by D. Kelly
“I do want them to. We’ll be stronger for it. I’m proud of you, Declan, and I want you to succeed.”
“Let’s do it. You two want to have some fun? Maybe find Sage a date while we’re at it?”
“Hell yeah,” Sage and Baxter echo each other.
“Baxter, text my dad and Sally, please. Tell them to turn on Declan’s show.”
Baxter’s fingers fly across his phone, and with a satisfied smirk when the phone pings back at him, he puts it away. “Done.”
Pulling Holly to my side, I turn on the live feature. “Hey, everyone, welcome to The Funhouse. I’m Declan James, and you’re in for a special treat tonight.”
epilogue
Declan
“Jesus, Holly, what are you doing?” This damn wife of mine is going to give me a heart attack.
“I’m trying to straighten the name, it’s crooked.”
“Let me help you, please.”
Taking her hand in mine, I hold onto her as she steps down off the ladder. This crazy woman is eight months pregnant and thinks she can still do it all.
“You’re overreacting.”
“And you’re being needlessly careless. You’ve got precious cargo in there for four more weeks. Just stop with the mountain climbing until then, okay?”
She snickers and rubs her belly. “Do you hear Daddy babbling, Cierra? I feel sorry for you. He’s going to be super overprotective.”
“Damn straight. Do the letters look perfectly aligned now?” She tilts her head left and then right, and I can’t help but laugh. “If you don’t look at them head-on, of course they’re going to look crooked.”
“Okay, smartass, they look good.” She turns around and starts fiddling with the changing table.
“Holly, stop. Everything is perfect. Cierra’s room looks like a fairy tale come to life. The guestrooms are set up. The house is what we’ve always dreamed of. Besides, they’re not even technically family.”
“Maybe not, but Tom is and you two have gotten so much closer in the last year. This is the first time his parents and our parents are meeting. Plus, with their girls, Baxter, Sage, Heather, Ken, and Melanie, we’re going to be at capacity.”
“Breathe, love. Everything is going to be fine. Even if it’s not, we’ll deal with it.”
“I know, it shouldn’t matter so much, but …”
“You’re nesting, Holly. It’s what you’re supposed to be doing, but I don’t want you on your feet all day. I mean it. Leave everything to me and relax. We only have four more weeks before we meet our little girl. I want to enjoy each minute of our remaining alone time.”
As I caress her belly, I can feel Cierra swimming around in there.
“Can you believe it, Dec? We’re really going to be parents.”
Holly and I got married six weeks after I proposed. The live show I did announcing our engagement had the most views of any previous videos of mine—until we announced we were having a baby, that is. We suddenly had more wedding and baby sponsors for my show than we knew what to do with.
Lots of things have changed in the last year and a half. Baxter and Sage are both seeing new people, we bought a huge house in a great neighborhood for kids, and Holly finally quit her job so she could focus on her own writing. That one took a little convincing. Once we were married and I forced her to compare bank accounts, she relented. My only expectation of Holly is that she finds her dream and achieves it the way she encouraged me to find mine.
“I know, and with any luck, Melanie will be your nurse for the delivery.”
After Holly and I got back from our weekend away, she slowly began to fill me in on details. Melanie was the nurse assigned to Holly when she had her miscarriage. It’s how she and Ken met. We both think it would be fitting for Melanie to be with us when Cierra is born, considering she got Holly through the trauma when she lost our other baby.
The other thing we did was sit down with my mom and Sean and tell them what Dawn had done. Before that day, I’d never seen Sean cry, but he cried like a baby when he heard what had happened. I understood completely. He was angry with Ken but understood Holly can be persuasive. Sean also admired the fact he’d managed to get Dawn locked up. For eighteen years, Sean gave Holly the best life possible, and it’s sad to think the other person in her life who should have tried to do the same actually tried to take that life away and succeeded in taking away the life of her grandchild. I can only hope I’ll be as good a father to Cierra as Sean is to Holly.
