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“He’s going to be fine,” Chance said climbing into bed. “Babies get earaches all of the time.”
“How do you know that?”
“Like I said earlier, I interview a lot of doctors and nurses for the magazine. My brain is like a sponge. Stuff like that gets stuck in there. Plus, I have a niece and nephews.”
They met in the middle of the bed. Moments later an exhausted Derek snored peacefully in Chance’s arms. Jaden woke once during the night. Chance got up and saw to him instead of waking Derek. He was still in the nursery, rocking him in the Bentwood rocker early the next morning when Derek woke up.
“The fever returned last night but broke,” Chance said. He got up and put Jaden back in the crib.
Derek walked over and stroked his nephew’s head. “You should have woken me.”
“You needed the rest,” Chance said. “Sometimes it’s okay to depend on others. You won’t do Jaden any good if you get sick.”
Derek walked away from the bed. “Thanks.” He kissed Chance on the cheek. “You’re a good man.”
“Thanks,” Chance said. “Oh, by the way, my parents would like to meet you.”
“What?” Derek asked.
“My parents would like to meet you.”
Derek had a blank look on his face. “They know about us?”
Chance nodded. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, it just surprised me.”
“Don’t freak. They’re not going to eat you or anything.”
“Sure,” Derek said. “I’d like to meet your folks.”
“Great, because we’re going to dinner there on Sunday,” Chance said.
“What am I supposed to do with Jaden? Harriet’s off on Sundays.”
Chance chuckled. “You’re going to bring him along, too, silly. My mother loves kids.”
Derek still looked a bit pale and unsure.
“Relax. You don’t have to panic. My family is real down-to-earth. They’re farmers.”
“Oh! Do they have a big spread?”
Chance nodded. “They are so going to love you.”
*****
“You’re going where to do what?” Matthew asked Derek as they sat across the table from each other eating lunch in the cafeteria.
“Derek’s taking me to meet his parents.”
“Wait. I didn’t know your relationship had advanced that far.”
Derek nodded. “He and I have…”
“Aw, please don’t say it,” Matthew said. “It’s really a blow to my ego.”
Derek ate some of his food. “In what way?”
