Epilogue
TRAVIS
“Daddy, I love you with every part of my heart, but I’m gonna need you to get out of my way if you want this to happen on time.”
When Casey used that tone with me, there was no arguing with him. He was at the end of his rope, and today, I was the one putting him there. “I’m just trying to help, that’s all,” I said, hands up in surrender.
The Prost kitchen was piled high with prep for the food truck extravaganza happening in our renovated beer garden that afternoon.
With Nico managing the renovation and Owen helping figure out the design, we were finally ready to do a soft launch of the revamped space.
Casey had suggested making it a fundraiser for the hockey league scholarships, and I’d happily agreed.
“Do you think people are going to like it?” Casey, who was all about efficiency, didn’t stop moving, even as I heard the doubt creeping into his voice.
He’d poured his heart and soul into finding the perfect setup for his truck, making sure it was sustainable in the unpredictable Pacific Northwest weather.
“Bub, they love your cooking. Why wouldn’t they love it out of a truck?”
“Maybe they don’t like food prepped in a truck? Maybe they don’t like the way the truck is set up? Maybe they don’t like me? There are a lot of possibilities out there, Daddy.”
Casey stopped long enough to wave his ladle at me, then went right back to work. I set the cheese I was grating down and made my way over to him. I grabbed him by the waist and pulled him back into my arms. He grumbled a little, then snuggled closer.
I leaned down and whispered in his ear. “Everything’s going to be fine. It'll be great. And if they don’t like it, they can get the fuck out of the bar.”
“Daddy, that’s no way to run a business.”
“It’s the way I run this business. If they don’t like it, they can go get food somewhere else. I’m good with that.”
“How do you always know the right thing to say?”
“It’s my superpower.”
“It’s a good one.” Casey’s quick, easy grin never failed to do something to me. I hoped the butterflies he gave never went away.
We returned to our prep work until Dylan arrived to take over for me so I could work the bar out front.
Gary had decided he didn’t want to stick around the kitchen, but Dylan had been hired as his replacement, and the difference between them was night and day.
He and Casey had started working like a well-oiled machine, and I only stepped in when it got extra busy.
They’d been getting their routines down in the kitchen, and now they were expanding them into the food truck area.
Casey was a natural leader in the kitchen.
He directed Dylan like he was conducting an orchestra of one.
His helper hadn’t had a lot of experience in the kitchen, but he was willing to work and learn.
He was a friend of Drew’s from Casey’s former job at Stone and Vine, though he wasn’t nearly as laid-back as Drew.
“All right, gentlemen, I’m heading out front,” I said. Neither of them paused, but I turned back long enough to give Casey a kiss before I left. I leaned in and whispered, “You’re going to do great tonight.”
“Thanks, Daddy. Fingers crossed.” He never stopped chopping.
“My guy, we don’t need luck. We got skills,” Dylan crowed.
“See, there ya go, sweetheart. Dylan has said it, so it must be so.”
Casey
“Casey, you look super-duper professional. I’m so impressed,” Rory said.
For the occasion, Rory’s punny sweatshirt had crossed hockey sticks on it and read Will Play for Snacks. His beaming smile warmed my heart more than anything. The idea of leaving for Alaska wasn’t even in the back of my mind anymore. My home was with Daddy.
“That works out because I’m almost a professional,” I answered with a laugh. I pulled my ticket book from my apron pocket. “What can I get you guys?”
“Bunny, do you want the chicken nugget poutine or the steak salad?” Gabe asked as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet.
“Come on, you designed the space back here. The least we can do is buy you lunch,” I said.
“Absolutely not. You’re doing scholarships here, which means we’re paying,” Gabe protested, shaking his head.
“Daddy, can we just do both? I’m soooooo hungry.”
“Yes, because I am too.” The chorus of “Me Too” had me plating enough for everyone and saving the time of doing it individually.
I turned around to start plating the food while Dylan handled the payment.
While I was busy, I heard the familiar voices of the other boys drifting closer.
The satisfaction of creating a family here outweighed just about anything else.
I hadn’t known it was possible to be so thoroughly adopted into a group and to have something that felt like everything I’d never imagined I could have.
“Casey, your truck looks so cool,” Jakob said.
“Thank you, but all the credit goes to Owen. I swear, you just tell him a vibe, and he goes with it. It’s like magic.” He’d wrapped the exterior in wood and hung bistro lights around the awning. The vibe was clearly the coolest parts of the PNW.
