Chapter 6
Every minute Ethan spent at Jacob's place made him more confident Jacob was meant to be his Daddy. The other man knew him inside and out. He also seemed adamant that Ethan rest properly.
On day three, Ethan finally admitted to himself he needed to do something to figure out his insurance situation. Despite his Daddy making it seem like everything would be alright, he knew better.
“I need my phone,” he said to Jacob after breakfast that morning.
Daddy frowned, though he didn't argue. Instead he went to where he'd tucked Ethan's phone away that first night. “May I ask what you plan on doing?”
“I've got to see what comes next.”
At his words, the phone was placed in his hand. Daddy didn’t seem all that happy to do it.
Ethan took the phone and unlocked it. His eyes went wide at the number of notifications he had. Some were from Ash, of course. Multiple calls and voicemails. He ignored them, not wanting to see what the man had to say.
His texts wer also full with several people from the office checking on him. People he didn't think he'd ever given his number to, though they'd probably found it through the directory.
He also found himself staring at an email from HR.
“Crap,” he muttered.
Jacob came to stand beside him. With his Daddy at his back, a hand on Ethan's shoulder in support, Ethan opened the email and began to read. By the time he finished, he was more confused than ever.
“I don't understand,” he said.
“Well, it looks like you got a severance package. A rather generous one, I would say. Your insurance is covered for a full year.” Jacob paused. “Did your boss know the reason you were sticking around?”
Ethan nodded slowly. “He did. He only found out recently, but I wouldn't expect this from him. It doesn't make sense.”
Jacob hummed. “Maybe it does.”
He squeezed Ethan's shoulder and kissed the top of his head before moving back into the kitchen to finish the dishes he'd been working on.
Those words, said so calmly, made Ethan spiral a bit. What did his Daddy mean by that? Did he understand why Ash would do something like this? Was there some detail Ethan was missing that would explain it all? He didn't dare ask. Going deeper into this wormhole was a bad idea.
He replied to the email, thanking them and confirming his address and banking information. On top of the year's worth of insurance, he was receiving six months of pay and a bonus.
Knowing what he made regularly, Ethan couldn't help but question why. No matter how he spun it, it didn't make sense.
Technically he wasn’t supposed to have this type of pay since he’d quit. Severance was for when you were fired, yet somehow Ethan had been given far more than the usual amount and coverage.
When he got a response from HR saying they would take care of everything, he tucked his phone away again. If he kept it in his hand, he would end up texting Ash, and then he would be opening himself up to a conversation he still wasn’t ready to have.
“I know you've taken a few days off, but I think it would do us some good to go to the club today,” Jacob said once he was done cleaning up in the kitchen.
“Sounds good to me,” Ethan agreed. He moved into the kitchen wanting to help put things away.
Daddy waved him off, demanding he sit down. “You've worked hard. You don't need to do anything.”
Ethan threw his hands up. “I haven't been working hard today, or yesterday, or the day before. I need to do something.”
Daddy smiled as he dried his hands. “Yes, which is why we're going to the club. My boy needs to get his restless energy out, and I would like to make sure Noah hasn't burned down my kitchen or killed Dill.”
Ethan giggled. “He's not going to kill him. Noah wouldn't do well in prison.”
His Daddy laughed loudly at that. “Go get dressed. We're going now.”
“Now?” Ethan asked, noticing the time.
“Yes, now, because as the chef, I need to make sure there are snacks and lunch and all the other fun things. Just because you're used to going in the evening doesn't mean the club only functions at that time of day.”
Ethan scowled as his Daddy lifted his shirt off. Even being partially undressed with the other man didn't distract him from the sarcasm that had been tossed his way.
“Daddy meanie,” he said.
Daddy dropped into a squat as he tugged off the pajama pants Ethan had on. While Ethan might have been pouting about his treatment, his cock was decidedly Team Daddy. Once he was bare, Daddy looked from his erection up to Ethan's eyes and raised a single brow.
“No look…give me,” Ethan said, knowing the words were out of order but too deep in his Little mindset to care.
Daddy smiled, pressed a kiss to the tip of Ethan's cock, then grabbed the clean clothes he had set aside. “I'll deal with him later. You're being too stubborn right now to enjoy anything. My Little needs to go play. He's been cooped up too long.”
Ethan grumbled, partly because he didn't like the truth of his Daddy's statement, and partly because he really wanted to get some attention. It wasn't in his nature to be bratty, though. The minute he and Daddy were fully dressed, his mood was back to its normal sweet self.
At the club, they were greeted by Briar, who scowled for just a moment before smiling when Ethan waved at her.
“It's good to see you again,” she said. “Koa has been beside himself wanting to come to you. I think he's having Ethan withdrawals.”
Ethan giggled and Daddy sighed. “Yes, my phone has been going off constantly with messages from Manny. He told me more than once that I'm being unfair keeping them apart.”
Briar snorted. “Sure, but we can't tell him he's doing the same with Koa. Never mind that Koa helps run this whole place. Not to say you're not important, of course.”
Daddy waved a hand. “I know what you mean. It's not the same situation. There's someone here who can cover my work, but Koa dabbles in everything.”
