept my eyes to my kid.

He felt them and looked up at me.

“You good?” I whispered.

Ethan nodded.

“Let’s go, buddy,” Colt called.

Ethan looked at Colt.

Then he followed his uncle into the living room.

* * * * *

“Holy cramoly!” Ethan shouted, yanked what was inside the envelope out, turned his eyes to Merry, lifted his hand straight into the air, waved it around, and screeched, “Colts tickets! Holy cramoly! I can’t believe it! That’s soooooo awesome!”

He popped up and raced over legs and laps, pushing through bodies until he made it to Merry.

Once there, he threw his arms around Merry’s middle and gave him a big hug.

Even now a big boy at eleven, he didn’t let go and only tipped his head back, my little man smiling huge up at my big man.

“Thanks, Merry! The greatest present ever!” he yelled.

Merry grinned down at my kid and ruffled his hair.

“Glad you dig ’em, bud,” he muttered.

Ethan jumped up, seeming to forget he was still attached to Merry, which meant his jump jolted Merry. This made Merry’s grin turn into a smile.

Then he let go and whirled my way.

“Mom! Isn’t this awesome?” he asked me, waving the tickets.

“Totally, kid,” I answered.

“Ready to ruuuuuuuumble!” Ethan shouted before he shoved his way back to the coffee table, the dissected R2-D2, and more presents.

I was squatting close to my boy, taking notes so Ethan could write thank-yous, shoving spent paper and bows in a trash bag, and finishing up my piece of cake.

I was also allowing myself to enjoy the latest boon.

This being, when life threatened to knock my kid sideways, it had always been me and mom who had to scramble to make sure it didn’t knock anything in him he couldn’t get rid of. Anger. Bitterness. Sadness. Regret.

I looked to Merry to see him watching my kid tearing into his next present, and he had the look on his face that he sometimes had when he looked at me, but modified.

Even modified, it was soft and warm and perfect.

That was my boon.

Because my man dug my kid.

And me and my mom had another member on our team to make sure Ethan didn’t get knocked sideways.

And he was a ringer.

Chapter Twenty-Three

People Like Them

Garrett

Thursday Afternoon

“Yeah. Thanks, man,” Garrett said into his phone. “Later.”

He disconnected.

Colt and Sully were standing next to Mike’s desk, talking to him about a case they were on.