by Sean Michael
Robin nodded. “He’s big like you, Daddy.”
“I’m a little bigger, though.” He flexed his muscles playfully, making Robin laugh. He’d been able to pick Don up the other night.
“Hmm? Bigger than what?” murmured Don.
“Bigger than you!” answered Robin.
“Come on, babe. Couch. You can rest.”
“What time is it? You’ve got to work, right?” Don blinked at him, looking more than half out of it, though judging by the empty glass and plate on the table, Don’d managed to keep the water and toast down.
“I called in. Come on. Sofa. I need to make nananas for my boy.” He got Don moving, chuckling as Don automatically corrected his pronunciation. He handed a blanket over before heading back to his son.
Robin was still sitting on the counter, sucking on his little sippy cup of watered-down apple juice.
“Such a good boy.” He grinned over. “Let’s try a banana and then some Dora on the TV, hmm?”
“I like Dora! Pooh-Pooh is Donny’s favorite.”
“Do you want to watch Pooh first?”
Robin nodded. “’Cause Donny’s really sick.”
“You’re a good boy. So good.” Jeff’s chest hurt a little with it.
Robin beamed at him, looking as proud as he felt.
“Let me get you settled, and I’ll cut up a banana.”
Maybe he could get in a shower before Kimberley woke up and started crying again.
GETTING SICK had sucked, and they’d all gotten it.
At least Jeff had waited to succumb until Donny was feeling better. The kids had been too, so it had just been a matter of keeping them out of Jeff’s hair until the sick ran through him.
They’d weathered it well, though, and tonight they were all sitting together on the couch, watching the new Winnie the Pooh movie. God, Donny loved that silly bear. He always had, and it was wonderful to be able to share Pooh and the other creatures with a new generation.
Jeff sat quietly, rocking Kimberley, half-dozing. Robin was on Donny’s lap, and Donny’s head was on Jeff’s shoulder. Yeah, it didn’t get much better than this. He couldn’t quite believe how awesome his life was right now.
“Daddy, does Winnie Pooh have a mommy?”
Jeff shrugged. “I suppose he does. Roo has one.”
“He’s got Christopher Robin.” Donny grinned. “A name like yours, eh?”
Robin nodded. “I have you and my daddy.”
“Yeah, you do.” He grinned, tickling Robin gently. Robin’s laughter made him smile, the happy sound perfect.
He caught Jeff’s eye and grinned. Jeff winked, hand patting Kimberley’s butt.
It took Donny’s breath away for a minute, how good it was. Right here, right now, this minute. And like he’d been thinking a lot lately, he kind of wanted to freeze time. The three people he loved most in the fucking world, all here. Happy.
Which was, of course, when the doorbell rang.
He shook his head when Jeff went to get up. “You stay with the kids, and I’ll deal with the door.”
“Okay. Tell whoever it is we don’t want any. We’re fine.”
He was still laughing when he opened the door.
An older couple stood at the door, one with a huge cake box, the other with bags from Walmart.
“Can I help you?” He’d gotten to know the neighbors by name, so hopefully he could direct these guys to the right house.
“Is Jeff home? We were in town, and we ran into Jillian. She said everyone had been ill, and we wanted to stop by.”
“Samantha! Mike! Hey, guys.” Jeff came up, Kimberley on his shoulder. “What are you doing here? Robin! Your Gran and Pop are here.”
Oh, the grandparents. They were at the right place after all. Donny stepped back out of the way.
“Gran!” Robin came running and Jeff grabbed the cake box in the nick of time. “Guys, this is Don. Don, this is Samantha and Mike. Beth’s parents.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” He put on his best smile and held out his hand, inordinately pleased that Jeff hadn’t introduced him as the nanny, but simply as Don.
“Hey there.” Mike shook his hand, and Samantha smiled at him, arms full of three-year-old. “I hope we’re not interrupting. We brought soup and Sprite and some ginger cookies and Pedialyte.”
“That sounds like just what we need.” He took the bags from Mike. “Thanks, man.”
