When We Go Back Again (Mason Brothers Book #1)

Chapter 15

EDEN

This night has been everything I could imagine. Magical, pretty sure it was pure magic. I was dancing to the live band with Joseph and I happened to look over to Fletcher and he was just staring at me. Not in a weird way, but watching me, like seeing me fully for the first time. I could tell that Joseph was going to be crashing soon and we really needed to get home, but I really hated the idea of the night ending. I take his hand and we walk back to the blanket where Fletcher is alone now. Cade must have left when I wasn’t paying attention.

“Is everything okay?” Fletch stood up to meet us right away.

“Yeah, I just figured it is probably about time to get home so Joey can go to sleep.”

“Mommy no, I’m not tired at all.” His sentence was punctuated with a big yawn, which just made Fletcher and I both laugh. I kneeled down on the ground in front of him and held both his hands.

“Joseph, sweetheart, I know you had such a great time today and I promise we will do some other fun things another day with Fletcher. But right now, we need to get home so you can go to bed.”

“You promise?” He begs, even puckering out his bottom lip.

“I promise,” I say with a kiss on his forehead.

“I promise too, little man. But your mom is right. If she says it is bedtime, then it is bedtime and we have to respect that.”

“Okay, fine.”

I grab all the blankets and put them in the bag and we start walking back to the truck. Joseph starts to lag behind, his footsteps dragging. I turn to give Fletcher the bag so I can carry Joseph, but he had already swooped Joseph up in his arms and starts walking again. By the time we get back to the truck, Joseph is fast asleep. We get him buckled into his seat and start to head back to our place. I slide my hand over the center console and Fletcher slips his hand into mine.

“I’d say today was a success,” Fletch glances over with a grin on his face.

“I think it was even better than a success. I don’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun. He’ll sleep well tonight, that’s for sure.”

“Looks like he is well on his way.”

I look into the backseat and check out the peaceful boy fast asleep. A smile spreads across my face. The rest of the ride home is in silence, but it is awkward at all. I feel at peace being with Fletcher. He was always somebody who could center me, my calm during the storm. Here is he all these years later, the same man.

He makes the final turn onto the long drive to the house, when it comes into view we see both my mom and Carl sitting on the patio. “Wow, were they waiting up for us?”

“There is a chance but there is also an alarm on the front gate so they knew we were coming.”

“Ahh, I see.”

We get out of the truck and Fletcher pulls Joseph out of the car. He hardly moves except to transfer his weight to Fletcher. Mom and Carl meet us halfway to the patio. “Look at that sleeping beauty.” Mom rubs Joseph’s back.

“We had a really busy day, he didn’t stand a chance,” Fletch kids.

“I’m going to go put him into bed real quick.”

Fletcher handed over Joseph and I took him inside to his bedroom. I didn’t even bother putting pajamas on, he’d be fine without them for one night. I tucked his covers up over him and kissed him on the forehead and whispered into his ear, ”I love you, my sweet boy. Sleep well.”