Chapter Twenty-Four
Leo
Iwas beyond exhausted as I showered after the back-to-back surgeries. Both patients had survived.
Somehow.
Quinton’s text saying he’d driven the kids home, brushed their teeth, read six stories to them, and settled them into their beds warmed my heart.
He sent a picture of the two of them hunkered down in Melodie’s bed with Lucky lying at the foot of the bed.
Apparently, within moments, the kids were asleep.
Also, my kids had brought good chaos to Quinton and his mother—they both enthused about how much fun they’d had.
While I’d been saving the lives of an elderly gentleman with a crush injury and a child who had been impaled and whose heart had been nicked.
Beyond dicey.
Now in the hands of the most competent nursing staff I’d ever met.
I’ll never say anything negative about nurses again. They’ve got a tough enough job without me being an asshole.
The mass casualty in Vancouver—a guy stabbing multiple people before being subdued by bystanders—had been, for the most part, resolved. No one had died. Yet.
New West’s heart transplant had been a success. So far. Those things were always tough, and organ rejection was a real possibility.
As I pulled into the driveway and spotted my SUV, a rightness settled over me. I never could’ve left the kids if not for Quinton. Even if… What? Taking them to the hospital and asking someone to watch them? Calling Gideon and praying he arrived home in time for me to save lives?
Having the nanny had meant I’d never been without continuous backup. I’d thought Gideon would be that person now—but he deserved moments away from our kids.
But I wouldn’t have changed today.
So where did that leave me?
I just didn’t know.
The front door opened, and Quinton waved.
Then his expression turned worried, with a frown line appearing between his eyebrows.
He thinks someone died.
I hopped out of the SUV with way more verve than I should, armed the alarm, and headed toward him. “They’re fine. Everyone’s fine—as far as I know. The hospital will— Oof.”
He’d yanked me into his arms. “You had me so scared.”
“I’m okay. Truly, Quinton. But maybe we can go inside where it’s warm?"
He pulled back and offered me a watery smile. “I’ve been so worried all day. And yes, let’s go where it’s warm. I even turned the fireplace on.”
“Sounds good.” We stepped inside. I removed my coat and boots. “But first—”
“Still asleep in Melodie’s room. I checked on them a few minutes ago. Smart move, buying her a large bed.”
“She flails a lot. I never saw they might need to share it.”
“They were really okay, Leo. Mama’s…she’s amazing.”
I grasped his waist and pulled him to me. “You’re amazing. I couldn’t have left them with anyone else.” Confirmation, aloud, of the realization I’d had in his SUV.
“You’ve got backup. Between Gideon and Archer, Mama, and me—you’ll always have someone.”
“My job shouldn’t be the be all and end—”
He placed his index finger against my lips. “None of us can do what you do. You’ve spent your entire life getting to this point. Two people are alive today who likely wouldn’t have been otherwise.”
“Yeah.” I blinked. Gideon had always understood. Never questioned my drive. To have someone else in my life feel the same way meant everything. “Kids, now. Then maybe a decaf coffee or a hot chocolate?”
“With marshmallows? That’s how Mama made it for the kids earlier.”
“She’s amazing. You’re amazing.”
“I’ll always be here.” He slapped my ass. “Go see the kids. I’ll get the mugs.” He sauntered off to the kitchen, jiggling his ass in just that way.
Despite my exhaustion, I smiled. I made my way to Melodie’s room and snuck a peek.
Lucky raised his head for a fraction of a second, then settled back down in his protective stance at the foot of the bed.
Melodie was on one side of the bed with her arms flung wide and a foot sticking out from under the covers. She always ran warm, so I didn’t adjust her.
Trevor was curled into a little ball with his hands tucked under his chin.
Both children were heart-stoppingly precious.
I offered up the thanks I often did to their mother.
Thank you for gifting me your children. Thank you for trusting them to me.
I will always keep them safe. She knew how to reach us, if she ever wanted to.
We’d offered an open adoption, but she’d made it clear she wouldn’t be able to do that.
Naturally, we’d respected her wishes. The day the adoption was official, we’d gone for a family portrait.
Melodie had fidgeted, Trevor had fussed—and yet somehow, we succeeded in getting the picture that now had pride of place on my fireplace mantel.
Slowly, I closed the door, softly letting it click into place.
The kids would cry out or come see me if they needed me.
Quinton handed me a mug. “Made with milk and nuked in the microwave.”
