Page 9

Chapter Eight

brYSON

T he door closed behind us with heavy finality, and for a moment, I wanted to yank it open again and go back. Back to the diaper changes and spit up, the familiar chaos that was somehow comforting. But we kept walking, the sidewalk lined with the slushy remains of snow. I shifted Chloe to my other hip, readjusting the blanket wrapped around her tiny legs.

Tucker walked beside us, his dark jeans, black leather jacket, and scruff along his jaw giving him bad-boy vibes that would’ve had teenage me blushing wildly. Thankfully, grown up me was able to keep such things in check—mostly. There was that one moment when I first saw him and nearly swallowed my tongue, but he certainly didn’t need to know that.

“You know we’re only going to be gone a couple of hours, right?”

I glanced at him, my forehead scrunching. “Yeah, why?”

“Because there are enough diapers, wipes, and bottles to last a week in here,” he said, raising the diaper bag which looked ready to burst at the seams.

“I like to be prepared,” I responded, kissing Chloe on the tip of her nose. She giggled then reached up and grabbed ahold of my ear lobe to play with.

“Tell the truth, you were a boy scout, weren’t you?” he teased. I murmured a response. “What was that?” he asked, amusement coating his words.

I turned my head towards him, one eyebrow raised in challenge. “I said, I was an eagle scout,” I answered succinctly.

Tucker hooted a laugh, but it wasn’t a mean laugh. This one was warm, familiar, like the laugh of someone who’d known you for years, someone who knew all your idiosyncrasies and liked you anyway. I tried to ignore the fluttering in my belly at the thought.

“Of course, you were. I imagine you have always excelled at everything you’ve done,” he noted.

I shot him a disbelieving look. “Have you even been paying attention the last few weeks?” I asked, nodding my head towards the baby in my arms.

Tucker stopped walking, his expression sobering as I turned to face him. “I have. I’ve watched you completely upend your life to take care of your best friend’s baby. And not only that, but you’ve taken the time to read up on child development, so we can make sure she doesn’t miss any important steps along the way. That’s something I never would have thought to do.”

“Wow! Thank you,” I said softly, trying to swallow the emotions that were clogging my throat.

He shrugged like it was no big deal. “I just thought you should know, I do see everything you’re doing, and I appreciate it.”

It was quiet for a few moments as we started walking again but then I bumped his shoulder with mine. “I appreciate you too. You’re amazing with Chloe and you help me see the lighter side of things when I start to get too up in my head.”

I swallowed hard when he grinned at me, all sparkling blue eyes and cover model smile. I smiled back, something passing between us, an unspoken understanding between two people who were facing the same challenges together.

“You made it!” Susie called cheerily from her porch, effectively putting an end to the moment. She moved forward as we climbed the steps, wrapping her arms around Chloe and me at the same time. “Don't you two look handsome, all dressed up for a night out.” She scooped Chloe from my arms, and I felt the instant loss of her tiny weight.

“Thanks. You might have your hands a bit full with this one, tonight,” Tucker warned.

“Yeah, she’s been pretty fussy all day and she won’t quit drooling. I don’t know what’s going on, but I packed some extra bibs in case she soaks through that one.”

“Ah, yes,” she responded knowingly. “Sounds like she’s teething. But don’t you worry, I have my ways of soothing her.”

“Teething! Why didn’t I think of that?”

Susie patted my arm. “Because this is your first experience with a teething baby, but it’s okay. There’s a learning curve.”

“Okay, well, you have both of our numbers in case you need us,” Tucker reminded her.

“And we’ll be at Lucky’s. If you try to call and we don’t answer, you can reach us there,” I added.

“We’ll be just fine,” she assured us.

We took turns kissing Chloe then slowly began making our way down the porch steps. When we reached the bottom, I spun back around. “She might want a bottle soon. And there’s some baby cereal in there if she wants any.”

Tucker jumped in next. “Her jammies are in there too. Oh! And her little yellow bunny. She can’t go to sleep without Floppy.”

“We'll check in after a couple of hours,” I promised, feeling like I was being peeled away from something vital.

“Go have fun,” Susie ordered. “And don't even think about coming back for at least two hours.”

Her laugh followed us all the way to the car, cheerful and warm. We walked back to our house in silence and climbed into Tucker’s rental. I shivered as a blast of cold air hit me in the face as he started the car. I shifted the vents away from me until the car had a chance to warm up.

“She'll be fine, you know,” he said, backing out of the driveway.

