We reach Brady's Camaro and he opens the door, standing inside.

"I'm sorry. I've got nothing. I guess I'm too new in this area to offer any advice."

He laughs. "It helps venting. I'm sure after the wedding it will all be back to normal . . . I hope." His fingers weave through his hair as he rotates the stress of his neck.

"It will. Hang in there."

He eyes his watch. "I'm already late for the caterer. Don't forget tux fitting this weekend. Guys only, we're going out after." He points at me and I hold my hands up in defense.

"When have I ever been against a guys' night?"

He smirks and shakes his head. "Since Paige entered your life."

I nod, he's got a point. Lately, it's been me canceling practices and shows due to a baseball game for Matty, or just a night in with Paige.

We say our good-byes and then I jog over to my car.

I dig out the crumpled up sheet of paper with a list of errands that Paige shoved in my pocket this morning. The best route runs through my head so I make sure to get them done before picking up Matty at preschool.

An hour later, I'm waiting in the pick-up line outside Matty's school. After stopping at every d.a.m.n store in Western, I'm fifteen cars back, which sucks because I'll have to wait for each kid to be escorted to their car, and strapped in. G.o.d forbid any of the teachers not chit chat with the mom.

Man, how my life as changed in only a few months. I used to wait for a tattoo and now I'm waiting for a kid I've grown to love as much as his sister. I'm even surprised how my world spun on its axis and flipped me completely around, but I'm the happiest I've ever been.

Paige and I still have a few hurdles. We're waiting on final paperwork that states she's Matty's guardian, but as far as we know it's only a technicality. They had no problem with Matty staying in the house with all of us, as long as he had his own room. Which he did, after Paige moved into mine. Lucky for Paige, her dad did release her trust early, which loosens financial pressures on her. There are times I see her sadness at night during one of those commercials with a daughter and a mother. All I can do is be there for her when she needs me; I can't take her pain away, no matter how much I wish I could. Linda disappeared from that hospital room and hasn't contacted us once.

My fingers drum my thigh as I crawl forward every four minutes until Matty's skipping to the car holding Mrs. Williams, his teacher's hand. I climb out to slide my seat forward so Matty can get in.

"Hey, buddy. How was school?" I ask, smiling over to Mrs. Williams.

"Thanks. See you Monday," I say directly to her.

"Have a great weekend." She peeks her head into my car. Matty's too preoccupied trying to strap himself in. "Have fun at your birthday party."

He lifts his head. "Thanks."

Mrs. Williams follows the sidewalk to the next car and I slide into the driver's seat, looking at Matty through the rearview mirror. His head is hanging low and he's unusually quiet.

"What's up, Bud?"

I steer the car away slowly not to rock the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cake that Matty asked for.

He digs through his backpack and pulls out a green piece of paper. "Here." He hands it to me through the opening of seats.

Staring ahead on the road, my hand lifts up to grab it. "What is this?"

Once we're stopped at a light, I unfold the piece of paper on top of the steering wheel. There lies the problem that's invoked Matty's sadness. A daddy and me night at the school. Just to add salt to the wound they're having a magician, which Matty is all about lately.

"All the kids are going. Nick asked me if I was."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him I'd have to ask my dad." My heart sinks because Paige hasn't told Matty much since he moved in with us.

We drive up the driveway and Paige's car is parked in the usual spot. Relief envelops me because she can handle this much better than me. I open the car door and he grabs his bag and steps out.

"If your dad can't go, can I take you?" I ruffle his long mop of hair and he gazes up at me like I'm his favorite turtle, Raphael.

"Yeah."

We enter the house and Paige is packing up a box full of the favors for the kids.

"My two favorite men." She greets us and Matty runs up to her.

"Rob said he'd take me to this." He sprints back to me, tearing the piece of paper out of my hand and then thrusts it to Paige when he returns back.

Paige reads it over and then her eyes peek up at me, glistening with wetness. "This sounds like a lot of fun."

"I can't wait." He drops his bag on the chair and opens the refrigerator. "Can I have a snack?"

"There's some apple slices in there," Paige calls out as her eyes fixate on me.

I wrap my arm around her waist, dragging her into me and kissing the spot right below her ear. "How was your day?"

"Thank you." She relaxes in my arms and I kiss her cheek.

"Always."

Matty sits down in a seat next to us, chomping on his apples. "Are all my friends coming?"

Paige breaks away from me, the one downside of having a kid in the house. We rarely have time to ourselves. "I think so." She goes back to loading the box.

"Chloe and Tara?"

"Yep, coming."

"Matt?"

"Yes."

"Jace?"

"I think so."

"Mommy?"

Paige's hand stops midstream and she peers over to me. "Um." She sits down next to him. "Remember when you moved in, I told you how Mommy asked me to take care of you?"

His head falls down. "Yeah."

Paige places her hand on Matty's hand to comfort him. "While she's gone, you have me and . . ."

She glances back to me and I squat down in between them, placing my hand on top of theirs, and wink over at Paige. "Me," I add and relief floods Paige's face.

"Okay." He picks up an apple and nibbles.

My gut twists for the kid. If anyone can help him through this, Paige can.