“Thank you.” I poked at the mini marshmallows. “Yours?”
The microwave beeped.
He gave me that cheeky grin I was coming to love. “Meet you by the fire.”
I made my way to the living room and found that yes, the gas fireplace had been on for some time and the room was toasty.
Normally I didn’t like using it because of the negative impacts fracking had on the environment.
Tonight? And nights when the power went off?
Yeah, I was okay with it in those circumstances.
Still, I yanked off my sweater and stood close to the heat.
Quinton took my mug and placed it with his on a side table. Then he wrapped me in his arms.
I sagged into the embrace.
Tears came. For all of it. I was so completely overwhelmed. I’d always prided myself in keeping things together. For never faltering. If this week had taught me one thing, it was that I wasn’t alone in the fight.
He rubbed his stubbled cheek against my neck.
I pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Is it really this simple?” I whispered the words.
“Well, given half a chance, I’d drop to my knees and give you a blow job. Given we have kiddos in the house, though, I’m going to pass on that.”
Despite myself, I gave a watery laugh. “Yeah. Although I suspect Gideon and Archer aren’t celibate when the kids are around.”
Quinton pulled back to meet my gaze. His dark-brown irises were nearly eclipsed by his pupils in the low light. “They have a formal relationship. Archer’s not just passing through.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “Are you just passing through?”
He licked his lips. “That’s your call, Leo. You’ve got a hell of a lot on your plate. We were just fuck buddies.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Taking one for the team?”
“Anytime.” He grinned. “Nothing I like better than having you in my ass.” He sobered. “Well, except maybe in my arms.”
I flashed back to Monday. The pain of losing a patient. The comfort Quinton had offered me. Selflessly. With exquisite tenderness.
Now he was doing that again.
“Why don’t we drink our hot chocolate?” I offered him my warmest smile. “Before it gets cold.”
“Sure. Are we stripping?” He yanked his sweatshirt over his hair to reveal a tight-fitting T-shirt. His hair was a little mussed with static.
I patted it down.
He went up on tiptoes to press a kiss to my lips.
Such small gestures. Such intimacy. Things missing from your life.
Not that I wanted to reflect on the past—but these were things I’d enjoyed with Gideon.
Being with him had been as natural as breathing.
I missed him at times. Although perhaps the closeness as much as him.
Knowing that part of my life was never coming back didn’t discomfort me the way it sometimes had in the past. Because I’m looking at my future.
Oh shit.
My inner voice was right.
So go for it.
I cleared my throat.
He cocked his head.
“Could we, uh…” I winced.
“You’re going to have to be more specific. We took physical stuff off the table—for tonight—because the kids are in the next room and possibly a little uncertain after having been with strangers all day.”
“You’re not a stranger to them. Again, I would’ve never left them with someone I didn’t trust.”
His grin overtook his entire face. “I wondered if you’d ever own up to that.”
“That you’re a good person and completely trustworthy? No-brainer. That you’re a fantastic nurse, a loving son, and a great human being? I’m all-in for that as well.”
“Then what were you going to ask?”
“Will you…?” I broke eye contact and gazed up at the ceiling.
Quinton grasped my chin and gently guided my gaze back to his. “Just ask, Leo.”
“Boyfriends.” I forced out the word. “Something more official than fuck buddies.”
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“You’ll never know.”
He cocked an eyebrow.
I fidgeted. “Gideon and I never had this conversation. Just one day we realized how we felt about each other. It sounds so strange. We kissed and…that was it. We were secret boyfriends who stumbled through puberty together. Discovered all things sexual, sensual, and emotional. We came out to our parents, were rejected, and moved in together. Marriage was legal by then, so we went down to the courthouse and got married. When we were ready for kids, we just sort of knew. Everything was so simple. Maybe too simple—I took him for granted. And didn’t support him when he needed me the most.”
Slowly, he nodded. “That’s a lot.”
“Sorry—”
“Hush. That didn’t mean what you thought it meant.
I’m saying you have an incredible past. You’ve lived what most people wish they could have.
And yes, things fell apart. But you’ve put things back together again.
That’s powerful, Leo. You’ve forged a relationship—essentially moving back to friendship—with your ex-husband.
You’ve accepted his partner. Together, you’ve found a way to parent your two beautiful children.
And, finally, you won’t ever take that for granted. ”
“No, I really won’t.” I could say that with vehemence.