by C. W. Gray
Grey’s Gift
A Hobson Hills Short
C.W. Gray
Contents
Author’s Note
1. Elijah and Carter
2. Grey and Harper
3. David and Sawyer
4. Yeo and Caden
5. Bennett and Marco
6. Dean and Ray
7. Justin and Tanner
8. Abel and Mateo
9. Ernie and Reuben
Other m/m romance books by C.W. Gray
Author’s Note
“A Gift for Grey” is book 6.5 in the Hobson Hills Omegas series. The events in this short story occur after those in Unraveling the Omega. Also, included is a Wilson family tree created by the wonderful Missy Schwarz.
Elijah and Carter
Elijah stood on the porch of his old farmhouse and danced in place. “Come on, baby boys. Shake those butts.”
His twin boys twisted their hips and pumped their arms in the air. Cooper, Elijah’s omega son, had his daddy’s style. His little nose was scrunched up, and he put everything he had into shaking his butt. The long earflaps of his knitted hat swung back and forth. “Look it, Daddy!”
Connor giggled, watching his brother. Elijah’s alpha son was a little more reserved and slowly swayed back and forth, clutching Hotdog’s side to keep balance. Carter’s Old English sheepdog stood patiently next to the little boy.
Their smaller miniature schnauzer was the smart one. Winston was inside, curled up on a soft dog bed next to the fireplace.
“You boys are perfect,” Elijah said. “Are you ready to go feed the beasts?”
“Come on, Boo,” Cooper said and waved at the black cat perched on the porch rail. “Moo moo, baa baa.”
“Squawk,” Connor yelled loudly, laughing.
Elijah shook his head and laughed. “You silly boys.”
He helped them down the steps, and they danced together toward the barn. Elijah couldn’t stop grinning. By late November, all hints of autumn in Maine were long gone. It was cold and wet outside with a thick layer of snow on the ground, but he had his boys with him, and Carter and Olive would be home in a few hours.
They reached the barn, and Banjo brayed loudly, head hanging over his stall. Pooka followed suit and gave them a soft moo.
“Pooka,” Connor said loudly, dancing to his favorite animal. “Moo, Pooka.” The Jersey cow nosed his head and mooed.
Coop danced wildly to Billy’s stall and paused to scratch the goat’s forehead. “Billy.”
The goat bleated gently.
Wayne and Garth watched them from their joint stall. The Scottish Highland heifer’s hair fell into her eyes. She leaned down so Connor could pet her nose. “Pretty Wayne.”
The grey llama clucked and waited his turn. Elijah picked his son up, so he could pet the llama’s head.
“You good boy, Garth,” Connor said.
Cooper giggled as he ran past them, chasing their only chicken – a small, Polish hen. Tinka had the run of the barn and enjoyed laying her egg in different spots each day. Coop enjoyed trying to find it.
“Snuggles turn,” Connor said, patting Elijah’s cheek.
He carried his son over to the last stall. Their single sheep baaed impatiently from her stall. She loved Connor time. Elijah sat with Connor, and the two of them pampered the little sheep for a few minutes.
“You play with Hotdog while I feed the beasts, alright?”
“’Kay.”
Coop was still giggling as he ran past them again, this time being chased by Tinka.
Elijah smiled happily and took care of the animals. He refilled their hay and checked on the water. He noted the state of their stalls. Carter and Olive would be mucking stalls tonight. Usually, the animals stayed out in the huge field behind the barn, but none of their spoiled brats liked the snow. They preferred the comfort of their stalls.
Elijah quickly milked Pooka and Wayne, then set it in the freezer. His sons were dancing with Hotdog and Boo in the barn’s walkway, and Coop waved a small, white egg at him.
“Come on, boys. Back to the house to wash those hands. Coop, do not put that egg in your mouth.”
Coop sighed but held the egg carefully in his mitten-covered hands. “Tinka says I can.”
“Tinka isn’t your daddy, is she?”
“No.” Coop pouted. They danced back to the house and up the back steps to the kitchen.
