Page 34 of Something Unforgettable

Have you told him?

The message burned in his pocket. He knew Gabriel was right; he had to explain himself…but he wasn’t ready. He needed more time, just in case it all went badly.

Xavier was halfway through unloading a case of horse-wormer when Grace, a middle-aged woman with wispy gray hair, a flannel shirt, worn jeans, and work boots, stopped on her way to the back of the store and laid a hand on his arm.

“Thank you for what you’re doing for Finn. I probably worry about him too much, but he’s always been such a shy boy—no thanks to his parents. It’s good to see him coming out of his shell. And I know Mac and I both appreciate you helping him get through this accident. I hate to think what we would have done without you. Mac’s a good man, but he’s getting up there, and I have a husband and three boys at home who wouldn’t be able to find their shoes without my help. Finn’s been through so much on his own and I just—thank you.” She reached out and gave him a quick, hard hug before hurrying away again.

Xavier watched her go, his mind racing. Despite the time they’d spent together, and the nights talking on the phone, there was still so much he didn’t know. Finn never brought up his parents except in passing. Xavier knew they were alive but didn’t know where they lived or if Finn was close to them. He’d never thought to call them after Finn and Mac’s accident, and neither of the Finnegans had suggested reaching out to family.

Xavier pushed his thoughts aside. This was something Finn would need to tell him about in his own time. Xavier couldn’t rush him. And if there were family problems, he might need to be more circumspect than ever when he got around to bringing up daddy-kink.

Xavier’s time away from work started to catch up with him after dinner. He set his laptop up on the small table and got it connected to the Wi-Fi. The internet speeds were one of the reasons he stayed in town rather than borrowing Nick and his partners’ guest room out at the ranch. The other reason was not wanting to hear what those three got up to behind closed doors.

He spent the next hour replying to emails. They had stopped by Finn’s apartment on the way back from the hospital so that he could pick up clothes. Ev had convinced Finn to bring his video game system, too. Finn couldn’t play well with the cast, but that didn’t seem to bother either of them. They were parked on the sofa now, laughing over his attempts in between munching on the cookies Miss Crystal had brought by. Xavier had resorted to earbuds and background music so he could concentrate instead of what he really wanted to do, which was watch the boys enjoy themselves.

He was finishing the last email when something caught his attention. He hit pause on the music just in time to hear Ev say, “Oh, comeon. If I’m wrong I’ll—I’ll run naked through the center of town.”

“Please don’t do anything that will get you arrested.” Finn bumped their shoulders together. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, just that it’s not like that.”

Ev snorted. “Listen to me, Finny. It’sexactlylike that and you need to say something to him or I will.”

“Oh my god, I’mtellingyou—” Finn said, flushed and looking so uncomfortable that Xavier wanted to go to him. To make him tell Xavier what was wrong so he could fix it.

“Oh my god,” Ev mimicked. “Xavier’s been in full-on Daddy mode since I got here. Probably before. You need to say something.”

Xavier froze.What?

“I like it!” Finn burst out, his blush deepening as Ev’s eyes went wide, then narrowed, a smirk forming.

What??

“I knew it,” Ev crowed, bouncing on his cushion and jostling Finn until he groaned and covered his face with his hands, awkwardly due to the cast. “I knew it. I knew it,” Ev sang. He went to hug Finn, but his gaze caught on Xavier and a wide grin formed.

Xavier gave him his sternest “don’t you dare look” and Ev mimed zipping his lips. Then he pulled Finn’s arms down until Finn gave in and looked at him.

“Just let it happen, okay?” he said, then smacked a kiss to Finn’s cheek and bounced to his feet. “All right, I’m out. I’m meeting Micah for drinks and gossip. Don’t wait up.” He shoved his feet into his beat-up boots, grabbed his jacket off the floor by the door, and threw Xavier a wink and a mouthed “good luck” before ducking out.

Finn stared after him, lips parted in surprise. When he noticed Xavier watching him, he made a helpless gesture. “I, um. I’m not sure what just happened.”

Xavier shut his laptop and removed his earbuds, putting them back in the case. “I think that was Ev giving us some space,” he said carefully.

Finn tilted his head in question, then his mouth formed a little “oh” and he dropped his gaze to his lap. “Oh,” he said aloud, scratching a fingernail against the edge of his cast.

Xavier’s heart was thumping as he rounded the sofa and sat so that their knees were touching. He gathered Finn’s hands in his.

“Will you look at me, sweetheart?” His mouth was dry and he chastised himself for being nervous. Finn had already admitted he liked the way Xavier treated him. The rest was the easy part.

Finn met Xavier’s eyes, his own nerves reflected back at him. Seeing that settled Xavier. Calming Finn was something he could do and having that in mind made the worry evaporate.

“You heard us?” Finn asked, then caught his lip between his teeth like he was stopping more words from slipping out.

“I heard some of it. The important part, I think.” He rubbed a soothing circle on the inside of Finn’s wrist.

Finn hesitated, licked his lips, then nodded. “You, um…” He stalled out, like he wasn’t sure he could say the words.

“It’s okay, little one,” Xavier said.

Finn sucked in a shaky breath. “You’re a Daddy,” he said.

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