Page 9 of Forged (The Art of Love #4)

NINE

Bax probably should have been offended. It was plain as day what Mrs. Turner was doing. Whether she’d trotted out Kate whoever she was deliberately or whether it was a complete accident that Kate just happened to be spending time with Nick’s mum and sister in the same place and same time as Nick, Mrs. Turner’s intent was obvious. The woman had given him a death glare as soon as she’d spotted him where Bax figured she thought her Kate bait should have been.

“Thanks,” Nick said uneasily in response to Kate’s obvious flirting.

Nick was saved from having to face the awkward situation directly when Jordan made a break to chase after a small dog someone had let off its leash.

“Excuse me one second,” he called over his shoulder as he raced to catch up with Jordan.

Macy didn’t like her dad and brother leaving. She was tired and fussy by that point anyhow, and she burst into wails while reaching for Nick from Bax’s arms.

Mrs. Turner tsked and stepped forward to take Macy away from Bax. “You shouldn’t be holding her like that,” she said.

Bax’s patience evaporated in an instant, and instead of letting Mrs. Turner take Macy from him, he stepped back and turned partly to the side, pretending to soothe Macy when he was straight-up blocking Mrs. Turner from having her.

“We’re just a bit tired, aren’t we?” he cooed to Macy, bouncing her in his arms.

By some miracle, Macy curled into Bax, flopping her head on his shoulder and throwing her arms around his neck like she was ready to give up and fall asleep. All while still crying, though.

Nick returned with a whining Jordan in his arms just in time to see the near exchange. “Mum, Macy is fine with Bax,” he said offhandedly.

“Doggie,” Jordan continued to whine, reaching for the terrier, whose owner now had it on a leash.

“We’ll go look at doggies later,” Nick tried to soothe him.

“Wow, you’re so good with children,” Kate commented, batting her eyes at Nick.

“Yes, well, I am their father,” Nick said.

Bax caught the irritation Nick was trying to hide. He couldn’t help but grin. Nick saw the expression and instantly relaxed, grinning back.

“Why don’t we walk with you for a while?” Mrs. Turner said, as if she’d just had the best idea ever. “There’s so much for the children to see here.”

Translation, Nick and Kate should walk around together, fall in love, get married, and have more babies.

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Kate said, boldly stepping forward and focusing on Jordan. “Would you like to go for a walk with me, Jordan?”

Bax tried to keep his smirk to himself. Miss Kate must have been primed with all the important information about Nick, including his kids’ names.

“Er, we’ve been walking around for a while,” Nick said, glancing from Kate to his mum and sister to Bax. “I was just about to suggest that we take the kids home for a nap.”

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Turner said. “Children are far more resilient than you think they are. A walk would be lovely.”

Bax nodded slightly to Nick, letting him know it was alright. In fact, the part of him that liked an occasional bit of drama was desperate to see how the set-up would pan out. Obviously, Nick wasn’t going to go for Kate, but it would be interesting to see how he handled it.

They walked on, and exactly as Bax predicted, within a minute, Nick and Kate were walking together in front of their group, and as they moved on, Mrs. Turner and Joann slowed down, putting more distance between them.

“You really should let me carry the baby,” Mrs. Turner said, dropping all pretense of friendliness.

“No, we’re alright,” Bax said, keeping his tone light. He still found carrying a baby around to be awkward and unnatural for him, but it was much easier when Macy was exhausted. Without really being able to see her, he was fairly certain she’d already fallen asleep on him.

“How does Nick know you?” Joann asked like she was a police investigator and Bax was a prime murder suspect.

“I’m one of the nefarious Hawthornes,” Bax said, grinning at her as he patted Macy’s back awkwardly. “We met ages ago through the family.”

“Oh, so you’re an artist,” Joann said, wrinkling her nose.

“I’m an accountant, actually,” Bax said. “I’m currently auditing the arts center’s books.” Although he was just about done with that and would soon need to figure out an excuse to stay at Hawthorne House longer.

