Page 5 of Jamie
“He’s the pretty one,” Silas said, pointing at Bran. His silver fox was absolutely stunning.
“I’m the grumpy one.” Bran cupped his jaw. “Tacos, hmm?”
He nuzzled into Bran’s hand. “No one can be grumpy eating tacos.”
“No. Tacos are amazing. So, tell me something amazing that you’ve all done this week.” Bran was a curator at a gallery, but not just of art—of people—and he loved hearing about people’s days.
Jerusalem opened his mouth, but one of the boys jumped in with their answer, and soon they were all one-upping each other with the amazing things they’d done.
It was adorable—both the enthusiasm and the knowledge that they were safe to laugh and push and tease and play.
He thought that Jamie could use some of that in his life. The boy didn’t seem all that easy in his own skin.
The other boys seemed to like Jamie, though, were comfortable with him. That was a good sign.
He was eager to get to know the boy better, to see if his instincts were still bang on. To see how they could help Jamie. To see if Jamie was the boy for them, long term. They’d helped a lot of boys but had never found one of their own, and he yearned to find their very own boy.
He leaned against Bran, feeling suddenly melancholy.
“Shh… you’re going to make yourself sick with worry.”
“He needs us,” he told Bran quietly, so only his lover could hear him.
“Then we help him. Maybe we need him too.”
He met Bran’s gaze and nodded. His lover did feel it. “I can’t wait.”
“Then we won’t.” That was his Bran. Always giving him what he needed.
“Well, we have to wait for him to come back,” he teased, his lover’s words easing his nerves enough he could.
“Right? I’d hate to move into this coffee shop,” Bran teased back.
He managed, “Well, there are worse places to live,” before he cracked up.
“True. They have good pastries here.” Dan, one of the daddies, grinned over. “How do you get your hair to sparkle like that, Bran?”
“He washes it,” Silas answered for his lover. “It’s all natural. Isn’t it amazing?” His Bran was a stud from the tip of that gorgeous hair all the way to his toes.
Bran shrugged. “I started going gray early, so I’m glad it works, right?”
Silas ran his hands through it. “It’s beautiful, love. Like you.”
“You’re biased.” Bran winked at him. “Completely.”
“Just because I’m biased doesn’t mean it’s not true.” He looked around the table, and at the boys. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”
“Yes, Daddy Silas!” they spoke in unison.
He gave Bran a smug look. “See? It’s true. You’re beautiful.”
“You boys are rotten.” Bran winked at them, and they all laughed, so easy in their skins.
It was a good group. Daddies who cared, boys who owned their needs. That’s what he and Bran wanted. A boy of their own to spend the rest of their lives with. And Jamie… well, he felt deep inside, that just maybe Jamie was that boy.
Maybe Jamie was going to be the last block that built their family.
CHAPTER TWO
