Total pages in book: 188
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 182255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 911(@200wpm)___ 729(@250wpm)___ 608(@300wpm)
“Keep it that way. And keep it in your pants.”
“Oh, so you’ve kept it in your pants since you brought Beck and Heavenly here for Mom’s wedding?”
“No, but I also haven’t whipped it out near Mom. So unless you want to piss off Carl and start their marriage off on a really shitty note, treat her the way you’d treat Anna.”
“Like a baby?” Connor rolled his eyes, then grumbled. “Fine.”
Seth turned his glare to Jack. “Did you hear me?”
“Hard to miss, Dad. Whatever.”
“Not whatever. Just remember, you won’t get much pussy in the future if you’re missing all your fucking teeth.”
“Oh, don’t let Mom hear you say that in a church,” Jack drawled.
“Can it, smart-ass. Get back to the gathering. And behave.”
He left the grousing twins in the hallway and returned to the sanctuary. When he looked up, he spotted Hudson coming toward him, wearing neatly pressed khakis and a collared shirt…with a knowing smirk.
“I can guess what Jack and Connor are thinking.”
Jesus, who else had seen? “They didn’t try very hard to hide it.”
“If they thought they were being subtle—”
Seth scoffed. “You’re assuming they were thinking at all.”
Hudson flashed a half smile that quickly faded. “Um… Do you think sharing women is hereditary or something? I mean, there’s you and the twins…and I didn’t hate the night with Casen and Brielle.”
His son’s keen awareness gave Seth pause. Not much got past the kid.
He glanced around to make sure no one was in earshot. “It’s a fair question given…everything, but I don’t think there’s a ‘prefers ménage’ gene, son. When I was your age, sharing a woman never even occurred to me. I was much older before I tried, but you have both experiences. You’ll need to think that through, preferably when you’re older.”
“Too late. I’m already thinking. It’s cool that Jack and Connor want to be…happy like you, Beck, and Heavenly.”
Seth scoffed. “If that’s what they were doing, I might support them. But there’s a big damn difference between the twins looking to get laid and my relationship with Beck and Heavenly.”
“So you’re saying their ‘emotions’ don’t reach above their waist?” Hudson snickered.
“Clearly. But sex is way better when you care about the person—”
“Or people.” Hudson raised a brow.
Seth hated to concede this point to a sixteen-year-old, but he couldn’t be a hypocrite. “Yeah.”
“Did you…ever care about my mom?”
Of course the kid wanted to know, and Seth was surprised he hadn’t asked sooner. Seth had grown up, knowing his parents had been mad about each other. Poor Hudson must have wondered for most of his life if everyone considered him a mistake.
“At the time, I had a huge crush on your mom. I really wanted her to like me, and I was more than a little heartbroken when she abruptly quit her job and I didn’t hear from her again. Now I know why, but…”
Hudson nodded. “She’d talk about you sometimes, you know. Not your name or anything, but every so often when I bugged the shit out of her, she’d say you were tall and handsome and funny. That I looked just like you. Then she’d clam up. But…I think she had feelings at the time, too.”
“Water under the bridge now. I’m just sorry you and I lost so many years. If I’d had any idea—”
“I know.” Hudson smiled at him. “It would have been cool, but…yeah.”
“Don’t blame your mother. She was young and scared.”
“I know. I can’t imagine… If someone told me I’d have a baby in the next year or two, I’d flip out.”
He clapped his son on the shoulder. “Exactly. She did the best she could. That’s all any of us can do.”
Hudson nodded.
After yesterday’s crushing reminder of Tristan’s loss, he was so fucking grateful that he had this moment with Hudson. That their bond seemed to grow more each day. And maybe it was all the turmoil, the change, the future coming at him fast, but he found himself blinking back tears.
“I’m glad you’re here now.” Seth clapped him on the back as they strode to the parking lot.
“Me, too. Even if this family is a little crazy.”
Seth laughed. “They are, but they mean well. And Grandma loves you already.”
The kid’s smile widened. “I know. She’s actually pretty cool.”
“She is. And speaking of moms, yours is meeting us in the morning, before the wedding. At ten.”
“Yeah, I know. At that diner off the turnpike. She’s bringing Ted and the baby.”
Completing the official paperwork naming him Hudson’s father would give him some assurance and rights. Then, after an upcoming court appearance and a couple of minutes with a notary…Hudson would be his son legally. “I’m really glad you came to find me. And you chose to stay with me. Honestly.”
Hudson kicked at a rock, like the emotion was a bit too heavy to face head-on. “Me, too.”