Almost a month after Nathan and Cameron had spent the night together for the third time, Nick texted and asked if Cameron could meet at a coffee shop near his school.

Cameron was curious. They usually texted or talked on the phone, and coffee in the middle of the day wasn’t usually something they did. He asked Nathan if he could pick the kids up from the bus, and when everything was arranged, he headed out to meet Nick.

When he walked into the coffee shop, he got the surprise of a lifetime.

Nick was there, and so was a pregnant girl he assumed was Ashleigh.

“Nick?” he asked as he came up to them.

“Cameron.” Nick jumped up and motioned for him to sit. “Do you want something? I was waiting for you.”

“Sure, medium coffee, milk and sugar please.”

“Got it.” Nick nodded and headed toward the counter.

“Hi, my nephew seems to have forgotten his manners,” he said with a smile as he looked at Ashleigh and offered his hand. “I’m Cameron.”

“Ashleigh.”

Cameron could tell by her voice and the soft way she’d shaken his hand that Ashleigh was a little shy. She wasn’t Nick’s usual type, that was for sure.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. He was still confused as to why he was there, and why Ashleigh was there, but he didn’t want to make the girl uncomfortable.

“Good, better,” she said shyly. “The morning sickness is gone, so that’s a plus.”

“That must make things easier. How is school?”

“Not bad.” She shrugged. “Finals are coming up, so that sucks.”

“I remember those days. What are you studying?”

“Sociology. Nick said you were a teacher?”

“I went to school to be a teacher, but at the moment I’m a nanny.”

Ashleigh gave him a surprised look but quickly covered it up with a smile. “What grade did you want to teach?”

“Elementary school. Up to grade three.”

“Wow. That’s really cool. Do you think you’ll start teaching soon?”

“I’m happy where I am, but I’d like to, eventually.”

“You make good money being a nanny?”

“I do alright.” He gave Ashleigh a questioning look. “Why do I feel like I’m being interviewed?”

“Nick’s told me a lot about you. I was just wondering if it was all true.”

“What did he tell you?”

“That you’re his uncle, but you’re twenty-six. You’re a teacher, and you love kids. He also said you’re gay.”

“That’s pretty much my life,” he said slowly.

Just then Nick came back to the table with three takeout cups in his hands. “Coffee, milk and sugar,” he said as he placed a cup in front of Cameron. “And decaf vanilla latte, no foam,” he said as he handed a drink to Ashleigh and sat with them.

“Thank you,” Cameron said as he took a sip of his scalding drink. “Why did you give Ashleigh the rundown on my life, and why am I here?” he asked as he glanced between the two of them. “I kind of feel like I’m being interviewed for a job I never applied for.”

“You kind of are,” Nick said carefully as he took a sip of his coffee.

“I don’t understand.”

“We wanted to talk to you about our decision.”

“Decision?”

“We’ve decided to put the baby up for adoption.”

“And you wanted to tell me so I could help you talk to your parents about it?” he asked, totally confused.

“Actually, we wanted to talk to you about adopting the baby,” he said slowly.

Cameron just stared at them as he let the words sink in.

“I’m sorry?”

“We can’t raise the baby; we know that,” Nick hurried on. “It’s like you said; we have to do what’s best for everyone, including the baby. But we don’t want it to be raised by strangers, and we want an open adoption.”

“Okay.” Cameron let them talk, his mind reeling.

“I don’t have any family outside of my parents,” Ashleigh said when Nick faltered. “Nick told me about his uncles and aunts, and we talked about it. You seemed to be the best choice.”

“Me?” Cameron shook his head. “Can I ask why me?”

“You’re young. You love kids but don’t have any yet,” Nick answered. “You’re doing well for yourself now, and you’ve got the family behind you if you need help.”

“All that is true.” He nodded.

“And you’re the kind of dad I would want for my baby,” Nick said as he looked at him. “If I could pick someone to raise my child, I would pick you.”

“Wow...”

“I don’t care about you being gay, or what you do for a living. That means nothing to me, to either of us. You’re the best choice because I think you’d be the best dad this baby could ever ask for.”

“And what do you think?” Cameron asked as he looked at Ashleigh. His mind was racing as he tried to process everything. “This is your child too.”

