Chapter Twenty-Six
Leo
Gideon grinned at me. “This is your first Quinton shindig, eh?”
“Well, if I’d been here for Valentine’s, then we would’ve seen each other.” Plus, I was still in the doghouse back then. Although he’d invited me. But I’d had the kids.
No regrets.
“I have to thank Archer’s parents for babysitting tonight.” When Gideon told me he and Archer were coming tonight, I’d assumed that meant I would be staying home with the kids—this was, after all, my weekend.
“You’ve already thanked Archer, like, five times. Clementine and Clive love coming out to babysit the kids. They couldn’t have been more thrilled.” Gideon continued to smile. “Given they’re going to be my in-laws, I figure keeping them happy is important.”
He radiated happiness. Radiant. That’s the word I would choose to describe him since he’d come home from Vancouver with a ring on his finger.
“And Lucky. Can’t forget Lucky.”
“Clementine brings dog treats in her fancy purse. It’s…adorable.” All dreamy smile. “How’s the hospital these days?”
“Busy. I’ve settled in and I have a great team. I think I anticipated more problems when transferring from Surrey, but administration has made the transition seamless.”
“That’s great.” Same damn smile. “I’m so happy for you, Leo. And Quinton? I think you’ve found the perfect guy.”
You were once perfect for me too. And I’m so damn sorry for letting that go. When I’d recently tried to apologize again, Gideon said that not only was in unnecessary, but that it sort of hurt him a bit. That he was moving on and he wanted the same for me—if that was possible.
I’d taken that thought to Justin in our next counseling session.
He’d wisely agreed with Gideon and asked me what moving on looked like for me.
I’d said Quinton. Justin said that was a pretty good choice—as long as I was doing it for the right reason.
Because I loved Quinton, and not just because he was someone convenient.
I’d laughed. Not unkindly. Because I’d be hard-pressed to think of someone less convenient than Quinton.
Not just because of our wonky schedules.
No. He got me in a way that only Gideon ever had.
Quinton had my number and was never afraid to call me out on my shit.
“Where is the host?” Gideon and I were ensconced in the kitchen.
“Nervous?” He arched an eyebrow. “This was your idea.”
I met his gaze. “Am I wrong to do this?”
He burst out laughing. “Only you can answer that question. I can tell you it’ll be epic if you pull it off.”
My stomach lurched. “You don’t think I can pull this off?”
“I didn’t say that.” He held up his hands. “I’m moral support—not the logistics person. That’s not my specialty.”
I hated that Gideon still put himself down. A learning disability made navigating the world challenging for him—but he’d done well as a longshoreman. Now, as a stay-at-home dad, he was even better. Much happier. He’d made noises about getting a job when Trevor started school.
Archer vacillated. He wanted Gideon to have a sense of purpose. He was also happy to have his fiancé home and focused on the family. They didn’t need Gideon to earn an income—and taking a job away from someone who might need it these days felt unfair.
Maybe you should suggest volunteering of some kind. Yeah, I’d do that. After the party, I’d see if I could find a few things that might suit him. Not being pushy—just offering another perspective.
“Oh my God.” Quinton breezed into the kitchen. “Why are pigs in a blanket so damn popular?”
Gideon offered up the basket of cooling little piggies he’d recently retrieved from the oven. He might’ve already eaten two.
I’d snagged one as well.
“You’re a dear.” Quinton grabbed the basket. “I think we can start looking at desserts. Lucia should—”
Even as he said her name, the doctor herself appeared.
“Oh, perfect. Can you organize the mini-Nanaimo squares? Might as well give them out first.”
“Sure.” Lucia snagged a pig in a blanket. “But they’re everyone’s favorite.”
“Right. So they’ll have room if they eat them first. Then we’ve got the egg tarts.” He gazed around the counter. “And something Irish, right?”
“Bread pudding and Bailey’s cheesecake.” Gideon moved to the fridge. “I’ll get it organized.” He winked at me as Quinton continued to fuss over the piggies.
