14. Connor
Connor
I know my boy.
I feel our connection in my heart and soul.
And something ain’t quite right…
Milo walks beside me down the sunny sidewalk toward Tyler’s workshop, but something is off.
His usual bounce is missing. He keeps fidgeting with the strap of his little crossbody bag, and every few steps he glances at the ground instead of at me.
I let it go for the first block, giving the boy space, but by the second I can’t stand it anymore.
I stop walking and gently catch Milo’s arm, turning him to face me right there on the sidewalk.
“Talk to me, darling boy,” I say, my voice low but firm. “And don’t brush it off. I can see you’re tense. What’s going on in that pretty, sassy, turbo-charged head of yours?”
Milo’s blue eyes flick up to mine, then away again. He tries for a bright smile that doesn’t reach them. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just excited about the bike?—”
“ Milo ,” I put my foot down, using that tone I know gets through to him. “Stop. Tell Daddy what’s wrong.”
His shoulders drop. For a second he looks like he might argue, but then his bottom lip trembles and the words spill out in a rush.
“I’m scared, Daddy,” he admits, voice cracking.
“What if this coffee-bike thing doesn’t work?
What if I pour everything into it…money, time, hope…
and it ends up like the potato stall or the pizza gig?
Just another thing that crashes and burns?
” His eyes start to glisten. “I really, really want this one to stick, Connor. I want something that’s mine, something that lasts.
But what if I’m not good enough? What if I never find the right business? ”
Tears slip down his cheeks.
Milo tries to wipe them away quickly, like he’s embarrassed, but I don’t let him hide. I pull him into my arms right there on the sidewalk, wrapping him up tight against my chest. He buries his face in my shirt and lets out a shaky little sob.
“Hey,” I murmur into his hair, one big hand stroking slowly up and down his back. “Breathe, sweet boy. I’ve got you.”
Milo clings to me, fingers fisting in my shirt. I hold him closer, letting him feel how solid I am.
“That idea of yours is superb ,” I tell him, voice steady and sure.
“It’s smart, it’s fun, it fits this town perfectly, and most importantly…
it’s you . You’re great at this, Milo. You’re creative, hardworking, and you’ve got a spark most people would kill for.
This one is going to work. I believe that.
And even if there are bumps along the way, I’ll be right here helping you through them.
You’re not doing this alone anymore. You’ve got your Daddy by your side. Make no mistake on that.”
I press a long kiss to the top of his head, then tilt his chin up so I can look into his eyes. “You are smart. You are determined. And you are mine . So dry those tears, little bunny. Today we’re picking up your bike, and you’re going to feel good about it. Okay?”
He sniffles, but a small, watery smile breaks through. “Okay, Daddy.”
I wipe the last of Milo’s tears away with my thumbs and kiss his forehead, soft and lingering. “Ready?”
He nods, slipping his hand back into mine. “Ready.”
We start walking again, and I keep him close, my thumb brushing over his knuckles. By the time we reach Tyler’s workshop, some of the tension has melted from his shoulders. He’s still nervous, but he’s not carrying it alone. And that’s just the way it’s going to be from here on out too.
* * *
The second we step inside the workshop, Milo’s whole face lights up.
“Oh my gosh…” Milo exclaims, his eyes wide.
His newly converted bike stands proudly in the middle of the space, gleaming under the workshop lights. The retro frame has been beautifully restored and painted in soft mint green with cream accents.
A custom wooden coffee station sits securely on one side with a sleek espresso machine mount, a small cooler, and space for cups and syrups.
On the other side is a neat book rack with a weatherproof cover.
His logo— Milo’s Wheels & Reads —is printed in elegant script on both sides, along with tiny bicycle icons.
It looks professional.
It looks his .
Milo lets go of my hand and walks straight to it, running his fingers over the handlebars, the seat, the custom racks. “Tyler… this is even better than I imagined. It’s perfect!”
Tyler grins from behind his workbench, wiping his hands on a rag. “Glad you like it, Milo. My guy in the city went all out. The weight distribution is spot-on, and the solar panel setup on the back should keep the cooler running nicely on sunny days.”
I step closer, genuinely impressed.
The build is clean, sturdy, and smart.
“Nice work,” I tell Dillon, nodding. “This thing is going to turn heads.”
Milo pulls out his phone and starts taking photos from every angle, practically vibrating with excitement now. I watch him, chest tight with pride.
My boy.
My determined, brilliant, beautiful Little who is about to chase his dream on two wheels.
And in that moment, watching him smile so wide it lights up the whole workshop, something settles deep inside me.
I want to be his Forever Daddy.
I want to wake up next to Milo every morning, hold him when he’s scared, celebrate every win, and stand beside him through every challenge.
I want the whole thing: the life, the future, the commitment.
But today isn’t the day to say it. This moment belongs to Milo and his new bike. I won’t steal the spotlight. I’ll pick the perfect time later, something memorable, something worthy of him.
Tyler catches my eye and grins. “You’re a lucky guy, King. He’s something special.”
I chuckle, glancing back at Milo who is still snapping photos and talking animatedly to himself about menu ideas. “Don’t I know it. But keep your hands off him, Dillon, or I’ll have to come back and remind you why they call me the scary mountain man.”
Tyler laughs and holds up both hands in surrender. “Message received, big guy!”
It’s a light moment, easy and friendly, and it feels good. Another piece of the town slowly opening up to me. Maybe being part of this community isn’t as impossible as I once thought.
Milo finishes his photos and comes bouncing back over, cheeks pink with happiness. He throws his arms around my waist and hugs me tight.
