Page 4 of Costume Party Crush
“Drawn, you mean. He’s currently considering them.”
José burst into laughter.
“Yuck it up, asshole,” Lowell snarked. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Wes corners you for another before much longer.”
José blew out a long breath. “Already had that discussion. We’ll start trying again during his next heat.”
I turned to Chase, the only other man at the table without kids. “How’s Tristan?”
Chase gave me a knowing smile. “Good. He’s even thinking about giving out candy this year.”
I smiled. “That’s great progress!”
He nodded. “I’m so proud of him. It’s not been an easy journey, but he’s been so strong throughout it all.”
“Candy is a huge step,” I replied. “Considering that he had a hard time seeing even one or two kids when you first met.”
“Yeah,” Chase agreed. “I’ll still be right there to take over or turn off the light if it’s too much. But he seems confident that he’ll be able to handle at least part of the night, so that’s the plan for now.”
“That really is a good sign,” José said, apparently done with the parent talk at his end of the table. “And who knows, maybe you two will be able to come to Abuela’s house for Christmas or another party.”
Chase smiled, but it was cautious. “That still might be too many kids at once for him. But we do appreciate the invitations.”
José nodded. “Abuela understands. She says she’ll just keep inviting you until you’re ready.”
Chase opened his mouth to reply, but that was when the door opened.
“Did you assholes start without me?” Dom asked as he hung his coat by the door.
“If we had to wait for you we’d never get any hands in,” I retorted.
Everybody gave a chuckle and made room.
“Slow night?” Alan asked as he counted Dom’s buy-in.
Dom nodded. “Thankfully. Had a horse that got too close to something sharp, but it looked worse than it was. Patched her up and told her owner what to do and watch out for.”
“That is a slow night,” I agreed as Alan started dealing the cards.
He chuckled. “Ran home, showered, kissed Scott on the cheek and came here.”
“He’s not with the others tonight?” I asked.
Dom laughed. “He said he was looking forward to a quiet night at home. I get to pick up Abby on the way home.”
“Don’t start on kids,” I joked. “You’ll get the rest of the dads talking about them all again.”
Lowell laughed. “How is it that you only have one when you started before the rest of us?”
Dom shrugged. “Don’t ask me. Scott’s the boss when it comes to when he’s ready for another kid. Until then we play it safe. He’s on birth control full-time, and I wrap it during his heats too.”
“Fair enough,” Lowell replied with a shrug, then he turned to me and my stomach dropped. I knew that face.
“And what about you?” Lowell asked. “Anybody you’ve got your eye on?”
“Nope,” I quipped as I peeked at my cards. “It’s the bachelor life for me.”
“Could you imagine Frankie with an omega?” José joked. “What kind of man would put up with him?”
