Page 83 of Their Perfect Daddy

Chadwick:

What the hell do you mean?

Monty:

It means no more partying or drinking in excess. Sobriety and peace. Later, C.

I mute the text thread between us, then focus back on what I was working on before he called. The paperwork before me is extensive, yet it’s absolutely necessary for this part of the journey.

The idea of having a youth sports center with LGBTQIA+ athletes acting as mentors has been on my mind for a long damn time. Growing up, I would have felt much more confident had I seen others on the field like me. If I knew it wasn’t taboo to openly date other guys, I might not have kept to myself for so long.

Grizzly’s note on the front of the stack draws my attention again.

“Don’t overwhelm yourself. Call the guys today. Let them handle it. You can jump in when you recover.”

I scoff as I peel the sticky off the top of the pages. As I scan the documents, I note the various dates and events I’d emailed him about last week. All of it was scattered thoughts I’d had through the years of what I believed could be done once I got the center off the ground.

My friend has taken my ideas and molded them into something sensible. Rightness settles over me with each newdetail I notice he’s included. Not a single thing is left off the list. It’s obvious he favors some of my ideas more than others.

Before I can lose the courage to do so, I pick up my phone and send a group message to Bellport and Merry. If I can get them on board, then the rest will follow. They always do.

Monty:

Can you two jump on a call with me later today? Or maybe tomorrow?

I don’t get the chance to lower my phone before it rings with an incoming video call. Rolling my eyes, I answer to see the two men side by side on Merry’s god awful orange couch. The man swears it’s extremely comfortable despite its odd color. I’m usually not one to hate on people’s likes. But it’s so…orange. How he manages to decorate around the giant thing is a wonder.

Shaking my head, I grin at the guys and lean back to ensure I’m not putting any unnecessary pressure on my leg. No need to aggravate the damn thing.

“Didn’t expect immediate service, Merry. I’ll have to rate you high on the app.”

Bellport snorts at the joke. “Good one.”

“Yeah, yeah. No need to be a tool, Monty,” Merry replies. “You wanted to talk?”

I swallow down my rising apprehension. No need to be nervous. These guys understand me. They know I have the best of intentions. Plus, they love kids.

“For the last few years, I’ve been wanting to start a program that'll require help from some of the team. There was always some reason or another for me to get behind on my progress, so it never really went anywhere.”

“And now you have time,” Bellport finishes.

It’s not said in any type of negative way. More like he’s stating the obvious facts.

“Exactly.”

“Ok, so what do you need from us?” Merry bounces in his spot waiting for my answer.

I smile at the familiar expression of curiosity. He’s done it a lot through the years. Most recently though, I watched Danny do it while waiting for Daddy to bring us snacks. The thought alone has the rest of my nerves vanishing.

“What I want is to offer a mentorship program for youth in our city. But the catch is I want it run by players who are LGBTQIA+. Not because the other guys aren’t qualified?—”

Bellport interrupts me with a chuckle. “We get it, Monty. You want to create a safe environment for kids to feel safe around other out and proud athletes, right?”

“Yeah,” I whisper.

“It sounds like a great cause. My mother has connections and buildings we can lease if we want. We’ve also got a ton of resources in the media and local governments. Anything you want for this, we can make happen.”

“Well… that’s… easy?”

---