Page 19 of Cosmo

After Murphy and Eazy helped their son out of the sweater, they laughed at his red face and his goofy grin. “I kin have it?”

“For a little while, honey,” Eazy said. “Until you find a new shirt or something to love. Then you can give this to another little boy so he can love it like you do.”

Little Mick looked at him like he was crazy. His short little brows drew hard, and he saw right through his dad’s bullshit. “Nobody like it as much as me do.”

“As much as I do,” he corrected.

“You like it too?”

Katie huffed in exasperation and left the room, but Murphy was giggling again.

“Connor Murphy, I’m about to put you in a timeout.”

Little Mick’s eyes widened as he stared at Murphy. “You in trouble, Daddy.”

“I’m always in trouble, Micky. I’m not a good boy like you. Get another shirt and I’ll help you on with it.”

“Then come to our room. I need to speak with you.”

As he left, he heard Murphy mocking him to Little Mick. “Speak with you. Oooh, he’s so fancy.”

Eazy laughed to himself as he headed for their room, which was at the end of the hall. Once he entered, he sat on their bed that was covered in a creamy white duvet and waited for his husband to enter.

He’d learned from Tally how to speak properly, wanting to do that for the kids. He wanted them to have every chance in life, so he wanted to start them off right. Slang and gibberish, it was all fine and good, but after they learned to speak the way their future teachers and bosses would expect them to.

When Murphy arrived, he said, “The baby’s ready, so you can go now.”

“Yeah, trying to get out of a lecture?”

“How’d you know?”

“Murphy! I didn’t bring you in here to lecture. At least…not about the kids. It’s about Liam.”

“Cosmo. We need to get used to calling him that as much as he needs to get used to hearing it.”

“Whatever. Listen, did you speak to Mims yet about looking up Liam…Cosmo’s past?”

“No. I didn’t think it was that pressing.”

“It may not be, but…there’s something there. I think his parents were abusive or possibly just shitty. Will you speak to him soon?”

“Sure, babe. I’ll head down while you take the kids. Soon enough?”

Eazy got off the bed and kissed his husband sweetly. “Thank you.”

“I’d do just about anything for a kiss from such a hot man.”

“I know. How do you think I have you wrapped around my finger?”

Chapter Six

Mims didn’t roll outof bed before eleven, ever. It was later on the weekends, when he worked and inevitably went on a date once the bar closed at two.

Murphy sent a message to call when he was up, and sure enough, it was eleven-thirty before the phone rang. “Mims, I need you downstairs in the computer room.”

“Now? Before coffee?”

Murphy shook his head as he laughed. “Grab a coffee and head down. I’ll meet you there in half an hour.”

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