“Hey, buddy.” I hug him, then bring him back to his feet. “I missed you.”
I stand, then pick him up.
“Hey.” Rowan waves.
“Hi, guys,” Chelsea says as she catches up to him.
“How was the flight?”
“He talked everyone’s ear off.” She chuckles. “And besides trying to potty-train a toddler during a flight, it was fine.”
“Oh no,” Rowan says. “Did he have an accident?”
“No, he’s wearing a pull-up, but he likes to sit on the potty forever, and those plane bathrooms are so tiny, and some people aren’t very patient.”
“I’ll teach him how to stand and pee,” I say proudly.
Chelsea gives me a look.
“What? It’ll be my contribution. I have some makin’ up to do.”
“Throw Cheerios or Froot Loops in the toilet and tell him to aim for them,” Rowan says with a laugh. “That’s how my mom said they trained Riley.” She shrugs.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Chelsea responds, chuckling.
We all walk together to the baggage claim, and once we have their luggage, we take my truck back to the ranch. It’s an hour drive, so we use that time to catch up.
“So, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about…” Chelsea says when we get into the house.
“Spill it.”
I look over at Dawson, who’s playing with Rowan on the couch. Hearing their laughter is music to my ears.
“Well, okay, don’t freak out.” She bites her bottom lip.
“Oh hell, Chelsea. Don’t say that.” I remove my cowboy hat, brush a hand through my hair, then put it back. I’m already starting to sweat.
“Sorry, it’s not bad. I swear.”
I release a breath. “Alright, good. Then tell me.”
“I had a phone interview at a bank in San Angelo last week, and I’m going in for a second one while I’m here.”
“Wait. What?” I tilt my head, confused. “You’re movin’ here?”
“Well, we’d move to San Angelo so the commute wouldn’t be too long, but—”
“You’d be close!” I exclaim before she can finish.
She laughs, nodding. “Yes, we’d be really close.”
I lean down so I’m eye to eye with Dawson. “You hear that? We’ll get to see each other more than once a month!” I pick him up and pull him to my chest, then I turn to Chelsea and smile. “Thank you.”
“Dawson deserves to have a dad,” she simply says with a shrug. I would’ve never asked her to move here for me, but the fact that she made this decision on her own has me so damn excited.
“Can I ask you something?” I say to Chelsea, and she nods. Swallowing hard, I look at Dawson and then back at her. “I’d really like him to have my last name.”
She nods again. “I’m already working on it. I planned on changing it before we move here.”
“Dawson Hayes…” I say aloud with pride.
“He’s gonna be a heartbreaker,” Rowan chimes in. “Especially with his father’s genes.”
“Hey!”
Chelsea and Rowan both laugh.
“Daddy!”
The three of us go quiet and look at Dawson.
“Did he…?” I point at him.
Rowan’s eyes light up. “He did!”
“You just called me daddy?” My heart is about to burst, and tears well in my eyes. I can’t help it; this is one of the happiest moments of my life.
Dawson giggles when I tickle him. “I love being your dad, kid.”
“This is the right decision,” Chelsea says. “Plus, it’ll give Trace and me a chance to get to know each other.”
Rowan’s jaw drops. “I knew it!” She points at me. “I told you!”
I snort at her dramatics. “You did.”
“Told you what?” Chelsea asks.
Dawson gets restless on my hip, so I set him down and watch him carefully as he wanders around the room. If he’s going to be here more often, I’ll have to toddler-proof the house a lot better. There are too many things he could get into.
“That you two were totally flirting at the B&B that one day,” Rowan explains.
Chelsea blushes, and I couldn’t be happier that she’s interested in someone. “We exchanged numbers and have been casually talking. I knew there was no point if we were in different states, but then a bank job opened, and Dawson’s been asking to visit you more, and it just felt like all the pieces were coming together for us to move here.”
“So…it wasn’t just for me?” I tease, popping a brow.
“Oh, shut up.” Chelsea throws a pillow at me.
I’m so relieved that things aren’t awkward between us, especially with Rowan and her, and that the three of us get along. We’re going to be co-parenting, and though I’m still new to it, I’m excited to spend time with him and teach him everything I know about country living. Rowan’s been patient and understanding, and we’ve grown even closer.
“When’s the interview?” I ask.
“It’s tomorrow, so I was hoping you’d be able to watch him.”
“What time? I have to work in the morning, but I can in the afternoon,” I tell her.