Page 101 of Wants and Needs
The sudden tightness in my throat is as unexpected as how my heartbeat slows.
He understands.
Me, what I need, how my mind works... he somehow understands all of it.
“Ca—” I stop to clear my scratchy throat. “Can I borrow a shirt? You were right about the heat and the nerves made me perspire more than usual.”
I enjoy his smile as he leans down from his standing position until he’s so close I can detect the sandalwood and honey of whatever products he used in his shower.
“Of course you can, darling.” He presses his lips softly and way too briefly to mine and then walks to the door next to the bathroom. “Come on, you can choose whatever shirt you want.”
“I’mglad summer camp is going well,” Carter says looking at Mike and Adam.
I finish plating a slice of the beef Wellington Milton made—which had us all staring in wonder when he brought it over to the dining table—and pass the plate to Carter, then get a piece for myself.
“Yes, now we’re ready for the pre-season,” he answers Carter, and when I have my plate on the table in front of me, he once more looks around to all of us. “Bon appetit.” The big smile on his face remains, even while he chews, and then he calls outto Milton that he must be some kind of god to be able to cook like this.
I don’t talk much throughout dinner, except when Theo asks me quietly how the meeting at the ball went.
“Mrs. Blackwell decided not to invest,” I admit, and look away to the wall behind him.
“I’m sorry. That’s so irrational.” The first part was said softly but not the second part. “Do you know why?”
“No,” I admit. “She’s out of the country right now, and she told Tristan she’d speak to me and tell me her reasons in person if I wanted to talk to her when she came back.”
“Well, that sounds decent at least. It still doesn’t make sense if you ask me.”
“I don’t understand it either, but we’re trying to figure out other options.” I inject as much enthusiasm as I can, but my shoulders are still slumped.
Thankfully Theo doesn’t recommend I talk to his father like Tristan did. I don’t want to talk about this any longer.
And Mike seems to come to the rescue only a moment later.
“So, Carter and Liam, we have some exciting news for you.” I’m touched that he included me, but whatever this news is, I doubt I’m important enough in their lives that they really think I need to know.
“Yeah? What’s up?” Carter asks. He’s been sporting a serene smile ever since we greeted his friends, and though it looks like he’s content—and I don’t doubt he is—it also looks too... practiced. I don’t know if that’s the right way to describe it, but it’s not a look I’ve ever seen on him.
“Actually, the news is from the four of us,” Sebas says, andlooks at Adam who’s sitting next to him. He throws an arm around Sebas’s shoulder and nods, then the four of them turn in our direction, and with identical smiles, they all speak in unison.
“We’re having a baby,” they cheer.
I am... very confused, but thankfully, so is Carter.
“I’m sorry, what? Did you all suddenly decide to enter a polyamorous relationship?” That’s a good question. I hadn’t thought of that possibility.
No possibilities had entered my mind, actually.
“No,” Sebas cries out and rolls his eyes hard enough to make me wince. “We’re just pregnant at the same time.”
I remember a time when Mom sat Logan and Larson down and explained why they shouldn’t try to fly with their sheets tied around their necks like capes—when they were twelve and eight, so old enough to know better—and it sounded way less condescending than Sebas just did.
“Alex is our surrogate,” Mike explains.
“And Lucy is ours,” Adam finishes with a smile as big as that big shot of him holding the Lombardi trophy over his head.
“This is amazing,” Carter cheers and scoots his chair back. The rest of them follow—and I do as well since it seems like something we’re all supposed to do—and then they’re all hugging. I go shake their hands and congratulate them as well.
They do seem really happy, all four of them.