“I think if you’re half as awesome as Nick says, then you would be the best choice,” she answered after a pause. “I want my baby to have a family. I never really had that. My parents are great, wonderful, but they’re getting older. My grandparents all died young. I was always alone, but Nick has this huge family with all these cousins and aunts and uncles, and everyone loves each other.” She smiled sadly. “It’s what I’ve always wanted, and if I can give that to my baby, then I want to do it.”

“How open do you want the adoption,” he asked carefully. “I need to know everything before I can even consider it.”

“Pretty open.” Nick said as he and Ashleigh looked at each other. “You would be the baby’s dad and make the decisions and do the parenting thing, but we’d both want to be active in their life.”

“Active how?”

“Like I want them to know that we’re their birth parents, but you’re their dad. I want to be able to see them and get pictures as they grow up and be there somehow,” Ashleigh said.

“Nick is my nephew,” Cameron pointed out. “If I did adopt the baby, then every family gathering they would see Nick, and he would be around for a lot more than you, just by default. Would you be okay with that, could you handle it?”

“I want them to have the family I never had.” She nodded. “I’m not ready to be a mom, but that doesn’t mean that I’m ready to give them away. I’ll always be their birth mother, and I’ll always want to be a part of their life, but I do want my own kids. When I’m older and married.” Ashleigh pulled a small square sheet of shiny paper out of her purse and handed it to him.

It was an ultrasound photo.

Cameron stared down at it for a moment before picking it up. He'd seen tons of ultrasound photos over his sisters' many pregnancies, but there was something different about looking at a photo of a baby that could be his.

“They looked like a little peanut.” He grinned and picked up the photo.

“That's what we've nicknamed them.” Ashleigh smiled and glanced at Nick, who was beaming at him.

“It's yours.” Ashleigh shook her head as he tried to hand the photo back to her. “No matter what you decide, we want you to have that.”

Cameron slipped the photo in his pocket and then sipped his coffee, more as a distraction and to give himself something to do as he took everything in.

“And Nick, you’d be okay watching me raise your child? You’d be okay to be in the cousin role and not the dad role?”

“It’s the same as Ashleigh said. I want to be a dad, but I’m not ready now. I want to give this baby the best life I can with the best dad I can. I’ll have a family of my own someday.”

“You’re incredibly mature. Both of you,” Cameron said softly he stared at them. “But if I do this, you’ll have to promise me, in writing, that you’ll give up your parental rights and you won’t come after me in a few years when you decide you want to be a mother or a father. I completely understand wanting to be a part of their life and to get updates and visits, but I’m not even going to consider this if I’m just going to be used as a nanny for a few years until you’re ready to be parents and then have to give up a child that I’ve raised. If I adopt this baby, then they become my child, and I would need that declared legally.”

Nick and Ashleigh looked at each other and then nodded at him.

“I’ll sign whatever I have to,” Nick said.

“We’d have to work out the details for both sides, but I’ll do the same.” Ashleigh nodded.

Cameron leaned back in his chair and stared at them.

“I know it’s a lot to take in; your mind must be melting,” Nick said after a long pause. “Mine was while we figured this out.”

“Yeah, a little bit of melting.” He nodded. “This isn’t a decision I can make quickly.” He glanced at the coffee cup that was still clenched in his hand. “I’ll need time to really think about this, figure out details and plan.”

“That’s fine,” Nick said quickly. “Take your time.”

“We were thinking, if you decide yes, you might want to come to the twenty-week ultrasound,” Ashleigh said as she glanced at Nick. “We’ll hopefully be finding out if it’s a boy or a girl.”

“That’s a month from now, right?”

“Three weeks.”

“I can figure it out in three weeks.” He nodded. “I’ll let you know before the scan.”

“Could you keep this between us?” Nick asked. “I haven’t talked to anyone else about this.”

“No one?” 

“I was going to talk to Mom and Dad, but I wanted to make sure you were at least open to it before I brought it up,” he said sheepishly.

“Sure, but you’ll have to tell them soon. I don’t like keeping things from them.”

“I will,” he promised. “After work on Friday.”

“Okay. I’m going to head out,” Cameron said as he picked up his drink. “I have a lot to think about.”

***

CAMERON FELT AS THOUGH his brain really was melting.

He made it back to Nathan’s in one piece, and as soon as he’d come into the kitchen where they were eating, Nathan jumped out of his chair and hurried over.

“Cameron? What happened, love?” he asked softly, keeping a few feet of distance between them.

