I didn’t bother to ask him to call me back before hanging up the phone. There was no point. I’d been waiting for his call for more than eight months and it hadn’t come.
Because nothing had changed.
Because I wasn’t getting that second chance, no matter how badly I wanted it.
Meu melhor...
I actually laughed out loud. The only thing I was “best” at was fucking up. I knew it…the people around me knew it…
My eyes drifted to Hawke and Tate’s house and I thought about the little boy who’d made me forget for the briefest of moments who I was, and made me remember a time when I’d been someone’s hero.
No way I could be that again, but I’d sure as hell make sure the little boy in that house got his damn Pop-pop back.
Even if the man in question did think I was no better than shit to be scraped off his shoe.
It was a sentiment that I was all too familiar with…and that I’d rightfully earned.
Chapter 2
Magnus
“Guess what, Pop-pop?”Matty said excitedly as the image on my iPad tilted momentarily. I realized Matty was trying to get more comfortable and had laid back against Tate’s chest.
“What?” I asked dutifully, ignoring the heavy bass of the music coming from the living room. I was once again grateful to Ronan for arranging a hotel room in Austin that had bedrooms separate from the living area, though I suspected my adamant insistence on two separate hotel rooms had influenced the decision.
“Daddy said we get to stay up late to watch the fireworks tonight.”
“I said you could stay up late if youstay awakethat late,” Tate clarified and the image shifted again so I could see Tate’s face. “Hi Magnus,” Tate said with a nod.
“Hey, Tate,” I returned.
“How was your flight?”
“Good,” I lied. “How’s the pseudo-honeymoon?” I asked, but the view shifted again and all I saw was what I assumed was Tate’s leg.
“I can stay awake that long,” I heard Matty declare.
“I knowyoucan, buddy,” I heard Tate say and then the viewchanged once more and I smiled at the sight of Leo leaning against Hawke’s side, his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open as soft snores escaped his throat. “But not so sure about Leo,” Tate said before shifting the tablet so I could see Hawke’s face.
“Hey,” Hawke said with a smile and a small wave. Considering he was on vacation at the biggest family theme park in the world with his husband of exactly one week and not one, but two, five-year-olds, the man looked more at peace than I’d ever seen him.
Before I could respond, Matty turned the tablet so it was back on him. “He’s just resting his eyes, Pop-pop,” he insisted right before he let out a big yawn and pressed back against Tate’s chest. I knew it was barely nine o’clock in Florida so I highly doubted my grandson would be viewing any New Year’s fireworks tonight once the clock hit midnight. I listened as Matty told me all about his and Leo’s adventures that day, but within ten minutes, his eyes were starting to drift closed and the view on the screen shifted. It righted itself quickly and I suspected Tate had taken over holding the tablet. Sure enough, the screen moved so it was Tate’s face I was seeing.
“Keep us posted on things, okay?” he said, his voice low.
“I will.”
Hawke took the tablet and murmured, “Stay safe…and trust in Dante…kid’s got great instincts.”
The kid had a lot of things, but I wasn’t sure instincts were one of them. I didn’t say that, of course, choosing to nod instead. “You guys have fun and enjoy Greece.” I knew they only had a few more days left in Disney World and then just the two of them were off to Santorini for a private honeymoon. I cursed the fact that I wouldn’t be at home to watch Matty myself while they were gone, but I knew he’d do well with Leo’s family for the ten days his fathers would be gone.
Home.
Fuck, that sounded good.
“Okay, we’ll talk to you soon,” Tate said as he took the tablet.
“Pop-pop, remember your promise,” I heard Matty mumble and the view switched to the little boy who’d curled up on his side onTate’s lap. His hands were underneath his cheek, pillowing his face on Tate’s chest, but his eyes were closed.