“Fingers crossed. I think it would be healing for us both.”
“Me, too, love. We have some time before everyone gets here. How about you let me take your mind off anything other than me?”
“You’re sweet, but I’m huge.”
“I’m not sweet, I’m really very selfish. Come on, let me show you how selfish I can be.” There’s a small flicker of desire in her eyes, but it fades out. I know she’s not feeling like her best self, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting her.
“Declan, I’m just …”
“Tired, exhausted, bringing a human to life inside of you. Basically, you’re busy being a walking miracle, it’s cool. Are you hungry?”
This time, her eyes light up and stay lit.
“How did you know?”
“Cierra told me. We share a telepathic connection, weren’t you aware?”
“Damn, I must have missed the memo. I bet it came one of those mornings I had my head in the toilet.”
“Indeed, it did.”
As we walk down the stairs, I hold her hand. I was adamant we not get a two-story house, but in Southern California it’s hard to find newer homes with enough square footage that aren’t two stories unless you want to spend a million bucks or more. I would have paid it, but Holly saw this one and fell in love. If there’s one thing I haven’t mastered yet, it’s telling her no. She doesn’t ask for much and gives so much of herself. The least I could do was buy her the home of her dreams. I loved it, too, just not the stairs.
She understands my fears, so she lets me slide when it comes to assisting her down the steps. Her concession makes my life so much easier.
“Anything else in those memos between you and our firstborn I need to be aware of?”
“There may have been some fine print about me being her favorite parent, and not buying me a tie for Father’s Day, like, ever. Oh, and there was definitely a clause about sleeping at least two hours at a time so Mommy and Daddy can sneak in some alone time.”
“Yes, alone time is a definite priority. Especially since Mommy and Daddy can’t keep their hands off each other. Good thing she’s got two aunts and uncles to pick up the slack in case she’s in violation of her portion of the contract.”
Pulling out the kitchen chair for her, I steal a kiss once she’s seated. “That is a very good thing. Now, what do you want to eat? Grapes, watermelon, ice cream?”
“Pancakes?”
“Sure, I’ll make you pancakes.” The doorbell rings and she groans. “Stay put. No one is supposed to be here for hours.”
I’m not surprised when I see Baxter on the other side of the door. “You’re early.”
“Not only is he sexy, he’s observant, too. You hit the lotto with this one, Holls,” he calls out. “Besides, I come bearing pregnant lady crack.”
“Donuts are crack?”
“Oh ye of little faith. Hey, beautiful, I brought you something.” He puts the donuts on the table, and Holly’s eyes like up like a kid in a candy store. “Told ya.”
“Baxter, you’re amazing,” she says through a mouthful of dough.
“No pancakes?”
“No pancakes,” she confirms, mumbling as she chews. I’ve learned a lot of general food consumption rules have left the building the past few weeks, and it’s best never to mention their disappearance.
“That shirt is kind of kickass, Bax.”
Holly looks up at him and gives him a thumbs-up while she finishes her donut, then she reads it out loud.
“Funcle.
Like a dad, but more fun and way more attractive. What do you think, Dec? Is Baxter more attractive?”
“I’m hotter, but Baxter’s always had that boy band vibe to him. It’s probably why he’s never really lacking for dates.”
“Ah, I think the word your looking for is hookups. I’m never lacking for someone who wants to hook up. Someone who wants to date … that’s another story.”
Holly looks perplexed. “What about …?”
“Nope, we don’t mention his name today. He’s on my list.”
“Well, okay, back to the shirt. You know my brother is going to give you hell over it, right?”
“Dec, your brother can blow me. I’ve been your brother way longer than he has, and I claimed this child before he was a blip on our radar.”
“True that,” Holly says, saluting us with another donut. She’s going to hate herself later, but for now I’m going to soak up her smiling, sugar-filled face.
I’m sure as hell not going to argue the point. I love Tom, but when Baxter is right, he’s right. Besides, there’s more than enough love to go around for this little girl.
