Thatwas a picture I never imagined myself being a part of.
Tom glanced down at me like he knew exactly what was going through my head. When he spoke, I heard the emotion in his voice, too. “It’s great.” With that, he grabbed my hand again and started making our way out of the zoo.
chapter sixteen
tom
I couldn’t stop smiling at how great this day had gone. Libe, like me, was smitten with Camilo. He was so good with her, too. Right now we were in her bedroom about to do the nighttime reading routine, and she was not at all interested in me.
She scrunched her face as she shook her head at my attempt to read her a book.
“No, Daddy, you’re going to watch today. Pinkie and I want Milo to read us the story.” She was in bed with her usual array of stuffed animals, but the place of honor right in the crook of her arm went to the little pink pony Camilo had brought her. I was about to go and ask Camilo if he’d like to join us, but because shewashalf Dominican, Libe just yelled.
“Milo! You have to come here. Pinkie is waiting for you!”
I heard a chuckle from the TV room and soon Camilo was walking into the room.
“Hi, Miss Libe, you said Pinkie needed something?”
She nodded hard and signaled for me to pass her the book. I handed it to her and she gave me a distracted thank you. All her focus on her new favorite person.
“Thanks, Daddy. Milo, could you read me my bedtime story?”
“What do you say, Libe?”
“Please.”
Camilo gave me an amused look and sat down by the bed. He grabbed the book and read the title on the cover. “‘Tango Makes Three.’”
Libe nodded again. “Tango lives in the Central Park Zoo and has two daddies like me.”
Camilo gave me a look as he leafed through the book. “Gay penguins? Really?”
I laughed and put my hands up. “Hey, Priya was the one who got it for her, and besides, representationisimportant. Even if the dads and child in question are not of the same species as you.”
His face softened at that and then he leaned over to run his hand over Libe’s forehead. She nuzzled her head against it.
After a moment Camilo opened the book and started reading while Libe and I listened. The peace and contentment I felt in that moment was utterly complete.
I knew Camilo had been nervous about meeting, Libe, but just like I suspected she’d warmed up to him immediately.
With each passing day Camilo’s presence in my life was becoming more necessary. I just had to convince him that to me, he was not just a temporary thing.
“Thank you for today. I had so much fun. Libe’s a trip,” Camilo whispered to me as we lay on my couch watching TV. I tightened my arms around him and kissed the top of his head.
“Thankyou. I loved having you with us all day. And yes, she’s a trip and you were wonderful with her. She usually gets on with people fast, but not this fast, and a dinner invitation is a pretty big deal. You were a hit.”
He gave me a shy smile as I mentioned the invitation. After we’d taken the selfie Libe requested, she casually asked if Milo could come home with us. I had never had Libe meet anyone I’d dated before, so my plan had been to part ways after the park. But like me, my kid didn’t seem to want to let go of Camilo.
I was about to say more but I got distracted when he turned his head so he could kiss me. He slid his tongue into my mouth and I felt the stir that took hold whenever I was with Camilo. We shared some quiet kisses, our tongues tangling together, and our arms tight around each other. After a few minutes Camilo pulled away with a satisfied sigh and laid his head on my chest. It felt so good and right, to have him in my arms like this.
Eventually Camilo spoke into the silence. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Uh oh. Should I brace myself?” He looked up and stuck his tongue out at me before asking.
“Seriously though, how are you this low-key? I mean you have all this money.” He raised a hand and waved it toward the lit fireplace, presumably to illustrate his point. “Yet you seem to do all your own stuff and watch your kid yourself. Like where’s the army of servants and nannies and shit?”
I chuckled because Camilohada way with words. I thought about my answer for a minute, certain there was another question hidden in there.