“I hope so. I feel like I just left my heart back there on that porch,” I answered sullenly.

“Yeah, but the books say it’s good for us to have some time apart. It gives us a chance to unwind and teaches Chloe to trust that when even though we go away sometimes, we’ll always come back for her.”

I stared at him in shock. “The books said that, huh?”

He visibly swallowed as he realized what he’d said. “Uh… well… you left one of them just lying around in the nursery and I was up with her one night, so…”

“So, you read my book.” I laughed, giddily.

“Shut up,” he grumbled, but I could see his lips twitching as he tried not to laugh.

My laughter died down, but a smile remained on my face as we drove down the quiet streets. The sky was clear, the moon shining brightly above. I was having fun with him and a part of me almost wished we were going somewhere else, just the two of us.

I glanced down at the clock on the dashboard. “Crap! We’re going to be late.”

“That’s all right. We’ll just show up fashionably late and make them all think we're way cooler than we are.”

I shot him a doubtful look. “Social gatherings have never really been my thing. I’m not all that outgoing, and I tend to be a little awkward with people I’ve just met.”

He made a face, feigning shock. “Really? You don’t say.” He hit another button on the radio, filling the space between us with upbeat music. “Seriously though, Langston seemed cool, and the others are all friends of his, so I’m sure they’re nice too. And I’ll be right there with you.”

I stared at him, amazed at how effortlessly he could glide into these situations, how he seemed to wear life like a comfortable old shirt. “That’s easy for you to say,” I argued. “You could make friends with a potato.”

He threw his head back in laughter, an unguarded sound. “Depends on the potato,” he teased. “I hear the small ones are kind of cliquey.”

His energy was hard to resist, and I felt my worry giving way to something less defined, less certain. “Have you always been like this?” I asked. “Good with people?”

He shrugged. “Pretty much. It’s served me well on my travels, getting to know people all over the world.”

“Yeah, well, not all of us are blessed with a traveler’s charm,” I said.

He looked at me with that penetrating gaze, and I thought I saw something else there, a deeper note to his playfulness. “Try not to worry so much. You already have one friend there.”

I looked at him, caught off guard. “Is that what we are? Friends?”

“Well, sure,” he said, a hint of vulnerability in his voice. “We spend all our time together, we rely on each other, and we've been getting along really well. What would you call it?”

He had a point, and I let it settle in, finding its place inside me. “Hmm. I guess we are friends then.” I said it softly, unable to hide the smile on my face.

His grin was wide and easy. “There you go,” he said. “And if I'm wrong about these other dads, we'll bail. Deal?”

“Deal,” I said.

The weight of the door seemed symbolic, heavy and imposing, as I pushed it open and led us inside Lucky’s. A group of men sat at a large round table in the corner, their laughter echoing through the space and a familiar figure rose to greet us.

“Welcome, boys! I’m glad you finally decided to join us.” Langston’s handshake was firm, his smile friendly.

“Sorry we're late,” I said, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears. “We had a bit of separation anxiety leaving Chloe with the sitter.”

Langston chuckled, his dark eyes twinkling with understanding. “No worries, we've all been there. Come on, let me introduce you to the gang,” he said, guiding us towards the table.

“Everyone, I'd like you to meet Bryson and Tucker, our newest members,” he announced, gesturing to us. “Boys, let me introduce you to the gang.”

He pointed to a man with messy blond hair and a friendly smile. “This is Duncan Harris, owner of Duncan's Donuts & More. He makes the best apple fritters in the world.”

Duncan reached out to shake our hands. “Welcome, fellas! Always great to see new faces. And don't let him fool you—my cinnamon rolls are the real showstoppers.”

“And this is Noah Hale, our local contractor extraordinaire. You need anything built or fixed, he’s your man,” Langston continued, gesturing to a rugged-looking man with warm brown eyes.

Noah gave us a warm smile and a firm handshake. “Nice to meet you guys. How old is your little one?”

“She's seven and a half months,” I answered.

“Ah, the fun is just beginning then,” he chuckled. “Wait till she starts crawling.”

“She actually just started,” Tucker said, his voice filled with pride.

As we settled into our seats, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of anxiety and excitement bubbling in my chest. Tucker sat beside me, his presence a comforting anchor in this unfamiliar setting. I glanced around the table, taking in the friendly faces of the other dads.

“So, tell us about yourselves,” Duncan said, leaning forward with genuine interest.