He bounced on his heels nonstop while I smiled indulgently down at him.
Jakob was sunshine in a sippy cup. Nico, who’d been the project manager, looked around with clear satisfaction at his handiwork while Levi held his hand, keeping him tucked in close.
Nico rolled his eyes at the PDA but then snuggled in closer, so it couldn’t bother him that much.
“The only person we’re missing is Anders,” I commented as I put the finishing touches on the order.
“Oh yeah. He said to tell you he was going to be a little late because he missed the ferry.”
“Didn’t he use that excuse last time?”
“Ha. I think when you live on Almstead Island, that’s a built-in excuse.”
“It’s probably hard to remember the schedule,” Owen offered. “But maybe he was busy.”
“Busy getting lucky,” Rory offered with an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows.
“All right, boys, get your food so we don’t hold up the line,” Gabe said. He checked his messages. “And Owen and Barrett just pulled up.”
Satisfaction settled deep in my chest. Daddy was putting some tables together so everyone could sit together, and I loved how cozy this life was.
It was hard not to be distracted by the ripple of muscles in his biceps as he picked up and moved tables.
Damn, he was hot, and I was lucky. There was no reason to go looking for more or different.
I’d found everything I’d ever dreamed of having right here.
Travis
“Daddy, thank you for today,” Casey said, sprawled on top of me. We were stretched out on the couch after getting home from the bar that evening.
The fundraiser had been in the afternoon, so instead of sticking around to do more work, we’d closed out the truck kitchen and come home. With extra people on shift, the evening kitchen crew could handle the regular menu without Casey there.
Proud didn’t begin to cover how I felt about the work he’d put into it. He’d created a menu for the kitchen, and now he was doing the same for the food truck that would live out in the courtyard.
“Me? I didn’t do anything,” I said.
“You gave me a chance to prove myself.”
“Bub, the only person you needed to prove yourself to was you. The rest of us already knew.” I leaned down and nuzzled the sensitive skin behind his ear, then added, “Everyone can see how much work you put into this. I’m so proud of you.”
Casey smashed his mouth into mine and slipped his tongue inside. I loved taking care of him, but I wasn’t about to argue when he took the reins. He wasn’t shy or coy. He wanted, and he took. Sign me the fuck up.
Casey shifted his legs to straddle my lap and pushed himself upright.
The T-shirt he’d swiped from my drawer hung loose on his frame.
I slipped my hands under the hem and spread my fingers over his solid body.
I loved that there was a layer of softness over his muscles.
When he’d found out I loved furry chests, he’d stopped waxing.
Turns out, he’d hated it but had some dumb idea that littles couldn’t have a beautiful, snuggly, warm, hairy chest. It was hard to keep my hands off him, and I never bothered to try.
“Casey, how the hell did I get so damn lucky?”
“Living right? Eating your vegetables?”
“I can think of something else I’d like to eat…” My voice trailed off as my hands slid down his chest and torso to the elastic edge of his pajama bottoms. His cock already tented the fabric. My fingers teased over the bulge.
“Daddy, what are you doing?” Casey’s breathy question quickened my pulse. His breathing came in fits and starts, like his lungs couldn’t quite keep up. Mine had gone shallow as anticipation set in.
“Playing with my boy. You’re too much for me to keep my hands off.”
“Don’t let me stop you.”
I pulled him down so I could kiss him again, slow and deep, and was rewarded with a soft sound that made me want more. His quiet moans pushed me to keep going. Casey jerked his hips, then tried to pull back.
Absolutely fucking not.
I settled my hands on his hips and held him firmly in place so I could take my time. He answered with a satisfied, smug smile. I loved it. With a firm tug, I pulled him closer and nuzzled the junction of his thighs. His cock, hard through the fleece, was warm and solid.
“Fuck, sweetheart, I can’t wait.”
I pushed his pants down until they were trapped around his thighs, letting me feel him properly.
His cock sprang free and brushed my lips.
I traced my tongue along the underside, satisfaction settling deep in my chest when he shuddered.
I followed the length until I reached the head and slipped it into my mouth.
The salty taste made me want more, and Casey’s soft sounds told me exactly how much he did too. I sucked more firmly on his cock and earned a gasp over a sigh.
“Daddy, please don’t stop.”