Coop handed Elijah the egg and hugged Hotdog. “Hotdog play!”
“Take your coats off first and wash your hands,” Elijah ordered.
“Potty, Daddy,” Connor said as soon as his coat and gloves were off.
Elijah helped his son to the bathroom and clapped when Connor climbed the little steps and sat on the toilet all by himself. “You’re such a good boy!”
“I potty too,” Coop said grumpily.
Elijah winced and picked him up, running upstairs to the hall bathroom. Many an accident had occurred when both boys had to potty at the same time. “Hold it, baby boy.”
Emergency averted, Elijah helped them wash their hands and settle down to play on the living room floor. He pulled his laptop out and checked his e-mail. After answering several student e-mails, he checked his personal account, and one message in particular caught his eyes. His friend Melinda worked with a small publishing firm in Boston.
Elijah,
Your cousin is driving me crazy! My boss wants to publish Grey’s books, but he keeps putting me off. They’re so good, Eli. We’ve offered him more money, looser commitments, basically anything he wants. Talk some sense into him!
Mel
“Hmm.” Elijah grabbed his phone and called Harper.
“Hey, Elijah.” Harper sounded happy. “How’s it going?”
“Why won’t Grey publish his children’s books? Olive and the boys love them. Your kids love them. Yeo and Dean’s kids love them. Everyone loves them!”
Harper groaned. “I think he’s afraid. He puts so much of himself into them, and that first publisher he talked to was so critical. It kind of put him off even trying. You know how hard it was to get him to let your friend Melinda look at them.”
Elijah tapped his chin. “I regret recommending Dave. I knew him from college, but he’s turned into a big poopy head.”
“A big poopy head?” Harper sounded amused.
“You have kids. You know what I really want to call him.”
Harper snorted. “Good point.”
Elijah watched the boys play for a moment. “I have an idea. I think it’s time for a Wilson family intervention.”
“Huh?”
“Just trust me and check your e-mail tonight.” Elijah ended the call and started planning. The world needed Grey’s books, and Elijah was going to make sure his friend knew it.
Carter scratched his head and watched his husband stuff Winston into the frog costume. He loved Elijah and knew his omega was the smartest person in the world, but Carter was confused. “Explain why we’re dressing the kids and our pets up as characters in Grey’s books again?”
“Dad,” Olive said, hands on her hips. She was dressed as a witch in a long purple robe. “We told you already. Cousin Grey needs to know we love his books and they’re good, so we’re going to act out scenes, so he’ll see it.”
Connor switched his plastic sword around. “I’m prince!”
Olive smiled fondly at the little guy. “You’re the hero, Connor. Boo and I are going to help you and Hotdog save Winston from the frog curse.”
Carter laughed. Hotdog wore a horse costume and followed Connor around, ever the faithful steed. Poor Boo wore a little witch’s hat. She would play the part of the witch’s pet familiar.
“Rawr!” Coop ran into the room, carry
ing Hodges with him. Carter wasn’t sure why Coop was roaring. Their youngest was dressed as an adorable, er, fierce dark wizard. Hodges and Ham and Eggs the Fourth would be his minions.
Ham rolled into the room in his hamster ball, and Carter lost it, laughing hard. “Is he supposed to be a zombie?”
Coop held Hodges up. The hedgehog wore a wizard’s hat. “Hodges my friend. We lead undead.”
Elijah started giggling. “Okay. It really is adorable.”
Coop stomped his foot. “Scary!”
Carter snorted as he laughed harder. “So scary.”
He pulled Elijah into his arms, and they watched the kids. Olive moved everyone to their places, patiently explaining to Connor that he couldn’t hold his brother’s hand.
“No. I love Coopy. We hold hands.” Connor’s face turned stubborn.
Olive threw her hands up. “Fine, but that’s not how the story goes.”
“New story,” Coop said, wiggling. “Love Conni.”
Carter nuzzled his husband’s neck. “Our kids are the best kids in the world.”