“I...I can’t really say this quickly.”

“Are you okay?”

“I think so.”

“You’re not hurt or sick, right?”

“No, just confused as hell.”

“Okay.” Nathan gave him an encouraging smile. “Go to my bathroom and take a bath. I’ll finish up here and get the kids to bed. Then we’ll get you something to eat, and we can talk about it, okay?”

“Thank you.”

“Of course. You’ll be okay until then?”

“Yes, thanks.”

“Is Cameron okay?” Kaitlyn asked from the table, and it was then Cameron noticed that all three kids were staring at them.

“He’s fine. Just very tired tonight. How about we let Cameron take a bath so he can relax and I’ll do bedtime with you guys?” Nathan smiled reassuringly at the kids.

“Okay.” Kaitlyn nodded and went back to her homemade pizza, which was Nathan’s signature meal.

“Go ahead. I’ll come to you when everything’s done.”

Cameron desperately wished he could kiss Nathan but settled for smiling at him.

“Are you going to get us ready for school tomorrow?” Daniel asked as Cameron started to turn around.

“I am. I’m okay, just tired like your dad says.”

Daniel seemed to accept that answer and went back to his plate. Logan was still staring at them, an almost unreadable expression on his face.

Before he could do anything to out them, Cameron turned on his heel and hurried up to Nathan’s room.

***

THE BATH HELPED HIS body relax but did nothing for his mind. When he was done, he pulled on a pair of Nathan’s sweatpants and one of his hoodies and curled up on the bed. He was swimming in the much too large clothes, but they were comforting.

“Cameron?” Nathan asked as he came into the room. Cameron had no idea what time it was, but it had to be past bedtime.

“Here.”

“What happened?” Nathan asked as he sat next to him and pulled Cameron close. “Is everything okay with the baby?”

“Yeah, but it’s funny you mention the baby.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Nick asked me to adopt his baby.”

“What?” Nathan looked down at him in shock.

“I know. My mind is completely blown. He and Ashleigh were there, and they talked about wanting to give the baby a good life and how they thought I was the best choice to be their dad.”

“Wow. That’s quite the compliment.”

“I know, but I’m not sure they’re right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m a twenty-six-year-old nanny. What kind of life can I give a baby?”

“You’re a twenty-six-year-old nanny now, but you won’t be forever.”

“True, but it’s a lot to think about.”

“It is. Do you want kids?”

“I do.” Cameron sighed. “I always have.”

“And you’d be okay with raising your nephew’s child?”

“I think so. I like the idea of the baby staying part of the family. That all the cousins and my sisters will be able to watch them grow up. I know the thought of adopting them out to strangers is tearing Cara apart.”

“Do you feel ready to be a dad?”

“They gave me an ultrasound picture. I fell in love with that little peanut.” Cameron smiled. “It's silly, considering I haven't decided anything yet.”

“I know the feeling. The first time I saw any of the kids' ultrasound pictures, I fell a little more in love with them.” Nathan brushed a lock of hair off his forehead. “So, do you feel ready to be a dad?”

“Emotionally, I guess?”

“You guess?”

“I mean, yeah. Emotionally I’m ready. Financially, I’m not so sure.”

“Is it because of your job here?”

“How can I raise a baby if I’m working for you? Living here?”

“You could always look into teaching.”

“But what about my job here?”

“I think it’s time we made things official.”

“What do you mean? I thought we were boyfriends?”

“We are. I mean stop hiding it from the kids.”

Cameron sat up and turned to stare at Nathan. He wanted to tell the kids about them?

“I hate sleeping in separate rooms. They love you—“

“And I love them.”

“I know, and I think it’s time we tell them. You’re not a fling, Cameron. I’m in this for the long haul, and I think we should be a proper family.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want you as my partner, not as my nanny. I want you in my bed and by my side. I want you to be a dad to the kids. I want them to be our kids.”

Cameron’s jaw dropped. Was Nathan saying what he thought he was?

“I want you to live here as my boyfriend.”

“You do?” Cameron asked, almost stupidly.

“I do.”

“What about the baby?”

“That’s your choice. I’d be happy to have a fourth child, but it’s up to you whether you want to be their dad.”

“You’d be okay with me bringing another kid into the family?”

“I would. I know Kaitlyn would love to have a little brother or sister, and the boys would be happy too.”

“Wow.” Cameron shook his head. “This is a lot to take in, all of it.”

