Ethan stepped closer to Tyler but didn’t touch him. “Please find him. I know I haven’t been a good best friend to Christen lately...”
Ethan looked away, unable to finish; Tyler recognized a guilty posture when he saw it. He did not know how to comfort his lover. Nothing he said would take away whatever Ethan was feeling and snapping at each other didn’t help either.
“Um… I booked your ticket and had it sent to your email.” He looked at his watch. “Your flight leaves in a couple of hours, so why don’t you finish packing and I can take you to the airport. Maybe we can catch a quick meal before you leave?” Ethan backed away before Tyler could reach out and pull him closer or say anything else.
Tyler placed the envelope on the bed and went back to his packing. A couple of hours later Ethan dropped him off at the airport. “I will call you and give you updates.” He kissed Ethan on the forehead.
Ethan touched the side of his face. “They will find him; from what little Christen has told me about Jaxson, he’s pretty badass.”
Tyler nodded his head. “Yeah, you’re right.” He pulled Ethan into another hug before getting out of the car and heading inside of the airport to check in. Tyler was worried. Worried about his brother and his lover, the two of the most important people in his life. Tyler was getting tired of bad things happening to good people, especially to the ones he loved.
** ** ** ** **
Ethan sat in his car, watching Tyler hurry inside the airport, and his guilt ate at him. I should have gone with him. He needs me, just as Christen needs me to be there for him.
Ethan picked up his phone and brought up the ticket he purchased for himself earlier. He changed his mind at the last minute, but still couldn’t force himself to get out of the car. Ethan leaned forward, resting his head on the steering wheel. He could not help feeling like a coward. His best friend and the man he loved needed him, and all Ethan could think about was his pride and how jealous he was of Christen.
Too many things were happening all at once, leaving Ethan an emotional wreck. He was dealing with the loss of his first child and now his friend was missing. Adding to his anxiety was the fact that Ethan was not ready to hear insincere, unintentional but hurtful, words of sympathy. Or someone telling him that one day he would have another. As if that would make him feel better about losing his child. It wouldn’t; it would only make him feel worse.
Besides, once they found Christen, and Ethan was sure they would, the focus needed to be on him and not on Ethan and his issues. With his mind made up, Ethan sat up and pulled out of the parking spot. He headed to the empty apartment and waited to hear from Tyler. He walked into his place, heading straight for his room; he stopped when he saw the envelope sitting on the bed. Ethan walked over and picked it up, curious as to why Tyler had a problem with him reading the information inside. Plopping down in the bed, Ethan opened it, pulling out the folder, and saw Sean’s name on the cover.
He had completely forgotten about Sean and what happened. He had not heard from him since that night and didn’t expect to. He threw the folder down on the bed, shaking his head. Reading it would do nothing; Sean was his past and Tyler was his future.
Ethan put the folder back inside of the envelope and threw it on the other side of the bed. He picked up Tyler’s pillow and clutched it to his chest and laid down on the bed, closing his eyes, and fell asleep.
Later that night Ethan woke to the sound of his phone ringing. He had no clue what time it was. Realizing he had fallen asleep in his clothes, Ethan hurriedly pulled his phone from his sweater pocket and answered it, praying that Tyler had good news for him.
“Tyler, is Christen alright?”
“Hey, love, they found Christen and he’s fine.”
Ethan sighed in relief.
“And the babies, are they ok?”
Tyler chuckled. “All three are doing great, you should see them. They are so cute.”
Three! “Three, wait a minute I thought he was having twins?”
“Yeah, that’s what everyone thought.” Ethan could hear the joy in Tyler’s voice. “Listen, once I see Christen, I’m coming home. They don’t need me here.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Ethan lied. “You should stay a bit longer and enjoy this time with your family. After all, you’re a new uncle.”
“Are you sure?” Tyler asked, unsure.
