“Mm. Well, I guess some things don’t change.” Aaron rested his head against the back of the chair, his eyes closed, a hint of a smile plucking the corners of his lips upward. “We’re going to have to tell them soon.”
“Our families?”
“About Bo,” Aaron said. “We can’t keep him a secret. He deserves all the love in the world, and I know our parents will dote on him.”
Gage tensed. Curious, Aaron opened an eye. Gage had turned at the hip to look back at him as best he could.
“Yes?” Aaron asked.
“I just…” Gage glanced down. He rolled the edge of the blanket covering them between his thumb and first two fingers. “Can we let Bo adjust to you first? He’s not feeling well, and now he’s got his dad back in his life, and I just… I don’t want to stress him out more than he’s already stressed. Can we hold off until he’s used to you, at least?”
“I think that sounds like a fine idea.” Aaron closed his eye and let himself slip back into the comfortable darkness behind his eyelids. Idly, he stroked Gage’s thigh. It would take a while for his knot to deflate, but once it did, he couldn’t wait to cuddle up to Gage in bed. It would be their first night together as independent young men—no more sneaking around behind Gage’s parents’ backs. “It shouldn’t take long… a week or two, at most?”
“Probably less,” Gage said. “But we’ll see. Bo hasn’t really met many adults. I can’t speak from experience.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” A gut feeling told him as much. The day had started off rocky, but they’d ironed out their problems, and now they were braced to move on. Bo would come around, and when he did, they’d officially be a family.
Aaron’s smile grew.
He hadn’t been ready to be a father, but now that he suddenly was, he found himself looking forward to the idea of stepping up and being there for his son. And maybe, just maybe, having another baby with Gage wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Bo would have someone to grow up with that way. They’d already started to slip back into their habit of having unprotected sex, after all. If it happened that Gage got accidentally pregnant, Aaron didn’t think he’d mind.
But that would be a conversation for a time when they weren’t so wrapped up in each other, more in love than ever and glowing after sex.
“You still drink your coffee the same way?” Gage asked softly after a long pause. “I think we’re going to need it tomorrow. Bo likes to get up early.”
“No. Long hours in the lab have destroyed me. I drink it black now.” Aaron chuckled. “You think he’s going to dare wake us if I, the scary stranger, am in bed with you?”
“I don’t know,” Gage admitted. “I guess we’ll find out. Expect to have your eyelids peeled back or fingers stuck up your nose. He doesn’t quite get the concept of waking adults up gently yet. We’re working on it.”
Aaron snorted with laughter and kissed the back of Gage’s head. Deep down, he looked forward to the early mornings they’d have when Bo came out of his shell. He’d missed almost four years of his son’s life—he refused to miss a minute more.
* * *
Later that night,curled up on the pullout bed with Gage, Aaron’s phone buzzed. He groped for it through the darkness, then lifted it. The light from the screen bathed the bed in its glow, causing Aaron to squint.
It was a message from his father.
The application has been approved; the house is yours. You can pick up the keys tomorrow. Do you still have the address?
One of Aaron’s arms was pinned beneath his body. The other was wrapped loosely over Gage’s back as he slept. Balancing the phone carefully in his cupped hand, Aaron composed a reply.
Yes, thank you
Are you coming home to sleep tonight? Your dad prepared one of the guest rooms just in case.
I’m with Gage tonight. I love you. Can you tell dad I love him, too?
Gage mumbled something incomprehensible in his sleep. He drew close to Aaron, cuddling him, and Aaron smiled. He kissed Gage’s forehead. The sex they’d had was great, but it was moments like these that Aaron had missed most of all. The soft, quiet moments they’d spent together at the Langston farmhouse, watching the stars while lying side by side in the fields, or cuddled close in the barn while they watched sunlight stream in through the cracks in the wood, had been some of Aaron’s favorites. Aaron missed having Gage close, but now he wouldn’t have to anymore.
They’d found each other again, and everything was going to be okay.
A moment later, he received a reply from his father.
Your dad and I love you very much, Aaron. Make sure you come home soon.
I will,Aaron promised.Goodnight, Dad.
Goodnight.
