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“Oh, thank God!” Chase grabbed it from me and popped it into Abby’s openover her new teeth that she was cutting She fell silent and stopped trying to cliic”

“You thought yourbaby with abinky stack up?”

Chase laughed and cradled Abby as she settled down, happily chewing on the soft pacifier “They didn’t cover that in basic, that’s for sure” He planted a kiss on my lips and looked down at ht he was helping with dishes tonight?”

“He went next door His little girlfriend Gracie just got a new puppy and he’s obsessed”

Chase chuckled “Lord save us all…”

“I told hiot dark”

“All right Well, I’ain and then ling his brows at me

“So we can nap?” I teased

“Eventually,” he replied, tossingto leave the kitchen

I wore a s the kitchen An hour later, Jackson cairl and her puppy, and Chase and I both took him upstairs to read a story

“Just one more story,” Jackson protested around a wide mouthed yawn

Chase chuckled and reached over to ruffle his hair I promptly smoothed it back into place and kissed his brow “Tomorroeetheart”

Chase pushed off the side of the bed and started toward the door I hung back for another moment and stared down into the face of my precious son “I love you so much, sweetheart”

“I love you too, Mom”

I kissed hiht, buddy,” he called softly, not wanting to wake up Abby as sleeping—finally—in the room next door to Jackson’s