Page 69 of Bear Creek Father's Day
“If there was a problem, the BSA would have contacted us by now. Maybe the person handling our case is behind in their work. The post office could have mis-routed our letter. Perhaps we forgot a signature on one of the forms. It doesn’t matter, love,because we know it will be approved, so don’t let it spoil your day. The kids are really looking forward to the party.”
Orrin conceded that his mate was right, and they’d all been looking forward to this day for weeks. The McCoys were throwing a Father’s Day party at their place, and had invited the Cunninghams, the Halls, and Dash, Aiden, and their boys. Four families who were celebrating the holiday for the first time with food, fun, and family. It promised to be a good time, and Kip and Rayn had talked of nothing else all week. Orrin refused to be a party pooper and spoil the fun.
“Sorry, beloved. I’ll try to focus on the good stuff, and let the worry go. I’ve got some work to do in the kitchen after breakfast, so if you can keep the kids occupied it would be a big help.”
Zak kissed his mate and reached for Orrin’s half-hard cock at the same time for some light strokes.
“I can do that, but right now I want to get you off…”
The sound of Rayn’s voice filtered into the room from upstairs.
“Papa! Can we get up now?”
Disappointed groans came from both men simultaneously. Couldn’t they have waited five more minutes? Orrin raised his voice so she could hear him.
“Yes, Rayn. Both of you go potty, get dressed, and meet us in the kitchen.”
Orrin smirked and elbowed his mate.
“Well, that was the shortest hand job in history. Come on,dad, we have parenting to do!”
Epilogue
That same day, shortly before noon
The distinctive fragrance of barbequed meat reached their noses before Zak pulled in at the McCoy’s cabin. Both Orrin and Kip, whose stomachs were already rumbling, began to growl with gastronomic anticipation. The tinkle of Rayn’s high-pitched laughter made Zak smile as he parked the car and issued last-minute instructions.
“Help us carry everything before you run off to play, all right?”
The kids agreed, though they were eager to see their friends. Playdates with one family or another were easier to arrange than the entire group, and there simply hadn’t been time for a full reunion until now. The Halls were greeted warmly as they made their way to the back yard, hands full of potluck items for the feast. Knox waved at them from the grill, busy flipping burgers while Levi brought out bowls and platters of food from the house.
Not only were the McCoys adjusting to fatherhood, Knox had recently changed jobs to become the property manager for the Scarlett Oaks housing development. By all accounts, it was a plum position and a smart move for the hard-working man. Levi, done with school until the fall, now had more time to spend with Scout and Birdy while Knox adapted to his new schedule. As Orrin had foreseen, theirs was a carefree household, filled with love, laughter, and belonging.
Kip and Rayn scurried off to see their friends—all gathered nearby and talking about their new homes and lives. After some restrained scenting and no hugs, Orrin and Zak helped Levi organize the food and set the picnic tables. While the coupleswere happy to see one another, there was a lot of randy growling going on. Mating season had begun less than two weeks ago, meaning Knox, Gruff, Dash, and Orrin were clingy, protective, and venting waves of overcharged pheromones.
Thankfully, being outside diluted their scents, and having the kids nearby prevented any unnecessary posturing. While the little ones would notice changes inbehavior, they wouldn’t recognize these particular scent changes until reaching puberty. By then, they would have learned the basics of sex and how to deal with mating season. While it promised future challenges, the only issue they had to deal with now was curious questions from their cubs.
Rayn certainly noticed her papas being extra lovey-dovey, and had interrupted a make-out session earlier in the week to ask about it. Flushed and aroused, Zak pulled a shaking Orrin onto his lap and gave his daughter a carefully worded answer.
“Well, honey, Orrin and I love each other very much, and we like to kiss and touch. During the summer, we like it even more, so don’t be surprised if your papas are smooching and snuggling all the time.”
While the answer seemed to satisfy her, Zak had come up with a few tricks to take the edge off when Orrin was especially needy and lovemaking had to wait until bedtime. Stealth, haste, and creativity were keys to providing orgasms for his mate without the kids noticing their absence. What Zak wished he could do was compare notes with Aiden, Levi, and Dustin to see what methods worked for them, though he wouldn’t risk talking about it at this particular gathering!
Orrin was pleased with how Dash and Aiden were handling their expanded household. Though he hadn’t asked them directly,Orrin had picked up a more relaxed vibe from the couple—perhaps due to less work and more play for the busy business owners. The boys were not only happy with their new home and dads, they were smitten with Cora, their housekeeper. She’d almost become a grandmother figure, as expected, and the family claimed they couldn’t live without her.
While they all waited for the last batch of burgers to come off the grill, Aiden and Dash sought out Orrin and Zak to inquire about Malcom Nesbitt’s welfare.
“Do you know how he’s doing? I was shocked to hear he’d been shot, but no one seems to know what’s happening with the legal side of things.”
Zak told them what he could without violating patient confidentiality.
“Physically, he’s completely recovered and doing just fine. I spoke to DeeDee Tillman the other day, and she said that Malcom’s testimony at Joe Gruber’s hearing resulted in the most serious charges being dropped. He’s still responsible for Malcom’s medical care and lost income, and he’s agreed to see a counselor, stop drinking, and attend AA meetings. Apparently, Gruber’s children were very thankful that Malcom didn’t press charges, and will be running their father’s operation from now on. Things could have turned out much worse for everyone involved.”
When the meal was ready, each family sat at their own picnic table—all placed close enough together to engage in conversation. The food disappeared at an alarming rate, even with frequent trips to get more and keeping the kids supplied. Just like it was at home, couples smooched and touched frequently, and fed one another occasionally despite having anaudience. Zuzu started giggling every time she caught Gruff and Dustin kissing, which then got Rayn and Birdy going. The boys merely looked up briefly, smiled, and went right back to eating. Basically, the kids took their cue from the adults, who carried on as though nothing were different.
Once the food had completely disappeared, Levi brought out dessert—four three-layered cakes, frosted with white buttercream and topped with a cat’s face in dark chocolate. Each table got their own and then Levi made a little speech about the feline confection.
“I want to thank Dustin and Gruff for providing our dessert. We’re the very first to enjoy his newest creation, called Baxter Cake. The idea came from Zuzu, who wanted something to honor her favorite companion.”
