“I’ll set an alarm for six, so we’re up before him.” He spoke over my lips. “But also, so I can have you again.”
“Wanna take me again now, too?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” he said, flipping me onto my back. I immediately came alive. Tate and I made love again, and that night I slept better than I had in ages, in the arms of the one man who made me feel whole.
Chapter 33
TATE
Today had been a high point right up there with the time I’d spent at the resort with Blair four years ago.
The three of us had hung out from morning till night. We didn’t even leave the house much. Blair and I got up right before Nicholas, and then she made pancakes. We’d tossed a ball around the yard with our son, and as expected, Blair gave me hell for buying him that truck. All in good fun, though.
After that, we went to a local café where Blair and I sipped coffees while watching Nicholas devour a chocolate donut like it was the best thing either of us had ever witnessed. On the way home, I went to the market and bought all the ingredients to make homemade breaded chicken tenders and cheesy rice, which was apparently one of Nicholas’s favorites. Blair made a big salad for us, too.
And though we were supposed to go our separate ways this evening, I’d convinced Blair to spend one more night here with me. We’d both drive back on Mondaymorning instead of the original plan of Sunday night. This time with them felt precious.
I’d just put away the last of the dishes and ventured out to the living room. Blair was cuddled next to Nicholas on the couch in that lazy time after dinner but before his bath. She’d fallen asleep while Nicholas was tired but awake, petting Khloe who was comfortably situated next to him. My heart felt ready to burst.
My family.
This was my family—the one I’d never known I wanted until it appeared in front of me. Now I didn’t know how I’d lived without them for so long. I sat next to Blair and gently kissed her hair. Resting my arm against the back of the couch behind her, I leaned my head toward hers and closed my eyes for a moment.
I needed to find a way to be with them every day. Before we’d even separated, I was already dreading the week ahead. I loved Taylor and didn’t want to hurt him. But after this weekend, I knew we couldn’t wait to tell him the truth. If things were tough after doing so, at least I could be with Blair and Nicholas instead of having to hide my love for them.
She blinked her eyes open and looked up at me. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
I kissed her on the forehead. “Well, it’s been a big weekend.”
When Nicholas hopped off the couch to play with the train set, I took the opportunity. “What do you think about telling Taylor sooner rather than later?”
Her expression dimmed. “How soon?”
“Like in the next couple of weeks?”
Blair looked down. “I thought you wanted to give it time?”
“I don’t think I can live much longer not seeing you and Nicholas during the week. Waiting to tell him isn’t going to lessen the shock. I think I’ve just been looking for excuses. My mother said the same thing.”
Her head tilted as she thought. “Okay, well, Taylor’s birthday is in a week. So sometime after that. I don’t want to ruin his day.”
“Agreed.” I nodded. “And once we get past telling him, I want you and Nicholas to live with me, either in your house or mine, and ultimately in a bigger and better place than either of those. I want to respect your boundaries, though,” I added, forcing myself to breathe. “So there’s no pressure. Just letting you know whatIwould love. It’ll make it easier for me to watch him while you’re at class or doing your thing, too. You tell me, though, if that’s not something you want.” I paused again. “This is your time, Blair. I want you to do all the things you’ve been missing out on because you’ve had to care for Nicholas on your own. My work schedule is flexible. You’re my priority now, just as much as he is.”
She smiled. “That sounds like a dream, but I don’t have a desire to spend all that much time away from you. I just got you back.”
My heart felt like it would burst. That was too good to be true. “Well, I’m cool with making up for lost time together—as long as that’s what you want, baby. I just don’t want you to feel stuck or pressured. I want you towantto be with me. We’re still at different stages of life. I’m still old enough to be your goddamn father. If you ever feel—”
“You’re the only one I want, Tate. Period. Full stop.”
Her words did things to me, things I couldn’t fully act on at the moment. I glanced over at Nicholas, only to have him come over and hop onto my lap. He rested his head in the crook of my arm, and I kissed the top of his head. I was so damn grateful. I closed my eyes and breathed him in. When I opened them, Blair was smiling.
“I love him so much,” I mouthed to her. “And I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she mouthed back.
We went to bed that night feeling so peaceful, so blissfully oblivious to the nightmare that lay ahead the next day.
***
