Chapter 46
DERRICK
NEW YEAR’S EVE
Derrick: Happy New Year.
Imessage Charlie, but I’m still blocked. I know Jackson has told me not to take it personally, but it seems kind of hard not to when I’m the one blocked.
Olivia and Axel have arrived from England, where they have been for the past month helping her mother after her father’s death.
It’s so good to see them again. It’s a subdued New Year’s Eve, maybe because of the snow, or maybe it’s that the gang is moving into different stages of life, but we are all not in a partying mood.
We just celebrated Evan’s birthday with a big cake, and we’ve retired to the games room while the grandparents have taken the babies.
It's a beautiful man cave-inspired games room with fake deer antlers hanging on the wall, a pool table, and a bar. It’s like an old hunting lodge, but Christian definitely doesn’t do any hunting.
“Happy birthday, Evan!” Christian says, grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the bar as he starts pouring the guys’ glasses.
“And happy new year to you all,” Evan adds.
Once all our glasses are filled, Axel hands out cigars to all the boys.
My eyes narrow on the gift as I turn it around in my fingers.
Axel doesn’t normally smoke cigars. I know the boys do occasionally for big celebrations, I think the last ones we had were for Easton’s birth.
Does this mean we are celebrating something?
I look over at where the girls are sitting, sipping on champagne, and nothing looks amiss there.
Unless this is for Oscar and Stacey’s engagement, which he missed.
“I just wanted to say Happy New Year, guys. Another year around the sun completed and another year in business with you fools.” He smirks, the guys all grumble and curse him.
“This new year is going to be amazing, we have Finn and Isla’s wedding to look forward to.
And now we have the engagement of Oscar and Stacey to celebrate, and Olivia and I are pregnant with twins. ”
He slips in that piece of news that stuns us so much we just look at him, but the girls catch on before us and they scream with joy. We all congratulate Axel and Olivia. This is fantastic news. They are having twins.
“Welcome to the dad club.” Evan smiles, slapping Axel on the back.
“I’m still kind of in shock … it wasn’t planned.”
“Never usually is,” Finn adds.
“Now we need the Viking to spread his seed, and the Dirty Texas family will be complete,” I joke.
“Dude, I proposed. Babies are a long way off,” Oscar growls at me.
“That’s what they all say. And now look at everyone.” Oscar shivers. “We have a menagerie of kids. It won’t be long until you’re bitten by the kids’ bug. I see you with Easton.” Oscar shakes his head at me.
“Take your time, man, there’s no hurry. Enjoy Stacey and Oscar time,” Finn explains.
“Did you miss that with Issy?” Oscar asks Finn.
“Yeah, I did, and I wish we had it,” Finn tells him honestly, not to be a dick to Oscar because he is, in essence, the reason they weren’t able to be together. “I wouldn’t swap what we have for anything, though. Being a father is the best thing in the world, it’s also the most draining.”
“Stop it, guys. I’m already clucky. Listening to you hot men talk about babies is making my ovaries pop.” I groan. It’s something I’ve been thinking about as another year passes me by.
“You don’t have ovaries.” Christian chuckles.
“Doesn’t mean I’m not clucky. I envy you all. I wish I could find someone to have a baby with. It makes it hard when the person I want doesn’t have the right reproductive organs.” Way to go being a Debbie Downer, Derrick. Everyone else is celebrating, and here you are being a gloomsberry.
“Hello, modern medicine, man,” Christian says, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “You pick an egg or a surrogate, and you have a baby. Heaps of single women do it, why can’t you?”
Maybe I’ve had one too many sips of whiskey, but why does Christian’s idea sound like a good one? “Yeah? Like a gay single man is going to be able to have a baby. They are going to shut the door right in my face.”
“Money. You have lots of money, Derrick. You’re in a great position to be able to do this,” Evan tells me.
“I’m so busy at work.” What about my business? It’s just really taking off. Could I afford to take time off with a newborn? There are so many logistics involved.
“No one is saying you have to do it now. You have plenty of time. Why not look into it as a Plan B?” Evan presses.
“You never know what the new year might bring. The love of your life could be around the corner,” Christian encourages me.
“You’re right, Christian. I need to stop being a ho and start looking for Mr. Right.” Charlie made me go out and start dating, and even though I’ve had some disasters, I have met some great guys, but I haven’t given them a chance because I could find any manner of excuses why they wouldn’t work.
