Chapter 19 - Yvonne
Perhaps it’s my maternal instinct that kicked into gear to warn me about this, but it couldn’t have prepared me for what I’d feel when the words left Gio’s lips.
How did he even suspect it?
I mean, I can’t put it past him to suspect who his father is, or guess right on the first try. I’ve never had a man in my life, while he was growing up, and only Dawson has been around as a male figure in our lives since we got here.
I can’t put it past my little boy to sense who his father is, anyway. Besides being an alpha’s son, he’s also highly intuitive and tapped into his human emotions, and those of everyone around him.
It makes sense that he’d be suspicious, but I just wasn’t expecting him to be so direct and ask Dawson outright.
Slowly lifting my head, I notice Dawson’s hesitation when he gulps and turns to me as if for a lifeline. I see it in his eye—the way he’s so hesitant to respond to Gio’s question despite the little boy’s continued stare as he awaits a reply—there’s a softness in his eyes that glows in a gentle shade of blue.
“Yvonne…” Dawson mouths my name without a sound, and I know why he’s hesitating to answer. It’s something we discussed before, and there’s a level of respect he’s maintaining to ensure that he doesn’t overstep the established relationship between my son and me, just to forge a new one between the two of them.
Something about the silence in this moment is thought-provoking, allowing me to spend a few seconds contemplatingmy next choice of words. That’s why Dawson hasn’t replied—he’s waiting for me to respond to my son.
Ourson.
Then it hits me.
The weight of the truth, and how I can’t allow any more time to pass. Neither Dawson nor Gio deserves to lose time when it’s so precious, and they’ve already lost five years between them that cannot be reclaimed.
Apart from Dawson, I owe it to our son to have both parents in his life, which is why I place my hand gently on his arm as a nudge for him to turn to me.
“Baby…” I begin, leaning in so I can whisper my next words gently. “Dawson is your daddy.”
Gio’s eyes widen, but not out of shock, when the silver depths become lit by a bright sparkle.
“Really?!” he exclaims as he hops to his feet and skips to Dawson’s side. “You my daddy?!”
Dawson chuckles nervously as he turns toward Gio, throwing me a hesitant, sheepish glance as if he’s not sure what to do.
“Y-yeah, I am, Champion,” Dawson whispers tersely. “I’m your dad.”
“Yay!” Gio beams excitedly, suddenly throwing himself forward with his arms out.
Dawson nervously chuckles again as his arms come around Gio, and he looks over our son’s dark head and shrugs as he gives me a feeble half-smile.
I lift my hands up as I shrug, surprised too that this revelation was met so positively by Gio.
“I so happy it you, Uncle Dawson!” Gio beams as he pulls back, but then a hand flies up to cover his mouth. “Oop! I mean, Daddy!”
We all burst out into laughter, and I soon realize that this was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. Though I’ve closed myself off to Dawson, the least I can do is allow him to have a relationship with his son.
After some time, Dawson encourages Gio to go back to his seat and finish the meal. Once we’re done with dinner, I clear up the table and leave the two boys to bond while I prepare dessert.
“I’m guessing this is your favorite, too,” I say as I slide two plates with pecan pie and a generous helping of vanilla ice cream on each across the table.
Dawson’s eyes light up as Gio wiggles in his chair with excitement.
“Pecan pie! My favorite!” Gio cheers.
“Mine too,” Dawson murmurs as he lifts soft, ocean blue eyes to me, and my heart is about to melt as if I’m the dollop of ice cream next to the warm pie.
I sink into my chair, watching the grown man and the little boy eat their dessert with uncannily identical mannerisms. I don’t know how Dawson didn’t suspect it before.
Clearly, Gio did, or he wouldn’t have brought it up today.
