“Kye,” I hissed with a laugh. “Quiet.”

“I can’t help it. Everything about this was perfect.” He shoved money into the tip jar. Lots of money, like multiple hundred dollar bills. “I will definitely be back.”

“Yes,” I hissed more. “In, like, twenty minutes with Bailey. Stop that!” I said, slapping his hand as he put another one in.

“I will if you won’t be mad when we show up with new bikes,” he said with a laugh.

“You don’t need to⁠—”

He shoved two more in.

“Fine! I won’t be mad. Just take all that back out if you’re buying her a bike.”

He smiled. “No. See you soon.” He nearly ran out the front as Amber looked at the tip jar. She had become my best friend when we lived together in college. She was the one person who helped me every step after Kye left, and was possibly the only reason I ever graduated. Even now, she was still my best friend, but I was currently fuming at her sudden closeness with Kye. She seemed more comfortable with him now than I felt.

“Shit,” she said, looking into the tip jar. “He’s sneaky.”

“What does that mean? He did it right in front of our faces.”

“I just told him I needed to make extra money for my boys’ sports equipment,” she said. “I think I said, like, four hundred dollars and look, four hundred dollars. I magically have enough to get their equipment.”

“He didn’t.”

“Pretty sure he did. I’m not surprised, though. After Lane left, Kye stopped over a few months later and helped me with a ton of stuff. Including getting the boys’ beds bought and built. There was so much to do and I just couldn’t manage.”

“You never told me that. I would have helped you!”

“I didn’t think you’d want to know about Kye, I mean, and I really didn’t want you to think I was sleeping with him or something. I know how possessive you’ve always been of him.” I went to protest, but she stopped me. “Babe, I don’t blame you, I’m just saying. It was nice to have someone that helped without wanting anything or telling me sorry that Lane walked out on you a million times. He came, helped, and I haven’t seen him since. Now, though, he basically hands me the money I need. I wish you didn’t already have your claws in him because damn, he’s still hot, too. And god, that bit of edge he has still? Like you know that man is good in bed.”

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to say how much I agreed. “You have apparently talked to him more in the past six years than me. How do I have my claws in him?”

“Pretty sure you’ve had those claws in him since you met him. And I’m also pretty sure he’s not trying to remove them. Plus, he just went to pick up your kid, so we get to see how that plays out now.”

She moved to hand me half of the money, but I shook my head. “No thanks, that was for you. I’m good right now.”

Another hour went by and I started to worry.

I had looked out the window every minute for the past fifteen. He should already have picked her up, and if they were biking here, they should make it here any minute now. Then again, she wasn’t great on a bike, so he might end up carrying both of them.

I looked up again, and this time I saw them. Kye was on a dirtbike, riding with his front tire off the ground next to Bailey as she rode on a smaller one with two little training wheels, and she was laughing hysterically. Then he got off, pulling her and her front wheel up and holding it to let her ride around in a wheelie as she yelled in joy.

Amber came over, looking out with me.

“Well, I take back what I said. I’m starting to not care if you have your claws in him. I might just shoot my shot.”

“Amber,” I said, glaring at her.

“Almost kidding. Go talk to your new babysitter before that group of women over there starts lining up to have his babies.”

I looked at the group, who were smiling and whispering to each other as they watched Kye out the window.

I walked out, worried about how bad I wanted to be at the front of that line suddenly.

“You said bikes, Kye, not dirtbikes!” I yelled as he shut his off. My heart was racing, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the anxiety of Bailey on a little dirt bike or the fact that I wanted to jump Kye and kiss him for being so sweet.

“I didn’t clarify? My bad,” he said, giving me that smile. The one showing that he knew he was in trouble, but thought he was sweet enough to get out of it.

And he was right.

“You seriously bought her new everything?”

“Yes, and she loves it, so you better not yell at me in front of her.”

“I didn’t doubt that she would love it, but you didn’t have to do that.”

“Obviously. Consider it an early Christmas present.”

“It’s June.”

“Then consider it an early, or late, birthday present. When is her birthday?”

“Next month. The 23rd.”

“There you go. Happy early birthday to her.”

I only shook my head and watched as she drove in little circles. “As much as I would like to hang out, I still have to work, and I suggest you two move along home because the women inside are deciding who gets to be in line first to have your babies.”

His eyebrows shot up, looking around me to the diner. I didn’t even need to turn back to know that the group of women was still looking out here.

“Where does the line start?” he asked.

“I’m assuming they would have to trip over each other to line up in front of you wherever, but I’m not sure of the rules.”

He rolled over on the dirtbike until he was right in front of me.

“Well, look at that, Daze. Looks like you’re first,” he said, smiling up at the women with a wave.

They waved back, and I turned to him.

“Funny.”

“Do you come home with me now to get that done? Or just go behind the building? I can try to make it romantic either way, or go get a milkshake if you feel like getting wild.” His eyebrows jumped, and he smiled.

Well, damn.

Younger Kye was hot. All the reckless, unruly energy he had, the way he had been so obsessed with me.

Grown Kye was worse, though. That same recklessness was there, but now he was a little more free somehow. Funnier, sweeter, caring. Calmer in a dangerous way.