16. Connor
Connor
One month later and life feels almost too good to be true.
I wake up every morning with Milo curled against my chest in our bed— our bed, in our cabin —and for the first few seconds I just lie there, breathing him in, letting the quiet reality settle over me.
Milo is here.
He is mine.
And we are building something real together, and it is working out better than I ever dared to hope.
The cabin has changed in small but meaningful ways...
My boy’s colorful throw blankets drape over the couch. His fairy lights are strung along the porch railing. There is a second toothbrush in the bathroom and a whole shelf in the kitchen dedicated to his coffee gear and endless supply of indie books.
Shadow and Spirit have fully adopted Milo as their favorite human. They follow him around like shadows, leaning against his legs whenever he stands still, and they even let him braid little ribbons into their collars on lazy mornings.
It still makes me bristle sometimes when they abandon me the second he walks through the door, but I can’t really complain. I get it. Milo is impossible not to love.
This morning I am out on the deck helping with the latest repair on his coffee-bike. The custom rack on the back had a bolt work itself loose during his busy weekend across town.
I tighten everything up, check the welds Tyler put in, and give the whole setup a solid shake to make sure it is road-ready.
Milo appears behind me with two steaming mugs of coffee, wearing one of my old flannel shirts and nothing else. His bare legs look incredible in the morning sunlight.
“Here you go, Daddy,” he says, handing me the darker roast. “Extra strong, just how you like it.”
I take the mug and pull Milo in for a slow kiss, tasting coffee and the sweetness of his lip balm. “Thank you, darling boy. Bike should be good to go now. That rack isn’t going anywhere.”
He beams up at me, then glances toward the notebook sitting on the small table.
“And how’s the manuscript coming?” Milo asks. “I finished the chapters you gave me last night.”
I feel that familiar flicker of nerves, but it is getting smaller every time. Showing Milo my thriller novel was one of the hardest things I have ever done. For weeks I sat on it, convinced it was too dark, too raw, too personal.
But Milo has proven to be an incredible first reader: thoughtful, honest, and full of surprisingly sharp ideas.
He catches plot holes I miss, suggests tighter dialogue, and even pushes me to go deeper with the emotional arcs.
His feedback has made the story stronger than I ever could have on my own.
“It’s coming along,” I admit, rubbing the back of my neck. “Your notes on the confrontation scene were spot on. I reworked it this morning at dawn when you were fast asleep. Want to read the new version later?”
His eyes light up. “Yes please! I love being your first reader. This book is going to be amazing, Connor. I can feel it.”
We sit together on the deck for a while, drinking coffee and talking through the story. The dogs sprawl at our feet, occasionally lifting their heads to make sure we are still there. It is peaceful. Domestic . Exactly what I never knew I needed.
I have been making a real effort to be more present in town too. Not every day—I am still a mountain man at heart—but at least three times a week I ride in with Milo.
Sometimes I help him set up his coffee-bike at the fair or near the park.
Sometimes I grab a beer with Kaleb at the Woody Hollow or lend a hand at the hardware store.
People are slowly warming up. Mr. Deeney even gave me a respectful nod the other day. All small steps, but they matter.
All of it… the town, the writing, the shared life here in the cabin… has made me happier than I have been in years. And I am grateful to Milo for every single part of it. He pulled me out of the shadows without even trying.
Milo just loved me, challenged me, and refused to let me stay closed off.
I look over at the darling boy now, legs tucked under him, hair messy from sleep, smiling softly as he reads through my latest pages. My chest tightens with love so fierce it almost hurts.
“You know,” I say quietly, “I couldn’t be happier than I am right now.”
Milo glances up, his expression softening. He sets the pages down and crawls into my lap, straddling me on the chair. His arms loop around my neck.
“Me neither,” he whispers, brushing his nose against mine. “Best decision I ever made was crashing my bike on your land.”
I chuckle and kiss Milo, slow and deep. The dogs thump their tails against the deck boards in approval.
After a while we reluctantly pull apart.
There is still a fun hangout planned for the afternoon with Kaleb and Taron.
A group hike up to the secret lake, a proper race, and plenty of time to just enjoy being together.
The boys are excited. Kaleb and I have already been texting about who is going to win this time.
I give Milo’s ass a firm squeeze. “Go get dressed, little bunny. We’ve got mountains to climb and friends to beat.”
He giggles and kisses me one more time before hopping off my lap. As he heads inside, I watch him go, heart full and steady.
This is my life now.
Milo. The dogs. The cabin. The writing. The town I am slowly learning to belong to.
And later today, more laughter, more competition, more memories with the people who have become our little chosen family.
I finish my coffee, set the mug down, and stand up, stretching my arms toward the bright sky.
Yeah, like is damn good for me these days.
I really couldn’t be happier.
* * *
The sun sits high in a perfect, cloudless sky. The mountains around us look sharper and more beautiful than ever, every ridge and valley glowing under the bright light.
I truly feel alive in a way I haven’t in years. Coming here by myself was great but having people I love and respect with me is even better. Even if it means keeping an eye on some of them to make sure they don’t do anything silly…
Milo runs just ahead of me, his arms flapping like an eagle, but his legs strong and steady from all the cycling he’s been doing with his new business.
Taron is beside him, laughing breathlessly.
Kaleb and I bring up the rear, matching each other stride for stride while Shadow, Spirit, Racer, and Turbo charge along with us, tongues out, tails wagging like crazy.
