Page 123 of More than Need

Ned lifted his beer. “And if there’s a fire, I can put it out.”

Neither of those things made him feel better about leaving them alone and in charge of cooking the meat. While Riley was glad that they’d sorted out their differences and had struck up a strange friendship, bonding over their mutual love for Lucia, Riley didn’t like that it could result in all of them getting food poisoning. Someone could have put them inside to put platters together or something. Anything that didn’t involve flames or—Riley eyed Ned—beer.

He slid the tray down on the side of the barbecue and decided to let fate decide. “I’ll put the nearest pizza place on speed dial, just in case.”

“I am deeply offended by that,” Gideon said. Ned nodded in agreement.

Riley wondered if he needed to separate them, like naughty teenagers in a classroom.

He pulled Gideon closer and kissed him softly. “I’ll make it up to you later. Try not to poison us.”

“No promises.”

Riley left them to it and went in search of Dawson. Not an easy feat, considering the sheer amount of not only adults but children everywhere as well, like gremlins that had been fed after midnight and had water poured over them. The house that Gideon had lived in with Lucia wasn’t small by any means, but it certainly felt like it with this crowd. How did they know this many people?

He finally found Dawson in the living room, sitting with Sadie.

“How did you find a quiet place?” Riley asked. He hadn’t thought it possible.

“Everyone else is in the playroom,” Dawson said. “The TVs and the PlayStation are getting a workout.”

Riley glanced at the TV. “Why are you watchingPeppa Pig, then?”

“Practice,” Sadie said from where she sat on the couch with Dawson.

The last five months had been a series of uncomfortable visits, filled with learning and a few misunderstandings. It had taken her time to accept that he wanted nothing to do with her parents and had no intention of meeting them. Perhaps in the future, but right now his willingness to let her in and establish a relationship extended to her only. It had to be enough; he wouldn’t give more.

“How’s the horde?” Dawson asked, grinning as he looked over Riley’s face.

“They left Gideon and Ned in charge of cooking.”

“Ooh, ouch,” Sadie said. She rubbed her large round stomach and gave him an amused smile. “Should we call for pizza?”

“I have them on speed dial.” It had been a surprise how often their thoughts aligned, and how similar they thought. She was more impulsive than him and hadn’t learned to control her emotions, but she was smart, quick, and too curious for her own good. After a bit more growing up, she’d be a formidable force.

Theresa had fallen in love the moment they’d met, the feeling unfortunately mutual. She couldn’t wait to have her first grandchild and spent a lot of time at Sadie and Dawson’s place. They were turning Dawson’s room into the nursery, and Dawson had started moving his things into Gideon’s new house.

Sadie had been delighted to have another set of grandparents for her child since the father, Richard, and his family had wiped their hands of both Sadie and the child. He’d had the misfortuneof meeting the father just once. He’d been harassing Sadie at her work when Riley had gone to have lunch with her—a weekly ritual she insisted on and he tried to honour when he could. Needless to say, after that encounter he doubted Richard would be coming around again any time soon.

Dawson nudged Riley. “I’m sure it will be fine. Besides, there’s plenty of salad. We could just eat that and then get a nice juicy burger on the way back home.”

Home.Riley hadn’t made any commitment to call Gideon’s house that, though he knew it would only be a matter of time. He spent more nights there than he did at his own apartment.

Sebastian burst into the room and grinned at them. “I think it’s illegal that you all get to hide out here while the rest of us have to survive out in the wilderness.”

“You have a twig in your hair,” Dawson told him helpfully.

Sebastian groaned and tugged it out before tossing it on the carpet. He dropped into an armchair. “Kids are horrible. I don’t ever want one. They never run out of energy. And they keep multiplying. How many kids were invited? I think they’re being cloned here somewhere.”

Sadie laughed. “Are you alright?”

“No. If I have to play one more game of pin the tail on the donkey, I will scream and throw myself off the roof.”

“So dramatic,” Riley said with a roll of his eyes.

“I don’t appreciate your tone.”

“A personal problem, I’m sure.”

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