“Oh, that’s perfect! Where? No, wait, don’t tell me. Oh, I’m so happy for you guys!” she gushes like an enthusiastic teenager.

Her excitement brings a smile to my face. “I miss you, Mara.”

“I miss you too, Lilly. When things settle down, let’s get together.”

“I’d like that.”

“Okay, so don’t answer the door and beware of process servers hiding in the bushes. Call me if you get another subpoena or anything else hinky.”

“Hinky, huh?”

“What? It’s a word.”

“I’ll talk to you soon, Mara.”

How much longer before Z arrives?

That’s a new feeling. I never thought I’d find myself waiting on any man. It’s hard to deny the butterflies dancing in my stomach and the way my mouth keeps tugging up at the corners at the thought of seeing Z again.

“Mommy?” Chance calls. “See the ducks?”

“Sure. You want to ride your tractor to the lake?”

“Yes!” He raises his hands in the air like a miniature boxing champ and runs to the door. Laughing, I follow.

A few hours later, my boots and jeans are splattered with mud. Chance is even filthier. Somehow, he managed to get mud in his hair.

“Let’s head back so you can take a bath before we go to Uncle Alex’s.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“You want to go all gross and muddy?”

He glances down at his shirt and shrugs.

“Come on.” I hold out my hand and wiggle my fingers. After a brief hesitation, he presses the little accelerator on the tractor down and steers toward home.

Z’s pulling into the driveway as we come around the side of the house.

“Daddy!” Chance yelps and points.

“He’s home.” That same excited fluttering starts up in my stomach again.

In his eagerness to see his dad, Chance throws himself off the tractor, tripping and falling. He lands with a soft oof in the grass, but jumps up, brushes himself off, and runs. I can’t help it. The whole scene’s so funny, I end up standing there laughing.

Z scoops Chance into his arms. “Missed you. Have you been good for your mom?”

Too eager to tell Z about all the things he’s been up to, Chance barely answers the question. Z’s eyes lock with mine as he slowly makes his way over.

“Missed you too, pretty girl,” he says, leaning in to give me a kiss.

“Daddy!” Chance huffs. He squirms and wiggles for Z to set him down and then yanks him toward the house.

“Hang on, Chance. Let’s put the tractor away. You’re not leaving it out for your mom to do.”

Chance squints up at him and I have to hold in my laughter. “Otay.”

After they secure the tractor in the shed, Chance captures Z’s hand again, dragging him up the front stairs. “Where were you?” he demands.