That thought had him watching Nick’s back as he and Kate moved slowly farther away from the rest of them. Uncle Robert would absolutely let him stay at Hawthorne House as long as he liked, no questions asked. But would it make Nick feel awkward to know Bax was staying for him?

“Does Nick approve of you holding his daughter?” Joann asked on.

Bax pulled himself out of his thoughts and his eyes off of Nick’s backside to stare at her. “Yes,” he answered, no idea why it was even a question.

“But you’re gay, aren’t you?” Joann went on.

The question was so ridiculous Bax nearly laughed. “Yes. Strangely enough, gay men were granted the right to hold babies by the Rights of the Person Act of twenty-fifteen,” he said, making something up with a straight face.

Joann huffed impatiently. “I just meant that gay men usually don’t like children.”

Bax’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s an alarming generalization. I happen to know several gay couples with kids of their own. I’m assuming they like those kids, although we do get irritated when they use our rainbow flags for dress-up.”

Mrs. Turner definitely wasn’t amused by the sharp joke. She huffed and shook her head. “Don’t you think Nick and Kate look charming together?” she asked, changing the subject.

“I suppose so,” Bax answered, grinning. “You’re being very obvious, you know,” he added.

“Obvious? What do you mean by that? What’s obvious?” Mrs. Turner demanded, flustered.

Bax just laughed and shook his head.

They walked on for several more minutes, pausing at one point so Jordan could watch the ducks at a pond just off the high street. Mrs. Turner and Joann gave up trying to alternately interrogate Bax and convince him that Kate was the ideal match for Nick when Bax made it clear he thought they were hilarious. When they stepped aside to get coffees at one of the outdoor stands, Bax did what he was certain they didn’t want him to do and walked up to join Nick and Kate.

“I’ve wanted children for the longest time,” Kate was chattering away. “They say twenty-seven is not too late to start having them, but I definitely feel my clock ticking. I want some of my own, of course, but I wouldn’t mind being with a man who had some of his own already.”

Bax wanted to snort at her heavy-handed hints.

While Nick was giving most of his attention to Jordan, which was probably a defense mechanism as much as a requirement of being a good father, he glanced at Bax and straightened a little once Bax drew near. Nick was visibly uncomfortable, but Bax knew him well enough now to know the strain on his face meant he was holding onto his patience by a thread.

Still, he wasn’t expecting it at all when Nick swayed subtly closer to him, like they were standing side-by-side in solidarity, then turned to Kate and said, “Actually, Kate, while I’m flattered by your interest, Bax and I are sort of together.”

Kate wasn’t the only one who gaped in shock. Bax could have been knocked over with a feather, too. Joy burst inside him and rippled through every part of him, like the water in the duck pond when Jordan picked up a stone and threw it in.

That was the perfect distraction for Nick to back away from the declaration he’d just made. Before either Kate or Bax could fully react, he scooped Jordan up into his arms with a quick, scolding, “No, Jordan. We don’t throw stones at ducks.”

While Nick was still dealing with the inevitable temper tantrum Jordan threw after that, Kate turned to Bax and muttered, “Oh my god. I didn’t know Nick was gay. His mum told me he was looking to date again.”

“In all fairness,” Bax said, taking pity on Kate and shifting closer to her, so he could speak to her like they were on the same team, “Mrs. Turner is in denial. But she is right about Nick being ready to date again.” He winked at her for good measure. Miss Kate wasn’t the enemy, and her reaction convinced Bax she felt genuinely bad for getting the wrong end of the stick.

She was still embarrassed enough to make an excuse to leave as soon as Mrs. Turner and Joann caught up to them with their coffees.

“It’s been great catching up with you again, Nick, and it was nice to meet you, Baxter,” she said, nervously fiddling with her purse and sliding away from their group. “I’ve just remembered that my brother needs my help with something this afternoon. I’ll call you later, Joann.”

“Wait, what? Where are you going?” Joann followed Kate as she marched quickly away.

