Gage snorted. “He’d get over it.”
“I know he would, but I didn’t want to put him in a place where he’d have to.” The corners of Jayne’s lips dragged downward, and Everett, who’d been watching his face, found himself sharing Jayne’s pain. He slipped his hand onto Jayne’s thigh and squeezed it reassuringly. “I get the feeling that Knot hides a lot of his sorrow behind his sarcastic humor, and I didn’t want to be the guy who dug the knife that much deeper. I figured I’d keep things quiet for a while before telling you guys, not because I wanted to be deceptive, but because it’s been such a short time since Harlow coupled off.”
“Mm, I guess you’re right.” Gage deflated, some of the sparkle leaving his eyes. “I was so excited to tell the guys, too, but I see where you’re coming from. I can keep things quiet until you decide it’s a good time to tell them.” A thoughtful look crossed Gage’s face. “Do you want to help me, then? With Knot, I mean? I really was serious about getting a private group of us Dads together so we can all help find him somebody to love.”
“Sure.” Jayne crossed his arms on the table and looked Gage over. “I mean, it couldn’t hurt. How hard could it be to find love for a single dad in New York, anyway?”
An answer twitched on Gage’s lips, but it dissolved into a series of repressed snickers.
“What?” Jayne puffed his cheeks. “You guys keep doing that to me! I don’t get it.”
“You—” Gage began, but was cut off by Oli, who held up his hand as if to stop them.
“Wait.” Oli squinted at Jayne. “Wait, wait, wait. You guys keep saying Dads, and Single Dads, and other dad-related things. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that neither of you belong to some rough and tough street gang or anything, so, what are you talking about? Is it some sort of club?”
Caleb, who’d been having a separate conversation with Marshall, stopped in the middle of a sentence and looked at Gage with wide eyes. The conversation was veering into territory the three of them had agreed would remain undiscovered until the next dinner party so as not to overwhelm Caleb’s family. Gage, however, was not aware, and his earnest innocence turned him into an open book. In an attempt to keep him from spilling the beans, Everett nudged Gage’s shin with his foot, but all Gage did was frown and shuffle a little farther away.
“Oh! We never told you!” Gage settled in his new position and beamed at Oli, oblivious to Caleb’s and Everett’s attempts to keep him quiet. “It’s just a support group for single dads, Uncle Oli. It’s nothing bad. I joined a while back when Aaron was overseas and I was raising Bo alone, because I thought they might be able to help, and Jayne joined like, what? Six months ago?”
“It’s only been two months, maybe three,” Jayne corrected. “It seems longer than that, doesn’t it?”
“So much longer,” Gage said with a nod. “One of the Single Dads invited him when he was staying at Jayne’s place, because that Dad’s daughter and Jayne’s youngest brother were dating.”
“I have never been more confused and enthralled at the same time.” Oli drained his wine, set his glass down heavily, and crossed his arms on the table. “Continue.”
“Gage,” Caleb hissed, “Shut it!”
Gage either didn’t hear, or didn’t care. He kept talking. “It was this really big thing for a while, because that Dad lives in Los Angeles, and we’re here in Aurora, and… well, it’s a long story, but the takeaway is that it’s how Jayne learned about the Single Dad Support Group, and now he’s one of us.”
There was a long silence, during which Oli fixed all three of them with his gaze. Each second added to his scrutiny, until, at last, Jayne crumbled.
“I’m a dad, if that helps clarify anything, although I don’t think I’d consider myself single anymore.” A dulcet smile concluded Jayne’s sentence. He looked first at Caleb, then at Everett, his gaze softened by adoration. “Caleb and Everett had no hand in my child’s conception, but both of them have been amazing enough to love my little boy like he’s their own. The love they’ve shown both of us humbles me. I couldn’t ask for better co-parents.”
The way Jayne spoke made it clear that he wasn’t putting on an act—the affection and love in his voice spoke for itself. Not only did Jayne value them as lovers, but he respected and appreciated them as parents. Everett smiled and looked Caleb’s way to see Caleb smiling as well.
“Do you hear that, Marshall?” Oli asked, leaning over to rest his chin on Marshall’s shoulder. There was a goofy, love-struck look on his face. “We’re sort-of grandparents. Again. What’s his name, Jayne?”
“Parker.”
“Parker is funny,” Bo shared. “He likes to wiggle.”
“Oh, does he?” Oli picked up his chin and lifted Bo from his chair, setting him on his lap. “How is it that my grandson knows more about this new baby than I do? Hmm?” Oli tapped Bo’s nose, and Bo giggled. “I think you, Penelope, and I have a date with your building blocks in the living room. What do you think? While we play, you can give me all the dirt on the newest little sort-of Alcrest.”
“Okay!”
The dinner party dissolved after that. Oli took Bo and Penelope to the living room, accompanied by Aaron and Gage. Caleb and Marshall, who picked up their conversation where they’d left it, cleared the table and took care of packaging the leftovers. Everett and Jayne remained in place. Once everyone was gone, Jayne let out a stale breath that steadily emptied his lungs.
“You okay?” Everett asked.
Jayne nodded. “It went way better than I thought it would. I don’t really know what I expected Caleb’s parents to be like, but this wasn’t it. Marshall and Oli are good people. I’m glad Caleb patched things up.”
“Me too.” Everett lifted his gaze, studying the crown molding that ran around the perimeter of the room. It was the same as it had been during his childhood, and its familiarity offered comfort that Everett seldom found. Being here tonight was like stepping into the past, and yet with Jayne there beside him, it felt like a nod toward the future, too. Moment by moment, their lives would mingle, and they’d weave each other into their personal histories as they laid the groundwork for what was still to come.
It felt right.
“By the way,” Jayne added in a hushed whisper. “Did you see Oli’s shirt? Am I hallucinating, or was it full of fists flipping us the bird? Do you think he knows?”
Everett choked. In a bid to recover, he turned in his seat and kissed Jayne passionately. When the kiss ended, he’d managed to get himself back under control. “Yeah, I saw it, too. And yeah, he definitely knows. I’ll give you three guesses as to who Caleb takes after.”
