Dean （One Year Later）
DEAN
ONE YEAR LATER
Dad Company (But Sometimes Good Advice)
Justin Holloway: Had a one-night stand and she’s pregnant. How do I make sure we stay friends? I don’t really date, so friends is all we’ll be.
Comments:
Robert Colt: Oh, boy. @Dean Briggs, you wanna weigh in on this? You’re the expert, after all.
Ryan Kim: Here we go again.
Dean Briggs: I see I’ve been summoned. Who was the one-night stand?
Justin Holloway: A girl I met at a bar. She was fun and I couldn’t get her out of my mind . . . Guess I know why.
Dean Briggs: All right, buddy. Have a plan. Throw the plan out the window. And tell us everything. I’m just glad it ain’t me for once.
I was late getting home.
Grace would have made Sammy dinner and gotten him started in his bath by now. I didn’t plan on getting back this late, and I slowly opened the door, wondering if she would be mad.
I found her as she was washing Sammy’s hair.
Even while his hair was wet, the ends still curled.
He’d gotten Grace’s hair texture but my lighter color.
His eyes were hazel, just like Grace’s too.
Once we’d both figured out how to be parents, we loved raising him.
Grace still worked at the shop, but she always looked forward to coming home to see him.
I did too, which is why she cocked an eyebrow at me when I walked in at bedtime.
“I would have stopped for flowers, but that would’ve made me later.” I’d still ordered some. They would be delivered tomorrow.
“It’s fine, Dean.”
Sammy looked at me and smiled wide.
“Still, I never try to be this late. I owe you coffee in the morning at the very least.”
“I’ll take the coffee,” she said. “Did work keep you?”
“Something like that.”
Sammy was done in the bath, and he let us know by trying to throw water out of the tub. Grace yelped and immediately pulled the plug and got him out. I helped her get him ready for bed before she met me in the hallway.
My life had calmed down ever since she’d given birth to Sammy. Sometimes, I thought back to that time and wondered how the hell we’d survived. Hell, I wasn’t sure how Grace had survived Brooke for so long. But now that we were surrounded by people who cared about us, there was less drama.
Luckily, Grace would never have to deal with her again. Brooke didn’t get a long sentence, but it was the kind that would stay on her record forever. We were awarded a restraining order for both of us and a promise from Mike that he would come immediately if she ever tried anything.
Her restraining order was strict enough that she would either wind up with hefty fines or go back to jail if she couldn’t pay them. Considering how hard the restraining order was to get, I was glad for the extra money the STM grant had provided.
We both got the peace that we deserved, and we had the money to renovate some of the basement into a mother-in-law suite for Mom, who was thrilled to stay as long as she could. I was ecstatic to be able to have a little more privacy when Grace and I got time alone.
I had told Mom what my plan was and why I would be late. So she was spending her time in her suite because she knew that Grace and I would need some time alone once I revealed what I’d done.
“So, are you gonna tell me what you were up to?” She put a hand on my chest and I nearly jumped straight into the air. She raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you. It’s just sensitive right now.”
“Did you get injured at work?” She narrowed her eyes. “Clyde should’ve called me.”
I shook my head. “Come here.”
I took her to our room and peeled off my shirt.
“You’re not gonna distract me with—”
“Look at my chest.”
Her eyes flicked over me. At first, she missed it, and then her eyes widened.
It was her name, exactly the way she’d written it just over a year ago. I’d taken a picture and found an artist who could replicate it. Back then, I wasn’t sure if I would go through with a tattoo, but I wanted the option of it to be open.
“Oh my God,” she said. “You got my name tattooed? Don’t you know you’re never supposed to get a name?”
“Oh, yeah. I got a long lecture about it, but when does a lecture ever stop me?”
“Who all lectured you?”
“The tattoo artist, Mark, Mom, Tammy, you name it. They all knew I was gonna go through with it, though.”
“You don’t have to prove your dedication to me. I know you’re staying.”
“I’m not proving anything. I wanted this. And when Sammy gets old enough to write his name, I’ll get his too.”
“You are . . . something else.”
“I’ve been called worse.”
She laughed, but her eyes were wet. Grace didn’t openly cry ever since her baby blues resolved, so seeing her wipe at her eyes meant she was feeling a lot about this.
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? You know this is the most romantic thing I’ve ever seen, right?”
“I try.”
“And to think, all I got you for our anniversary was flowers.” She blew out a breath. “I need to up my game.”
“Oh no, Mama.” I pulled her close. “Trust me. You’ve given me everything I could possibly need.”
And it was true. I’d lived my entire life thinking I would always get shallow evenings where I’d inevitably end up alone.
But now life was fuller than I could ever imagine.
I wouldn’t take it any other way.
I had milk in one hand and a latte in the other. Sammy was being carried to the table by Grace as I waved to Theo and Kelsey.
“Excuse us,” Grace said to the woman behind us. She jumped out of the way before I could see her, but then I paused. I’d seen that bright blonde hair and reaction to other people before. I knew her.
She must have seen me at the same time because her eyes widened. “Hey, you’re that guy.”
“You know each other?” Grace asked. Her voice wasn’t harsh in any way. I was sure both the tattoo and the fact that I was obsessed with her had proven that I wasn’t going anywhere. There had been a few times when my past had been brought up, but she took it well each time.
The woman looked at Grace and then at me. “Oh, um. Yeah. We met once. But don’t worry. Absolutely nothing happened.”
“It’s okay,” Grace said. “I’m not the jealous type when it comes to him.”
“It was after I met you, so of course nothing happened.” I turned back to the woman. “Your name was . . . Piper, right?”
“Yeah. And you’re Dean. You told me about Renovating with Love.”
“I did. Are you seeing the town it took place in?”
“I’m . . . trying something new. I moved in upstairs a few days ago.”
“You got the apartment?” Grace asked. “I was wondering when someone would move in. Welcome to the town.”
She held out her hand and Piper looked a little like a kicked puppy. “I’m sorry, I . . .”
“Don’t worry about it.” She picked up on Piper’s discomfort immediately. “It’s just great to meet you. If you need anything, I’m Grace.”
“Piper.”
“Enjoy the coffee,” I said. “It’s the best in town.”
Grace gave her one more glance before we got to our table. Then she looked again.
“Wait a second,” she said. “Is Theo staring at her?”
I shook my head without looking. Theo didn’t stare at anyone. Then Grace gave me a flat look that told me I would be in trouble if I didn’t look, and she turned out to be right.
“Oh, shit.” I said it immediately. I’d never seen Theo look at someone like that. His cheeks were red, and instead of the brief glances he gave everyone else, she had his full attention.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I heard him try his best to talk with her. She got her drink and then walked off.
That was when I made my move. I was running up to the counter before Grace could stop me.
“Looks like you need some tips.”
“You saw nothing,” he muttered.
“Oh, I saw enough. And as the most recent resident to get his love story, there are some rules to try and follow. Don’t add to the population, don’t subtract—”
“Leave the poor guy alone,” Grace said as she cut in. Then she looked at Theo. “Sorry about him.”
“It’s fine.” Theo’s eyes were back to his POS machine. “Nothing is gonna happen.”
Grace hummed and tapped her chin. “My money’s on you being wrong. I guess we’ll see in a few months.”
Theo’s glare was downright vicious, but both of us only laughed and walked away. As we got to our table, Piper was glancing back at him when he wasn’t looking.
“Finally, a bet that I can participate in.” I rubbed my hands together. “How much is the starting bid?”