“What did you say to her?” Mrs. Turner asked, frowning more at Bax than Nick.

“I told her I wasn’t interested in dating,” Nick said. It was a little bit of a lie, or maybe a big lie, but if Nick wasn’t ready to come out to his mum, it was good enough.

“Really, Nicholas,” she huffed in exasperation. “I work so hard for you, but you’re constantly rebuffing my attempts at making you happy.”

“I think we have different definitions of happiness,” Nick said in a flat voice.

“Now I have to go after Kate and apologize,” she said, shaking her head as if Nick had created the problem, not her.

She said a few curt goodbyes, kissed her grandbabies, then walked off, visibly disappointed.

“Now she’s upset,” Nick sighed.

“She shouldn’t have stuck her oar in like that anyhow,” Bax said as they turned away from the duck pond and headed back into the heart of the high street.

Nick grinned suddenly. “Stuck her oar in?”

“You know,” Bax said, relaxing more by the second. “It’s an old phrase for interfering.”

“I know that, I just didn’t expect it coming out of you.”

“There’s a lot of things you might not expect to come out of me,” Bax replied with a teasing grin.

Nick laughed. It was the best signal that all was well between them that Bax could have had.

They walked on. Macy continued to sleep, and Jordan ended up slumping against Nick’s shoulder and nodding off, too. They really should have headed home at that point, but it was nice to just walk together without interference from the kids while looking at shop windows and light displays. Bax would have greatly preferred if the kids weren’t there at all, but not because he didn’t like them. He longed for the moment when he would be able to spend adult time with Nick doing adult things.

Ironically, as his mind started to wander to some of those adult things, he was distracted by a call of, “Bax, is that you?”

He and Nick both turned to find a tall, gorgeous man in a dark green peacoat with a russet scarf wrapped fashionably around his neck heading toward them.

“Callum,” Bax greeted his friend. He suddenly felt awkward about having a toddler asleep in his arms.

“I thought that was you,” Callum said as he reached them, managing to look like he belonged in the pages of a fashion magazine instead of sweaty and winded, like Bax was sure he looked. “Is that a baby you’re carrying?” he asked as if it were ridiculous.

“Yep,” Bax answered, trying to sound casual but having to fight off irritation and awkwardness as he did. “This is Macy Turner-Hawthorne, that one there is Jordan Turner-Hawthorne, and this is Nick Turner, their dad.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Callum said, flashing his perfect smile and holding out a hand to Nick. “Callum Orville.”

Nick shifted a heavy, sleeping Jordan in his arms so he could take Callum’s hand and shake it in return. “Hi.”

Callum immediately turned his attention back to Bax. “I was sorry you couldn’t join us for Imbolc last week.”

More unwanted emotions washed through Bax, heating his face and neck. “I had other plans,” he said.

“Of course, of course,” Callum said, holding up a hand. “The invitation was very last-minute.”

“Oh. You’re the one who invited him to the celebration,” Nick said.

Bax wasn’t sure if he felt happy or uncomfortable that Nick had made the connection. He’d only mentioned Callum’s invitation after the fact and in the vaguest terms, like it hadn’t been a big deal.

“Were you celebrating together?” Callum asked, something unreadable in his eyes as he glanced between Bax and Nick.

Bax had the feeling that Callum didn’t approve of the two of them being together any more than Mrs. Turner did. He could have just been hypersensitive after the encounter with Mrs. Turner, though.

“We did, yes,” Nick answered.

“I didn’t realize you practiced the old ways,” Callum said, trying to be funny.

“Oh, I don’t,” Nick said. “Bax showed me what to do, though.”

“I see,” Callum said, his smile brightening a bit. “And what do you do?”

Nick shuffled a bit. “I’m a metal artist,” he said.

“I beg your pardon?” Callum blinked rapidly, looking genuinely curious.

“I teach metalwork and blacksmithing at the Hawthorne Community Arts Center,” Nick explained.