“Any time.” Mike held his arms out for Kimberley. “Let me have that stunning girl.”
Jeff chuckled and handed Kimberley over. “Come on in. We were watching Pooh.”
“We can’t stay too long. We have late movie tickets.” Samantha kissed Robin’s head. “But I can stay long enough to read bedtime stories.”
“That’s Donny’s job,” Robin announced as they all made their way back to the living room.
Donny blushed. “We have a routine,” he said softly before turning to Robin. “Your grandmother can do it for tonight, though, can’t she?”
“No. Donny reads me stories. Gran can sing me a song.”
Jeff chuckled. “So there, Gran.”
Donny gave Samantha an apologetic look.
She laughed softly, lifting her grandson. “I suppose I can remember a song or two.”
“Robin’s a good singer. He can help you.” Donny gave Robin a wink. “Can I get anyone something to drink?”
“No. No, we don’t want to put you out. I just wanted to make sure everyone was feeling better.” Robin’s grandmother had a warm smile.
“Cool.” He looked at the sofa and tried to decide if he should sit or go hide in the kitchen.
Jeff wrapped one arm around his waist, the act casual, simple. Shooting Jeff a grateful smile, he leaned in a little. He really had gotten unbelievably lucky; Jeff was a keeper.
They wandered to the family room, where Mike sat with Kimberley and Samantha held Robin. “So, stomach flu?”
Jeff nodded. “Quick and harsh. I’ll be back at work tomorrow.”
“It went through all of us,” Donny added. “Thank God it was quick.”
“Yes. It’s so scary when they’re little.” Samantha hummed softly. “I remember when Beth was little and she got sick. It was a nightmare.”
“Did she get sick a lot?” Donny asked, settling on one end of the couch.
Mike shook his head. “No. No, she was healthy as a horse most of the time.”
Samantha nodded. “Just like her daddy. She looked like him too.”
Jeff nodded, smiled. “She was amazing. She was a runner. Every day. Even when she was pregnant.”
“With me!” Robin bounced.
Donny laughed, fascinated to hear about Beth.
“With you, with your sister.” Samantha smiled, even if it was a little shaky. “She was an Amazon.”
Jeff nodded. “She was a stud. Okay, Gran. Time to get Robin ready for bed so you make it to your movie.”
“That’s our cue for singing, huh?” Donny smiled at Robin.
“You read. Gram sings.”
“Let’s go get the book you want tonight, then.”
“Goodnight Moon!” Robin bounced off, laughing.
Donny couldn’t help but grin as he and Samantha headed up the stairs after Robin. “His favorite.”
Samantha nodded. “Good to know.”
They met Robin in his room, and he brought the book and climbed onto Donny’s lap for his story. He knew this one by heart, and they read together, cheek to cheek. He deliberately put one of the goodnights out of order, loving it when Robin called him silly and corrected him. Samantha chuckled and clapped for them, her eyes on Robin.
When they were done, he kissed Robin on the top of his head. “Okay, song time.”
“’Kay. Gran!” Robin ran to her. “When can I come spend the night at your house?”
“Whenever. I’ll talk to your daddy, see when is good for him.”
“Where do you guys live?” Don asked.
“We live near Greenburg. It’s abo
ut a forty-minute drive, give or take. We come into the city to shop, see the sights.”
“Cool.”
Robin tugged on Samantha’s sleeve. “Sing, Gran.”
Donny got up, gave them their privacy, and headed downstairs. He heard Jeff and Mike talking, the sound weirdly serious.
“…an asshole, Mike.”
“Beth never liked him. I tell you, son. This is a bad deal. You don’t think he poisoned you guys or anything, right?”
“Of course not!”
Donny went down the stairs, frowning. “Is everything all right?”
“Just fine.”
Mike shook his head. “It is not, Jeff. There’s someone threatening my grandchildren, my…. You.” The man had a thunderous glare. “You’ve been part of my family since you met Beth when you two were sixteen. I will not stand by and let some asshole threaten your home!”
“Did Mitch do something new?” Donny asked. What now?