“Where’s Sage?” Holly finally pushes the donuts away as I hand her a glass of water.
“She’s been waylaid. Emphasis on the laid,” Baxter adds.
“Good for her. I’d say the two of you using my show as a dating platform paid off.”
“We’ll see.” Baxter picks at invisible lint on his shirt. “You’ll never guess who called me last night.”
“If you say Bobby, I will take that shirt off of you and give it to Tom myself.”
“Not Bobby, Declan. Actually, it was Zander.”
Our favorite bartender.
“Well, that’s a twist. Is that why you’re flying solo today, Bax?” Holly pats his hand, and Baxter soaks it up. He’s such a drama queen.
“Yeah, you know how much I like Zander, and he’s only wanted to be friends up until now.”
“Back it up, Ross, what do you mean ‘until now’?”
“Your husband is so bossy.”
Holly bites her lip and nods. “I love him that way.”
“I’ll bet you do. And yes, Declan, that’s why he called. He said he’s ready to try. When I told ‘he who shall not be named’ about the call, he flipped.”
“Can you blame him? The two of you have had a rough start already, and it seems like you’ve finally settled into this domestic blissdom, and what? You told him you wanted to meet with Zander? Hear him out completely?” I’m not doing a very good job of keeping the anger out of my voice. Baxter needs to stop this shit. He’s the first one to bitch about lack of commitment and then jumps ship when a seemingly better opportunity comes along.
“What’s wrong with that? We’ve been friends for years, and I’ve always wanted this from him.”
Holly sighs sweetly. “Oh, Bax, what’s wrong is that Mr. Unmentionable loves you. It’s plain as day.”
“Don’t bother, love. If Bax loved him he wouldn’t be considering Zander’s offer.”
“I do love him, but what if this is my shot at true happiness and I miss it and this relationship doesn’t work out? I’m pretty sure Zander is a one-time shot.”
“Baxter, you’re my best friend, you’re the funcle to my child, so I say this with the utmost love. Mr. Unmentionable has proven time and again how much he cares for you. Sure, you’ve had your issues, but … he who shall not be named is always the one who makes sure you know how much he adores you at the end of the day. If Zander is a one-time shot, is it worth it? Because I’d rather have the person who is going to swallow their pride and come after me than the person who dismisses me over a missed opportunity.”
“Everything he just said. Listen to Declan, Bax, and call Mr. Unmentionable and apologize. Tell him to get his sexy ass over here and celebrate with us.”
“He said some really mean things, you guys.”
With crossed arms, I lean against the counter. This ought to be good. “Like what?”
“That I was flighty, that I don’t know how to love with my whole heart, that I need to learn to give as much as I take, and that I need to choose him or Zander and that includes Zander’s friendship.”
“I wouldn’t want Declan hanging out with someone I knew was interested in him as more than a friend.”
“You let him hang out with me.”
She laughs. “You’re the exception to every rule, Bax.”
Softening a bit, I give him my take. “I disagree with what he said about your heart. You love with your whole heart, Bax, the problem is you don’t give it away easily. The perfect man is staring you in the face and you’re still wondering if Mr. Perfect Plus is out there somewhere.”
“You know, Holls, you’re by far becoming my favorite person today.”
He shoots me the evil eye, but I’m not done with him yet. “As far as the give and take, I don’t think he means that in a generosity way because you’re one of the most giving people we know. He probably means he is forever asking you to forgive him, even when you should probably be the one begging him back.”
The doorbell rings, and Baxter pops up to get it. “Saved by the bell.”
“Go easy on him, babe.”
Leaning down, I give her a kiss. “I only want him to be happy, and I’ve never seen him happier than with Mr. You Know Who.”
“Sorry we’re late,” Sage calls out, her boyfriend following behind her, checking out her backside as she walks. These two are sexual deviants, but they’re perfect for each other. His call name on my show was Sirstrokesalot, and Sage sought it out like a heat-seeking missile from the comments, and the next thing we knew … instalove.