Ethan sighed and rolled his eyes. “Tyler, I’m fine, spend some time with your family.” Ethan was quiet for a few seconds. “I’m not going to run, when I finally return home, it will be with you.”
Tyler did not respond right away. Ethan knew, he said the right words. “Okay. But you are wrong about one thing.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“No matter what you might think, they are your family too you know,” Tyler corrected.
Ethan smiled at that but did not comment. “Anyway, go and see Christen. And, Tyler, congratulations on being an uncle.”
Tyler snorted, before going silent. “Ethan, I...”
“Don’t say it,” Ethan interrupted him. “Not yet anyway. Just give us a little more time before you say it.”
Tyler was quiet on the other end of the of the phone. Ethan closed his eyes.
“Give your family my love and I promise to call Christen. See you when you get back.” He hung up before Tyler could say anything else. He pulled Tyler’s pillow closer to him, sniffing it then closed his eyes. He smiled, thinking about the three words he had stopped Tyler from saying, I love you.
** ** ** ** **
Tyler hung up the phone and leaned his head back against the wall.
Fuck, I’m tired.
“Hey, little brother.” He opened his eyes to see Lucas standing beside him.
“You remember that we are the same age, right?”
“So,” Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “I’m ten minutes older than you. What a fucking long ass night,” he said running a hand through his hair.
That’s an understatement. Tyler showed up just before they brought Christen into the operating room. He missed all the excitement, but saw the guy who had kidnapped his brother. Jaxson really did a number on him and Tyler couldn’t blame him.
“So now that we have Christen situated, want to tell me what the hell is going on with you? And why the fuck it took you so long to get here?”
“Seriously, can we not do this right now? I feel guilty enough that I wasn’t here for Christen. I don’t need you to add to it.”
Lucas opened his mouth to say more, but their dad came up just in time and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. “Can you believe it? I’m a grandfather of three!” His excitement took the scowl off Lucas’s face but not from his eyes.
“Congratulations, old man.” Tyler told his dad and wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
“I keep telling you I’m far, from old.” His dad pulled him into a hug. “I’m glad you made it, son.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Lucas piped up. “Just wish he would tell us where he was.”
“Drop it, Lucas,” both Tyler and Asher said together. Tyler pulled away from his dad’s hold and tilted his head to the side.
“Hey, I’m going to see if Christen is awake,” said Tyler.
Lucas had that look in his eyes that warned their conversation was not over. Tyler shook his head no, as in not now, and walked off. He got to Christen’s room and couldn’t believe for the third time in months he was once again sitting at the bedside of someone he cared about. At least that time there was a positive outcome.
He pulled out his cellphone and scanned through the pictures of the triplets and smiled at how adorable they looked. He couldn’t help but wonder if that was how he would have felt if his child was given a chance to be born.
He sent a photo of all three babies lying next to each other to Ethan. When he didn’t receive a message back, he pocketed his phone and slumped down in the chair, closing his eyes and falling asleep. Tyler popped his eyes open when he heard Christen
call his name. “Where’s Jaxson? Where are my babies?”
Tyler wiped the sleep from his eyes before answering Christen. “Hey, you’re awake,” he said with a smile. Noting that his brother was trying to sit up, Tyler got up and started helping him. “Your babies are fine, according to the doctors, all three came through fine. They just need to stay in the hospital a few more days. As for Jaxson...”
“Wait back the fuck up, what the hell did you just say?” Christen stopped him from saying anything else.
Oh shit.
Tyler chuckled at the shocked look on his brother’s face.
“You said three when you meant two, right?” Christen asked. “Ty, tell me you’re joking?” Christen whined and again Tyler couldn’t help but smile.
“Shit! Jaxson was supposed to tell you, not me,” he said, “Anyway, surprise!” Tyler said apprehensively. But secretly he was thinking it was going to be fun to watch.