Jeff shook his head. “No, nothing more than threaten to take the house and throw a brick through the window.”
Mike stared. “That’s enough!”
“I was worried something else had happened. It’s been quiet since then.” Donny stood next to Jeff, giving his support.
“Mike here is a retired policeman. He’s convinced Mitch poisoned us.”
Donny stiffened. “How could he have done that? You changed the locks since he moved out, right?”
“I did. He couldn’t have.”
“Good, good. He couldn’t have. The locks were changed.” He smiled at Jeff. They were going to be okay. He had to work on not letting the thought of Mitch worry him, though.
“That’s right. Ignore the old paranoid cop.”
“Hey!” Mike glared. “Just be careful. I worry.”
Samantha came down, took the sleeping baby from her husband. “Worry about what?”
“Nothing. There’s nothing to worry about.” Jeff’s smile was a little tight.
Her eyes narrowed. “Are they humoring me, Jeffrey?”
“Now, Samantha. When’s your movie?”
Donny bit his lip to keep from laughing as her husband handled Samantha.
“Mike!”
“We’ll deal with it, love. For once, Jeff is right. Give the baby back.”
Donny held out his hands for Kimberley, cuddling her close when Samantha handed her over, looking exasperated.
“Robin wants to spend the night. Do you think it might be possible soon? I know we agreed to give it time, but….” Samantha shrugged. “I hate to keep telling him no.”
Donny spoke up before Jeff could. “If it was something he used to do before… well, before, then I think it would be a good idea.”
“Let me check my schedule, and we’ll arrange for them to come for a few days. Maybe week after next?”
Samantha hugged Jeff. “Thank you, dear.”
Jeff kissed her cheek. “I love you, Mom. I know it’s been hard to stay away.”
She sobbed once. “Nothing about this has been easy. The only thing not hard is knowing you love the children.”
“They’re easy to love,” Donny murmured.
“No shit.” Mike grinned like an idiot. “They had a great mom.”
Jeff nodded. “She was a fabulous broad.”
Donny just smiled, not sure exactly what to say to that.
Samantha met his eyes. “Did you ever get to meet her?”
“No, I’m afraid not.”
“Don came here to help with the kids and…. Well, now he’s family.” Jeff sounded so proud.
God, this man made him feel good, important. Like he really was family.
Beth’s parents nodded, and Samantha smiled. “It’s obvious Robin loves you. I’m glad Jeff found someone to help him make a family.”
“Thank you, ma’am. I’m the lucky one here, though.”
Mike chuckled. “That’s the phrase of a man in love. Come on, Samantha, we have our movie.”
Donny blushed, but it was totally true, and he didn’t try to deny it.
Samantha hugged Jeff, smiled. “Call me with your plans. We’ll be free. I can’t wait to have them overnight.”
“It was nice to meet you both.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Both of the kids’ grandparents shook his hand, then left.
“They seem really nice.”
“They are. They really are.” Jeff locked the door, sighed as Kimberley muttered restlessly. “I should put her down.”
“I can do it.” He took Kimberley from Jeff. “Meet me in the bedroom?” Not Jeff’s bedroom, but the bedroom. When had he started thinking of it like that?
“Sure, Don. You want a snack? Maybe some peanut butter on toast?”
“I’d rather have some Jeff on sheets.”
Jeff looked at him, blushed, and grinned. “Yeah?”
He nodded, returning the grin. “Yeah.”
They stood there for God knew how long, smiling goofily at each other until Kimberley made a sleepy noise. “I should get her to bed.”
“I’ll meet you upstairs, Don. Maybe… maybe you and I could go somewhere. You know, when the kids go to their grandparents?”
“Oh, that’d be cool. What have you got in mind?” A vacation. It only just occurred to him that if the kids went to Beth’s parents, that’s what they’d have. Some time without the kids. While he loved and adored them, some time for him and Jeff alone would totally rock.
“I don’t know. I just…. I’d have to figure something. I wouldn’t mind having a date, though.”
He leaned in and gave Jeff a quick kiss. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
Taking another quick kiss, he beamed at Jeff and headed upstairs with Kimberley.
