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“What happened to you?”
The light in his eyes dimmed a little. “Too much to explain, but I never knew about you, not until I left the Navy and was recruited, and when they did background, there you were.”
“You were in the Navy? Next thing you’ll tell me is you were a SEAL.” He dipped his head, brushing back Charlie’s hair, but he didn’t answer. “The fu—fudge? You were a SEAL?”
He glanced up and smirked. “I can neither confirm, nor deny.”
“Confirm or deny what?” Arlo asked from the door, carrying a tray with three drinks and a plate of cookies.
I pointed at Zach. “Navy SEAL,” I exclaimed.
Arlo settled the tray on the table and placed the cocoa next to Zach. He peered at it, then checked out mine and Arlo’s coffee, his expression hopeful, and I just felt what he wanted, or needed. I switched it out for my coffee and settled Charlie between his knees so he could lean over the table and sip the caffeine. Zach let out such a deep sigh of thanks that it made Arlo grin.
What did Arlo see when he saw my twin? Did he feel anything weird? Did he?—
Arlo kissed me, cutting off my thoughts. “I loveyou,” he said with fierce determination. “Stop thinking so hard!”
Zach chuckled, and he was smiling, but he also had shadows under his eyes. “I probably need to sleep a while more,” he said, and it was Arlo who picked up Charlie and bounced him.
After breakfast the next morning,when I checked on my twin, he was gone, with his meds and clothes from my closet.
A scribbled note was all he left.
Hey little brother, sorry to go; don’t worry about me. Tell Charlie all about me. See you soon. Z.
Epilogue
Jax
One year later, Christmas Eve
“Sutton is landing at twelve,Trace at three, so I said we’d all hang around for Trace, get coffees or something.”
“Sure,” I agreed. The last year had been a roller coaster of family reconnecting and learning a new life. The big house had been sold, the funds dispersed—Arlo had put his into our company, and into this house, and everything was truly fifty-fifty. I couldn’t wait to see Sutton and Trace, nor the rest of my family, who were all ending up at my parents’ place tomorrow.
“Also, ta-da! You got another letter,” Arlo announced, and dropped it onto my desk next to the plans I was working on. I was a starving dog on a bone, and ripped it open, Arlo taking the seat facing me.
“Dear JaxLo.” I snorted a laugh. We had an address we could send snail mail to; a generic PO Box in Albany, New York, and Zach and I exchanged letters every month through the agency who used to send me updates, which was a front for something mysterious. Apparently, they’d sent me to all the different places where they hoped I would get to meet Zach, but it never quite happened, and of course, now the updates had ended—no point in subterfuge anymore. We also uploaded photos to an encrypted storage area: Charlie turning one, his first steps, sleeping with his construction bear, holding a sign with his first word—dada—climbing the guard we had to put around the Christmas tree because, boy, did Charlie love the shiny.
Zach had managed to visit three times over the last year, and one of those times, it had been for an entire weekend. He promised me he’d be done soon, but to keep Charlie safe, he wanted people to think that he was my son.
Charlie called me Papa, and Arlo, Daddy. My letters to my twin ran on for pages, his were always short and to the point, but at least, I knew he was out there alive.
I continued reading. “Things here are good. Kai and I are on assignment tomorrow, can’t say where, but y’know, snow. Charlie has grown so fast, love the photos, keep them coming. I really hope I can make it back to him and you for longer because we have a lot of catching up to do. Soon, I hope. Sending you love at Christmas, little brother. Love Zach (and Kai who is currently scowling at me at the thought of snow #SouthernBoy).” Then, I stopped, because the next bit was just for me. Oh, and have you proposed yet? And if not, why not. Kai says you should. #SappySouthernBoy.I swallowed my smile and folded the letter into the drawer, pulling out the small velvet box I’d been hiding behind a stack of envelopes.
Arlo leaned over the desk, then slid his fingers into my curls and tilted my head so he could kiss me, and I even had my hand on his belt when?—
“Daddy! Papa! Yuck!”
I glanced past Arlo at Charlie, who was standing in the doorway, covered in melted chocolate, Construction-Bear, or CB as we called him, wet and dripping water on the floor.
Arlo didn’t even turn around. “He climbed the gate to get the Christmas chocolates on the tree, right?”
I bit my lip. “You’re not wrong.”
With a long-suffering sigh, given it was his turn to deal with whatever our chaos monster had come up with now, the love of my life picked Charlie up and went into the kitchen. I heard laughing, and some of Arlo explaining why, even though chocolate was the best thing ever, the decorations needed to stay on the tree for one more day. Also, that dunking CB in water wouldn’t clean off chocolate. I pushed the box into my jeans pocket and went to find my boys.
I’d find the right time to ask him.