By the time we arrive at Chuck E Cheese and Matty's got on the inflatable crown, he's forgotten about Linda and her absence. He runs around with his friends from school while the gang of us hang around the table talking.

"Did everyone hear the news?" Sadie asks and everyone groans, even Jessa as she cradles her little girl.

"What?" Chrissy takes the bait, most likely out of guilt no one else is asking.

"Rob enrolled back into school." Sadie's face is more excited than mine.

My eyes divert to Brady whose teeth clench. "Sorry, man."

Sadie covers her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't hear the part about no one else knowing."

"Because you're too busy talking guest lists." Brady sneers and everyone at the table tenses.

"Brady," she sighs, but he just shakes his head.

"Really?" Paige scoots closer to me with a soft whisper.

I turn to her. "Really. I was going to surprise you tonight with the news." I glare at a sympathetic Sadie.

She kisses my cheek and then her arm swings around my neck. "I'm so happy for you."

She doesn't say she's proud of me, or thank you because she would have stayed with me either way, but I know she's happy I'm a Western student once again.

"Have you told your mom?" She backs up to see my face.

"I thought we could take Matty down there tomorrow? She made him a cake and has presents for his birthday."

"Of course. What about your dad?"

"Yeah."

A few weeks ago, after Paige got the final papers about Matty and she received the okay to have him live with all of us, including Dex and Chrissy, as long as he had his own room, we went down to Mill River. Surprise found me when my dad was in the living room waiting.

Paige shuffled Matty out to the backyard to play while I had a heart to heart with my dad. It almost turned into a fist-to-fist when my mom announced her and my dad were trying to work things out. Eventually, after another therapy appointment, I realized, I can't control what my mom does.

The one good thing that came out of it, my dad paid my tuition this afternoon and agreed to keep it a secret from my mom until I told her. That was a hard pill to swallow knowing I could have saved my parents money if I would have stuck in school, but I can't change the past.

"Matty will be happy." Paige reminds me how much Matty loves visiting my parents. My dad even took me and Matty out to the garage on the last visit showing us the '69 Mustang he bought to fix up. I guarantee it was a bribe of some sort, but I'm slowly easing back into our relationship. Just with a conspicuous eye now.

"I know." I hug her, kissing her temple.

"Oh!" She slaps my chest. "Guys!" She rallies all their attention and I love the fact she's already so comfortable with all my friends. "The Raptures are coming into town in two weeks; I've got tickets and backstage pa.s.ses."

"Shut up! Oh, babe we gotta get a babysitter," Trey excitedly says to Kailey, who's nodding her head already while pushing the stroller in place with Drew in it.

"How did you get them, Paige?" Grant asks.

Her eyes veer to me and then back to him. I see the thoughts turning in her head. Does she or doesn't she. Dex and Chrissy both already know, but no one else does. In my opinion, my friends don't give a s.h.i.t, but she needs to realize that. "Um . . ."

"Greg Thompson is . . . um . . ." Her eyes find me again. "My dad." She bites her lip, waiting for the rambling of questions.

"Seriously? That's awesome." Grant leans back, clearly impressed, and then looks back to his wife.

"That must be hard, Paige." Jessa leans forward, placing Addy in Grant's arms. She steps out of the far end of the table and sits down next to Paige.

"You must never see him." Sadie does the same and it's nice to see the guys not saying much and the girls supporting Paige.

As the girls stay on one side, the guys and the kids are on the other. I sit back as my friends razz me about my future father-in-law being Greg Thompson. The thought of forever with Paige doesn't scare me. Laughing, I know I'm the luckiest guy because not only is the girl that fits me best sitting next to me, my friends gave me a second chance. Our college years haven't been easy, we've endured a lot over the past five years, but we've gained someone new to walk through the rest of our life with. How lucky are we?

"To Rob!" All the guys have their soda filled gla.s.ses raised in the air. "Finally turned into an adult." Brady laughs and I shake my head.

"Jacka.s.s," I murmur.

"Well, someone has to take the spot now." Dex laughs and takes a sip of his drink. When Matty runs over for more tokens, he stands up.

"I got you covered."

Matty turns to his friends, "Did you know that's Hulk?" he whispers and I roll my eyes as Dex flexes his muscles to the kids.

"Hide the green paint!" Trey shouts after them and we all crack up.

After we get home and put Matty to bed, Dex and Chrissy leave for the night. Paige walks into our room. Our very feminine room with a plum comforter and silver walls. She allows my guitar to stay in the corner, but I've been restricted to one small section of the room, which is usually the messiest.

She falls onto the bed. "I'm exhausted. Seriously, tuck me in and kiss me goodnight."

I pull the bag from under the bed. My best rushed wrapping job ever. Pink bag with black tissue paper hides the gift inside.

Her eyes peek up with curiosity when I place it on her stomach. She s.n.a.t.c.hes it up and sits up in bed. When I plop down with her, she eyes me.

"What is it?" She waits.

"Just open it." I nudge it forward.

She tears the tissue paper out of the bag and pulls out the flannel pink and black checkered pants.

"New pajama pants!" she exclaims and then her hand lands on her mouth.

"Put them on."

She smiles and then stands up, shedding her pants and holds them out in front of her.