Page 124 of The Tangle of Awful

“Do you think I give a rat’s ass? I don’t. I want what’s best for my son and grandson. Politics are a nonissue for me.”

Spencer’s shoulders relax. “Maybe, for now, we let things stay the way they are. If you’re his ‘dad,’ then it’d be harder for Neena to come back and take him away. I can be his brother in public.” He kisses Rex’s soft head. “At home, I can be Daddy.”

I let out a quiet breath of relief. I really don’t care about the campaign, but this will be the easiest for me to manage, especially with all the Neena stuff and legal implications. Later, we can make changes as necessary, but for now, we have a plan of action.

“Why don’t we let you two get acquainted,” I say and then turn to Aubrey. “I’m beat and need a nap. You coming with, Love?”

“I’m right behind you,” she murmurs and then walks over to give Rex and Spencer a kiss. “Be good for your daddy, Rexxy.”

Spencer laughs quietly at the Rexxy remark. “Go away, leech. I’ve had enough of you. I have a new toy to play with.”

She rolls her eyes, but she’s grinning. I take her hand and guide her out of Spencer’s room. We walk into my room and I shed clothes until I’m in my boxers. I wasn’t lying. I am beat. The past several days have been intense as fuck. I could probably sleep for days. And, luckily, I’m the grandpa, not the father, which means Spencer’s on the hook for late-night feedings.

“I can’t believe I’m in a relationship with a grandpa,” Aubrey sasses as we lie down beside each other.

I smirk, pulling her to me, under my arm and against the side of my chest where she fits perfectly. Her scent envelops me, filling my every thought with her. Exactly what I need. It relaxes me to the point my eyelids droop heavily.

“You have a smart mouth,” I grumble, though I’m still smiling. “When Gramps gets his energy back, he’s going to pay you back for that comment.”

“Gramps?” She giggles. “You really do sound old referring to yourself as Gramps.”

I reach over, giving her round ass a playful swat. “Hush, Love.”

Her fingers draw absently over my naked chest. I’m pretty sure she’s making lots and lots of hearts. It fills my own heart and spills over.

This life I have now is messy as fuck.

A tangle of awful.

Forbidden and wrong.

But it’s also perfect.

I’m happier right here in this moment than I ever have been in my entire life. Spencer is a father—and a good one from what I can already tell. Aubrey is in a home where she’s loved by everyone in it, free of conditions. And we have Rex. Sweet, perfect Rex.

The best part of all: Neena isn’t dead. I never wished death on her, but I did want her gone from my life. Now that I know what she did with my son, I’m determined to make it so that she stays gone from our lives.

I’m not sure what the future looks like with me having a three-way relationship with my son and stepdaughter or being the grandfather of my wife and son’s baby, but I have the confidence that it’ll all work out in the end.

It always does.

We’re Parks after all.

Aubrey

A few months later…

This is the longest night of my entire life. And that’s saying something considering we just made it through months of helping take care of my baby brother, who doesn’t think nighttime is for sleeping.

Spencer should have named him Owl, not Rex.

I’ve started buying him owlish clothes and blankets to make my point despite my bedroom having been turned into a T-Rex-themed nursery.

“My face hurts from smiling,” Gemma complains, flashing me her media-friendly grin. “Seriously, I think it’s going to stick this way.”

“It can’t go on forever,” I point out. “He won.”

I scan the crowded hotel conference room that’s brimming with well-dressed people on this cold November evening, looking for the man of the hour.

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