Cole

"Are you sure about this? I'm sleep deprived and unlicensed." Wynn stares at the back of Taylor's head, her skepticism plain.

"Positive." Tay pulls the elastic band from her ponytail with one hand while carefully cradling Lyla in the crook of her other arm. "I saw the haircut you gave Colby and I want the same one. You've got natural talent, sister dear."

Wynn puffs out a flustered breath, shaking her head as she combs through Taylor's lengthy locks. "Fine. But seeing as we're family, I'm taking lawsuits and murder off of the table should you hate it."

"I won't! Isn't Auntie Taytay gonna be gorge little Lyly?" She coos at the sleeping infant, already powerless putty in Lyla's tiny hands like the rest of us.

"I think you'd better let me hold her while Wynona cuts your hair," my father says, rising to his feet to retrieve his granddaughter. "We don't need her getting hair splinters all over her face."

"That, or you need another excuse to hold her." Tay grins at our enamored father as he takes Lyla in his arms.

"It's part of my job," Dad gruffs. "I'll always have her best interests at heart."

"Plus you wanted to hold her again," Tay persists, bringing a sheepish smile to Dad's face as he waves her off.

"Looks like you're nearly unpacked," Dad says, smoothly changing the subject. "Just in the nick of time, too. Football practice starts Monday?"

"Yep. And I'll be ready, so long as that sleep sniper in your arms allows me to get some rest."

Dad only nods, but his eyes never leave his grandbaby. I take my final armload of clothes into our bedroom, hanging them in the closet and enjoying the familiar sounds of comfortable conversation flowing from the living room.

I almost can't believe it's real.

My father, my sister, my wife, and my daughter are all occupying the same space voluntarily and cheerfully. Stranger things have undoubtedly happened, but I've never been witness to them. Mom would be the only one we'd need to complete the picture, but that's never going to happen.

She's moved on from Dad, and it could be ages until we see her again. Our history together is a painful burden laden with guilt that I know she'll always carry, but the distance she's put between us is...well, it's hurtful. In truth, she believes my acceptance of Dad's new ways to be nothing short of crazy.

Instead, she's opted to remove herself from the situation permanently, having already secured a new beau. Phone calls and texts are the most we receive at this point, though I hope for more someday. I can't ask her to forgive him just because I have.

"We're going to miss you three," Dad says as I rejoin them. "It'll be lonely in Tyler without you."

Wynn makes her first tentative snip of Taylor's hair. "We'll be less than three hours away. Come visit. We'd love to have you both."

"Will do," Dad agrees, watching her closely. "You're very handy with scissors, Wynona. Have you thought about licensing?"

"Sure," Wynn says. "It's out of our price range for now, but maybe someday."

"Definitely someday." I watch Wynn breeze her way through another haircut without an ounce of training. Unbeknownst to me, she's been doing her own hair for years, only recently having taken on a few clients in Colby and Morgan. She was hesitant at first, but she's a whiz with shears.

So what if I am slightly biased?

"I might have a remedy for you," Dad says. "Let me handle your tuition and childcare. Get licensed so that you can share your talent with the world."

Wynn pauses mid snip, her brows pinched together in contemplation. "I'd hardly call it a talent. And besides, I can't let you pay my way through school. You've done enough for us already, wouldn't you say?" She gestures toward the new furnishings as proof of her claim. When I add to that our upgraded digs-a two bedroom apartment off campus that's also courtesy of Dad, I can't deny her point.

"You don't have to keep making amends," I say, carving my way to the heart of the matter. "Staying on good terms is more than enough for both of us."

"It'll never be enough, but that's another issue altogether. Please. It'd be my pleasure." Dad meets my eyes, the candor behind his words sobering. I hold his gaze in silence, brimming with uncertainty. "Let me do something just for Wynn."

I'm at a loss for words. Needless to say things have improved between the three of us, but this...

"You've never called me that before," Wynn says, breaking the tension as a bright smile forms on her lips. "Tell you what. We'll take you up on your offer, but in exchange you'll have to agree to free haircuts for the rest of your life. Deal?"

Dad laughs, the sound rich and hearty. "You drive a hard bargain, young lady. You've got yourself a deal."

