Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
I shot him a look.
“For chrissakes.” Wade wasn’t too happy either. “Have you heard of tact and timing?”
“Life’s too short,” Chris chuckled and sipped his coffee. “Go on.”
“Go on with what?” Dad became suspicious and glanced between the three of us. “Am I missing somethin’?”
Jeesh. My stomach tightened, and I glanced up at Wade. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t too worried; Quinlan Winters was a kind man, and he was very open-minded. People’s first impressions of him usually included being intimidated or thinking he was a gruff old-timer you didn’t want to meet in a dark alley. But once you got to know him, he was all heart and generosity.
That said… He was protective of me, and our family ties could blur things in an initial reaction.
“Aw, you gotta be fucking kidding me.” Dad grimaced and scrubbed his hands over his face. I stared, wide-eyed. We hadn’t said anything yet!
Wade sighed and winced. “I’d apologize, but I’m not sorry.”
Wait, did he know or not? We hadn’t told him! What was happening?
Chris was still smirking. “No secrets,” he mouthed.
I smashed my lips together and scowled.
“That’s it, I’m putting sugar in my coffee,” Dad grumbled, reaching for the sweeteners. He flicked a look at Wade. “He’s been my son for twenty fucking years. You couldn’t have chosen anyone else?”
Okay, yeah, so he knew.
Wade cleared his throat. “To be fair, choice had very little to do with it.”
I nodded, ready to butt in, ready to plead with Dad, ready to defend Wade.
“It’s true,” I said. “I threw myself at him.”
Chris barked out a laugh.
Dad kept pouring sugar into his coffee. It was going to be gross.
“That’s—” Wade coughed and gave my leg a squeeze. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just saying, I can’t control my own feelings.”
Oh. That sounded better.
“Here we go, gentlemen.” Wonderful! The server was here with our food. “Four full stacks with bacon, whipped butter, and maple syrup. Fresh fruit on the side for you, sir.” Wade was given his plate. I got mine. Chris got his. “And two eggs, sunny-side up, for you, sir.” Dad got his too.
“Thanks,” Dad said, clearing his throat. “I’d like to order a sweet tea and a new coffee as well.”
“Of course, comin’ right up.”
I scrunched my nose. “Think about your blood pressure, Dad.”
“That’s what I was doing. My question is why you two aren’t,” he shot back. “And why him?” He jerked his chin at Wade. “You remember he’s a Falcons fan, right? He always takes the last of Yaya’s moussaka, he can sit for hours and stare into space, and he entered his garden flowers into a fucking competition last year—and threw a fit when they didn’t win.”
I…of course I knew he was a Falcons fan, and yeah, it wasn’t great that he ate the last of the moussaka every time, but hold on, what?
“What garden flowers?” I blurted out.
“This is fucking gold.” Chris couldn’t stop laughing.
“Fuck you, they’re incredible,” Wade told Dad. “And I didn’t throw a fit. I don’t throw fits. Yaya grew them for me—”
“She started it—you took over,” Dad argued.
“Whatever,” Wade snapped. “It’s a relaxing hobby. It’s peaceful. Double hollyhocks are the most beautiful flowers. Move on. I don’t think Kayden will end things with me because I happen to have two plants next to my goddamn porch.”
“…that you entered into a competition,” Dad said.
Wade rolled his eyes. “You used to have a fucking show dog. You don’t see me making fun of you for that.”
It was my turn to cough.
It wasn’t the first time I’d seen Wade and Dad act more like brothers than cousins or even… I mean, Dad was kind of a father figure to them too, but… Not all the time.
I was just gonna let them fight it out. In the meantime, I got started on my pancakes.
They were delicious.
I clearly had nothing to worry about. Dad would be fine.
“I didn’t compete with her,” he pointed out. “I adopted her.”
Wade didn’t miss a beat. “And she was the prettiest little lady in all the land, I recall you telling her every day.”
Dad shrugged. “She was.”
I hummed around a fantastic mouthful of fluffy pancakes, butter, syrup, and bacon.
“Maybe you two should move in together,” Chris suggested. “Quin, you can get more show dogs, and Wade can grow flowers.”
I laughed with my mouth full.
What a weird, awesome, overwhelming, hysterical day this turned out to be.
This could only be celebrated with more pancakes.
Maybe a Push Pop later too.
EPILOGUE
April 7th, 2021
Wade Winters
Twenty minutes until Kayden was due.
I exited the elevator and smoothed down my shirt. My next patient wasn’t scheduled to bitch me out until after lunch anyway, so I had plenty of time.
Once I reached the lobby, I wasn’t too surprised to see both Quin and Chris waiting between the reception desk and the revolving door. There wasn’t much else to set your eyes on out here. The massive fish-tank lobby was fairly empty but needed to be large enough for checking in departments from government agencies for seminars and training.