Tyler was going to enjoy watching his little brother navigate his way through trying to wrangle three kids with the Hamilton genes, who had a penchant for being curious pranksters. Tyler took out his phone and pulled up the pictures of the triplets and showed them to Christen. Tyler smiled when Christen’s expression changed from worry to utter joy. Tyler spent some time with Christen before Jaxson came into the room. Tyler slipped out quietly, leaving them alone. He would get his cellphone later.
He decided to go into the waiting room, which was a big mistake. Lucas was sitting in one of the chairs watching the door. Tyler almost turned around, but if he knew his twin as well as he thought he did, there would be no avoiding him. He sat down in the opposite chair, facing his brother.
“Before you ask, I was in Alaska.”
Lucas’s eyebrows creased in confusion. “What the hell were you doing in Alaska?”
“If I told you it involved another person, would you drop it?” Tyler asked.
Lucas raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘you know me better than that.’ Tyler shook his head. “I didn’t think so.” He sighed and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest. “I might as well tell you, you’re going to find out sooner or later. I was with Ethan.”
“Ethan,” Lucas said in confusion. “Ethan Beaumont, Christen’s best friend?”
“Do you know another Ethan?” he asked sarcastically.
“Ok wiseass, what the fuck were you guys doing in Alaska?”
Tyler leaned forward, feeling more tired than ever before and began talking, starting from the beginning. With his brother, he didn’t censor the story like he did with his dad. Tyler expressed his feelings for Ethan and his utter fear of being in a relationship. How he felt when he saw Ethan lying on the bedroom floor, bloodied and beaten and then finding out about the pregnancy. Tyler told Lucas how hurt he felt that Ethan couldn’t trust him enough to tell him about his child.
Tyler hadn’t realized that he was still hurt and angry with Ethan about everything. He wanted to blame Ethan and at the same time he couldn’t. Tyler had held back what he was feeling for Ethan, because he had been too afraid of being rejected.
Lucas sat there and listened, only making little comments at key points. When Tyler finished his story, he felt exhausted but oddly a lot better. He wasn’t sure what Lucas was going to say. They sat there staring at each other for a few minutes. Then, without warning Lucas got up and sat beside him and pulled him into a hug.
“Don’t give up on him,” he whispered into Tyler’s ear. He slumped against Lucas and let his big brother take care of him for a little while. “I have no words of wisdom for you,” Lucas told him. “I have never been in your situation to be able to say the right words to make everything better. I feel almost responsible because he thought I was you for a split second. I’m not sure saying I’m sorry you lost your child will fix everything but I am sorry, little brother.”
Tyler eased himself out of Lucas’s arms and leaned back in his chair. “There really is nothing you can say, and there’s no need to feel guilty. It wasn’t your fault,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry works just fine.”
“He needs you, not to be his savior or to fix everything for him. He needs you to be his friend and lover.”
“I know that, Lucas, I’m trying to be both those things.” He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “I love him, and tonight I almost told him that, but he stopped me.”
“That’s because he’s not ready to hear it yet. Shit, I’m surprised you’re ready to say it.”
It shocked the shit out of Tyler as well, but he loved Ethan and wanted to show him how much for as long as he was able to. Tyler didn’t respond and Lucas didn’t add anything else to the conversation.
“Promise me one thing?” Lucas said.
“What’s that?”
“That you and Ethan do not become as sickeningly sweet as Jaxson and Christen are.” Lucas’s face turned as green as his eyes and Tyler couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I can’t promise you that, I’m already missing my man.” Tyler batted his eyes and pretended to swoon for added effect.
Both chuckled and the tension eased out of the room, giving Tyler the perfect opportunity to ask Lucas his own burning question.
“So what’s going on between you and Rebecca? And don’t give me that nothing crap.”
“What’s this? You told me your story, now it’s my turn to bare it all?” Tyler gave him the same look that Lucas gave him a few minutes ago. Lucas sighed. “That’s just it, there is nothing going on between us. She is so damn stubborn...” Lucas began.