“Exactly,” Briar said. “And Noah's been great.”
There was a hitch in her voice that Ethan noticed. His Daddy did too, because he stayed silent, waiting Briar out. She shook her head, then pointed towards the kitchen.
“You can go see for yourself. Dill just arrived with a shipment right before you got here.”
Daddy strode towards the kitchen with Ethan's hand still in his. Any other time Ethan might have complained about not being taken straight to see his friends, but his curiosity and need to be nosy kept his lips shut.
In the kitchen, the calm that existed in the rest of the club was missing entirely. Noah was chopping vegetables at the counter, and Dill was seated not far away, legs swinging as they belted out a Spice Girls song at full volume.
“What is going on in here?” Daddy demanded.
Dill looked over and grinned even wider. They held their arms out to the side. “Oh, good, you're back. So nice of you to join us. I was just entertaining Noah here since he was being so shy. He has to get used to me. Those are the rules.”
Noah continued to chop vegetables, but Ethan noted how his cheeks were flaming red and his head was tucked low.
The few times Ethan had spent time around Noah had confirmed just how shy the other man was.
He’d mentioned he didn't dabble much in kink, and on the few occasions he had, he preferred being dominant, though Ethan couldn't quite see it.
That wasn't to say he couldn't be, with the right person. It just didn't come across as his natural state.
Daddy tugged Ethan over to where Noah was and wedged them both between him and Dill. Dill huffed, then began to hum the song they'd been singing before.
His Daddy leaned closer to Noah. “Are you okay?” he asked, his tone soft and understanding.
Noah gave a sharp nod. “Yes, boss.”
Daddy used his free hand to clap Noah on the back. “I've told you about that. I know you come from different types of kitchens, but here we're equals. You've been covering for me for days. If that doesn't make you special, I don't know what will.”
Noah smiled at that, clearly pleased to have it acknowledged.
Dill leaned around Ethan and pointed at Noah. “You're smiling now. Why are you smiling?” Their eyes squinted as they studied him.
Noah shook his head.
Daddy turned to Dill and put on the face Ethan had come to recognize as full Daddy mode. “You are harassing my sous chef. Don't you have other things to do?”
Dill kicked their feet faster. “I mean, there's always something to do. I run a farm. Between the plants and the animals, it gets to be a lot. But I'm never too busy for the club. Never.”
“Uh-huh,” Daddy said, his tone rich with disbelief.
Ethan had to press his lips together to hold back a giggle. Dill was always so silly. It made sense that they were being a bit of a brat with Jacob gone.
Plus, Ethan wasn't sure if Noah and Dill had ever truly been properly introduced before this span of time his Daddy had taken off. They'd always been more ships passing in the night.
Then Noah spoke up. “I'm going on break,” he said, setting the knife down, wiping his hands on a towel, and slipping out of the kitchen before anyone could respond.
Dill moved as if to hop down and follow him, but Daddy raised a hand.
“You need to understand that your personality isn't easy for someone like Noah,” his Daddy said. “He's timid and doesn't handle confrontation well. Part of the reason he works in this kitchen is because of that. So, it would be very kind of you not to make him want to leave.”
The quiet authority in Daddy’s voice made it clear he was drawing a firm line. He might not have been Dill's Daddy, but he had the effect of one all the same.
“Yes, sir,” Dill said, though they rolled their eyes as they did. “Fine. I'm heading back to the farm. There's nothing left for me to do here anyway.”
Daddy shook his head, but patted Dill twice on the chest before turning to Ethan. “Now then, why don't we get you over to Koa? I'm sure he's heard by now that you're here and wants to play.”
Dill blew a raspberry from across the room. “Don't tempt me to stay! I’ll want to go find Noah and tease him again.” They paused at the door. Ethan noted their expression wasn’t that of someone wanting to tease another person. There was genuine interest in Dill’s expression.
Before Ethan could ask any questions, Dill strode out the back door of the kitchen towards where their work truck was likely parked. Daddy waited until the door closed before turning to Ethan and pressing a kiss to his lips.
“What was that for?” Ethan asked when his Daddy pulled back.
“I just appreciate you.” He hesitated. “And I love you.”
They both froze.
“You love me?”
Jacob swallowed. “Well… I didn't mean to say it right now, but I guess the cat's out of the bag, huh?”
Ethan couldn't do anything but nod. This man, who he'd been dancing around for so long, loved him.
The man who had shown up more than once, who had taken care of him for three days straight, and before that had provided food and comfort and companionship without ever being asked.
Ethan knew right then how he felt as well.
“I love you too, Daddy.”
Jacob sucked in a breath, then whispered, “Say it again.”
Ethan smiled, even as tears filled his eyes. “I love you too, Daddy.”
Daddy wrapped him in a hug and swung him side to side. Ethan giggled, his arms clasping around his Daddy's neck as they shared the tender moment.
While his professional life might be in a bit of a shambles, his personal one was thriving. He'd figure it all out. After all, he had time. The severance package and his extended insurance coverage made sure of that. He'd have to thank the HR team for going to bat for him. It meant the world.