Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Daddy said you have a boyfriend!” Ruby said, making Clint chuckle.
“Are you Uncle Clint’s boyfriend?” Rose asked.
August’s gaze shot to his—they hadn’t really spoken about any kind of label.
“Yes, he is,” Clint said, then knelt for both blonde girls to hug him. “I missed you two.”
Ruby said, “Daddy said when someone gets a new boyfriend or a girlfriend, they wanna be with them all the time. He says you’re obsessed.”
Clint barked out a laugh, just as Ron said, “Dude, you totally just sold me out.” He and Grace stood on the porch together.
“Obsessed, huh?” Even though the twins were five, Clint picked Rose up. She was a little snuggle bug and loved being close to people. He held Ruby’s hand.
“I don’t think that’s the exact word I used.” Ron took the stairs to meet them.
“Don’t let him lie to you. It’s the exact word he used. Hi, I’m Grace. I’ve heard so much about you. It’s great to finally put a face to the name,” his sister-in-law said to August.
“Likewise,” August said, shaking her hand.
Ron took his hand next. “Hey, man. Long time no see. Clint said you’re a doctor, only your patients are a lot furrier than ours.”
“That’s one way of putting it,” August replied.
“Come on. Let’s head out back. I have meat on the grill,” Ron said, and the group of them went through the house and then into the fenced-in backyard. There was a pool and kids’ toys everywhere. Ruby and Rose had a swing set out toward the right, across from Ron’s prized built-in grill and bar and a covered patio. The scent of ribs filled the air, all smoky and making Clint’s stomach growl.
“Ron said you have a son?” Grace asked when they sat down, Rose sitting on Clint’s lap.
“Yeah, Reese, he’s fifteen—and wow, I just realized we’re going to have a whole lot of Rs when everyone gets together.”
“Meant to be, I guess.” Grace winked, making heat flood Clint’s chest. Just like he liked August in his home and in his bed, he liked seeing him with his family. He wished Reese were there with them, though, hoped like hell that Reese would want to be a part of this and accept Clint in a new role in their lives.
“He’s with his dad in…remind me?” Ron asked.
“Orlando. I miss him like crazy, but it’s good for him. They needed some quality time together before school starts up and everything gets busier.”
“Are you and Uncle Clint going to have kids? I want a baby, and Mommy and Daddy won’t have one,” Ruby said, which startled Clint and made August’s eyes go wide.
“How do two boys have a baby?” Rose asked.
Clint felt like a deer caught in headlights, not sure how to answer these questions until Ron and Grace laughed, snapping him out of it.
“There are lots of ways,” Ron said, launching into adoptions, surrogacy, fostering, and he even started to explain that there were also transmen who could have babies, but Uncle Clint and August couldn’t. He respected the hell out of his brother, who was always one for explaining the world to his kids any way he could. Ron and Grace wanted them to be accepting and affirming of everyone they came across.
“Oh. Do you want to swing? I want to swing,” Ruby said, her attention waning as her dad had continued talking.
“Yeah, I’m game for swinging.” Clint said a silent thank-you that they forgot they’d been curious about him and August having kids. Strangely, they’d had a similar conversation themselves; not that it was something they were considering, but Clint had been curious if August wanted more children. He’d said it wasn’t something he’d planned and he would be okay with just Reese, but he wasn’t opposed to the idea if it was something Clint wanted. He’d thought about it some, but it really wasn’t something he needed. He liked his life with just the addition of August and Reese.
“Will you come too?” Ruby asked August, who agreed, so the two of them took the girls to the swing set, pushing them while Ron and Grace watched.
“Watch, we know how to pump. We can get really high,” Rose said.
They hung out with the girls for a while, laughing and playing. August was great with them, and they took to August right away, which Clint knew they would, but it still made him let out a breath of relief. Sometimes Clint would just sit back and watch them together, amazed at the turn of events that landed August in his life again.
When dinner was ready, they sat at the table outside to eat—ribs, homemade potato salad, and grilled veggies.
“What kinds of things is Reese into?” Grace asked.
“He loves animals like me. He’s also an artist. He would love to be a wildlife artist one day.”