Forever (F-Word Book 4)
Page 20
He was tearing up already, and he pressed his fist to his eyes. Better keep the speech short. Goddamn, he was going to be happy to get his hormones back on track.
“I’ve got everything I ever could have asked for, and then some. I met a man who didn’t just talk about loving me. He showed me love, and he wouldn’t go away until I accepted it.”
Laughter rippled through the room.
“And the way you all pulled together to support me,” Jake said, shaking his head. It had been Tristan’s idea, but all his friends had immediately agreed to pull together a schedule so that Jake would never be unaccompanied at a doctor’s appointment again.
Meanwhile, Tristan had grown ever happier and more confident from his work on the movie they’d just wrapped. He was out, and he’d found an agent who supported that, and he was throwing himself into auditions day after day. Best of all, he came home happy after auditions now, not a nervous wreck.
Tristan was shifting from foot to foot, and Jake made a mental note to swap footrubs later. His husband had spent so much time in uncomfortable shoes these last few weeks, auditioning for everything possible.
If Jake hadn’t already been won over, Tristan’s devotion to both Jake and their child over the last few months had melted his heart. Not only was he working hard, but he set aside whatever time he could to talk with Jake, keeping their love alive no matter how good or bad a day they’d had.
“I’m proud of Tristan, more than he’ll ever know.” Jake trailed off, clearing the stubborn lump in his throat. “And I’m proud to be his husband, and your friend, and… dad to this incredible little one we’ve got on the way. Thank you for celebrating love with us. That’s all. Someone pass me the tissues.”
Tristan did, patting his back and sliding an arm around his shoulders. “And for my part,” he added, “I’ve been absolutely blessed to have you all in my life. Some of you for longer than others, but all of you are important to me—to us. And none more so than Jake.” He looked over at Jake.
Oh, God. I’m gonna run out of tears by the end of today. Jake sniffled but smiled back.
“So proud of you, baby. I can’t wait to see what the future has for you—for both of us. And I’m glad to call you mine.”
The little bar erupted into cheers and applause, and tears rolled down Jake’s cheeks as Tristan leaned in to kiss him.
It was yet another moment Jake would never forget.
He’s mine, and I’m his. He kept his hand on his stomach, smiling until his cheeks hurt. And this little one is ours, together, forever.
Epilogue
Tristan, three months later
“Dr. Lume!” Jake lit up with surprise and joy when his doctor walked in.
Tristan traded smiles and nods with her as she approached the bed. He hung back to let them have a moment. He hadn’t told Jake that he’d gotten in touch to let her know that the birth had gone well, and they now had a new little baby: Fin.
They’d decided to raise Fin to feel as free as possible to be whoever they wanted. For now, they were going to use a mixture of pronouns to refer to Fin, and once they were talking, Jake and Tristan would see if they preferred any one in particular.
Whatever Fin wanted to be—or do, wear, say, or think, as long as it hurt nobody else—they would support them. More important was making sure Fin felt loved, always and forever.
It was a decision Tristan’s parents hadn’t quite been able to wrap their heads around, but they’d also never admitted that they’d driven Tristan away by trying to put restrictions on their love. Tristan had confidence they’d come around sometime, when they saw how happy Fin was going to be.
Seeing Jake light up was almost as beautiful as seeing the way he cradled their child.
Fin had Tristan’s eyes and Jake’s smile.
Tristan teared up every damn time he saw the two of them smiling together. In the last day, there had been a lot more tears than smiles, but after the initial panic that they would somehow break Fin before they were even home from the hospital, that first smile had been worth it all.
Jake talked with Dr. Lume for a few minutes before she bowed out of the room, leaving them in the peace and quiet and privacy of the three of them.
Their family.
“Thank you for telling her to come by,” Jake murmured.
Tristan smiled and moved back to the chair beside the bed to take Jake’s hand. His husband hadn’t lost that wonderful glow after birth—in fact, he looked somehow even more beautiful covered in hospital blankets, with Fin lying on his chest. “Of course. I thought you might like to see her. After all, that’s where all of this started.”
They weren’t sure if he’d be able to chestfeed Fin or not yet. Grafted nipples had a lower chance of being able to, but since his chest tissue had swollen and there had been definite leaking issues—which Tristan had assured a mortified Jake was just as beautiful as all the other changes—they were going to give it a try.
For now, skin-to-skin contact was what they all needed most of all.
Jake cast another awestruck gaze at Fin, his hand wrapped protectively around their tiny head to keep them in place as they dozed. “I can’t believe we did it. That everything’s okay. That we’re…” Jake blinked rapidly and cleared his throat.
“That we’re officially dads?” Tristan kissed the back of Jake’s hand and beamed at him. “Me neither.”
“I thought I was the luckiest guy in the world before they were born,” Jake whispered, smiling at Tristan. “I was wrong. Now I am.”
“No,” Tristan chuckled, lacing his fingers with Jake’s. “I’m pretty sure I am.”
The fact that Jake had let him into his life, and let him into this whole, wonderful journey they’d already shared as well as what lay ahead…
It made Tristan feel utterly right. Maybe he’d been indecisive before, but somehow, that had gone away. His fear of rejection hadn’t vanished, but it was so much quieter. So were Jake’s fears, and when either of them started to act edgy, they were able to sit down and talk it out.
Through the sleepless nights ahead and the years of parenting, he would always feel like the lucky one in this relationship. And he knew Jake felt the same, which made them both try to be the best men they could for one another… and now for little Fin.
For a couple crazy young guys who’d just been trying to find themselves in L.A., they’d found so much more: each other, and a family, and hope.
“I love you,” Jake whispered, his eyelids drooping. No surprise there—he’d been exhausted for the last day. He deserved to rest, with Tristan there to watch over them both.
Tristan leaned over to kiss each of his family’s foreheads in turn. Jake closed his eyes and Fin shifted, but didn’t wake. “I love you, too, baby,” Tristan whispered. “Forever.”
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed Forever, don’t miss Kyle and Nic in Flaunt, River and Zeph in Freak, and Denver and Sam in Faux, all in the F-Word series. As always, I appreciate your support!
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Also by E. Davies
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Click here to see the Significant Brothers series!
The F-Word Series
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The After Series
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The Riley Brothers Series
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finding love right on your doorstep.
Click here to see the Riley Brothers series!
More by E. Davies
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About the Author
Gay romance author E. Davies grew up moving constantly, which taught him what people have in common, the ways relationships are formed, and the dangers of “miscellaneous” boxes. As a young gay author whose role models were characters punished for their sexuality, Ed prefers his stories lightly dramatic, full of optimism and hope.
Now out and proud, Ed writes full-time, goes on long nature walks, tries to fill his passport, drinks piña coladas on the beach, flees from cute guys, coos over fuzzy animals (especially bees), and is liable to tilt his head and click his tongue if you don't use your turn signal.
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