Page 74 of Finding You

“Metaphorically. I filed for a custody amendment, and Katie freaked out,” Dallas told them. “She showed up at my house and threatened me. I had to call my lawyer, and I’m hiding out at my friend’s place right now. I have an emergency custody hearing in the morning.”

Bronx’s face fell. “Aw, hell. What can I do?”

“My ask is huge, so please know that I’ll never blame you if you can’t. But…” Dallas hesitated.

“He wants us to move early,” Lucas said. Dallas saw Bronx lean to the side, and his elbow darted off-screen. “Ouch! What? That’s what it is, right?”

Dallas sighed. “I can make do for now, but I could use some help. I can’t afford childcare right away on my shitty salary, but I’m scared if I don’t do this, Katie is going to keep her from me more and more.”

Bronx’s face darkened. “I don’t want that.”

“I could go early. I could totally watch her. So to speak,” Lucas said. His head appeared in the screen. “Really. I know you said summer, but I’m totally ready to switch schools. Maybe I can do the rest of the year in home school and then go for my junior year. Pop. Please. He needs us. Look at him. He’s falling apart without us.”

“Slow your roll, kid,” Bronx said, shoving Lucas back out of frame. He looked at Dallas for a long beat. “I can do that.”

Dallas’s heart kicked up a notch. “Really?”

“I already brought on two new vets to the office,” Bronx told him. “They’re more than ready to take over. I can let the house sit on the market for however long if Luke and I can stay with you.”

“As long as you don’t mind a baby around half the week. And, uh…and if you can help out with her.”

“We can help! Holy shit!” Lucas cried.

“Language,” Bronx said. He was smiling though. “Can you give us a few weeks?”

“Bro,” Lucas said, “I can get packed by tomorrow. We have a new box of Glad trash bags. The stretchy kind.”

“Well, my life isn’t so easily tucked away in a bunch of garbage bags from under the sink,” Bronx fought back. “And I’m not your bro. Luke…”

“Don’t say it,” Lucas groaned. “That’s not even how the line goes?—”

“Haw. Haw. I am your faaather.”

Dallas was smiling now, so widely his cheeks hurt. Maybe it really was going to be okay. He had his brother and his nephew coming, and he had Kylen, which—oh. Fuck.

Oh, fuck.

Because Bronx didn’t know. Dallas had always assumed he was straight. Always. It had never been a question until now.

“Hey,” Bronx said. “You okay?”

Dallas swallowed thickly. Just say it, he told himself. He won’t care. How could he? He’d been out since he was nine. But the words died on the edge of his tongue. “I’m fine. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Love you! Can’t wait to see you!” Lucas called.

“Love you too,” Dallas said. The call ended, and the screen went black. He sat there staring at it, feeling like he’d just betrayed Kylen and himself in the worst way.

Chapter Twenty-One

KYLEN

Days when Kylen didn’t want to be in the sky were incredibly rare, but today was definitely one of them. Leaving Dallas that morning had been the hardest thing he’d done in a while. He’d been dead asleep when Kylen had kissed his forehead goodbye. It had taken all of his willpower to leave the room, and he didn’t let himself stop to chat with Adele because he knew he would have cracked and called off his flights for the day.

But he couldn’t afford it. Not now that he was paying for his grandmother’s care. And he didn’t want to lose what little trust he was rebuilding with his team. They were understanding, but he knew there was going to be a breaking point, and Kylen couldn’t lose his job.

He knew Dani made enough to ensure that Flora would never go without, but he didn’t want to put that strain on her. He’d wanted this life. He had to deal with it, no matter what the universe was throwing at him.

So, he left. And he spent the entirety of his day staring at the console of the plane, fighting the urge to check his phone and call Dallas at every stop.

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