“No,” Tucker snapped.
“Then why? I don’t get why you’d simply let this go on when you knew what they were trying to do.” Lucas got off the bed and took the short steps he needed to stand in front of Tucker. He looked into his husband’s eyes, and that’s when he saw the answer without him even saying the words.Guilt.Lucas touched the side of his husband’s face. “I don’t want to argue with you about this. I like the fact that we haven’t had many arguments since we’ve been together, and we talk things through. I know the peace won’t last and that you or I will do something to piss the other off, but I’m not going to stand by and let come try to break us apart, and if that means butting in then so fucking be it.”
“Nothing is going to pull us apart, Lucas. I know how much the Clarkes miss Rochelle, she was their world. And I assume it made Diane a bit jealous and now she is trying to do everything she can to get her parents to notice that they still have one daughter left.” Tucker rested a hand on the back of Lucas’ neck. “Diane probably knows it’s a lost cause but was trying to be there for her parents any way she can.”
“I get that, I really do, but their need to continue to hurt you is not right. Just like you, Tucker, I will protect our family any way I can.”
“The Clarkes are harmless,” Tucker said.
“Maybe today they are, but tomorrow they might not be. I’m not saying they are terrorists, but they could affect our lives. One thing I learned about the whole thing with my parents is that secrets between the ones you love is not a good thing.”
“I guess the tables have been turned.”
“What does that mean?”
“You can sound reasonable when you want to be,” Tucker said to him.
“I guess you’re rubbing off on me.”
“I’ll take that as a good thing.”
Lucas wrapped his arms around Tucker’s neck bringing his head down for a kiss since his stomach took up a lot more room. “A very good thing.”
“There’s something I want to ask you,” Lucas said, stepping out of Tucker’s arms.
“This sounds serious, what is it?”
“I know you haven’t said it, but I can see it on your face sometimes when you look at Zoi. I know how much you miss Laura and I’m not, or I hope you don’t think I want Zoi to replace her in your heart . . .”
“You’re not making any sense. Just tell me or ask what it is you want to ask.”
“I would like for you to adopt Zoi or at least think about it.” Tucker stared at him for a long time, and Lucas wondered if he was going to say no.
“I love Zoi with all my heart, a few months ago I was afraid that I couldn’t be the father that she would need or I would see her as another Laura. But Zoi is nothing like Laura, and that hasn’t stopped me from seeing her as mine. Laura will always have a place in my heart no matter how many kids we have together.”
“Is that your way of saying yes?”
Tucker smiled then reached out a hand to Lucas, who took it instantly. “Yeah, I would be honored for Zoi to have my last name.”
Lucas stepped back into his arms resting his head on his chest. “Thank you.” Nothing else needed to be said between them.
* * *
“No!”
“I said pick it up, young lady.” Lucas stared down at his daughter who was glaring up at him with green-steel eyes that mirrored his. Any other day he would have found it adorable, but today he was in too much pain. His lower back hurt in the worst way and he felt like screaming at everyone that spoke to him.
“No, I tell Papa,” she said in defiance which had become her new mantra for everything when there was something she refused to do, like pick up her toys.
“Fine, tell him. I don’t care.” Lucas crossed his arms over his chest, which was actually his stomach. He couldn’t believe that he was arguing with a two-year-old.
In the past two months since he and Zoi had moved in with Tucker, he’d gotten bigger and crankier. They were adjusting to all the mood changes he was going through. Zoi seemed to complain to Tucker whenever Lucas got on her nerves. They’d blended their furniture making things work for the both of them. Just like in his previous house, he commandeered the basement, which will be his new game room. It was going to be set up after he had the twins.
He and Tyler were still in the process of finding a new building to move the main office of their company. At the moment, they were both still working from home and conducting meetings via satellite which seemed to be going great for them, but they still need an office. They hadn’t heard anything from the Clarkes since Lucas talked with Diane.
“Zoinida Lynne Hamilton and soon-to-be Stevens, you will pick up your toys right now.”
“Oh boy, using her full name. What happened this time?” Tucker asked walking into Zoi’s room. They’d cleaned out the extra room that Tucker used as his office for the twins' room.
