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“Alright, now remember what I told you, and keep your eyes on the ball darlin’,” Ty called from squatting a few feet away. A sliver of pink tongue could be seen between Sadie’s lips as she concentrated as well as any young child could. Zane was sitting a few yards away watching contentedly, as he subconsciously bundled himself closer in his jacket from the brisk air.
It was mid November with a cool chill now settling itself nicely over the town. Zane’s sister Annie had been visiting the past week with Zane’s niece Sadie. Mark, her husband, had been stuck back in Dallas for his work. It was nice seeing his sister after all this time, the last time being nearly six months prior when Zane had to come home to the ranch to visit briefly.
That morning Annie had all but begged Zane to watch Sadie so she could go around the city on a day of her own. Zane nearly said no until Ty had grabbed the phone right out of his hands and promised the weary sounding woman her day to herself. Eyes twinkling with mischief and love, Zane couldn’t do anything but snap his mouth shut and smile at the man sitting next to him in bed.
Ever since their first date a few weeks back, Zane had found himself spending more and more time at Ty’s place, only going back to his own shoebox apartment for change of clothes occasionally or when he thought Ty might need a night to himself. Zane knew they were still in the honeymoon stage, and habits were still getting figured out, but Zane hadn’t been this happy in years. Not since Becky anyway.
Snapping out of his daydream, Zane watched Ty throw underhand to Sadie with one of the softballs littering the field around them. Swinging wide, Sadie clipped the edge of the ball sending it up and far right of herself.
“Atta-girl, it’s a foul but it’s a great start,” Ty beamed at the child as he ran a few feet and scooped up the ball in his mitt. Sadie smiled up at the man in front of her as he pulled his cap off of his head and placed it firmly on hers. It fell into her eyes a bit but Sadie just beamed even wider. Zane smiled at the two of them and thought about how easy Ty was with kids.
When Sadie was born, Zane found it hard to even hold the child let alone bond with her. It was a while until he got Sadie to even come hug him after a visit, but Ty just had this natural ability with kids. It almost made Zane long for something more with Ty, but that was long and far away if it would ever happen.
It continued like that for a few more hours, Ty teaching anything he could to the young mind in front of him, until the cold soon became unbearable for the small girl and even Zane himself. Scooping her up into his arms, Ty walked over to Zane while he started to clean up the blanket he had occupied that afternoon.
“Have fun with Ty today baby girl?” Zane asked as he kissed her pink cheeks from the cold. Mumbling a yes and thank you while she hid her face in Ty’s warm coat, Ty chuckled as he looked back at Zane in front of him.
“Wanna head to lunch? I know a great place up the street where kids eat free until 5,” Ty ran his left hand to Zane’s collar of his coat, popping it up from the windchill, as it sent an entirely different chill down Zane’s spine. Nodding in agreement, Zane took his hand as they walked back towards Zane’s parked SUV. If Zane had been an onlooker, he would have sworn they looked like a married couple as they carried their child home. The resemblance between Sadie and himself didn’t help this daydream. Chuckling to himself, Zane just got into the drivers seat of the car.
Zane watched in the rearview mirror as Ty buckle the now napping girl into her carseat, gently trying his hardest not to disturb her small sleeping form. He felt his stomach clench in butterflies as he watched Ty, a feeling he was growing accustomed to when he saw a new side to the usually gruff and mischievous man. This side had Zane thinking about a far off future which he had never before thought of, even when he was still with his ex. It made Zane warm all over thinking about the future with Ty, a future he was going to desperately work at if need be.
“Garrett, are you listening to me?” Ty said as he got into the passenger seat, a quirked eyebrow on his face. Zane just grinned and leaned over to place a chaste kiss to Ty’s lips.
“Not at all, too busy thinking,” Zane let his southern drawl out which he knew Ty especially loved. Huffing out a quick breath, Ty just rolled his eyes and kissed Zane again quickly.
“Alright, well quit your thinkin’ i’m starving, lets get this show on the road,” Ty waved at the windshield in mock annoyance, his eyes the only thing giving him away. Zane just continued to chuckle as he pulled out of the parking lot, placing a firm hand over Ty’s as he drove to their destination. Yeah Zane could get used to these feelings. He could get used to this very easily.