I hesitated, unsure where to begin. Tucker, sensing my discomfort, jumped in. “Well, we're both new to town,” he said, flashing that easy smile of his. “I'm a software developer, and Bryson here works in digital marketing.”

“What led you to our little town?” he asked curiously.

“Tucker is Zach Murphy’s brother,” Langston answered quietly as he set a pitcher of beer in the middle of the table and started pouring us each a glass.

Understanding dawned quickly on Noah and Duncan’s faces. “We’re sorry about your loss. They were really nice people.”

“Thanks. It’s good to know they were surrounded by such a friendly community. I can see why they decided to start their family here,” Tucker said.

“And how long have you two been together?” Duncan asked, his eyes twinkling.

I felt my face flush as Tucker and I exchanged a panicked glance. “Oh, we're not—” I started.

“We're just friends,” Tucker finished. “Roommates, actually. We're raising my niece together.”

Duncan's eyebrows shot up. “Oh! I'm so sorry, I just assumed?—”

“No worries,” Tucker said smoothly. “It's a unique situation.”

I nodded, trying to ignore the way my heart had sped up at Duncan's assumption. “Yeah. Brooke was my best friend and Chloe is my goddaughter. We actually didn’t even know we were going to be raising her together until the reading of the will.”

“I bet that was quite a shock,” Langston interjected.

I snorted a laugh. “That’s an understatement.”

Tucker, ever the social butterfly, smoothly steered the conversation in a new direction. “So, tell us about your kids,” he said, leaning forward with genuine interest.

As the other dads began sharing stories about their children, I found myself relaxing, the tension in my shoulders slowly melting away. Duncan's eyes lit up as he talked about his foster son, Jessie.

“He's ten and absolutely brilliant,” Duncan gushed. “The other day, he built this incredible robot out of stuff he found around the house. I swear, that kid's going to be an engineer someday.”

Noah chimed in next, a proud smile on his face. “My Curtis is eight. He's really into sports right now. We spend most weekends at the baseball field or basketball court.”

“What about you, Langston? You mentioned you have twins, right?” I asked, feeling more comfortable as the conversation flowed.

His face lit up with a proud smile. “Ah yes, my little troublemakers. Millie and Maya are seven now. They keep me on my toes, that's for sure.”

“Twins must be a handful,” Tucker remarked.

“You have no idea,” Langston chuckled. “Last week, they decided to give our dog a 'makeover' with some of their dress up makeup. Poor thing looked like he was auditioning for RuPaul's Drag Race.”

The table erupted in laughter, and I found myself joining in, the tension in my chest easing further.

“So, how are you two adjusting to parenthood?” Noah asked.

I hesitated, glancing at Tucker. He gave me an encouraging nod, so I took a deep breath and dove in. “It's been... an adventure,” I admitted with a nervous chuckle. “There are moments when I feel like I'm drowning, and others where I can't imagine doing anything else.”

Tucker jumped in, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “You should have seen him the first time Chloe projectile vomited all over him. I thought he was going to pass out.”

The table erupted in laughter, and I felt my cheeks flush. “Hey, in my defense, I didn't know babies could do that!” I protested, but I was laughing too.

“Oh man, I remember those days,” Noah said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “Curtis once managed to pee on me, the ceiling, and somehow my laptop all at once.”

As the laughter died down, I found myself relaxing even more. The initial awkwardness was fading, replaced by a sense of camaraderie I hadn't expected. These men understood the chaos, the joy, and the overwhelming responsibility of single fatherhood in a way few others could.

“So, any advice for us newbies?” Tucker asked, leaning forward with genuine interest.

Duncan's eyes twinkled as he raised his beer. “Sleep when the baby sleeps is bullshit. Sleep when you're dead.”

We all chuckled, and I nodded in agreement. “I've definitely learned that one the hard way.”

“Oh, and invest in good stain remover,” Noah added. “You'll need it for everything from spit-up to finger paint disasters.”

As the conversation flowed, I found myself opening up more, sharing stories about the first time Chloe laughed out loud at something I did, and I felt a warmth spread through my chest. The memory was still so vivid—her tiny face scrunching up, eyes crinkling at the corners, before a burst of giggles erupted from her little body. It had been such a simple thing. I was making silly faces at her while changing her diaper—but in that moment, it felt like the most incredible sound I'd ever heard.

“I swear, I nearly cried,” I admitted, a soft smile playing on my lips. “It was like... suddenly everything clicked into place. All the sleepless nights, the constant worrying, it all became worth it in that single moment.”