“Sure. Thank you.” Quinton grinned. “Okay.”
“Why don’t I come with you?” I gestured to the door to the living room.
“Awesome.”
Lucia gave me two thumbs-up as I followed Quinton into the chaos that was his living room.
Half the crowd wore green, a few wore either silver or gold, and the rest were just dressed in casual clothes—with several men gathered in the corner wearing plaid. Apparently this had something to do with Adam and Dean’s wedding. All the guests had worn plaid?
See? You’re getting to know people.
Right.
I waved to Justin, who grinned back. He stood next to his husband, Stanley. We’d been introduced earlier. Along with about twenty other people whose names I was unlikely to remember. Perhaps if this had just been an ordinary party, I might’ve put in more of an effort.
Lucia nudged me.
Right.
I moved with determination toward the fireplace. After taking a breath, I stood on the hearth of the gas fireplace.
Immediately, the room quieted.
Quinton, who’d been facing away from me, spun suddenly. His eyes went wide.
I tried to hold back my grin. As well as calm my nerves.
Dean snagged the basket of piggies and nudged Quinton toward me.
See? I could remember a few names.
I extended my hand.
Quinton moved toward me. Eventually he grasped my hand and allowed me to pull him up onto the hearth.
I’d have sworn the room held their breath.
He leaned in. “What are you doing? Because you get this is a thing…right?”
I nodded. Yes. Foster, the older Black gentleman, had proposed to his younger now-husband Arnav on New Year’s Eve.
Rayne had attempted to propose to Everett on Valentine’s Day—but Everett had beat him to the punch.
Yes, I understood what I was doing. I cleared my throat. “So, I asked you to move in with me.”
Dean, the Aussie, hooted. Along with several other people I didn’t recognize.
“And I agreed.” Quinton’s eyes were still wide. “I’m moving in at the end of the month.”
“Well…this is your last party here.”
“Boo.” Justin’s contribution.
“Plenty to be held at my new digs.” Quinton faced the crowd. “Bit of a drive to the hills. Lovely property. You’ll have a blast.”
“Oh good. We were worried.” Stanley—in possibly the driest tone ever.
I smiled. “I want more.”
“Than parties at your home?”
“Yes.” I nodded slowly.
“Oh.” He nodded as well. “Oh.” If the expression on his face—all wide eyes—was anything to go by, he was finally getting it. Really getting it.
“Yes, I’m asking you to marry me. I understand it’s only been a month.”
“Two fewer weeks than Ev and me.” Rayne’s contribution.
“About that amount of time for us.” Foster speaking up.
“Oh, sweetie.” Arnav put an arm around his husband’s shoulders. “And we were married barely a month later.”
I gulped. Maybe I didn’t think this through properly. Somehow, we’d gone from exclusive to bareback to moving in together. Marriage just felt like the next logical step.
“Ask him already!” Lucia looked vaguely impatient.
Quinton shot her a look I couldn’t quite discern.
“What? I want Nanaimo bars.” She grinned unrepentantly.
“Oh, yummy. Yes, get on with it.” Aussie Dean’s husband Adam. The former recluse. Okay, another name I remembered. His facial burn scar admittedly made him more distinctive.
“There’s Bailey’s cheesecake as well.” Archer pointed to the tray he held.
Gideon was by his side. His expression wavered between concerned and excited. He’d known I was doing this—because this was such a huge moment for all of us.
“Okay. Bailey’s? Hurry up.” A slender redheaded man, tucked against a larger blond man, rolled his hand—indicating I should hurry up.
Right.
“Will you marry me? Join me in this crazy journey called life? Be a stepfather to my children? Let me be a son-in-law to the most amazing mother ever?”
“That might be up for debate.” Archer snagged a Nanaimo bar. “But I’ll give you that Mama’s very special.”
Gideon elbowed him.
Several people laughed. Just about everyone knew Mama.