“You don’t have to decide anything yet. Just think about it. If you want to adopt the baby, there’s a place for them here, in our family. If you want to do it alone and move into your own place and just date for a while, I’m okay with that too. It’s your call, Cameron. You need to do what’s best for you.”

“What about what’s best for you?”

“You’re what’s best for me, love.” Nathan pushed an errant lock of hair back off Cameron’s forehead. “As long as you stay with me, where you live is your choice.”

Cameron bit his lip as he tried to calm his mind.

“I don’t want to leave.”

“Then stay.”

“I want to adopt the baby. But not as a single dad.” Cameron couldn’t believe he was saying this out loud; it had to be the craziness of the day. It was affecting his filter.

“What do you mean?”

“I want to adopt them as a couple. With you.”

Nathan stared at Cameron, his jaw dropping slightly.

Before Cameron could try and take back what he said, Nathan let out a bark of laughter.

“What?” Cameron asked when Nathan stopped laughing and instead grinned at him.

“You beat me to it.”

“What?”

“I was going to ask you to marry me if you decided to stay. I was going to give you a week to settle and make up your mind about the baby, and then I was going to propose.”

“But I didn’t propose,” Cameron protested.

“You asked me to adopt a baby with you. That’s a proposal in my book.”

“No way.” Cameron shook his head. “Nope. Doesn’t count.”

“You don’t want to get married?” Nathan’s smile fell, and he suddenly looked uncomfortable.

“I do, but I want a proposal. A real one. I’m talking romance and kneeling and the sweeping of me off my feet.” He grinned at Nathan. “And a ring.”

“Well.” Nathan rolled off the bed and went to his dresser. He dug around in one of the drawers for a moment before turning back to Cameron. “This isn’t very romantic, and I’m sure you’re going to stay firmly planted on your feet, but I do have a ring.”

“You have a what?” Cameron’s jaw dropped as he stared at the small velvet ring box in Nathan’s hand.

Nathan motioned for him to get up, and Cameron scrambled off the bed.

“Cameron Adams.” Nathan dropped to one knee in front of Cameron and held up the ring. “I love you more than I ever thought possible. You made me whole after I was sure I’d be broken forever. You’re the brightest part of my day and the best thing I could have ever asked for. You’ve already become part of our family, will you make it official?”

“Oh my god.” Cameron couldn’t help the quiet exclamation that slipped out. This was really happening.

“Cameron, will you marry me?”

Cameron threw himself into Nathan’s arms, almost knocking them both over in his haste. Nathan caught him and held him close, pressing soft kisses against his neck as Cameron tried to find his voice.

“Yes.” It came out as a whisper, but it seemed to be enough for Nathan, and he covered Cameron’s lips with his in a deep kiss filled with all the emotions flowing between them.

“You ready to become a family of six?” Nathan asked softly when they finally stopped kissing. They were still on the floor wrapped around each other, but neither seemed all that inclined to move.

“I am. Are you?”

“I’ve been ready since the day I walked into my living room and saw you sitting on my too tiny sofa.”

Cameron laughed and wiped a few tears from his cheek. “You know we’re going to have to talk about some of the décor in this house.”

“A change is long overdue.” Nathan smiled. “I think we can figure out a way to make this our home, one we can both be comfortable in.”

“And you’re going to have to meet my sisters.”

“I can’t wait.”

“And you’ll have to give me that ring at some point.”

Nathan laughed, only then seeming to realize he was still clutching the ring box in his hand. In one swift movement, he swept Cameron up in his arms and carried him over to the bed.

“I don’t know about you, but that definitely counts as sweeping me off my feet.”

“What about the romance part?” Nathan asked as he set Cameron on the bed and sat with him.

“The proposal speech took care of that part.”

“Then here’s the last element. The ring.”

Nathan opened the ring box, and Cameron gasped. Inside were two wedding bands. The rings themselves were white gold but had a thick yellow gold center that had an intricate design etched into it. They were perfect.

Nathan pulled the smaller of the rings out of the box and slipped it on Cameron’s finger.

“I love you,” he said softly as Cameron pulled the second ring out of the box.

“I love you.” Cameron slipped the ring on Nathan’s finger and then stared at their hands. They were engaged. He was going to marry Nathan, the man he was in love with.

He was finally getting the family he always wanted, and he would have it with the best man he could have asked for.