Callum drew in a breath, like he’d just connected the dots. “Of course, you do,” he said with a cheeky grin. “With arms like those, how could you be anything but a blacksmith?”

Bax didn’t know whether to wince or laugh at the speed with which Nick blushed. Callum was the second person in as many hours to hit on him. Clearly, Nick wasn’t used to that sort of attention from women or men.

The moment moved on when Callum turned to Bax again and said, “You know the invitation to join my coven is still there. Any time you’d like to come by and spend some time with us, you’re welcome. Ostara is a way off, but we’re already making plans.”

“Thanks,” Bax smiled. “That’s definitely something to consider.”

“It’s just that I heard you’re searching for a new group,” Callum went on, going so far as to rest a hand on Bax’s arm. “You’re always welcome.”

“I appreciate it,” Bax said.

He should have pulled away from Callum’s touch, but something held him there a second or two longer. He missed being the carefree, flirtatious adult he was when he’d been with Damien. When Callum finally did let go, he left Bax filled with nervous energy.

“Isn’t this festival smashing?” Callum asked, glancing around at the decorations and people. “I was so excited when I heard Maidstone was having a winter festival. It’s not exactly Pagan, but at least it’s Pagan-friendly.”

“Oh yeah,” Bax said, making conversation. “I saw Veronica Merriweather with a booth of candles and charms down at the bottom of the high street.”

“Did you pick up anything?” Callum asks. “She gives a discount if she knows you’re a practitioner.”

“I didn’t,” Bax said. “My arms are a little full at the moment.”

In fact, they’d been aching with Macy’s weight for the last ten minutes.

“I see,” Callum said, then laughed. “You’re the last person I would have imagined to see with small children like that, but it suits you.”

Callum was just being polite. Underneath his smile and sophisticated manner, Bax was certain he was trying to match up some of their more heated moments from the past with what he saw in front of him.

The moment turned weird fast.

“Well, I’ll be seeing you,” Callum said. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Nick.” He reached for Nick’s hand again and made a mock swoony noise when Nick gripped his in a firm handshake. “And I’ll speak to you soon,” he added for Bax before walking on.

The silence that followed in his wake had Bax’s back itching.

“He’s…interesting,” Nick said.

“Yes, he is,” Bax laughed as they headed on toward the parking lot. “Callum has always been a bit…colorful.”

“He offered you a place in his coven?” Nick asked, lowering his voice slightly.

Bax wasn’t so oblivious that he didn’t catch the hint of sadness and worry in Nick’s voice.

“He did,” Bax said, swaying close enough to take Nick’s hand, although it took a bit of coordination, since they were both holding sleeping children. “I have to think about it, though.”

“Isn’t that what you want?” Nick asked. “You’ve been looking for a new coven.”

“I have,” Bax conceded. “But you can’t just join any old group that offers. Joining a coven is a deeply personal, spiritual choice. You have to make sure the group is right. It’s a lot like getting involved in a new relationship.”

Nick glanced at him and their eyes met. It was pretty clear to Bax that Nick was wrestling with all kinds of new emotions. He had more than his mum playing matchmaker to contend with. He was a father, a teacher, an artist, and thanks to Bax, he was struggling with a whole new understanding of his sexuality.

Bax wanted to make things easier for him instead of adding to the pile of confusion Nick was dealing with.

“Right now, I just want to be with you,” he said, smiling over Macy’s sleeping form. “That’s enough for me.”

“You’re being generous,” Nick said with a sheepish smile. “I’m more trouble than I’m worth.”

“You absolutely are not,” Bax scolded him. He then shifted to a wicked grin and said, “You’re going to be so worth it.”

Nick’s face went even redder, and he lowered his eyes. It was the cutest thing Bax had ever seen. Nick might have been a giant of a man, but he could blush like a little boy sometimes.

Bax loved it. He loved the sweetness that shone through Nick’s strength. He loved how good Nick was and how hard he tried to be what others needed him to be. It was well past time for Nick to take something for himself, though. Bax was determined to find a way to give him what he deserved and more.