Four months later…
“I still think they should be brown,” Gabe insisted.
“What’s wrong with blue?” Nate asked from the driver’s seat.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with blue. What’s wrong with brown?” Gabe challenged back.
“Ugh…nothing, dear,” Nate groaned, patronizing him.
Gabe smacked his arm and warned, “Don’t you ‘nothing, dear’ me.”
“It’s not nice to hit,” Lily scolded.
Immediately, Nate agreed, pushing Gabe’s buttons. “Yeah, it’s not nice to hit. You should say sorry.” Gabe narrowed his eyes at the man.
“I like purple. Can they be purple?” Lily asked.
Gabe and Nate looked at each other and laughed. “Uh, honey, I don’t think…” Nate started to say, but Lily continued to talk over him.
“I think purple would be really pretty. Brandon at school said that his sister’s hair died and now it’s purple.
“You mean, she dyed it,” Gabe corrected as he turned in his seat to look at her.
“Yeah, it died.” Lily stretched her neck and looked out the window. “Are we there yet, Daddy?”
Nate turned the wheel and drove into Esposito’s parking lot. “Yeah, Lilypop, we’re here.”
“Do you think Grammy and Pop are already here?” she asked.
Gabe scanned the cars and spotted Nate’s parents’ car. “Yes, they’re here, honey.” He got out of the truck and opened the back door for Lily. “You should have your boots on, Lilypop,” Gabe said as he picked them up off the floor of the truck. She kicked them off every time she got in her car seat. Once the pink and yellow polka dot boots were back on, Gabe lifted her out of the truck.
Gabe stretched one hand out to Nate and one to Lily, and hands joined, they walked into the restaurant. The sound of voices talking and laughing was coming from the back room, and as they entered, they were greeted with cheers of congratulations.
Brody, Owen, and Jonah came right over, and Brody immediately pulled Gabe into a tight hug. “I thought you guys were right behind us. What took you so long?”
“We had to go back to the courthouse for Lily’s dolphin,” Gabe answered.
Leslie approached the group, squatting down to hug Lily. The little girl had stolen all of their hearts. “Hey, squirt. What’s everyone talking about?”
“Daddy and Daddy G were talking about the colors again,” Lily said, rolling her eyes just like her grandma. “I told them purple is a pretty color.” The group laughed, but Gabe was a little teary.
Daddy G.
Would he ever get used to Lily calling him that? At least without crying? The first time she did, he’d gotten all choked up. Then he had to assure her that they were happy tears, not sad, and that he loved when she called him Daddy G. They’d just filed the papers after the ceremony to make it official. Gabe was going to adopt Lily. They would truly be a family. He’d really be her daddy, and for the rest of his life, he’d make sure she knew she was loved.
“Seriously? Just married and you’re already arguing?” Brody teased.
Gabe turned to Nate and smiled. “There’s no argument. Nate seems to forget that this time around, it’ll be my swimmers winning the race. Regardless of the donor we choose, there’s still a good chance the baby will have my dark hair and my brown eyes.” He kissed his husband, knowing full well that it didn’t really matter to either of them what the baby looked like. The important thing to Gabe…what he couldn’t get over…was there would be someone who was a part of him, his flesh and blood, who would love him unconditionally.
Nate wrapped Gabe in his arms and said, “If he does have dark brown hair and eyes, we’ll love him just as much as we love Lily.”
“Although, unfortunately, honey, it’s not possible for him to have purple eyes.” Gabe bent over and picked Lily up as she frowned.
“A boy?” Jonah asked and all heads turned to Nate and Gabe.
Gabe looked into Nate’s eyes. “We’ve been in the habit of referring to our next child as a boy, but who knows? We’ll be happy either way.” He set his daughter—I have a daughter—back down, and she took off across the room to her grandparents.
Owen gave Nate a horrified look, and jokingly asked, “So, you’re telling me there could be another Gabriel Black in our future?”
“Afraid so,” Nate replied then flinched when Gabe hit him on the chest. “Seriously, though, he or she will be perfect. We’re going through an agency for a surrogate. Who knows? Maybe this time next year we’ll have another member in our family.” Nate cupped Gabe’s cheek, rubbing his thumb back and forth, and placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
“Ugh…there they go again,” Leslie groaned. “Seriously, what’s happening to all the men in my life? All lovey-dovey and shit.”
