AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He didn’t have the words to describe the complex mix of joy, exhilaration, and gratitude he felt at finally being able to be open with his feelings, and to know the man he loved was right there with him. So he went with the simple ones he did have. “Yeah, I’m happy.”
Eddie pulled his son in for a hug. “Then I’m happy for you. For both of you.”
The strong arms around him were a comfort, as they’d always been. “Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome.” Eddie eased back, one hand coming up to cup his son’s face. Then he gave him a gentle cuff on the side of the head. “Now go make those copies, slacker.”
“Potentate,” Evan replied with a sneer, and ducking away from his father’s swiping hand, headed for the office with his father’s laughing threats following him.
“How didthe baby shower planning go?” Colin wanted to know later that night on the phone.
“About how you’d expect,” Evan rumbled. He was sprawled out on his bed, naked, his cell on the pillow beside him on speaker. “Mom trying to plan the baby shower equivalent of a royal wedding, with Liza shooting down every idea as soon as it came up.”
“I bet that went over well.”
“Like a grenade,” Evan said with a laugh. “Claire had to step in to cool things down.”
“That worked?” Colin asked in surprise.
“Mom doesn’t want her getting worked up or stressed while she’s pregnant, so yeah.”
“Did they get it worked out?”
“Mostly.” Evan shifted on the bed to stretch out his lower back. After a day on his feet, it was tight. “They finally settled on a middle ground between the royal wedding Julie wants and the nothing that Liza would prefer.”
“Liza doesn’t want a baby shower?”
“Liza doesn’t want to have to smile and make nice with every relative, church friend, and regular customer my mom is going to invite. Or do the baby registry Mom insists is vital.”
“Yeah, that sounds like Liza.”
“The last three months of this pregnancy are going to be a power struggle,” Evan said. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”
Colin chuckled. “Are you taking pleasure in your sister’s misery?”
“If they’re focused on each other, they’ll both leave me alone,” Evan pointed out.
“Good point.”
“Plus, it’s entertaining as fuck.”
Colin laughed. “You’re terrible.”
“I know.” Evan shifted to once again lay on his back. “How was your day?”
“Same old, same old,” Colin said. “Meetings, money, and bosses who interfere too much with both.”
“You sound tired,” Evan observed. There was a sleepy, sexy quality to Colin’s voice that made Evan wish it was already Friday.
“Not especially,” Colin said. “Just winding down.”
“What are you wearing?”
“What?”
“What are you wearing?” Evan repeated, charmed by the baffled note in Colin’s voice. He was so lacking in artifice, his every emotion out there for the world to see. It made him wonder how he’d ever missed Colin’s feelings for him, and could only conclude that hiding his own had made him oblivious.
“Ah…”