“You may be a little biased.”
Carter shook his head. He knew he was a lucky man. His Olive was a smart and kind little girl. The boys looked just like their daddy and had hearts as big as the moon.
Elijah leaned up and kissed his chin. “Okay, kids. Let’s take our pictures for Cousin Grey. He needs to know how great his story is.”
“I liked this one the best,” Olive said, helping Carter move Hotdog into place. “He wrote it for me.”
“He sure did,” Carter said and tugged her long dark braid.
They took pictures, then changed the poses and took even more. Ham and Eggs kept running away, so Hotdog had to do a little herding. After an hour, everyone was tired and grumpy, but they had a lot of cute pictures for Grey’s gift.
Carter noted how wiped Elijah looked and clapped his hands. “Alright. Olive, you and I are putting the boys to bed, then helping the pets out of their costumes.”
“Potty,” Connor said, tugging on his leg.
Carter grinned. “You got it, buddy. Let’s go potty.”
Coop stomped his foot. “Me potty too.”
Olive snickered. “Come on, Coop. I’ll help you.”
After he got the kids into bed, then rescued the pets from their costumes, he hugged Olive goodnight and made his way to the master bedroom.
His omega was still warm and flushed from the shower. Elijah was curled up on the bed, scrolling through pictures on his phone. “I’ll get some good shots of our barn pets tomorrow. They can be part of Coop’s undead army.”
Carter crawled across him and gave him a hot, wet kiss. “How you feeling, baby?”
Elijah’s eyes closed, and he smiled, snuggling into Carter’s lap, then pressed his ear against Carter’s chest.
“You listening to my heartbeat again?”
“It’s always there, nice and steady.”
Carter cupped Elijah’s face and stroked a thumb under his eye. “You seem tired, Elijah. Was today busy?”
“Not more than usual.” Elijah watched him, eyes serious. “Olive is doing well in school and has plenty of friends. The twins are almost completely potty-trained.”
“Okay?”
“I’m pregnant, Carter.”
Carter choked on his spit and coughed harshly, so Elijah leaned up and patted his back. “Pregnant? We’re having another baby?”
Elijah grinned, a teasing light in his eyes. “Did the idea make you choke up? You must really like it.”
Carter laughed, voice cracking. His omega and his family were everything to him. “We’re having another baby, Elijah.” His brain seemed stuck on those words. They filled his mind, repeating over and over again. We’re having another baby.
“How do you feel about it?” Elijah’s freckled nose called to him, so Carter leaned down and kissed it. “Don’t try to distract me, love muffin. Answer the question.”
Carter smirked and arched an eyebrow. “Love muffin?”
Elijah sniffed. “I like it. Now, do you want another baby?”
Carter closed his eyes and thought about it. Their days were full with work and the kids they had now, but it was nice to hold Grey and Harper’s youngest, Auggie. He had that new baby smell and the sweetest disposition. It would also make his omega happy and that was Carter’s main goal in life. Tomás was fully trained and was a big help with C&J Plumbing and Contracting, so Carter could have a little more free time.
He opened his eyes. “I’m good with another baby. I can be home more to help this time.”
Elijah grinned, happy. “Perfect.”
Grey and Harper
Grey leaned back in his office chair and stretched his arms over his head. Another website design was submitted. His client hadn’t given him much to work with, but at least, he didn’t seem too picky.
He looked around. The room was too quiet. Harper had taken Rue, Auggie, and all the pets to the workshop today so Grey could work, but Grey missed the noise. He quickly checked through his e-mail, stomach growling. He was ready for lunch.
“Not again.” Melinda Turbell was persistent and kept his mailbox full.
He rubbed his face and leaned back in his chair. He remembered when he talked to the first publisher almost three years ago. They had acted interested in his books, but when he met face to face with Dave Jones, everything had changed. Stick to websites, Mr. Wilson.
Grey shook his head, trying to shake the words out of his mind. He liked his books, damn it. He enjoyed making them, and his sons seemed to like them too. It didn’t matter that they weren’t good enough to publish. Hell, he didn’t have the time to deal with that anyway.
