Chapter 1
Caleb
Caleb ran down the hallway to the sliding glass doors that led out to the backyard. Everything was almost ready, almost perfect. He had just remembered he hadn’t lit the pumpkins.
The night before Avery and Mitch along with their Daddies had come over and they’d spent the evening decorating and carving pumpkins. Caleb couldn’t remember ever doing any of that before. Halloween had been another holiday that his mother had ignored.
This year, just like so many nights with Grant, had been different.
Caleb had cooked a nice dinner for all their friends before they’d all spent the night in full Halloween preparation. When Grant had brought out the pumpkins, Caleb hadn’t been too sure.
They’d sure looked messy.
Had, in fact, been messy.
And so much fun.
Grant had helped him scoop up the seeds and insides of the pumpkin until Avery had squealed and thrown the mess in his hands at him.
It had been an accident. Well, the first time had.
Because that had started a pumpkin gut fight that had left all three boys covered in goo.
Caleb was almost sure he still had pumpkin in his hair.
The pumpkin goo fight hadn’t stopped them from getting the carving done. The result had been hilarious. None of them would win any pumpkin carving contests but it had still been a blast.
Racing out the door, Caleb skidded to a stop when he saw his Daddy. Grant straightened from lighting the last pumpkin, his ever-present shadow, Lucy, by his side.
“I thought I told you to wash up so we could get you dressed.”
Caleb shifted his feet. “Sorry, when I got to our room, I remembered I hadn’t lit the pumpkins. They have to be lit when everyone arrives. Everything must be perfect.”
When Grant sighed, Caleb knew he’d said something wrong.
“Baby,” Grant said walking to him. “Everything is as perfect as it can be. Even if they weren’t it isn’t something you should or will worry about.”
Caleb worried about everything.
“Things are going to go wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Caleb asked in horror. Had something already gone wrong? Why hadn’t Grant told him? Caleb desperately looked around the yard, trying to figure out what might have happened.
“Caleb,” Grant barked his name as he caught Caleb’s chin with his hand.
Caleb was forced to look only at his Daddy.
“Do I have your attention now?”
“Yes.” Caleb nodded. He didn’t want to get into trouble before his party.
“Things go wrong sometimes. Especially at a party. Someone might drop something, or spill something—you can’t expect it to go perfectly. That is only setting yourself up for disappointment.”
Rationally Caleb knew that but still his heart pounded at the thought of anything going wrong. It was the first party he’d ever hosted. The first party he and Grant had thrown together. He wanted his friends to have fun. It was Halloween!
“Are you listening to me, Caleb?”
Oh, Caleb didn’t like Grant’s disappointed tone. “I am.”
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Not to get upset if something happens outside my control.” Okay, so they’d already had this conversation several times that day.
“If you feel yourself getting upset, what are you supposed to do?” Daddy questioned.
“Find you.”
“That’s right.” Grant kissed his forehead. “Now, do you want all your friends to arrive before you’re ready?”
“No!” Caleb grabbed Grant’s hand, tugging him back inside.
He had a brand-new princess dress to change into.
And stockings, and new ballet shoes, and make-up.
Damn, there was so much to do. He should have started to get ready earlier.
Like the first or second time, Grant had told him to.
Instead, Caleb had waited and tried to get everything else done first.
Now he wasn’t going to be pretty and the entire night was going to be ruined.
Walking through the living room seeing all his hard work didn’t help.
What kind of party was it going to be if Caleb couldn’t even be the pretty princess he wanted?
Tears started to fill his eyes. Caleb furiously scrubbed at his eyes. The night would be ruined-
“That’s enough.”
“Wha—”
Grant whirled him around and had him lifted off his feet before Caleb knew what was happening. “I just told you to find me if you start to get upset. It hasn’t been two minutes,” Grant scolded.
Whimpering, Caleb wrapped his arms around Grant’s neck and buried his face.
His Daddy was right. And Caleb was the one screwing everything up.
Being carried down the hall in his Daddy’s arms made him feel marginally better.
Except his Daddy shut the bedroom door with the fur babies on the outside.
That meant Grant wasn’t messing around and wanted to have a serious talk.
In the middle of the room, Grant set Caleb down on his own feet.
“Don’t move a muscle.”
“K.”
“Nope, I don’t want to hear any talking. Thumb in the mouth now.”
Caleb didn’t bother to sigh. That would just get him in more trouble. Instead, he slipped his thumb into his mouth while watching what Grant was doing. As crazy as it was, sucking his thumb relaxed him.
