Page 59 of Bossy Baby

“I did,” Hayley answered. He started to fiddle with the air vent. “I just didn’t tell them you were my Daddy too.”

Mac hadn’t expected him too. That was private. Why would Hayley tell his family that detail?

“Jayme’s already on the phones with my mom. Who’ll tell my dads and my other brothers.” He groaned and flopped back in the seat.

“And that’s bad?” It sounded bad to Mac but…he still didn’t completely understand.

“Of course! They’ll want us to visit or come here. I don’t know. But they’ll start calling and calling. We won’t get a moment of peace until we give in.”

“Oh.” Mac wracked his brain to come up with a way to avoid that. “We could turn off your phone.”

“True.” Hayley grinned.

“What if your brother needs to contact you about the shop, though?”

Hayley waved his hand in the air. “Jayme was here three months when I first opened. He knows what he’s doing. I actually thought he might stay but he said he was homesick and went back. I think he was seeing someone in the commune.”

“Commune?”

Hayley glanced at him. “I have a lot to tell you.”

“Like having a mom and two dads?”

“Yeah.”

Well, this should be an interesting night. At least Hayley had managed to distract Mac from his worry for Lance.

Nine

Mac

It had been a good day. Busy but good. Mac knew Hayley was bossy but hadn’t known just how bossy his boy could be. Hayley had really seemed to enjoy his role too. After spending almost two hours at the nursery picking up flowers for the greenhouse, Hayley had turned into a little drill sergeant. After arranging delivery. Hayley had put Mac to work.

Hard work.

Labor.

And Hayley didn’t get tired sitting while barking orders, so he didn’t see why Mac had been exhausted.

Mac had finally put his foot down, sending Hayley into the playroom so Mac could shower.

Now, freshly cleaned up, Mac felt better, although there was still an ache in his shoulders. Who knew what hard work planting flowers was? That was after the entire greenhouse had to be cleaned. Of course it had. Mac felt like he’d gotten suckered in.

“Feeling better?” Hayley asked as he looked up at Mac who hadn’t moved from the playroom doorway.

“I’m fine,” Mac lied.

Hayley giggled. “Sorry I worked you so hard. I had a picture in my head of how I wanted things to look. I might have been over eager.”

Mac deflated. He’d do anything to see his boy smile, even if that meant he was sore later. He walked into the playroom and sat behind his boy. Hayley immediately climbed into his lap.

“It did look really good,” Mac said.

Hayley beamed. “Didn’t it? Just think how amazing it will be this spring when we add to it. Or when we transfer the plants and flowers to the beds in the front of the house.”

Mac would be hiring someone else to do that planting. “This does give you plenty of time to plan.”

“I want to draw it all out.” Hayley raised his right hand. “As soon as the cast comes off.”

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