"Right on!" Wynn chirps, fist bumping my dad in celebration. "Thank you, Harris."

Taylor glances my way, shaking her head with a grin a mile wide as Dad and Wynn begin discussing logistics. I know what she's thinking because I'm thinking the same thing.

Finally, we're a family.

********

"At least his drills aren't as bad as Coach Castillo's," Wyatt huffs, hands pressed against his knees as he attempts to recover from our bleacher runs. Being our first practice with the A&M squad, we're both aiming to impress. But I'm sucking wind too, having been more than a little lax in my training since Lyla's arrival. Still, it could be worse.

"Give it time," I muse, certain that Division I football has plenty more in store for us. "Won't be long 'til we'll be head-to-head with the best in the nation."

"This ain't Tyler anymore," Wyatt grunts, his expression grim.

"Tyler?" A lanky guy who isn't out of breath like the two of us slackers approaches with an extended hand. "Austin Mayer. Freshman, wide receiver, and all around loser. You must be the dynamic duo I've been hearing about since the State Championship slaughtering in Dallas."

"That's a hell of an intro. And yeah, I guess that'd be us," Wyatt says, shaking his hand. "Wyatt Matheson."

"Cole Galloway," I add with a handshake of my own. "Though we're nothing special."

"I think those pricks in Galveston would disagree," Austin continues affably. "And if you can connect on the field the way you finish each other's sentences, we're definitely in for some magic this season. I'm getting Thing One and Thing Two vibes."

"I'm getting some vibes of my own," I say as Wyatt unabashedly rolls his eyes at our new teammate. "Ari?"

"Ari," Wyatt agrees with a smirk, leaving me with a sudden surge of nostalgia for all of my ridiculous ex-teammates.

Austin eyes the two of us warily, his brow furrowed as he tries to make sense of our words, and I think we've just cemented our new nicknames. "Whatever. Let's hydrate, assholes." He wanders toward the drink station with all the self-assurance and arrogance of Aurelius Castillo himself, and an errant snicker escapes me as we fall in line behind him.

"And here I thought Ari was one of a kind," Wyatt mutters, shaking his head. "Seems we'll be in excellent company this year."

"No doubt," Austin says, clearly having caught the tail end of our exchange. He squeezes a stream of water from a Gatorade bottle into his mouth, only to nearly choke on the deluge. "Dayum. Check out the hottie in the front row. The college life is sa-weet!"

I turn, only to find that the object of his affections is none other than my wife with my little girl in tow. "You mean the one with the baby in her arms? That's my wife, Wynn, with my daughter Lyla."

His eyes widen in disbelief as realization hits. "Oh, sorry, man. I didn't see the kid at first."

"As if that excuses your ogling his wife." Wyatt folds his arms across his chest, though I can tell he's not as pissed as he sounds.

"What about the smoke show next to her?" Austin continues, completely ignoring Wyatt as he gapes. "I'd tap that."

"Oh, hell no." There's no mistaking the danger in Wyatt's tone, bringing Austin's perv-fest to a halt. "That would be my girlfriend, Colby."

"Sorry! Sorry!" Austin throws his hands up in a gesture of innocence. "I'm only admiring the scenery, guys, and lemme just say that when I heard one of our teammates was married with a kid, I thought it was pure insanity. Now I see why you put a ring on it. I'd be hanging onto her for dear life, too."

"Thanks, I guess?" I shrug as Wyatt puffs out an aggravated breath. It's safe to say that we haven't gotten off on the right foot with Austin. Here's hoping all of our new teammates aren't as dense as this douchebag.

And Austin is right in a way- I am hanging onto Wynn for dear life. Hell, the woman is my life.

"Be right back," I call over my shoulder, all the while knowing that I'm taking a serious chance by leaving Wyatt alone with Ari Jr.

"What're you doing?" Austin shouts after me. "Coach'll have your ass if he catches you!"

That's probably true, and while I'm generally a rule follower by nature like any good Galloway should be, I have my exceptions. Wynn and Lyla will always come first for me.

I make my way toward the stands, gratefulfor my two beautiful girls in the front row. The college life is sweet, and being here with my wifeand daughter makes the whole experience perfection.