“Smart, beautiful, and refuses to take your shit.” Tyler told him sitting up looking at his brother and smiled. “But you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Shut up,” his brother grumbled.
Tyler snorted at his brother’s disgruntled come back. “We are a bunch, aren’t we?”
“What do you mean?”
“Me, you, and Christen,” he said shaking his head. “Who would have thought all three of us would find the loves of our lives, at the same time no less.” Lucas opened his mouth to refute his words but Tyler stopped him. “Don’t deny it, Rebecca is the one you want.”
“Ok, fine, but what’s your point?”
“My point is, we like to deny that we are ready to be in love with someone and we run from love until one day we stop and it catches us completely off guard.”
“Fucking hell, when did you get so damn smart?”
Tyler chuckled. “I’ve had a lot of time to think lately,” he said simply. He got up and stretched before walking to the door, opening it. “Hey, I’m going to head to New York, stop by my place and grab some things then head back to Alaska.”
Lucas shook his head. “You know I still don’t understand how the hell he ended up there.”
Tyler shrugged his shoulders. “It’s one of the many questions he couldn’t answer himself.”
Lucas got up and met Tyler at the door, pulling him into a hug, “Hey, take care of yourself, and take as much time as you need. Tell Ethan I said we got his back.” Tyler nodded and pulled away from his brother and opened the door just as Rebecca came in. Tyler felt the need to tease and it seemed Lucas knew him all too well. “Say one word and I will tell smother where to find you.”
That stalled any anything he had to say so he simply nodded his head. “Hey, Rebecca.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek and stepped aside. “It was nice seeing you again.” He looked back at his brother and smirked before looking back at Rebecca. “If this idiot gives you any problems, give me a call. I will take care of him for you. See you later, big sis.” Tyler said quickly, dashing away before his brother could get his hands on him.
Tyler chuckled on his way to the elevator, hearing Rebecca ask Lucas what the hell they were talking about.
** ** ** ** **
CHAPTER TEN
Tyler walked into the lightly furnished apartment in Alaska, he supposed it was his and Ethan’s new home for an
undetermined amount of time. Tyler closed the door behind him, dropping his bags, and kicking them to the side. He had been surprised when he found an extra key in his jacket pocket and a note from Ethan telling him he would be missed.
Thinking ahead, Tyler packed a bag for himself in New York, before going to Ethan’s house, and packed a few more essentials for him as well. Neither of them knew how long they were going to be playing house in Alaska. It was best to be prepared. Tyler walked further into the apartment contemplating if he should mention to Ethan that he met Richard. He finally understood what Ethan meant when he said that the guy just showed up out of nowhere. Yet, Richard did not give off the ‘I want to kill you’ vibe.
Tyler also saw the similarities between Ethan and Richard, during the short time and assessed that the man was not a threat to his lover. Tyler noticed a need in Richard to connect with Ethan, to be close to his brother. Tyler promised Richard that he would talk to Ethan, and try to convince him to at least call his brother.
Tyler turned the corner to their bedroom expecting to see Ethan sleeping on the bed only to find it empty. He leaned against the wall and wondered where Ethan could have gotten off to.
In the week that he was gone, Tyler had spoken with Ethan as often as he could; there had been a few things he wanted to take care of at his office before returning to Ethan. Tyler noticed the few times he was able to speak with Ethan, his lover seemed very distant and that worried him. Obviously, Tyler would gush to Ethan how cute the triplets were.
However, it took Ethan’s silence or quick subject change for Tyler to realize that although Ethan was happy for Christen, and that was something Tyler was certain of, there might also be some lingering jealousy. Tyler could not blame Ethan for feeling that way, he was a bit jealous of his brother as well.
The sound of the door opening alerted him that Ethan was home. Tyler pasted a smile on his face, and walking back to the living room, he bumped into Ethan. Tyler caught Ethan by the arm before he could fall back and they stared into each other’s face.
Loving You: Mpreg Romance (My One-Night Stand Series Book 2) Page 16