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Chapter Sixty-seven
Sloan couldn’t believe the words Les said. Was he admitting something, or just using his surrogate status to give him rights as Kean’s grandpa too?
“Les, do we need to talk?” He pinned Les with a hard stare and watched Les wither and then straighten his shoulders.
“You want we should go in there?” Les nodded his head at the room that Roy and Alia had just returned from.
“You got something to say to me?”
“Yeah. I guess I do.”
Sloan stood and waited for Les to pass in front of him and then he gestured to the others to give them a minute. As he passed Alia, he kissed her and whispered three words that lit up her face.
Les waited for him to close the door, his hands in his front jeans’ pocket, his stance solid, in the same way that Sloan often stood when he knew something was coming that he needed to be strong for.
For the first time in Sloan’s life, he saw fear lurking in Les’s straight-forward gaze. “So… I’m your real dad. Are you okay with that?”
Sloan felt a tremendous burst of happiness flood his body. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“How could I? After Tommy died, Roy needed you in his life as much as I did, maybe more. As long as he never knew for sure which one of us was your father, he could keep up the pretense.”
Sloan reached out to grip Les’s shoulder. “I knew you loved that old guy, I just never realized how much.”
“Look, kid. We were all there for you. Tommy – he needed you to cling to after Wai left. Without the belief that you were his son, he’d have drunk himself to death. And Roy… well, the sorry son of a bitch was so in love with Scarlet, he never even touched your mom. She told me so, and I believed her.”
“Why say anything now?” Sloan thought he knew but he just had to ask.
“Enough with the fucking secrets in this family. Besides, I couldn’t stand the thought of Roy’s bragging, ragging on me about his new status. Hell, if he’s gonna be a grandpa, then you’d better get that girl to the altar and make me one too as soon as it can be arranged.”
“Okay, Okay. Come here, you old bastard.” Sloan grabbed Les in the hug they’d often shared before but never with as much emotion.
“Go on, now. Go get your girl and tell her you love her.” Les gave Sloan a push toward the doorway.
“Hey, give me credit for beingyourson, Dad. I already did.”
***
Sloan entered the room first and headed straight to where Kean was comfy on his grandpa’s lap.
As soon as he saw Sloan, he reached for him, and once safely held in Sloan’s strong arms, he searched his face. “Are you going to be my dad?”
Sloan looked over at Alia and her happy nod lit up his insides. “Looks like it’s a yes, kid.”
Kean hugged him, then pulled away so he could look him in the eye. “I’m glad. I really lo-like you Sloan.”
“I lo-like you too, kid. A lot! But there’s one thing we need to get straight. Roy gets to keep the kitten, and you get to play with it when you’re at his house.”
Kean’s face fell but he nodded in agreement. “Okay.”
Sloan added, his tone serious, “The thing is – I’m allergic to cats but… I’ve got no problem with other animals.”
“You don’t?” Kean’s smile lit up his face, his blue eyes blazing with excitement.
“Nope. No problem at all. In fact, I’m kind of partial to puppies. And I know a great place where they always have a litter ready to sell. Deal?”
“Deal! I really,reallylike puppies.”
