AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lowell
It was their first official outing with Tamsyn as their little. It had been a blissful couple of weeks, the three of them gorging themselves on everything that had been hidden behind those padlocked doors labeled Little Tamsyn.
Not that it was easy for her to submit to everything they asked of her but she did seem to enjoy it, and being little was a fantastic way for her to mellow after stressful days at work.
Aside from the usual pressure of being a rising star at a Fortune 500 company, Pete Surry continued to be a thorn in her side, although without hitting quite as hard as he had a couple weeks ago when that fucker had reduced her to tears. He and Hux were the only people allowed to make her cry since they were the only people she’d given that consent to.
Pete was just a slimy rat bastard who’d rather knock out his competition than up his own game. Sorry excuse for a human, that fucker didn’t deserve to walk the same earth as his babygirl, never mind work in the same building.
But Tamsyn had refused his offers of help to deal with that pestilence in a skin sack, much to his dismay. She’d said no, though, and he’d respect that.
It had also been a couple of weeks dodging Cabot’s calls and texts, and prevaricating when his brother did manage to get ahold of him. Being so indecisive wasn’t like him, but he wasn’t used to having so much to lose. It had always been very simple: if his family called, he answered. Now, though…
Now was not the time to brood over this. It was time to devote himself fully to Tamsyn. If he decided in the end to take Cabot up on his offer, he wouldn’t be able to be with her and Hux. Certainly not this publicly and possibly not at all, so he should enjoy it while he could.
He pulled the car into a spot of Del Bosque’s, Clover City’s most popular garden center. There was barely an open spot to be had, families wandering around, people pushing flatbed carts with bags of mulch and young trees on them. Not to mention pallets of colorful annuals.
He’d never spent any time here, what with living in his sleek high-rise apartment building and not even having enough time to mind houseplants. He felt both over and underdressed in his jeans and button-up shirt. Hux had tried to talk him into a polo, but they weren’t on the shore, and his brother hadn’t even bothered suggesting a tee—what was this, the gym? No. And perhaps he’d also noticed how wide and worshipful Tamsyn’s eyes were when she looked either of them up and down and took her fill of their bodies, their clothes. Suit and tie to business casual was her sweet spot.
Hux had gone all in on the suburban dad look, though, and was sporting khaki shorts, boat shoes, and a green polo. Truthfully, it made Lowell itch because it was looking in a mirror and not recognizing yourself. Well, Hux was going to do what Hux was going to do, because that’s what Hux, deep down, always did.
And Hux was getting Tamsyn out of the car. She’d been a bit unsure about the light blue poplin dress with the puffed sleeves and ruffle at the knee-length hem, but then when they’d assured her she looked adorable and helped her into some darker blue espadrilles that tied at her ankles, she’d flushed and said okay.
It wasn’t hard to see when Hux helped her out that she was already in little space. The way she automatically slipped her hand into Hux’s, how she pressed close to his side and looked around at the crowded parking lot.
Lowell wouldn’t hold her hand here, not when Hux already was, and he felt a twinge of envy. It was fine, really. He’d have chance enough to touch her, but there was something special about Hux being able to guide her to the far end of the parking lot that he couldn’t have.
It was possible in theory for them to swap off being in public with her—though he probably wouldn’t risk it to be honest—and they’d soon be in a place where they could both be her daddies but…
He should stop thinking about it. Wasn’t anything to be done, and even if there were, would he actually do it?
When Hux had received the invitation to the event, it had said to go through a gate at the end of the parking lot and follow a mulch path to the back part of the garden center, a part that was generally off limits to the public. Of course, this crowd wasn’t exactly the public and they knew how to keep secrets. It was why he’d finally given in and acquired a membership to Hive, though he hadn’t yet been except to complete his paperwork.
Tamsyn squealed and tugged at Hux’s hand when they got close to the gate.
“Look, Daddy. It’s a fairy!”
A couple steps closer, and Lowell could see what she was talking about. There was a glittery green and teal paper fairy affixed to the door of the six foot tall gate near the handle.
“We must be in the right place, then, huh, kitten?”
“Uh-huh.”
There was that twinge again, but it went away when Tamsyn looked over her shoulder with a broad grin and said, “C’mon, Lolo, we’re almost there!”
God she was cute when she was little. And so happy.
“I’m coming, princess.”
The three of them proceeded through the gate and a tightness he hadn’t realized was gripping his chest eased when Tamsyn threaded her fingers through his and she smiled up at him. A little fragile, a little new. It killed him and brought him back to life at the same time that she would look to him for reassurance.
“Look at you with your daddies, little girl,” he told her. “So spoiled.”
The earnest look in her eyes, like she couldn’t believe she’d gotten so lucky, as she nodded and said, “uh-huh,” almost did him in.
Then she was tugging them both down the path, letting go of her grip on either of them only to point out little fairies that had been placed along the path. Some were perched on bushes, some hung from saplings’ branches, there were a few peeking out from behind pots, and on the sides of the path. Very cute.
