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I’m not so sure. He’s getting up there in age. He wouldn’t be the first man to need a knee replacement after abusing his body in his younger years.

“Hey.” Tanner lifts his chin. “How’d drop off go?”

“Like any other day but with more excitement and a photo.” I pull out my phone to show Tanner the shot of Owen smiling against the brick wall. “They’re watching a movie in the gym today. They’re all meant to bring in a blanket, pillow and stuffy.””

Tanner shakes his head on a wide grin. “It wasn’t all that long ago, but I can’t say I remember school being that fun.”

“Me neither.” I rock back on my heels as I peer at the frame of what is soon going to be a hell of a house. “I think I blocked it out, though. I was never all that fond of sitting for hours at a desk.”

“I hear you there.” Tanner crosses his arms over his chest. “We’ll be ready for plumbing and electrical by next week.”

I make a mental note to get the trades arranged, giving Tanner a clap to the back as I turn to my truck. I pause. “Oh, Faye wanted me to remind you of the barbeque.”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Tanner says with a wave as he heads back toward the crew.

I swing into a stall at Wilder Builds, seeing Faye slide out the back door as soon as I do. I catch her smile through the windshield and blow out a breath of relief. She must be feeling better.

She slides into the passenger seat. “How’d drop off go?”

“Great.” I already sent her the photo, of course. “He was excited to build a bed in the gym for the movie with Colton.”

Her smile wobbles as she’s assaulted by pregnancy emotions. “He’s just growing up so fast.”

I dip my chin in a nod as I back out of the stall. “Life is weird, eh? Sometimes it drags and other times⁠—”

“Other times you blink.”

Since being with Faye, it’s all been a blink. It’s been almost eight years and somehow it feels like no time at all has passed.

“Is Mom still good to grab Owen from school?”

“She’s excited,” Faye tells me. “She’s taking him for ice cream to celebrate another year of learning under his belt.”

“Of course, she is.” I tap the wheel. “You know, I don’t remember her spoiling me and Holt like that.”

Faye flinches when I say Holt’s name. She always flinches when I mention him, but I do it anyway. Not often, but often enough that he stays alive between us.

In the beginning, I did it because I knew she needed it. I knew she stalked him on socials and watched all his games tucked into some dark corner somewhere. I knew…

Now, I do it because I know there’s a dark corner of her heart that still loves him. That will always love him, and I don’t want her to feel guilty for that love. I want her to know that I’m okay with it. I understand it, even—in an odd way I can’t entirely explain.

He helped to craft the girl I’ve always loved into the woman who is now my wife. I can’t seem to summon fault toward him for it.

I can’t fault her beautiful heart for securing a small space for him, even if I would prefer to own every nook and cranny for myself.

Faye clears her throat. “I think that’s the grandma effect.”

“Ah, well, that makes sense then.”

She nods, musing, “I think it would be nice.”

“What?” I steal a glance at her to find she’s got her dreamy eyes fixed out the window.

“To be a grandma.”

“Yeah?” I love hearing this woman dream out loud.

“Being a mom is great. I love it with all that I am, even though I sometimes joke about selling Owen to the Zoo.” Her lips curl, and she twists to look at me with hope shining in her eyes. “But watching my mom and yours—I think being a grandma might be the sweet spot.”