"Jadon, time to brush our teeth," I say trying to rush as I am running late, yet again. Jadon drags his feet, rubbing his eyes all the way to the bathroom trying my patience as best he can. I know, he's four and it isn't his fault, but we have to get him settled at this place.

"Why do I have to be up so early? I'm tired, mommy." He released a yawn. The kind that is considered contagious. "Can't I go to school tomorrow?"

"No, baby. We need to go today since mommy and grandpa are both at work," I say while propping him up on the counter and we start our little routine. I hear someone knocking on the door and my dad going to answer it. I can faintly hear his voice in the background and focus on getting Jadon's teeth done before he spits his toothpaste out all over me.

Well, I was too late today and so he sprayed my shirt.

"Sorry mommy, it was in there too long," he says while wiping his face off with the back of his hand.

"It's fine, go get your shoes on and I'll be down in a minute." He jumps down and heads downstairs. Since I heard him yell hi to Lucas, I can guess who is downstairs.

Unless he renamed his imaginary friend, Bramble.

But no, I can hear Lucas and know that the second I get downstairs, I will be assaulted with that smell and whatever the man looks like when he's fresh in the morning. Unaffected by the hot sun and all that yet.

And because of that, it takes four different shirt changes and an extra coat of mascara. Why? I have no clue, but it seems necessary even if I'm running late.

When I make it downstairs, I hear Jadon telling the story of how he spit all over me again so I needed to change my shirt. I see Lucas trying to stifle a laugh until he meets my icy glare. Only then do I see him biting his stupid dimply cheek.

He could go off and be one of those models everyone recognizes with the two different eyes and the unnaturally beautiful freaking face and live off of his good looks for the rest of his natural life. And here I was, trying to make sure my lashes weren't clumpy before the day even started.

"I thought we were meeting at the daycare," I say to him.

"Yeah, but, I figured we could drive together and stop for Starbucks on the way. Or smoothies, or whatever you drink in the mornings."

"Ha! Good luck with little miss small business over there," my dad laughs out loud causing me to roll my eyes.

"Okay, first, shut it," I say to my dad then turn to Lucas, "and second, why do you want to drive with us, and third, we are NOT getting in that two-door death trap you drive."

And I'm not putting Jadon into the spot where he was made. No. Absolutely not.

"Okay, first," Lucas mimics me, "we can go get drinks wherever you want, it makes no difference to me. Second, I brought my truck, not the 'stang, so you can calm down."

"Well, if I need to leave and go pick him up or something I will need to have my car."

"If you need to leave for an emergency with Jadon, you can bet I'll be going too, and if for any other reason, you can have the key and take it wherever you need to go."

I look at him because he's grown a second head. I just can't see it yet. "Fine, but I'll need to get his booster seat out of my car then and we will need to hurry since we should have already left."

"Fine," Lucas says.

"Fine," I say.

"Fine," my dad chimes in like he's so damn funny.

"Fine," Jadon adds, thinking he's suddenly funny too. It's okay though since he's actually cute doing it.

We head out and Lucas takes over getting the car seat into his car. I'm a little shocked to see that he actually knows what he's doing. "I ordered the same one, and it should arrive tomorrow so you can have this back. Or take the new one. Whatever you want."

When he's done, he helps Jadon get buckled in, while I get into the front seat. I'm glad his truck is clean and not littered with used condoms like his other car was when I was in it.

Okay, maybe there weren't but there may as well have been.

"Ready?" Lucas asks sliding into the driver's seat.

This entire car smells like him. Like he rubbed his chin on every surface.

It's the sweet kind of torture that has me rolling down the window.

"Yep," I say looking down at my phone, sending a quick text to Ted confirming some plans for Friday night. Guess we're going out of town Friday night so I'll have to ask my dad to watch Jadon for the night. He's watched him a few times when Ted took me to places like Las Vegas for my last birthday and San Francisco, which was my favorite. He said this one is a surprise, but to dress a little warm so I'm guessing mountains.

"Where to?" Lucas asks, interrupting my distraction from him. "Which one of these small places is your favorite?"

I'm not sure about this, but if he's willing to make the stop and spend an extra few minutes waiting for us, fine. Maybe he'll change his mind about this driving thing. "Um, Cosmic Café, it's on Third and Park."

"Alright, sounds good. I'll go in if you want to stay in the car with Jadon," he offers.

"Sure, that's fine." He's offering... to go inside for us?

"What do you want and what will Jadon want?"

Maybe he's just nicer in the morning. "Two clean cocoas. One child size and one medium."

"What's a clean cocoa?"

"It's a vegan hot chocolate that is organic."

"That sounds disgusting."

I bite my lip. "It's actually pretty good, even my dad likes it."

"Ugh, you and your weird diet," he jokes causing me to giggle a little. The second I realize I'm giggling, I throw my hand up to my mouth and immediately stop. I'm not supposed to enjoy this, I'm supposed to hate him for the rest of my life.

He grins to himself in obvious satisfaction.

I roll my eyes and call my dad. He picks up on the first ring.

"Hey dad, I was wondering if you'd be fine watching Jadon Friday night and most of Saturday."

"Sure, why?"

I shoot a glance at Lucas who is obviously being nosy. I turn toward the window slightly because obviously he won't hear a damn thing that way. "Ted is taking me somewhere for the night and it sounds like this one is just the two of us that he's planning for."

My dad agrees and we end the call as Lucas parks in front of the café. He sits there for a minute but doesn't get out of the car.

"What?" I ask him, wondering why he is sitting here when we are already ten minutes late to the drop-off at Jadon's school.

"I could watch him if you want," he offers.

"Umm, no. I don't think either of you are ready for that just yet." Not to mention Jadon is supposed to learn about this tonight. We have no idea how he'll take it.

Shit. I haven't even told Ted.

"What if I came over Friday night and then came back Saturday and took him for a few hours?"

I think about it for a bit before nodding my head. "Fine, but you'll have to follow his lead on things. Don't try to force him to do something he doesn't want to do. He's generally okay with things, but if he says 'no' he means 'no.'"

He is an overall easy kid, but he knows how to set boundaries.

"I think I can handle it, Allie. I was a kid once, myself," he says.

"Fine," I say. I know he's going to eat those words he just said.

"Fine!" Jadon yells in the back.

Finally, he goes in and gets our drinks. He hands Jadon his kiddie cup, which took all of eight seconds for him to spill on the seat. I gave Lucas the look that said should have taken my car but noooo, and he just grunts at me.

"It's fine, I have a detailing set at home, I'll just get it out later." He shrugs it off like it's nothing. Maybe he's had girls spill their drinks in his car before and he knows the secret to remove stains.

Yeah, whatever. He's taking it fine for now. Wait 'til he colors on your wall with a sharpie, buddy. Then we'll see if all is fine in stupid pretty Lucas world with the freaking scent of the damn gods.

Seriously, is it just a strong body wash?

He takes a sip of his drink and does this lip-smacking maneuver and makes one of those satisfied "hmmm," sounds.

"What?"

He smiles. "You were right. It's pretty good."