She waved a hand at Atlas. “It’s… strange. I won’t lie.” Elena looked pointedly at Linden and me. “You will be good to my son, or there will be hell to pay.”
“Mama!” Atlas face-palmed, and his brothers started laughing.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said, coughing.
“Definitely,” Linden agreed.
She stood and started clearing the table. “If this is to be, then I expect you, Hugh, and Linden to be here every Sunday for dinner. Do not be late.” She looked down at her husband. “Anything to add, Christos?”
“There’s nothing to be done, I suppose. It’s odd. But I’m one hundred percent on Elena’s side. You will hear from us if you hurt Atlas. This relationship will not be easy.”
“It won’t be,” I agreed. “But we talk about everything. Atlas here holds us together. You truly do have an amazing son.”
Elena raised her nose in the air, a proud mother. “He is. All our boys are. And what of your parents? What would they think?”
“My parents would not take kindly to it. My father only knows that I’m with Atlas, and he likes Atlas.”
She nodded. “Christos is correct. This relationship won’t be easy. Not only because there are three of you, but also because you’re cousins, whether you’re involved with each other or not. People will talk and make accusations. You need to be prepared. I will try to get used to things.” Then she pointed directly at me. “Think about kids. Don’t believe for a second that I didn’t notice your panic when I brought it up.”
“I will. And we’re prepared for the negativity.”
Before we left for the night, Elena straightened my coat, which I had just put on, and kissed each of my cheeks, then she did the same to Linden and Atlas. “Three of you. Jesus. Well, this will be interesting.”
“As Linden said, we’ll take good care of Atlas. That’s a promise.”
She nodded and smiled sadly. I was sure she wished he would choose just one man, get married quickly, and have his babies. Instead, she got two.
We shoved all the containers filled with food into the back seat of my car, said our goodbyes again, and drove home.
My home. Atlas had already moved in with me. Linden was in the process of selling his house and moving in as well. We’d been building a workshop for him in the unfinished part of my basement that I’d only been using for storage.
“That went rather well,” Linden said.
“God, Mom and babies. Jesus.”
I chuckled. “She’s dying for grandbabies.”
Linden rested a hand on my thigh. “Atlas told me you and Uncle Hanley talked today. How’d it go?”
“Surprisingly well. I told him I’m in a relationship with Atlas, but I kept you out of it. He… seemed unsurprised.”
“Wow, he didn’t care if you’re with your PA or a guy?”
I glanced at my cousin before I looked back on the road. “No. I hadn’t expected that at all.”
“You should come out to him then, darling,” Atlas suggested.
“Perhaps he wouldn’t care to learn I’m gay after all,” Linden mused.
“Maybe. He also apologized. I hadn’t expected that either. He did it in his usual gruff way, but it was an apology, nonetheless.”
“Color me surprised. Damn. So youcanteach an old dog new tricks.”
Atlas touched my shoulder. “I’m so happy for you. Perhaps now you and your dad can establish a healthier relationship.”
“Only time will tell. Now, let’s go home and fuck like rabbits. I need my two favorite men.”
Linden placed a hand on the back of my neck. “And we need you.”