“Thank you,” Milo whispers against my chest. “For listening earlier. For the encouragement. For everything .”
I wrap my arms around him and kiss the top of his head. “No problem. All in a day’s work being your Daddy.”
He giggles, the sound bright and perfect, and I feel that warm glow settle even deeper in my chest.
We wheel the bike out of the workshop together, Milo practically skipping beside me. The afternoon sun shines down on us as we head back toward town, his new dream rolling smoothly between us.
And for the first time in a very long time, I’m not just surviving my days.
I’m looking forward to every single one that comes next too.
* * *
The diner is warm and noisy with the usual evening crowd when the four of us slide into a big corner booth. Milo sits tucked against my side, his leg pressed to mine under the table. Taron is across from him, practically glowing as he leans into Kaleb.
The two boys keep exchanging excited little looks every time they glance at the photos Milo took of his new bike earlier.
Burgers, fries, and milkshakes arrive, and for a few minutes the table is nothing but happy chaos with ketchup bottles passing back and forth, straws slurping loudly, and Milo moaning around his strawberry milkshake like it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted.
“Best decision we made all week,” Kaleb says around a massive bite of his burger, grinning at me. “Nothing beats this after a hard day.”
I nod, chewing my own burger. It does taste damn good. But what feels even better is sitting here like this… normal. Public. With friends. With my boy.
Milo leans over and steals one of my fries. I raise an eyebrow at him and he gives me an innocent little smile that doesn’t fool me for a second.
“Sharing is caring, Daddy,” Milo whispers just loud enough for me to hear.
I squeeze his thigh under the table. “Careful, boy. Keep it up and I’ll give you something else to share later.”
His cheeks flush pink, but the sparkle in his eyes tells me he likes the threat.
After we finish eating, Kaleb drains the last of his milkshake and leans back with a satisfied groan.
“Alright,” Kaleb says. “Once these two troublemakers are done, you and me are heading to the Lantern for a couple of beers. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect,” I reply. “I can almost taste that first beer now.”
“Hell yeah,” Kaleb laughs.
Milo and Taron light up at the mention of the pinball machine in the back corner. They’re out of the booth in seconds, practically dragging each other over to it, already arguing about who gets to go first.
Kaleb and I watch them go, both of us wearing matching proud smiles.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” Kaleb says quietly once the boys are out of earshot. “But you two look good together.”
I take a slow sip of water, eyes still on Milo as he leans over the machine, his playful energy very much alive. He’s laughing, hips swaying as he works the flippers. Taron cheers every time the ball hits a high-scoring target.
“I want Milo to be my Forever,” I say, the words slipping out before I can overthink them.
Kaleb turns to look at me fully, surprise flickering across his face before it settles into something warm and knowing.
“Yeah?” he asks.
“Yeah.” I rub the back of my neck. “Feels right. Scary as hell, but right . I’ve been fighting it for weeks, but after today… watching him light up over that bike, holding him when he got scared earlier… I don’t want to do this halfway. I want all of it with this boy.”
Kaleb nods slowly, a small smile tugging at his mouth.
“If it feels right, brother, go for it,” Kaleb says, a knowing look in his eyes. “Life is too short to keep walls up when you’ve found someone worth tearing them down for. Taron’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Wouldn’t trade a single day.”
I let out a low chuckle. “Might need at least three beers before I start figuring out how to actually say it to him, though.”
Kaleb laughs, loud and genuine. “Make it four. And I’ll be your wingman if you need one. Just don’t wait too long. Boys like them? They deserve to know they’re loved.”
We both turn back toward the pinball machine.
Milo and Taron are in full competition mode now.
The machine lights are flashing wildly, bells and whistles going off as Milo racks up an insane score.
He lets out a triumphant little squeal when he beats Taron’s previous high score, bouncing on his toes and throwing his arms around his best friend.
The sight hits me square in the chest.
That’s my boy. Bright. Determined. Full of life. And he’s all mine.
Pride swells inside me so strongly it almost hurts. I want to be the man who stands beside him through every high score, every business win, every moment of doubt. I want to be his safe place. His Daddy. His forever.
Kaleb claps me on the shoulder. “Look at them. We’re two lucky bastards.”
“Damn right we are,” I murmur.
We watch a little longer as the boys rack up even higher scores, laughing and teasing each other. Every time Milo glances back toward our booth and catches my eye, his whole face softens with that special smile he only gives me.
I raise my glass toward Kaleb. “To Forever.”
He clinks his water glass against mine. “To Forever.”
The boys finally abandon the pinball machine when it starts demanding more quarters and come bouncing back to the table, cheeks flushed and eyes bright.
“Did you see that last score?” Milo asks, sliding into the booth and immediately curling into my side. “I freakin’ crushed it!”
“I saw,” I say, pressing a kiss to his temple. “You were incredible, Little Bunny.”
Taron beams at Kaleb. “We totally dominated that machine.”
Kaleb chuckles and pulls Taron close. “We know. We were watching the whole time.”
Milo looks up at me, searching my face for a second like he can sense something deeper behind my words. I just smile and tuck a strand of hair behind his ear.
“Ready to head out?” I ask the group.
The boys nod eagerly. Kaleb and I settle the bill, and the four of us step out into the cooling evening air. Milo slips his hand into mine as we walk, swinging it gently between us.
For the first time in longer than I can remember, the future doesn’t feel like something I need to brace myself against.
It feels like something I get to look forward to.
And I know exactly who I want to spend it with.
The only question is… how do I let Milo know that?