Total pages in book: 196
Estimated words: 186555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 933(@200wpm)___ 746(@250wpm)___ 622(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186555 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 933(@200wpm)___ 746(@250wpm)___ 622(@300wpm)
That disgusted expression went exactly nowhere, and I was pretty sure he leaned away from me. We had come so far. I loved it.
“Are you okay?” Johnny asked.
“I’ll live.”
A blue ice pack was shoved into my face, and I tilted my head back to find Rhodes holding it, the cleft in his chin looking extra adorable right then. “Put this on your shoulder for ten minutes.”
I took it and smiled at him. “Thank you.”
I was pretty sure he muttered, “You’re welcome,” under his breath.
Amos moved the pillow beside him, giving me a pointed look, and I took the spot, setting the ice pack between my collarbone and shoulder with a wince at how cold it was. Johnny took one of the two recliners.
“Pizza should be ready in about ten,” he said to who I figured was Rhodes who didn’t verbally respond. From the sound of it, he was doing something in the kitchen. “What hike did you try and do?”
I told him the name.
Johnny’s smile was flashy. “I haven’t done that one.”
“I thought you said you don’t really like hiking.”
“I don’t.” Was he trying to flirt again?
“Hold that ice pack closer on your back.”
I peeked over my shoulder to find the man who’d spoken in the kitchen, putting up dishes from the dishwasher. I watched his pants stretch across his thighs and butt as he bent over.
Suddenly my hands didn’t hurt so bad.
“Am, don’t forget it’s your dad’s birthday tomorrow. Make sure to call him so he doesn’t cry,” Johnny said, drawing my attention back to them.
“It’s Rhodes’s birthday?” I asked.
“No, Billy’s,” Johnny answered.
“Oh, your stepdad?”
Amos frowned this face that reminded me exactly of Rhodes. “No, he’s my real dad too.” I tried not to make a face, but it must have been obvious I had no idea what he was talking about when Am said, “I have two dads.”
I pursed my lips together and kept on trying to think about it. “But one’s not a step?”
He nodded.
“Okay.” This was none of my business. I knew it. I didn’t need to ask for clarification. But I wanted to. “And you’re his uncle on his… mom’s side?” I asked Johnny.
“Yes.”
Had they been… in a polyamorous relationship? An open relationship? So they didn’t know who the birth father was? Johnny had been fine with his best friend being with his sister?
“Billy’s our other best friend,” Rhodes spoke up from the kitchen. “We’ve all known each other since we were kids.”
Both of his friends had been with his sister? That made no sense. I glanced at Am and Johnny, but neither one of them had an expression that gave me any clues about how this worked out. “So… you were all… together?”
Amos choked, and Johnny busted a gut, but it was Rhodes again who spoke up. “Neither one of you is helping. Billy and Sofie, Am’s mom, wanted to have kids, but Billy had… trauma—”
“He couldn’t have kids,” Am finally supplied. “So he asked Dad. Rhodes. Dad Rhodes. Instead of them using a donor.”
Things finally started clicking.
“Dad Rhodes said yeah, but he wanted to be a dad too and didn’t want to just… donate. Everybody said okay. Now I’m here. Make sense?” Am asked casually.
I nodded. I hadn’t seen that coming.
And suddenly, my little heart swelled. Rhodes’s best friend and his wife wanted to have a child but couldn’t, and he’d agreed, but insisted on being a part of the baby’s life. He’d wanted to be a dad too. Did he think he’d never have kids on his own? With someone else?
It was… it was beautiful.
And my period must have been really close because my eyes filled up with tears and I said, “That’s one of the nicest things I’ve ever heard.”
Two horrified faces looked at me, but it was Rhodes who spoke up sounding the same way. “Are you crying again?”
How could he tell? “Maybe.” I sniffled and turned my attention to Amos who looked like he wasn’t sure whether to comfort me or move away. “That’s the kind of love you have to write about.”
That got him to give me the same skeptical face he’d given me when I’d initially brought up him writing a song about his mom. “You don’t think it’s weird?”
“Are you kidding me? No. What could be weird about it? You had two dads who wanted you but couldn’t have you. You have three people who love you to death, not including your uncle and who knows who else. The rest of us are missing out.”
“Dad’s last girlfriend thought it was weird.”
His last girlfriend? So he did date. I kept my face even.
But it was Rhodes who grumbled, “Am, give me a break. That was ten years ago. I didn’t know how religious she was, how she didn’t even believe in divorce.” I heard the sound of dishes moving around. “I broke up with her right after that. I said I was sorry.”