I held Quinton’s gaze. Please say yes. Please forgive me for making this so public.
He rolled his eyes. “Like I’d ever say no to you.”
“Well, there was that time—” Lucia’s dark-brown eyes gleamed mischief.
“Oh hush, you!” Quinton shot daggers at his friend.
“It’s all behind us now. Sunny days ahead.
” He turned his attention back to me. “I know everyone wants dessert, so I won’t prolong this.
Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes, you can attempt to be the best son-in-law ever.
I’d be honored to join your family.” He blew a kiss to Gideon and Archer.
Gideon met my gaze. “Now?”
I nodded.
Archer bolted upstairs.
Quinton cocked his head. “Uh…?”
Clomping feet thundered down the stairs. “Papa!” Trevor bolted right for me.
Melodie was just behind him. While Trevor threw himself into my arms, she held back, looking at Quinton. “You said yes?”
He nodded.
“Yay!” She pumped her fist. Then she beckoned him closer.
He bent at the waist to meet her gaze.
“You take care of him. He’s a great papa.”
“I plan to.” He took her hand. “And I’m going to care for you and Trevor as well.”
“We’re getting a puppy!” Trevor continued to cling to me.
I gazed up to meet my future mother-in-law’s eyes.
Her watery eyes. She’d asked permission to bring a puppy onto the property.
I’d tried to point out the cabin was hers to do with whatever she liked, but she insisted the family needed to make a decision since this would affect the children as well.
Understanding her point, I said I’d be thrilled to have a dog with us.
Just, with the irregularity of Quinton’s schedule—as well as the unpredictability of mine—he and I couldn’t sign onto a dog to care for ourselves.
She’d excitedly shown me pictures of her new super-tiny creature.
Vaguely, I’d wondered if she would’ve declined to move in if I’d said no to the puppy. Or whether Quinton had led her to believe—correctly—that I wanted both her and the puppy.
My ever-expanding circle.
Suddenly, Trevor launched himself toward Quinton.
Who caught him easily.
That enabled me to crouch down to Melodie’s level. “Did I do okay?”
She nodded enthusiastically. We’d had a long discussion about what all this meant. That her life would go on and she’d just have more people to love—and who would love her. She leaned in. “I like him.”
“That’s good—because I love him.”
“Have you told him?” Her blue eyes bore into my soul.
I blinked. Of course I had. Except… I held up a finger.
She nodded.
Everyone in the room was talking animatedly as Lucia was passing around piggies, and Archer was following after her with Nanaimo bars. A recipe for indigestion if I’d ever seen one. “Uh, one second, everyone.”
A hush fell.
I turned to Quinton—who still held Trevor. “I love you.”
He chuckled. “I kind of figured.” His gaze softened. “Or, rather I hoped.”
While holding Melodie’s hand, I leaned over to give him a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Well, finally.” Dean put his hand on Quinton’s back. “Mate, I didn’t know if you’d ever find anyone to take the plunge with.”
“He makes me want to be a better man.” Quinton smiled at me.
“You’re the best man I know.” In my mind, I apologized to Gideon. Ours had been a love born of long recognition—Quinton was a bolt of lightning that landed me on my ass. And knocked sense into me.
He blinked. “Forever?”
“Hell freaking yes.”
He laughed. “Tender ears.”
“Always.” I squeezed Melodie’s hand. “Do you want a pig in a blanket or a Nanaimo square?"
“Both!” Trevor kissed Quinton on the cheek. “Put me down.”
“Yes.” Quinton did exactly that. Then he tucked himself against me as each child took a piggy from Lucia and a square from Archer.
He winked at us. “Best wishes.”
I hugged my fiancé. “Thank you.”
“Hey, we’re family.”
As I gazed over the room—friends, coworkers, and people I’d yet to meet—I felt settled in a way I hadn’t for a very long time. “Yeah. Family.” I turned to Quinton. “Forever, right?”
“You bet.”
Our lips met, and we sealed the deal.