Page 20 of Finding You

“I heard we’re in crisis mode? What level are we?”

“Orange? Blue? I don’t know levels,” Dallas told him. “Lane called you?”

“Yep.” Frey made grabby hands for the stroller, so Dallas rolled it over and let him unbuckle her. Audra made happy noises as he bounced her, and Dallas felt something settle in his chest. Being a single father from before she was born had terrified him. Finding the group, he thought he’d have a place to be able to complain about the difficulties of parenthood. He hadn’t expected this.

But he was grateful for it.

“How’s my princess?” Frey cooed. He sat her at the edge of the bar, holding her with one hand, his other lifting to sign. They were all working on it with her so everyone could converse with Rex easily. ‘How-you?’

She clapped her hands.

“Lane will be out in a second. There’s some inventory emergency he had to handle,” Frey said, setting Audra on his knee. He grabbed her teether from the seat, and she began to gum happily as he gently rocked her from side to side. “Are you okay with me being here?”

Dallas passed a hand down his face. “Yeah, actually. I just…I’m kind of freaking out. Things happened.”

Frey lifted a brow. “You knock someone else up?”

“Fuck no,” Dallas blurted, then slapped a hand over his mouth. “I mean, no. No, I didn’t.”

Frey snorted. “Don’t worry. She won’t pick up on it for a while.”

He knew that, but it wasn’t the verbal foundation he wanted to give her. “Yeah, but if I get lax, her first words will be go fuck yourself. And I’ll also end up slipping in the classroom and get fired.”

Frey grimaced. “That’s…yeah. That’s fair.”

“Anyway, I haven’t had sex since before she was born, so there’s no risk of new babies. It’s…something else. It’s complicated.”

“And you need Lane’s advice?”

Dallas felt his stomach squirm. Lane was the only one who might have understood him because he was the only one who hadn’t realized he had feelings for men—a man—until it smacked him in the face. And Dallas was a little…stunted, he supposed. There was no other word for it that he could think of.

He hadn’t even realized he liked Katie until she was blunt about it, and then he had to sit with his feelings for days before he could give her an answer. He knew it wasn’t normal, but he didn’t know what it meant.

“Hey, if I’m pushing boundaries,” Frey started, “just say the word.”

Dallas quickly shook his head. “No, no. It’s…I’m.” He stopped and took a breath. “Fellas, is it gay if a guy you just met told everyone you’re his boyfriend and you went along with it?” He tried to mimic Frey’s voice whenever he said, “Fellas, is it gay if…”

Frey blinked at him. “You’re gonna need to back all the way up and start from the beginning. Actually, shit. We need the whole crew here for this, don’t we?”

“I think I need to talk to Lane first,” Dallas admitted.

Frey’s eyes went wide. “Yeah. No, yeah. That’s a good idea.” He glanced down at Audra. “Want me to take her for a bit? You can pick her up from my place when you’re done with Lane.”

Dallas hesitated, torn between needing his friend and not wanting to give up what precious little time he had with his daughter. But Audra was happy, and she was with someone he trusted to care for her like she was his own.

What was an hour or two, anyway?

“Yes,” he finally said.

Frey hopped up off the stool and put her back in Dallas’s arms. “I’m gonna go get Lane so he can get a few baby snuggles in before I take her.”

He was gone, and Dallas held her close. She squirmed, not wanting to be cuddled the way she used to, and his heart broke a little at how quickly time was passing. She took his finger in her tiny hand and gummed at his knuckle. It stung when her bottom teeth dug into his skin, but he was willing to endure for a moment.

“My baby!”

Dallas turned to see Lane coming through the swinging kitchen door. He was in his chef’s whites, his hair mussed, his eyes bright. Dallas had always thought he was a very good-looking man—but he’d never felt anything for him. He’d never wanted more than friendship.

Same with Frey. Same with all the guys in their group. They were objectively gorgeous, and they were fun, and they were so very kind. But he’d never wanted more than this.

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