Page 38

I relax on the sofa, sighing at the way the air conditioning hits my body and cools me off.

The Arizona heat is no joke in the summer.

I can only handle twenty minutes at a time before I feel like I need to guzzle a gallon of water.

Owen, for what it’s worth, is having a blast in this heat.

I think his skin is finally acclimating to the blaring sun because, despite his red hair, he has a constant golden tan, whereas I still just burn.

I’m not facing the sliding door, but I can hear the celebrations continuing.

Gabe and I decided to host a going away party for Marshall, who of course is the last to arrive now.

Izzy was the first to show up, to help decorate for their friend (and I use the word friend loosely, because I have a feeling one or both of them are harboring some feelings ).

Then it was some of the hockey team, including Zach and Vincent.

Mason showed up a few minutes after them.

Owen pulled Mason through the house the moment he arrived, and they’ve been playing since.

Mason is a great guy. He works hard with Gabe coaching the peewee hockey team, on top of keeping up with his training for next season and getting a head start on his studies for his classes.

I don’t know how he’s got the time for all of it, but he doesn’t let anything fall through the cracks.

“You okay?” Gabe asks, startling me. With the laughter and other noises coming from outside, I didn’t hear him.

He stands behind the couch and massages my shoulders.

It’s relaxing, and I rest my head against the back of the couch with my eyes closed.

It’s only lunch time on a Saturday and I’m ready for bedtime.

“I’m great,” I say after a second. “Hot. Sweaty. Tired.”

“I can attest to the hot and sweaty,” Gabe whispers in my ear. It sends a shiver down my spine. I open my eyes and tilt my head to look at his face. His hair is up in its usual bun, and I can see the tendrils of sweat at his temples too.

“This is the yucky kind of hot and sweaty.” I add a pout to the words and Gabe chuckles. Before Gabe can say anything, the doorbell rings.

“I guess the guest of honor has finally arrived,” Gabe says half sarcastically as he stands to go to the door, but a blur rushes past him before he makes it halfway.

I don’t even know how Owen heard the doorbell from the backyard with everyone out there. Owen opens the door to a less-than-happy Marshall. It’s only a second, a flash, before there’s a smile on his face and he’s holding his hand out for a low five. Owen smacks his hand in Marshall’s and giggles.

“We’re all playing outside! Want to join?”

I love that Owen is back to his silly, wonderful self. Since the court case, it’s been radio silence from Karen and Harold, and Owen hasn’t asked about them in two weeks.

However, because he’s just turned six, he doesn’t catch the switch in Marshall’s express like Gabe and I do. I look at Gabe who nods in understanding. “Do you want to see my new toys? Daddy and Daddy Gabe got me a whole bunch of them for my birthday! ”

“Of course! I want to see everything.” Marshall grins, but his gaze slides up to us. It’s a little pensive. “Can I talk to your daddies real quick?”

“Okay! Coach Mason and Izzy are playing firefighters!” Owen answers with a smile and runs back to the sliding door.

He pushes his hair back from his face before sliding the door open just enough to squeeze himself through.

I follow behind him with a sigh and close the door behind him.

We’re working on remembering that the hot air needs to stay outside.

“What’s up?” Gabe asks. “You’re not exactly screaming party mode.”

“Not really,” Marshall’s reply has me feeling instantly concerned. He looks between me and Gabe. “How did you two know you liked each other? Or, y’know, guys in general?”

“That’s a loaded question,” Gabe tells him.

I step outside to give them privacy. I know Marshall seems comfortable asking to talk to us both, but Daddy has known him for years, and, really, he’s probably better at answering questions like that anyway.

Especially if they might relate to another member of their friendship group, like I suspect they do.

The backyard isn’t that big to begin with and it feels even smaller with the seven people standing around.

Mason and Owen have Izzy cornered with water toys, Zach and Vincent are laughing while standing clear of any spray zones.

Noah is sitting in the shade, at the little table Gabe bought when he moved in.

I make the smart choice and sit next to him.

“Izzy is going to soak them,” he says when I join him on the other side of the table. “I hope you’re okay with that.”

“He’ll end up in the tub tonight anyway,” I say with a shrug. “Mason, on the other hand, I have no idea if he has extra clothes but I’m sure I can loan him something.”

Just as I say it, the water hose is aimed at Mason and soaks the whole front of his shirt. Owen’s shrill squeal is music to my ears as I watch him run away from Izzy.

“Izzy the Grizzly!” Owen shouts, using the moniker he gave him last month. Despite Izzy being adamant that he isn’t a kids kind of person, the moment Owen asks to play or starts asking a million questions, his patience is unlimited.

Living up to his nickname, Izzy lets out a roar, playing the grizzly bear, before dropping the hose and chasing after both Mason and Owen. It’s all laughs and giggles from the two as they run around.

The playing is momentarily halted when Gabe and Marshall make an appearance. I turn to look at them, smiling at Gabe. He nods, letting me know everything is okay. I’m sure, if it’s not too personal, Gabe will tell me later. Right now, we have a lot to celebrate.

“If it isn’t the man of the hour…thirty minutes late!” Izzy says with a huge smile.

“I was at lunch with my family,” Marshall shoots back, playful and definitely not faking the happiness now.