“I heard my name.” Hudson, Finn’s older brother, walks in at that moment, surprising us all. Finn rushes up and hugs his brother. He’s been in the Middle East working with the troops there. He’s a photojournalist who specializes in war-torn areas. Badass. And he also has a hot ass.
“I see being a dad has made you soft.” Hudson chuckles, hugging Finn.
“Fuck you. I’m glad you’re safe, that’s all, asshole.” Finn punches his brother.
It’s my turn for a hug, and I give his ass a squeeze, which makes Hudson laugh. “Good to see you, too, D,” Hudson whispers into my ear.
“Glad you’re home safe.”
“Me too.” He grins. “Now, where’s my nephew? I’m dying to see him,” Hudson says.
I walk over to where the girls are sitting and plonk down.
“Everything okay?” Sienna asks.
“Do you think I could make it as a single dad?” I ask her.
“What are you talking about?”
“Christian and Evan suggested that I should investigate surrogacy as a single guy instead of waiting for Mr. Right.”
“Is that what you want?”
“You keep popping out gorgeous babies, and I’m sad that I just can’t pop them out too.”
“You want babies?” Sienna asks.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love being Uncle Derrick, but Daddy Derrick is my dream. I feel like I could give my child the life I never got from my own family.”
“I think you would be an amazing dad, but is now the right time?” Sienna asks.
“We always said we wanted our kids to be close in age.”
“We did,” Sienna nods, “but that isn’t a big enough reason to have a child.
I’m not trying to talk you out of it because you would be the best dad in the world, and I know you would love them so much.
Having kids is hard, we have a lot of help but even then, it’s hard.
But during those hard times, at least I have Evan to lean on and me, him.
Doing it on your own is going to be hard.
We would help you in a heartbeat, but your business is taking off, and you have worked so hard to get to that place.
Enjoy your success, you have plenty of time to have babies. ”
“What happens if I don’t meet anyone?”
Sienna glares at me. “You’re not going to find forever love at a sex club or sitting at home on your sofa.
” I gasp, how dare she call me out like that.
“Your New Year’s resolution should be trying new things.
” I go to open my mouth, and Sienna shushes me.
“I don’t mean sexually.” She knows me too well.
“What are your goals for this new year?”
“Continue to build my business. Better work-life balance.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve been on maternity leave and left the responsibility of the shop on you,” Sienna says, squeezing my hand.
“Hey, now, don’t talk like that. I don’t begrudge you at all for having time with your babies. We have a great team that handles everything.”
“I feel like I’m letting the team down.” Sienna sighs.
“Never. You’ve been doing important work with those gorgeous boys. You are always present for team meetings, and you pop in once a week to check on things. You may not always be in the shop, but you do work.”
“It’s just … not like it used to be … you know?”
“Like Australia?” I ask. She nods. “Babe, your life is nothing like it was back home. I knew the shop wasn’t going to be like what we used to have because you were pregnant, but I still think we are as solid a team as we have always been.”
Sienna sighs. “Guess … I don’t know. I love my babies, but I do miss the shop.”
I hold open my arms and hug her. “Enjoy this time because before you know it, they will be grown and off to school. The shop will always be there. Have you spoken to Evan about your desire to go back to work?”
“No,” she says, biting her lip.
“Sienna. That man loves you, and I think he would be rather upset that you haven’t spoken to him about what you are feeling.”
“I feel guilty, though. I love my babies. And I love being home, but I also wouldn’t mind one or two days in the office for some adult conversations.”
“Ness wants to go back to the office, and I think Christian said he’d be happy to alternate with her about working in the office. You could do something like that with Evan,” I tell her.
“That sounds like a good idea. Levi is still little, but I want to have something in place so that when the time is right, I can do it all.”
“How about this, I will try to put more emphasis on my love life and not working so much, and you talk about going back to work with Evan. Deal?” I tell her.
“Deal. Thanks for listening.”
“I will always be here for you,” I say, squishing her.
The clock strikes midnight, and the boys shoot off fireworks in the back garden, much to the horror of the girls, especially after a couple of glasses of whiskey.
My phone beeps.
Chance: Happy New Year. I miss you.
Was not expecting that message.
Derrick: Happy New Year to you too.
I omit the miss you part because I don’t want to give him any ideas.
Like I promised Sienna, I am going to put myself out there this year, date as many people as I need, I will turn off the computer and go home at a reasonable hour and maybe cut down my time at The Paradise Club.
Who the hell am I kidding? I’m not doing that.