Page 95 of His Stepdad Wears Leather

“You’re biased,” James said before giving his boy a kiss.

Brody eyed Noah and grinned. He wasn’t sure if Stacey and Geena were ready for PDAs between him and Noah, so he refrained—though his body was screaming to get closer. To touch.Later.

His body thrummed, ready for later.

“How have we never met before?” Jereme asked Brody. “Has Stacey been hiding you away?”

“No, she divorced him,” Harry replied with a mischievous grin. “And cast him out.”

“Wait? You were married to Brody?” James asked Stacey. “I don’t believe it.”

“It was a business arrangement,” Stacey replied. Brody heard the hurt in those words and hated that he’d been partially the cause of that. “I wanted something, he needed something. We got what we both sought out and then parted ways.”

“There was a lot more to it than that,” Brody said. “Even after we divorced, we stayed close. Family, right?”

Stacey met his stare, her lips firm. It was clear she wasn’t ready to give her full forgiveness. He’d take what little she offered for now. “Something like that.”

Footfalls came crashing down the stairs. Soon Parker showed himself, empty plate in hand. He saw Brody and came rushing over. “Dad! I thought I heard your voice.”

Brody gave his boy a hug and ruffled his hair. “Hey, kiddo.”

Parker gave him the once over. “Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” He plucked at Brody’s harness before asking, “Is this what you wear at the club?”

“Why do you think that?”

“I’m not a kid anymore. I know stuff.”

“Your dad came from work—he had good news for Noah.”

“Cool,” Parker said, clearly already past his father’s odd attire. “I want to show you something on the video game you got me,” Parker said. “Let me go grab my Switch.”

The boy bounded up the stairs.

Jereme eyed him. “Dad?”

“That’s what Stacey and Geena wanted. A child,” Brody answered as nonchalantly as he could. “I was happy to give them one. They’re amazing mothers.”

“So, you were married to Stacey—what, thirteen or so years ago—did that make you Noah’s stepfather?” Jereme asked.

“I don’t think we need to go into all that,” Brody muttered, recognizing that the night could very easily go sideways.

“Anson wasvery brieflymy stepfather,” Jereme said, glancing between Brody and Noah. “He met my mom in Vegas and married her in a drunken, wild night. And then divorced not long after. We all lived under the same roof for a year before I left for college.”

“Oh my god, really?”Stacey asked, wide-eyed.

Anson didn’t seem overly pleased Jereme shared that information. “Did wehaveto go there?”

“It’s not like the guys weren’t already aware,” Jereme said, sweeping a hand across the table.

“Noteveryoneknew,” Anson murmured, his face reddening.

“You didn’t love her. But I’m glad you married her. Otherwise, we would’ve never met,” Jereme stated. He pointed at Brody and Noah. “And if what we went through can help them?”

“That’s why you had to leave home?” Noah asked Jereme.

“Pretty much. People would’ve talked. Judged us. It could’ve ruined Anson’s career.” Jereme said. “So we left it all behind. Started fresh, here.” He shrugged. “Well, not exactly here. Next town over.”

“I can’t exactly up and sell the bar,” Brody said, worry filling him. “This is my home. My people are here. My son is here.”

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