Gabe motions for me to stand up so he can sit down.

He pulls me back onto his lap and I snuggle close to his chest. To anyone else, it’s just a bit of PDA, but I know that this is my Daddy holding me.

I love having that little bit for ourselves.

We haven’t been to the club in a while, not with our schedules the way they are, but I do like having my Little time in private.

“Well, we have burgers, dogs, and be– ”

“We’re eating dogs ?” Owen shouts incredulously, interrupting the whole moment. We all laugh at his worried expression.

“Hot dogs,” Mason corrects. “Not actual dogs.”

“Oh.” Owen turns to look at me and Gabe with a wide smile. “Daddy, can we get a dog?”

“How did you get from hot dogs to an actual dog so fast?” I ask. I look at Gabe and he shakes his head quickly

“No. You two are not ganging up on me with this. We are not home enough to have a dog right now.”

“That’s okay, Owen.” Mason is sitting next to Owen on the grass. “You can come hang out with my dog, Bakery.”

I hear Marshall laugh the loudest. “You have a dog named Bakery?”

“I found him in the alley behind my favorite bakery with my favorite pastries.” Mason explains it with a shrug like it makes total sense. “He’s a little older now, because we found him when I was only fifteen, but I thought the name was perfect.”

“Anyway,” Gabe says, steering the conversation back, “no pets in this house right now. We can talk about it in a couple of months. Right now, we’re celebrating Marshall on his internship, and Zach for getting drafted into the NHL.”

“Congrats, again, on that.” I look between both of them. Zach announced he signed the papers to play for a team, but he hasn’t announced which team just yet. We’re going to find out with everyone else during the announcements.

“I might have found out and congrats are definitely in order,” Vincent says with a smirk to the rest of us.

I’m surprised, but also not. Zach was captain for the Phoenix Penguins this year and he’s passed that torch to Vincent now.

I know, just by watching and being his physical therapist that Vincent is going to make the team proud next season.

They had a rough go of it this year, but we’ll bounce back and Gabe will be there cheering them on.

Marshall, on the other hand, was on the fence about his internship.

He talked to everyone, including me, about what he should do.

He was offered a paid internship in Chicago.

It’s a great opportunity, but it means leaving his friends and family so he struggled for a bit.

We promised that none of us were going to drift apart.

“I’m getting excited,” Marshall says. We’re all sitting now, most of us finding the shade.

Owen and Mason are in their own little world, though, playing thumb war.

I don’t know if it’s me projecting, but I can totally see Mason being Little.

“I packed up the final box last night and I start the drive tomorrow.”

“And you’ll call every couple of hours to let us know you're making it there safely,” Gabe says pointedly.

“I’ll be driving him,” Izzy says. “We’re making a road trip out of it before I head back home for the summer.”

“Then definitely call and make sure you’re okay!” I say with a snicker. Izzy shoots me a glare but the rest of the group laughs with me.

We decide to move inside and eat now that everyone is here. I loan Mason a new shirt and Gabe gets Owen changed before we all sit around the living room, chatting and laughing about nothing in particular.

It’s nice, having our different circles mingle so easily.

I’m grateful for this group, for Gabe coming over to our table that first day.

I love him, my Daddy, so much, but I’m happy his friends accepted me too.

I’ve barely talked to those I left behind in Virginia, other than the occasional happy birthday message or something.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Daddy whispers against the shell of my ear. I can feel myself itching to sink into my Little space already. It usually comes out when I start getting sleepy and it’s been a long day.

“Just how happy I am and how much I love you.”

Daddy gives me a soft smile and kisses behind my ear, then down the side of my neck. I tilt my head down, giggling at the ticklish touch of his lips. “I love you too, baby.”

I turn my head to look at him, smiling coyly before I ask, “Can we revisit the idea of getting a pet, though?”

"Oh no," he hangs his head and sighs. I hear someone laugh next to us. I turn to see it's Izzy.

"What about a cat? Or a goldfish?" I know that this is my house and I am an adult, but it feels so natural and right to get my Daddy's approval for such a big decision.

Not just because we live together, but because I know that Daddy loves either making all the decisions or helping me talk about options.

When I'm Little, I know that everything has to go through my Daddy and I fully trust that he knows best.

After our wetting scene, there isn't anything I don't trust him with. I can’t imagine being with anyone else, ever. I know our relationship moved fast, but I remind myself that we have time now. It doesn’t stop my brain from thinking about marrying my Daddy and how happy that would make me.

I don't say any of that, though. Instead, I blink slowly at him.

"What about sea monkeys?"

"I want monkeys!" Owen shouts excitedly. Both of us turn and correct him at the same time. Gabe squeezes my knee and looks back at Owen. Our son .

"We can get a little fish aquarium," Gabe says. That didn't take long , I think to myself as he continues, "We'll go this week and get the supplies."

Behind me comes a whipping noise and the whole room cracks up in laughter. Izzy adds the motion to it, flicking his wrist like he has an actual whip in his hand.

Gabe reaches over my shoulder and smacks his friend's shoulder. "Wait until you find someone and see if you can say no."

The others are still talking and laughing, sharing stories of what their futures hold. I don’t know what ours holds, but I know that Gabe will always be in it.

THE END