Gavin grinned. “We still love you.”
Ford clutched his chest and smiled. “Well, then I can be the weird one.”
Even though he was teasing, Gavin didn’t know how much that meant. Sawyer met Ford’s gaze, who nodded supportively.
Then Sawyer looked over at Gavin. “I need you to do something for me, buddy. Do you think you can?”
Gavin scrunched up his nose. “You want me to do my schoolwork, right?”
Sawyer laughed. “For starters, yes... But I also want you to come to me if you ever feel down, or if you ever want to talk. Can you do that?” He looked over at Ford. “Can you come to me… or Ford? Either one of us will hear you out, but you need to talk to us about what’s going on.” Sawyer held Gavin’s gaze. “Do we have a deal?”
Gavin nodded slowly. “I promise.”
“Good!” Sawyer wrapped his arm around Gavin, and they hugged again. “I love you, Gav.”
“I love you.” It was muffled in Sawyer’s chest.
He sat up and looked over to where the pinball machines were. “Can I go play?”
Sawyer laughed and reached into his pocket, but he only had bills. He gave a few to Gavin. “See if they’ll give you change.” Gavin nodded, then scooted out of the booth, and the two men watched as he ran off.
Sawyer moved back so he was closer to Ford, then rested his head on Ford’s shoulder.
“You’re good with him… like, really good with him.”
Sawyer blew out his cheeks. “Thanks. I’m just kind of playing it by ear.”
Sawyer was quiet, and Ford tilted his head so he could see Sawyer’s face. “I didn’t tell you something that happened when I met with the social worker the first time.”
“Okay…” Ford nodded. “What’s up?”
It was so weird how much he wasn’t worried. He and Sawyer were good now, the random urge to strangle Sawyer for thinking he’d have fled at the mention of the children having faded soon after they returned to Colorado .
Sawyer took a couple of moments before speaking, then let him have it.
“When I went to get the kids, she gave me a letter from my dad. I’ve been at war with myself...” Sawyer shook his head. “I don’t know if I want to read it.”
“What are you afraid of?” Ford asked.
Sawyer shrugged. “I don’t know. I told you the man abandoned my mother and I, never contacting us again. I’ve been filled with anger for years, and it all came back rushing back when I found out he had a family and left me to take care of his other children.” He looked down at the table, shaking his head. “I love my brothers and sister, but I don’t know if I can stomach reading anything that he has to say.”
Ford considered that, taking his time before he spoke. “I think at some point you should read it, but only when you’re ready. Maybe when things have settled and the mixed feelings have quieted. It could do you some good, and maybe give you some closure.”
Sawyer huffed at that.
“Either way, I’ll be here with you, if you want me to be. But do it for yourself and on your own terms, not for him.”
Sawyer kissed the top of his head. “Thanks, baby.”
They were quiet, then Sawyer spoke up again. “There’s something else.”
Ford smiled. “Lay it on me.”
“So, for the past week I’ve been doing some research.”
“Research?” Ford repeated.
Sawyer nodded and took Ford’s hand, lifting it to his lips and kissing each knuckle before going on.
“I think we need a place of our own… just the five of us.”
Ford sat up and faced Sawyer, his mouth open, but before he could form words, Sawyer held up his hand.
“Your parents are great, but it’s a little crowded.” He pulled out his phone from his pocket and then tapped a couple of times before handing it over to Ford. Ford looked down and saw a picture of a house. A rather sizable house, even bigger than his parents’.
“This house is for rent,” Sawyer said, “with the option to buy. I think it’ll be perfect for us. We can live together as a family.”
“My parents are going to be disappointed.” Well, that wasn’t what he’d planned on saying. It just kind of came out. He scrolled through the pictures of the wood and stone home.
“It’s not far away, and they can see the kids whenever they like,” Sawyer pointed out.
When Ford looked up from the phone, it was to find Sawyer’s eyes on him, his teeth worrying his lips.
“We can even have Sunday dinners like the families on TV. Plus, we’ll still need their help to watch the kids while we’re at work or on date nights.” Sawyer held his gaze. “This will just be ours. I know this isn’t how you imagined we’d get our first place, but....”
Ford leaned in brushing their lips together. How could Sawyer think he would say no to that? He wanted to build a life with him. Maybe it wasn’t how he imagined their story would go, but he wasn’t complaining at all.
Ford pulled back and whispered, “You’re breaking it to them, though.”
Sawyer tickled his side. “Fine… if that’s the way you want it. But you’ll owe me one. And I know exactly what I want.”
Sawyer’s eyes heated, and Ford’s body reacted as always. He leaned in for another kiss, but they were interrupted when Gavin's voice exclaimed, “Ewwww.”
Ford snorted and pulled back slowly from the kiss, realizing he probably had a dopey smile on his face. “Don’t worry, kid. One day you’ll meet someone, and they’ll make you”—he looked over at Sawyer and grinned—“happier than you ever thought you could be.”
“I’m not kissing no one.” Gavin scowled and folded his arms across his chest.
Sawyer snorted, “We’ll see.”
The kids had taken him being Ford’s boyfriend with indifference, but neither Sawyer nor Ford had brought up the topic of the birds and the bees… or the bees and the bees, or the birds