“Aw, Red, are you jealous?” Owen teased.
“I think she’s jealous,” Jonah added.
“Do you need some lovin’, Red?” Brody said.
“She most certainly does,” Gabe declared, and with that, all five men surrounded her in a big hug.
“Ugh! Too much love!” Leslie said through laughter. “Too. Much. Love!”
“No such thing,” Nate said, before gathering Gabe in his arms and planting a breath-stealing kiss on his lips. The whole room erupted in applause and whistles. “Now, how about we get this party started?”
Gabe and Nate walked over to Nate’s parents first. They were immediately hugged within an inch of their lives by Vicky. She pulled Gabe aside, looked up at him, and with both hands on his face, said,” You were always meant to be a part of this family. The ceremony today made it legal, but you’ve been ours for so much longer. Never forget that, and always know you have a mother and father who love you. We may not be blood, but you’re ours all the same, and we love you just the way you are.” Gabe couldn’t hold back the tears, hearing those words. The words he’d wanted to hear his whole life. You are enough the way you are. All he could manage was a nod of his head as the tears fell. He wrapped her in another hug feeling, for the first time, a mother’s genuine love.
“Okay, Ma,” Nate said, rubbing Gabe’s back. “How about you not make my husband a sobbing, runny nose mess before we make our way around the room?”
Gabe hit the back of his hand against Nate’s stomach. “I am not a mess.” He wiped his tears away using a napkin Nate handed him.
“You’re perfect, pretty boy,” Nate said, giving Gabe a quick kiss.
They each took one of Lily’s hands and started their walk around the room, greeting guests as a true family. It was overwhelming for Gabe as he looked at everyone who had come out today to celebrate the two of them. Max had closed the diner, and Emily and Roger had offered their rooms at the B&B to some of Nate’s extended family for the weekend. This time of year was slow anyway. Gabe realized for the first time how far he’d come in a year.
After they’d cut the cake and each had a piece, Nate went to catch up with his cousin Julie. Gabe stood on the side of the room, taking it all in.
“Still can’t believe it, huh?” Jonah squeezed Gabe’s shoulder and smiled softly. “It’s real. This is all real, and you deserve every second of it.”
“You never did doubt this for me, did you? You might be the only person who truly believed from the very beginning that I could have all this. I didn’t even believe it.” Gabe reached up and squeezed Jonah’s hand that was still on his shoulder.
Jonah shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Owen and Brody. Then he looked at Nate before turning back to Gabe. “I’m a sucker for happy endings.”
“I want you to get your happy ending, Jonah,” Gabe said. “Maybe with a certain shy, auburn-haired man?”
Jonah let out a soft laugh. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“You didn’t give up on me. I say all’s fair.” Gabe smiled at his friend.
“Who knows what this year will bring. Stay tuned.” Jonah winked at Gabe before walking away to join Brody, Owen, and Owen’s family at their table.
Strong arms wrapped around Gabe from behind, and he sank back into that heavenly body he knew so well. “What was all that about?”
“He deserves to be happy. Jonah puts so much faith in others, but I have a feeling he has less faith in himself than he’s willing to admit.”
“You should’ve seen him before I went to Cape Cod to find you. I really thought for a split second there that he was gonna kick my ass.” Nate laughed and nuzzled Gabe’s neck.
“Jonah? That man doesn’t have a violent bone in his body.” Gabe chuckled.
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t mess with someone he loves. I have a feeling he wouldn’t take too kindly to that.”
“Hmm…” Gabe turned in Nate’s arms and kissed him. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself. Only a couple more hours before your parents take Lily for four glorious days, and we are off to the Cape.”
“Why did we decide to go to Cape Cod when it’s still cold?” Nate laughed.
“Because it’s our place now. I’m filling my favorite place with new, happy memories with you. Plus, it’s not like we’ll be leaving our bed at all.”
Nate pulled Gabe closer and kissed his neck. “We won’t?”
“Oh, no. In fact, I’m not sure why we even bothered to pack clothes. I intend on keeping you naked the entire time.” Gabe nipped at Nate’s earlobe.
“And what do you plan on doing to me?” As Gabe whispered his plans in his husband’s ear, Nate said in a low, husky voice, “Oh my Gucci.”