The first time Caleb had gotten into real trouble, putting his thumb in his mouth had saved Caleb from saying things he wouldn’t have meant.
Now, when he was ordered to suck his thumb, Caleb knew it was because his Daddy knew exactly what Caleb was thinking.
Grant helped Caleb not to be his own worst enemy.
Grant strode across the room to the bed and picked up Caleb’s new purple princess dress. It was so beautiful. Grant had helped him find it online and get it custom-fitted.
“Who does this dress belong to?” Grant questioned.
Since he hadn’t been permitted to speak again, Caleb pointed to himself.
“Good boy.” Next Grant picked up the matching stockings. “And who do I like to strip these off of.”
Caleb grinned around the thumb in his mouth. Grant loved peeling the stockings from Caleb’s legs. He pointed at himself again.
“No one else, Caleb. I have never felt this way about anyone but you. You are my boy.” Grant sat on the bed. “I love you so much. I chose you, remember?”
Caleb nodded. Grant had chosen him. Grant had seen something in him that no one else at the club had even tried to see.
“I’m just lucky that you wanted me back,” Grant said. He laid the dress and stockings back on the bed. “You’ve come so far, and I know that you realize it. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s not okay to keep it to yourself. I’m your Daddy and you aren’t letting me take proper care of you.”
Double damn, that hadn’t been Caleb’s intention. He made a sound of distress behind his thumb.
“Are you ready to talk?”
Caleb nodded.
“Come here.” Grant held out his arms.
Caleb ran. It wasn’t far, but he ran to Grant. “I’m sorry, Daddy! I love you so much. I don’t mean to make you feel bad.”
Cradling him, Grant patted Caleb’s back. “You can make it up to me by being my good boy and coming to me if you need anything. Even if it’s just a break.”
His sneaky Daddy. Grant knew that Caleb would do anything to make his Daddy happy. Even if it was hard, like admitting he needed help. “Okay, Daddy. I promise.”
“Good boy. Now let’s get you dressed.”
Caleb was all for that plan. And if Grant was going to help him, that meant he might also get some special touches.
* * *
Avery
Avery wiggled in place, doing his best to wait for the door to open. What was taking so long?
“You got ants in your pants?” Jace teased, running his hand over Avery’s bottom.
Avery huffed; his Daddy knew very well how excited Avery was to show his friends his costume.
The best costume in the whole wide world.
He couldn’t answer though. The binkie that his Daddy found for him went with his costume.
He had to have it in. It made him look like a real dog with his tongue sticking out and everything.
The door finally opened, and Avery put his padded paws in front of him like he’d practiced and woofed behind his binkie.
Caleb’s eyes lit up as he spotted him. “Oh my God!” he shouted. “You are the cutest Dalmatian in the whole world!”
Happy with the response Avery hopped forward until he was right in front of Caleb. He pushed his binkie out of his mouth with his tongue. “Did you see my binkie? Isn’t it the coolest thing ever!”
His binkie swung from the clip and string that his Daddy had insisted on.
“And look at my tail!” Avery turned around and wiggled his bottom. The fluffy cotton one-piece suit had come with an awesome tail.
“Aww,” Caleb gushed appropriately. Well in Avery’s opinion, anyway.
Avery turned around and got a good look at his friend. “Wow!” Avery said in awe. Caleb’s purple dress was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen. And the tiara? Wow, his friend was a real princess. “You’re prettier than Belle, Cinderella, and Snow White all put together.”
Caleb held out his dress. “Really?”
“Caleb! I mean it. You look fabulous.”
His friend smiled so big that Avery thought his face might get stuck.
“Why don’t you let our friends inside to join the party?” Grant said walking up behind Caleb.
“Oh yeah,” Caleb blushed and stepped to the side. “Mitch and Byron got here right before you. There’s a lot of people here already.”
“Yeah, sorry we’re late,” Jace said. “My excited pup couldn’t wait until we got here to go to the bathroom.”
Avery felt his face heat, but he swatted his big fake paw at his Daddy. Caleb and Grant knew he wore diapers. And this costume was perfect to hide it from anyone who might not know. Jace had already had to change him twice since Avery put his costume on.
“Come on!” Caleb grabbed Avery’s arm. “Let’s find Mitch and Hayley.”
“Hold on.” Avery caught his binkie mid-swing and shoved it back in his mouth. He had to be in character after all. Jace had even painted his face and stuck whiskers on him.