“It’s too quiet.” Grey moaned when his stomach growled again. He left the office and went downstairs, only tripping over three toys along the way. Rue still hadn’t quite grasped the concept of cleaning up after himself.
He made a sandwich and warmed up a bowl of the homemade chicken noodle soup from yesterday. As soon as he sat at the table, he noticed the cars parked near Harper’s workshop.
“Why are Shawn and Abuela here?” Grey asked aloud. Abuela would normally come straight to the house when she visited. He supposed she knew Harper had the kids. His eyes narrowed when he noticed Ernie leaving the workshop with a large bag. Harper’s cousin looked around furtively and hurriedly stuffed the bag in the trunk of Shawn’s car. “What’s going on?”
Grey finished his lunch and washed the dishes before walking to the workshop, boots sinking into the crisp snow. He was about halfway there when Rue pushed open the barn door and ran outside.
“Daddy, no! Stay in the house.”
His eldest son was a dark-skinned, dark-haired cutie, all bundled up for winter. “What’s going on, Rue?”
Rue’s eyes widened. “It’s secret! You can’t go in there.”
“Is it a Christmas present?”
Rue scrunched up his nose. “Not really. Hug me!”
Grey laughed. “You and your dad know just how to distract me.”
Rue wiggled his arms. “Hugs!”
Grey leaned down and hugged his big boy. “You’re getting so tall, Rue. Soon, you’ll be as tall as the barn.”
It was so strange to think he’d been pregnant with this stinker and worrying himself to death three years ago. He’d been so alone and scared before Harper brought him home. Now he had a wonderful husband, a precocious preschooler, and a sweet baby.
“Sunshine, what are you doing out here?” Harper smiled nervously. His alpha wasn’t good at subterfuge, and Grey could read him like a book.
Grey arched an eyebrow. “What’s going on here?”
Harper strode from the barn and pulled Grey and Rue into his arms. “You look beautiful today, Sunshine.”
Grey snorted. “You think I look beautiful every day. What are you up to?”
Harper gave him an innocent look. “Me? Nothing at all. Why don’t we let Shawn take Rue here, and you and I will go get so
me lunch in town.”
Shawn was suddenly there. “Hey, Grey. Come on, Rue. Let’s go play with the bunnies.”
Grey crossed his arms. “I already ate lunch.”
Harper swallowed hard and looked around nervously. “What about a doughnut from Honey Buns?”
Grey laughed. “You know my love for doughnuts knows no bounds.”
Harper took his hand and tugged him toward the truck. “Shawn, you know what to do.”
The younger man laughed and picked Rue up, slinging him over his shoulder. “Sure thing. Come on, bud. Let’s take care of business.”
Rue watched Grey while Shawn carried him back to the barn. “Bring me back a doughnut, Daddy!”
“He’s my son, alright.” Grey caught Harper’s face in his hands and kissed him. “I love you, Harper, even though you’re hiding something.”
Harper just grinned and helped him into the truck. They drove toward town, and Grey admired the snowy scenery around them. He was finally starting to adjust to the cold winters, but he still hated driving on icy roads.
“Did you read Rue’s preschool report card?” Grey asked. “I left it on the table last night.”
Harper grinned at him. “I did. I’m sorry I had to work late last night.”
“You had a lot of orders to fill.” Grey took Harper’s hand in his and studied his alpha’s nimble fingers. “What did you think of Ms. Annie’s comments?”
“I know it’s just preschool, but I’m so proud of Rue. Do you think we ought to move him to their full day program? She said he’s doing really well, but it will be five days and a full six hours each day.”
“I don’t know. Yeo is only now moving Linc to the full day program, and he’ll start kindergarten next year.” Grey sighed. “Damn it. I miss our little booger when he’s gone, but Elijah told me Ms. Darcy does a special Spanish or French lesson every Tuesday and Thursday with her group. She even has a cultural day on Fridays.”