Chapter Fifteen
“DADDY? DADDY, please. Don’t go.” Robin was sobbing softly, clinging to his leg, and Kimberley started kicking, reaching for Don.
After the last two weeks they’d had—from Dejeuner’s owner having a shit fit over his missed days to being served with papers from Mitch regarding the house and dealing with the lawyer to countersue—Jeff didn’t blame the kids. Everyone was bitchy, everyone was on edge, and everything was off.
Still, he’d managed to finagle time when Samantha and Mike could take the kids and he could… sleep. Fuck. Something. Anything.
“This is going to work best if we just go. The longer we linger, the harder it’s going to be.” Don reached down and grabbed Robin up, giving him a hard hug. “We’ll be back in two days, Robin. I promise.”
“No! Daddy!”
Jeff gave Samantha a panicked look, but she didn’t look worried at all.
Don took his arm, tugged. “Come on, babe. It’s not going to get any easier.”
Mike took Robin. “He did this with Beth.”
“And every single morning at day care!” Samantha waved.
Don pulled him toward the car. “Look, we’ll call them in a couple hours, and if he’s still freaking out, we’ll come back and get him.”
“Okay….” Jeff surprised himself by tearing up.
Don squeezed his arm. “I’ll drive.”
Jeff nodded. This was ridiculous. Utterly stupid.
Don grinned at him as they pulled away. “You’re a dad. They’re your world, and you want to give them everything.”
“I do. They’re okay?”
“They’re fine, babe. They’re with people who care about them. And in two days we’ll be back, and next time it’ll be easier.”
He offered Don a half smile. “You’re sure?”
“I am.” Don reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezed it.
“Okay. I’ll believe you.”
“So am I taking us home, or…?”
“No. No, let’s go to the B&B. They’re having a supper brought in for us.” Not only that, but the B&B was closer.
“Yeah? Sounds cool.”
“I think it will be. Simple, homey. Private.”
“It’s going to be strange, spending time togethe
r, but not having the kids with us.”
“Yeah, but good, huh?” He wanted it to be good.
“Oh God yeah. I mean, I love Robin and Kimberley, but it’ll be nice to spend some time without worrying about one of them waking up….”
“Or both of them.”
Don chuckled and nodded. “What’s the first thing you want to do when we get to the B&B?”
“I… I don’t know. We have a little pool, a trail to walk. I just don’t know.” He grinned over. “Not real suave, huh?”
“I think it sounds awesome. And you might not have noticed, but I don’t really have suave and smooth in my repertoire either.”
“No? And here I thought you were a player!”
“Me?” Don laughed for him, face bright and happy.
“Uh-huh. Like whoa.” He cracked up, tickled.
Don shook his head. “No time.” Then he shrugged. “Not really my thing anyway, you know?”
“No? Me either. I’ve had three relationships, no fuckbuddies.” He liked having that stability.
“I’ve had just the one relationship. Well, two, but the first one didn’t include sex. We were too scared we’d be caught.” Don flashed him a grin before taking the turnoff to the B&B. “And during university, I didn’t have the time.”
“No. No, my first lover was a sous chef at the place I was waiting tables at.”
“You started in the dining room?”
“I did. Anything to get in. I washed dishes, did salads. Anything.”
“Did you go to chef’s school or are you self-taught?”
It seemed almost weird to be talking about grown-up stuff, to not have the kids to think about at all for two whole days. “I went to culinary school for a grand total of two weeks. Then I moved from dishwasher to cook, and I never looked back.” He’d always wanted to be a chef. Always. He was damned good at it.
“Cool—good for you. It’s nice to know what you want to do, isn’t it?”
“It’s really the only thing I know. I’m a restaurant guy. I cook.”
“I wouldn’t say it’s the only thing.” Don pulled up at the B&B. “You’re an amazing father, a great lover….”
“Oh, how cute is that?” The place was small, and with the sun setting behind it, it was quaint and lovely.
“Very.” Don turned off the engine and undid his belt. “Thank you.”
