Page 47 of Quinton's Quest

I sighed. “Gideon let it slip that Archer wanted kids. I was under the impression there might’ve been a physical reason why he and his wife couldn’t have kids. I don’t think Gideon even realized how much he was revealing. He just wanted to assure me that Archer would love the kids as much as we do.”

“From what I witnessed, I’d say he does. Are you worried he’ll try to replace you?”

“Well, I wasn’t until you suggested it.”

He held my gaze.

I caved. “Yes, that’s crossed my mind. They have the kids all week. That’s a lot of time. And yes, they have to do the harder parenting stuff—but I agreed I would maintain the level of discipline. Although discipline is the wrong word. That I would—” I flailed. “—keep the same rules. That there’d be consistency. That I wouldn’t try to bribe their affection.”

“Something you would never do.”

“Yeah. But it’s damn tempting. To be the fun or cool parent.”

“Leo.”

I scrunched my nose. “If the shoe were on the other foot, I’d lose it completely. So I do what I can to be consistent while still being fun. I just hope the snow stays until the weekend. I have a slight slope in my backyard. I want to take the kids sledding.”

“With helmets.”

“Yes, of course. I have all the safety equipment. And bikes, come spring. Like Gideon, I live on a dead-end street. I want to teach the kids the rules of the road. That feels essential to me.”

“Because you’re a good dad.” He reached out to grasp my hand.

I didn’t pull back.

“Go easier on yourself. Be the best parent you can be.”

My phone buzzed with an incoming text. I checked the screen and read the urgent message. I rose. “Have to go.”

“Do you want me to wrap your sandwich and bring it to your office?”

I grabbed one of his French fries, dunked it in ketchup, then shoved it into my mouth. I shook my head. “Thanks anyway.” And then I was off.

The triple bypass surgery was successful, and the young guy was going to make it. I saved the stern lecture about his eating habits for another day as his wife was in a panic and needing to see him.

Their three young children were at home with grandparents.

Not just bad eating habits, though. The guy had a genetic predisposition to the accumulation of plaque in his arteries. He had a long road to recovery ahead of him, and major lifestyle changes if he was going to remain healthy.

I was exhausted when I hit the house. As I sat at the table, eating a tuna sub sandwich, my phone buzzed.

Did the patient take a turn? Do I need to go back? Did I screw up the surgery?

Nope. A picture of Melodie, Trevor, and Gideon lying in the snow making snow angels.

Logically, Archer was taking the picture.

My first worry was for Gideon’s back. Yet he said physiotherapy was really helping. Some miracle worker in town.

My second thought was this photo was taken during the day. Did Archer not have to work? This time of year, I drove to work in the dark and often that same darkness had fallen before I started my journey home.

I need to get out more with the kids during the day.So hopefully sledding would be a possibility.

My third thought—which was really more of an impulse—was to text Quinton.

—Want to come sledding on Saturday? If there’s still snow? —

As soon as I hit Send, I regretted the action. Inviting him here? To meet the kids? He’d just bea friend of Papa’s, but what if they mentioned Quinton to Gideon? They would, of course. And sure, we were platonic now—but we hadn’t been in the not-so-distant past.