Chapter One
Cam
I step behind Gregand wrap my arms around his waist as he flips the pancakes. The pan sizzles as the aroma of melted butter and sweet batter fills our kitchen.
“Smells amazing, babe.” I plant a kiss on his cheek. “Glad I married a man who can cook.”
Greg chuckles and leans back into my embrace. “Well, one of us has to be able to feed us. Can’t subsist on just coffee alone, even if it is the best in town.”
He’s just giving me shit, because I know my way around a kitchen. As the owner of CC’s coffee shop, I’ve flipped a pancake or two or a thousand in my time. But Greg likes to look after me and I like to let him. I grin and give him a playful squeeze before releasing him to grab plates from the cupboard.
We work in tandem like a well-oiled machine, him cooking, me setting the table. Once I’ve finished, I start a quick cleanup, taking the empty batter bowl to rinse. The faucet lets out a groan as I turn the handle.
“Ugh, this leaky faucet is driving me nuts,” I groan, trying to stem the dribble. “Do you think it’s an easy fix? Maybe just needs a new washer or something?”
“Maybe.” Greg slides the last pancake onto a plate and turns off the stove. He walks over to inspect the drip, giving the handle a final twist. “I can take a look at it later, try tightening things up. I know my way around a toolbox.”
I huff a laugh. “Is that so? I seem to recall an incident involving an Allen wrench and a tantrum not too long ago…”
“Hey!” Greg holds up his hands in mock offense. “That was one time. And IKEA furniture hardly counts.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes. Greg’s grin is wide as he picks up our plates, carrying them to the table already set with maple syrup and two steaming mugs of coffee made from freshly ground beans.
The scent of breakfast mingles with the ever-present hint of coffee that permeates our home. I pick up my mug as soon as I sit and take a sip, soaking up this perfect moment of domesticity with the man I love. These little moments, the teasing and the teamwork, remind me how lucky I am, leaky faucets and all.
“Alright, dig in before it gets cold,” Greg says, smiling at me over his stack of syrup-drenched pancakes.
“And what do you have planned today?” I ask, picking up my knife and fork.
“I’ve got a couple of client consults this morning, then I guess I’m fixing the faucet,” he replies with a chuckle.
I swallow a mouthful of fluffy pancake. “Speaking of home improvements, how’s the bathroom coming along?”
Greg’s face lights up at the mention of the project that’s been keeping him busy. “Oh, it’s going great! The new tiles were delivered yesterday. They’re going to look amazing.”
“I can’t wait to see them.”
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Greg wags a finger at me. “No peeking!”
“I wouldn’t dare.” And honestly, I wouldn’t. Greg is renovating the main bathroom as a gift for me and I won’t ruin his surprise, although I’m sorely tempted. “And the new vanity?” The huge carton has been sitting in the garage for a month now.
“Assembled and ready to install.” Greg puffs out his chest a little. “Told you I could handle an Allen wrench.”
I throw him a wink. “My handyman extraordinaire.”
We lapse into silence for a few moments as we finish the pancakes, my mind full of the progress we’re making on our little cottage. Each project, each improvement, is another step in building our life together. As I reach for my coffee, a thought that’s never far from my mind these days resurfaces.
I clear my throat. “You know,” I begin, trying for casual but hearing the weight in my tone, “with the house coming together, I’ve been thinking more about… about starting a family.”
Greg’s eyes soften, a gentle smile curving his lips. “Me too, Cam. I want that with you. More than anything.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He sets down his mug and reaches for my hand across the table. “I know we’ve talked about it before in general terms, but I think the time is right. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m ready. Whenever you are.”
I squeeze his fingers, emotion welling up in my chest. “I’m ready too. I want to be a dad. I want us to be fathers. Together. I want to raise our child in this house, in this town. I want to give them all the love and support we have to give.”
“We will.” His voice is laced with feeling. “We’re going to be amazing parents. I just know it.”