It is a fun but fiercely competitive race up one of the tougher mountain inclines.
No one is keeping official time, but we are all pushing hard. Milo lets out a determined little growl every time he powers up a steep section. Taron cheers him on. Kaleb and I exchange grins—two Daddies watching their boys give it everything they have.
We reach the summit together in a chaotic, laughing pile. Everyone collapses onto the soft patch of grass at the top, chests heaving, sweat glistening on our skin. The view is breathtaking, the whole valley spread out below us like a living painting.
Taron rolls onto his back and throws his arms in the air.
“We won!” Taron exclaims “Kaleb and I totally won!”
Milo sits up immediately, cheeks flushed. “No way! Connor and I crossed first. Right, Daddy?”
I look at Kaleb. He looks at me. We both start grinning at the same time.
“None of you won,” I say, still catching my breath.
Kaleb nods toward the dogs, who are already rolling around in the grass, barking happily. “The dogs did.”
Shadow lets out a proud woof as if he understands perfectly. Everyone bursts out laughing, the kind of deep, belly laughter that feels like it cleans out your soul. Milo crawls over and flops against my chest. I wrap an arm around my love, pulling him close.
We stay like that for a while, just breathing, enjoying the sun on our skin and the company of the people who matter most. Eventually we dig into our packs.
Sandwiches, protein balls, fresh juice boxes for the boys, and cold beers for Kaleb and me.
The food tastes better up here, surrounded by nothing but mountains and open sky.
Milo takes a long sip of his juice and leans his head on my shoulder.
“This is perfect,” Milo murmurs. “I don’t ever want to come down.”
I kiss the top of his head. “We’ve still got one more stop.”
We pack up and start the trek down toward the secret lake, my hidden slice of paradise that I once guarded so fiercely.
Now I am bringing the people I trust most in the world to share it with me.
The trail is easier on the way down, full of laughter and teasing.
Milo keeps reaching back to hold my hand.
Every time he does, something warm and steady settles deeper in my chest and I know that I have something I need to talk to him about.
It’s time, man.
You have to let go and talk.
Your boy deserves to know the truth…
When we finally reach the lake, the water is sparkling under the afternoon sun like it has been waiting for us. The trees form a perfect green canopy around the edges, and the rocky outcrops on the far side make it feel completely private. Sacred, almost.
Milo and I find a smooth spot near the water’s edge and sit down together. The others are still a little ways behind, giving us this moment. I take his hand in mine and feel his fingers lace through mine naturally.
“My darling boy,” I say quietly, “I need to be honest with you about something.”
He turns to me, eyes soft and open. “You can tell me anything, Daddy.”
I take a slow breath and tell him about Nav.
I tell him how we met in the military, how deeply we connected, how he was my Little and I was his Daddy in a world that tried, and succeeded, to break us both.
I tell him about the ambush. About the day I lost my boy.
About the many years I spent afterward convinced I could never let anyone close again.
Milo listens without interrupting, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand. When I finish, he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles.
“Everyone has a past, Connor,” Milo says softly. “I’m so sorry you lost Nav. That must have been incredibly painful. But I’m not scared of your history. I’m grateful you trusted me enough to share it. From now on, you never have to carry any of that alone. You can always talk to me. Always .”
The relief that washes through me is so strong it almost brings tears to my eyes. I pull Milo into my lap and hold him tight, breathing in his vanilla scent, feeling his warmth against me.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his hair. “You have no idea what that means to me.”
We sit like that for a long moment, hands linked, hearts steady, the lake gently lapping at the shore.
It feels like peace. Like a deep healing.
Then the peace is very suddenly interrupted…
“What the hell?” I roar.
“ OMG !” Milo gasps.
A loud splash comes from the water, followed by Taron’s indignant squeal.
Kaleb emerges from the lake completely naked, water streaming down his powerful body, with an equally naked Taron thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Kaleb has one big hand firmly on Taron’s bare ass and is delivering solid spanks as he walks out of the shallows.
“Kaleb!” Taron protests, kicking his legs. “Put me down, you big brute!”
Kaleb just chuckles and lands another firm smack. “You wanted to pull my shorts down in the water when I said no, boy. This is what happens when you disobey Daddy!”
Milo and I stare for half a second, then both of us burst out laughing. The sound echoes across the lake. Taron looks over at us, face bright red, but he is giggling too in between cries of wet-bottomed spanking pain.
I look down at Milo, my heart so full it feels like it might explode. “It’s a great life being a Daddy,” I say, a knowing smile on my face.
He beams up at me, eyes sparkling with love and mischief. “The best life.”
We kiss… slow, deep, and full of promise. When we finally pull apart, the sound of Kaleb still playfully spanking Taron is fading as they disappear behind some trees. I stand up, pulling Milo with me.
Without another word we both strip. Clothes hit the grass. I take Milo’s hand, and together we charge into the cool, crystal water with loud shouts of joy. The shock of the cold hits us hard, but it feels incredible. We swim out to the middle, laughing, splashing, chasing each other like kids.
I catch him eventually, pulling him close so his legs wrap around my waist. We float there together, foreheads pressed, breathing the same air.
“I love you, Milo,” I say, voice rough with emotion. “You are just perfect.”
He kisses me softly. “I love you too my wild mountain Daddy.”
The sun shines down on us. The water laps gently around our bodies. In the distance I can hear Kaleb and Taron laughing. Our dogs are barking happily on the shore.
This is it.
This is everything I never thought I could have again.
And I am never letting it go.