Tucker nudged my shoulder gently. “You did cry,” he teased, but his eyes were warm.

I felt my cheeks flush at Tucker's revelation, but I couldn't deny it. “Okay, fine. I cried,” I admitted with a sheepish grin. “But come on, it was a big moment!”

The other dads nodded in understanding, their eyes soft with shared memories.

“Those are the moments that make it all worth it,” Langston said, raising his glass in a toast. “To the joys of fatherhood, big and small.”

We all clinked glasses, and as I took a sip of my beer, I felt a surge of gratitude wash over me. Here I was, surrounded by men who understood the unique challenges and rewards of single fatherhood. Men who didn't judge me for getting emotional over a baby's laugh or for packing too many diapers in the diaper bag.

As the night wore on, the conversation flowed easily. We shared more stories, laughed over parenting mishaps, and exchanged tips on everything from dealing with diaper rash to finding reliable babysitters. At one point, I glanced over at Tucker, surprised to see him watching me with a soft smile. When our eyes met, he quickly looked away, but not before I caught a hint of something in his gaze that made my heart skip a beat.

Before I knew it, several hours had passed and it was time to leave. We said goodnight to our new friends then Tucker and I walked outside, his shoulder occasionally brushing against mine as we made our way to the car. The contact sent little sparks of warmth through my body, and I found myself hyper-aware of his presence.

“So,” he said, breaking the comfortable silence between us, “what did you think?”

I considered the question for a moment, replaying the evening in my mind. “It was... nice,” I admitted, surprised by how much I meant it. “Really nice, actually. I wasn't expecting to feel so... comfortable.”

Tucker's face lit up with a brilliant smile that made my heart do a little flip. “You were in your element, especially when you started talking about all those baby milestones you've been tracking.”

I felt a flush creep up my neck, remembering how animated I'd gotten discussing Chloe's development. “Was I too much? I tend to get carried away sometimes.”

“Not at all,” he assured me, his blue eyes twinkling in the moonlight. “It was... endearing, actually. You should've seen your face light up when you were talking about her first laugh. It was beautiful.”

The word 'beautiful' hung in the air between us, and I found myself at a loss for words. Tucker cleared his throat and quickly unlocked the car, breaking the moment.

I gazed out the window as we drove home, lost in thought, replaying moments from the evening in my mind. The warmth of acceptance, the shared laughter, the feeling of finally belonging somewhere—it all swirled together, leaving me with a sense of contentment I hadn't felt in a long time.

He hummed softly along with the radio, his fingers tapping out a rhythm on the steering wheel. I found my eyes drawn to his hands, noticing the way his long fingers moved with an easy grace. There was something mesmerizing about the casual confidence of his movements, the way he seemed so at home in his own skin.

“You know,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us, “I think I needed this more than I realized.”

Tucker glanced over at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Yeah? How so?”

I took a moment to gather my thoughts, watching the streetlights cast fleeting shadows across his face. “I guess... I've been so focused on Chloe, on trying to do everything right, that I forgot how important it is to connect with other adults. To be reminded that we're not alone in this.”

He nodded sagely, his eyes back on the road. “I get that. It's easy to get lost in the day-to-day stuff and forget to come up for air sometimes.”

“Exactly,” I agreed, feeling a surge of warmth at how easily he understood. “And seeing all those other dads, hearing their stories... it made me feel like maybe we're not screwing this up as badly as I sometimes fear we are.”

Tucker chuckled, the sound low and warm in the quiet car. “We're definitely not screwing it up, Bryson. You heard those guys—we're right on track with all the craziness.”

I laughed softly, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders. “I suppose you're right. It's just... sometimes I worry that we're not enough, you know? That Chloe deserves more than two clueless guys fumbling their way through parenthood.”

Tucker was quiet for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought. When he spoke, his voice was gentle but firm. “Bryson, look at me.”

I turned to face him, surprised by the intensity in his eyes as he glanced between me and the road. “Chloe is loved. She's safe, she's happy, and she's thriving. We may not have it all figured out, but we're giving her everything we've got. That's more than enough.”

His words wrapped around me like a warm blanket, soothing the doubts that had been gnawing at me. I felt my eyes sting with unexpected tears, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his voice.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “I... I needed to hear that.”

Tucker reached over and squeezed my hand briefly, the touch sending a jolt of electricity through me. “Anytime, Bryson. We're in this together, remember?”

I nodded my head. For the first time, I truly felt the truth in those words.