For Her, He Will

Chapter Three - Do distractions ever really work?

Oakley grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders before walking out of the cabin. Monica had just driven up with Tate for the drop-off. Tate came bouncing out, smiling with his bag, and ran up to Oakley.

"Hey Oaks," Tate smiled.

"Howdy, Tot," Oakley smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of Tate's head as he continued on into the house.

Monica walked up behind him, shaking her head at Tate's lack of saying goodbye.

"I could drop dead, and I'm pretty sure he'd have no clue for at least three days," Monica put her hands in her back pockets.

"Don't say that," Oakley giggled. "Thank you for letting Kayce have him tonight. It'll mean the world to him for his birthday."

"He's never asked this before," Monica shrugged. "That was always my thing though...he just needed to ask."

"Well, I'm asking now," Oakley nodded. "So, thank you."

Monica nodded her head.

"He's got a spelling quiz on Monday," Monica said. "Just in case he doesn't tell you or tries to tell you something else."

"Got it," Oakley nodded. "I'll quiz him over the weekend."

Monica gave her a tight smile and started to walk back to her car when she stopped and looked back over at Oakley.

"Have you set a date yet?" Monica asked.

Oakley felt her insides freeze up.

"Uh..." Oakley scuffed her boot against the dirt. "June...not an actual day in that month though yet."

"June's a nice month," Monica nodded, but her expression was unreadable to Oakley and that made the woman nervous.

"Yeah," Oakley said.

Oakley couldn't help herself more than to think about when Monica and Kayce's wedding day was. Was theirs in the summer or winter? Was it big or small? Who all came or who wasn't invited? Where was it? Oakley got so wrapped up she didn't hear Monica at first.

"Sorry, what?" Oakley asked.

"I just said that I'll see you later," Monica gave her a funny look.

"Okay," Oakley turned. "Bye."

She watched Monica drive off and almost like clockwork, Kayce's truck pulled up over the hill and made its way down the dirt road. Oakley stood there and waited for Kayce to get out and walk over.

"Was that Monica I saw?" He asked.

"She just dropped Tate off," Oakley smiled, trying to shake off her feelings. "Happy Birthday...again."

Kayce smiled as he walked up to Oakey, holding the back of her head with one hand while his other wrapped around her back. Kayce dipped Oakley backward, kissing her on the lips deeply before pulling her back up.

Oakley was stunned, blinking a few times.

"Dad!" Tate called, coming back out of the house and running toward his father. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, buddy," Kayce bent down and scooped Tate into his arms for a big bear hug. "I missed you."

"Missed you," Tate said as Kayce sat him back down, he then looked at Oakley. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Oakley flicked Tate's ear. "Let's get out of the cold."

Later that evening