Ethanknew his brother Kaleb was excited as well, if not a little overprotective. Ok,so Kaleb was alotoverprotective, but still, Ethan somehow felt like heunderstood him.
Ababy. The most precious gift they could’ve been given.
Therewas no way to rationalize what he was feeling or even why, but Ethan wasanxious to become an uncle. Maybe because he knew he would never have childrenof his own, and at twenty-eight, he had actually come to accept that fate.After all, he had to commit to a relationship before he would commit to afamily. Since that wasn’t about to happen, Ethan would settle for spoiling somenieces and nephews if his brothers were willing.
Itwas just too bad he would never be able to find what some of his brothersseemed to be finding these days. It wasn’t that it wasn’t possible, Ethan justdidn’t see it happening anytime soon or in the future. As tempting as the ideahad become in recent months, he knew it was just out of his grasp. The rewardnot quite worth the risk.
Speakingof risk…
Hismind drifted to the argument he’d had with Blake earlier that morning. As soonas Blake showed up at the shop – late, of course – Ethan had been irritatedwith him. Specifically, the ill-timed ultimatum that Blake had offered him. Asit would seem, Blake wasn’t in agreement with Ethan’s way of thinking. At all.
Yes,Ethan was gay. Blake hadn’t been telling him anything he didn’t already knowwhen he felt the need to rant at Ethan first thing in the morning. He acceptedwho he was. Had accepted it since he was young and confused, knowing full wellhe was different from his brothers, but not able to control his feelings.
Hadit not been for the small town that he lived in, and the hell he’d alreadylived through, Ethan might’ve actually been able to live his life openly as aproud gay man. But in the rural town of Coyote Ridge, he didn’t have thatluxury. Hell, he had never even come out and told his parents, although he knewthey weren’t oblivious to what was going on around them. Ethan didn’t doubt fora second that they would support him whole-heartedly if he ever had the desireto open up to them, but he wasn’t willing to put them through it.
Livingin a small town, his parents were a vital part of the community, and he hadalready experienced hell on Earth, the least of which were the hateful, bigotedcomments he endured on nearly a weekly basis. As long as he had a say in thematter, he was not putting his family through it too.
Peopleweren’t as open minded as they claimed to be. Fortunately, – orunfortunately,depending on how you looked at it – he’d learned his lesson early on. Knewexactly the sort of mistakes he wouldn’t make again. And, dumbass that he was,he had thought Blake understood that. Had actually believed they were on thesame page.
Wrong.
Shit,they weren’t even in the same book.
“Walkerfamily?” A sweet, yet authoritative voice called from behind him and there wasa rustle of activity as most of the occupants in the waiting area all shuffledtoward the nurse standing in the doorway with a huge smile on her face.
“Thedoctor is still in with baby and mom, but dad asked me to come out and tell youthat everything is fine.”
Hismother’s sob of joy had everyone turning to look at her. Instinct kicked in,and Ethan immediately moved to her side, putting his arm around her at the sametime his dad did.
“Whencan we go in and see them?” Curtis asked gruffly, his booming voice theequivalent of yelling in a canyon, which meant everyone probably heard him formiles.
“Justas soon as we get them all settled. But, I suggest you go down to the nurseryfirst. In a few minutes, we’ll take the baby in and get him all cleaned up.”
Him.
Theyhad been told the baby was a boy, but hearing the nurse confirm sent a rush ofexcitement through Ethan. He had a nephew.
Anotherdelighted sob-slash-chuckle from his mother and the group laughed,turning to congratulate each other as though they actually had something to dowith the blessed event. Ethan grinned like a fool. He couldn’t help himself.Hearing that the baby was doing well, and they wouldn’t have to wait muchlonger to finally meet him, he felt something loosen inside of him. Don’t askhim why he’d been anxious lately, but he had.
Hejoined the chaotic excitement, returning the brotherly embrace from Zane, thenTravis and Gage. But when Ethan came face to face with Beau, he froze. Turning,Ethan hugged Kylie and then moved out of the group as fast as his legs wouldcarry him.
“What’dI miss?” Sawyer’s voice thundered from behind them as the group dispersed.
“Whereare the twins?” Ethan asked. They should’ve been there for this.
“Onthe way. Brendon had to stop and get something,” Sawyer explained, a suspicioussmirk on his face.
Asthough that was the cue, Ethan’s attention was snagged by a bushel of colorcoming in through the door to the waiting room.What the hell was that?
Around of laughter erupted as they all realized Braydon was coming through thedoor, hidden behind a wall of balloons as he tried to squeeze in through thedoorway. More balloons than Ethan had ever seen in one place. Bright jeweltones – red and green and blue and yellow – hovered above Braydon’s head like acloud.
“Whatthe fu–” Travis muttered, the curse word cut off when Kylie placed her handover his mouth.
“Thereis no way you’re gonna get all of those balloons in that little room,” Kylieinformed them with a beaming smile as the twins made their way toward themiddle of the waiting area where everyone was now milling about.
Braydonlooked up at his collection, then back to Kylie, a grin forming. “No problem.”
Pullingoff one of the strings, he handed a single green balloon to Kylie. When he wentto hand one to Travis, the oldest of them all simply frowned at Braydon.
