“What’s that look for?” Law asked suspiciously.
“Well, I think I planned and executed a pretty fucking awesome date,” I replied. “I’m excited to see what you plan for us for the next one!"
Chapter 25
Law
It was time to tell the kids.
Oak was spending a good three quarters of his free time with us. He joined us for dinner as often as he could, and even when he couldn’t, he headed over after the dinner shift and hung out while we did our evening routines. Tristan enjoyed the hell out of it, and he didn’t seem to carewhyOak was there, just that he was. Marlie had asked at least twice why Oak spent so much time at our house, though she just seemed curious and not suspicious. That particular emotion belonged to my eldest, and the occasional assessing stares we got. I didn’t know if Harper had said anything to Charlie about it. I hadn’t asked, and my brother hadn’t said.
But as the snow started to melt and the weeks wore on, I knew we were all as ready as we were going to be. The kids had settled into their lives as much as they could, given that things were always going to be in a little bit of upheaval, considering that there would be times they traveled back and forth between Fairville and Boston.
It was getting harder and harder to keep my affection in check. Oak was just so damn adorable, and I wanted to be able to steal quick kisses or hugs or even a brush of fingers without having to worry about little eyes and ears. More than that, it was important that I showed them what healthy relationships looked like. Hiding the man I was falling in love with wasn’t the right thing to do. And it was beginning to feel like hiding, instead of biding our time.
I cornered Oak at lunch, after we’d eaten together—alas, neither one of us had time for some afternoon delight, which we managed at least a few times a week—and hugged him tightly before I murmured in his ear, “I’m talking to the kids after dinner tonight.”
“Yay.” Oak did a happy little wiggle, humming. We’d talked about it a lot and I knew he was ready for the truth to be known. He’d just been waiting for me to get on the same page. And I’d been waiting for my kids to be in the right chapter so that I could get them to the right page. Then he pulled back so I could see his face. His eyes were soft, full of understanding. “Do you want me there?”
I kissed his cheek, then the corner of his mouth. “Yes. And no. Unfortunately, I think it’s better if I do this without you. They’re bluntly honest, especially Tris, so I don’t necessarily think they’d hold back if you were there. But I want them to feel like they can say anything or feel anything, and for that, it should be just me and them.”
He patted my chest. “I get it. You don’t want them to feel like we’re ganging up on them. But tell me after how it goes. I can come running at a moment’s notice.”
“I know. I appreciate that.” I sighed and dipped to press a kiss to his hair. He’d snuck out in the wee hours this morning, and he’d showered before he left, so he smelled like my shampoo. I liked that more than I probably should have. “It’s gonna go oneof two ways; either it’ll be a total non-issue or everybody’s gonna have big feelings.”
Oak snickered. “Knowing your hooligans, you’ll get a mix, but I agree. No in between.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” I shook my head with a laugh I didn’t quite feel. I could guess how they were going to react. I knew my children well. But this was big news and whatever I thought could be blown all to hell.
He fiddled with the buttons on my flannel, this one green and red. Since it wasn’t blue, I knew it was safe from his thieving ways. Somehow all the blue ones in my admittedly small collection had made their way into Oak’s drawers instead of mine.
“If the kids don’t take it well,” he began, his voice soft.
“Hey, no. I’m not worried about that at all. Big reactions, maybe, but they’ll come around quickly.Ifthere’s any kind of negative reaction, which I’m sure there won’t—”
Oak’s mouth on mine shut me up, and I had to smile into the kiss. He pecked me on the lips three times in quick succession, and then took a half step back.
“If it doesn’t go well,” he repeated, tone a touch firmer, “I’ll understand if…I mean, they have to come first. They’re kids. They need their dad. So I’ll get it if we have to break—”
My turn to shut him up, but he was too far away to kiss so I slapped a hand over his mouth. He kept talking, the words muffled beyond recognition, scowling for all he was worth. He even tugged on my wrist before he realized I wouldn’t budge. In a last-ditch effort, he licked my palm. But that didn’t work either.
I gave Oak a wink and his expression softened immediately.
“We will cross that bridge if we come to it. And in theunlikelyscenario that we do, you and I will figure out a way to have quality time together. To still date. Even if it no longer includessome or all of my children. Because yes, they come first. But that doesn’t mean you and I aren’t important. Thatyouaren’t important tome.” I wanted to tell him the true depth of my feelings, but he got that split second of panic in his eyes, just like he always did when I got too close to the line, so I changed tack. “The only way you’re getting rid of my ass is if you bluntly and blatantly break up with me. You hear me?”
Oak put his arms around me, then slid his hands into the back pockets of my jeans and squeezed, even though he couldn’t quite get a good handful. I chuckled and tugged him in as close as possible.
“I happen to like your ass. Maybe one day, we could switch things up and find out just how much,” he said, words muffled against my chest. I sucked in a breath, and he let out a little wicked chuckle, knowing what his words would do to me. It wasn’t my favorite, didn’t do much for me, but if he wanted that, we could. Just being naked with him was amazing. But then he lifted his head and rested his chin on my pec. “I hear you, Law. We’ll work it out.”
Yes, we would. But first, I had to figure out what I was gonna say to my kids.
I gave both Charlie and Caitlyn a heads up, because they’d be the ones the kids ran to, if they didn’t want to talk to me. If they had issues or questions and they wanted to talk to someone else, it would be their mom or uncle. And I was fine with that. I was secure in the knowledge that my children knew they could come to me for whatever they needed, whenever they needed it.But that didn’t mean they wanted me for everything. Sometimes, someone else was the better choice.
I expected to have nerves gathering in my stomach, but I didn’t. That told me, more than anything else, that I was making the right decision. So as dinner wound down and Tristan started getting antsy, ready to hop up from the table and do something else, I cleared my throat to get their attention.
“Munchkins, I’ve got something important I need to talk to you about. Do you have your listening ears on?”
Tris and Marlie mimed attaching the “listening ears” to the sides of their heads and broke into giggles. Harper was too old for that joke and eyed me with worry and suspicion dancing all over her face.