“What’s up, strokesalot?”
“Fuck you, Declan.”
Sage snickers as I pass him a beer from the fridge. “You know I’m messing with you.”
“I bet if anyone is stroking it a lot, it’s you, Dec. Mounting that massive baby bump is probably a challenge,” Sage adds.
“He’s not stroking anything. I know how to take care of my man,” Holly counters, and Sage high-fives her.
“You guys talk about stroking like it’s a bad thing. Fucking heteros, if you knew the kind of fire stroking two cocks together could bring, you’d be batting for my team in no time.”
“I volunteer Declan’s cockasaurus in tribute for sexy piece of man meat to show us how it’s done. Give us the visual to go with that description.”
“Sage!” Holly admonishes her, and she shrugs.
“I know, no more penis talk around the baby, but Baxter started it.”
Tom is next to arrive, saving us from any more penis talk. He’s a little more reserved than us, but I think he’s getting used to our friends.
“Nice shirt,” he says to Baxter. Baxter smirks and reaches into a bag by his feet and tosses Tom a matching one. I didn’t even notice he came in with a bag; guess I was distracted by the donuts.
“The two of us have to stick together. Besides, we’re both way hotter than Declan.”
“Can you see the ‘fuck you’ in my smile, Bax? If not, look harder.”
“Can you guys all stop picking on my baby daddy, please?”
“Is that some kind of kinky code? Does he get to do you extra dirty if you call him baby daddy instead of husband?”
Fucking Sage. I can’t help but laugh at this point. Poor Tom. Even the tips of his ears are red. I’m not sure he’s figured out quite how to handle her yet, but he will. He’s got nothing but time.
“It’s not, but that’s a great idea. What do you think, Declan? We can make our own kinky language.”
I pull her up and close to me so I can whisper in her ear. “I’d rather have you tell me when and how you want me to fuck you dirty, with explicit details.”
Sage grins. “We so heard that.”
“You were meant to, but Cierra wasn’t.”
“What about me? Can someone flush my ears for me? Some things brothers just don’t need to know.”
&nb
sp; “Welcome to the family, Tom,” I reply. “We’re never going to be rated PG.”
“Can you try? At least around my sisters?”
There’s a chorus of agreement. We wouldn’t ever step over that line.
“Declan, that was … wow.”
Everyone is in bed after the long day, and you’d think that appreciation was for me rocking Holly’s world. I guess I did, but with a foot massage this time, not my cock.
She cuddles up against me as I wrap my arms around her belly. This is my favorite time of the day—when I get to hug both of my girls at the same time.
“So what did you really think about today? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m happy we got everyone together before the baby comes. Tom’s family is great, and I think Cierra is going to have three more aunts by extension, don’t you?”
“Completely, and I’m pretty sure two extra sets of grandparents. Between Ken and Melanie, and Candace and Gerald, we’ve developed quite the familial brood, haven’t we?”
“True, but you can never have too much family, Holls.”
“Sometimes you just get the wrong family,” she grumbles.
I climb over her so I can face her. It’s much easier than her trying to roll over and face me at this stage in the game. “Hey, love, I know we’re angry with Dawn and the effects her addiction inflicted onto us. One thing we have to remember is without her, I wouldn’t have you, and we wouldn’t have Cierra now. I would never want to erase Dawn from our existence, but I would make her addiction disappear if I could.”
Her green eyes fill with tears. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
“Maybe that means I need to step up my game.”
“I’m pretty sure your game is already at full throttle, Dec.”
“There’s always room for improvement, love.”
Her fingers trace the lines of my face as she thinks. “You know what’s funny?”
“Funny haha, or funny ironic?”
“Ironic. We’ve been back together now as long as we were apart. Look at all that’s changed.”
“We’re married, homeowners, having a baby, and have inherited an extended family. All good things, Holls.”