The Teddy Bear Club Read online

  Dev watched them go. “Maybe I should be happy all U does is cry, eh?”

  “And she’s only nine. It gets worse.” Aiden shuddered dramatically.

  “She does have two lawyers for parents,” Zack pointed out.

  “Poor thing.” Dev winked, eyes twinkling.

  “No sh… sugar.” Argh.

  Dev laughed again, and Aiden decided he really liked the sound of it, bright and full of light.

  “I know, right? You spend a lifetime working on your best foul language and then bang, kids.” Not that Aiden would trade his girls for being able to swear.

  Dev’s chuckles continued. “Yeah, that’s it exactly. Can I buy you another coffee? After all, you sacrificed one of yours to me.”

  “That would totally be acceptable, sir.” He grinned and waved to Jeannette, the barista. “My new good friend here is going to buy me another.”

  “You got it, Mr. Lake. Does your daughter need anything?”

  “Linds is fine, honey. She’s playing with the twins.”

  “I’ll have a lemonade this time.” Dev handed over a couple of bills.

  “You got it. I’ll bring it around.” She looked at the plate glass windows. “Looks like that storm’s gonna hit soon.”

  Dev checked it out. “You guys think it’s going to be bad? U and I haven’t weathered a storm together yet.”

  “Well, I’m going to insist that you and Aiden hang out for a while, huh?” Zack told them.

  “I will hang out for at least as long as you keep U sleeping.”

  Zack hugged Dev’s kid tight. “Yeah, no problem there.”

  Jeannette brought their drinks, and they waited till she’d gone again before picking them up and having sips.

  “So how do you like being a dad?” Dev asked after taking a long swig.

  “I….” Aiden stopped, pondering all the various answers to that, because Jesus, there were a lot. “Which answer do you want?”

  “Uh… the right one?” Dev grinned and shrugged. “I’m just starting out, and it seems like this impossible task. So how do you like it? How do you deal?”

  “I deal because I love them. I mean, it’s hard, and sometimes I feel like crying, like I’ll never get laid again, like I’m never not going to smell like baby formula.” Aiden sipped his coffee, loving the burned-sugar flavor. “Then again, Linds calls me Daddy and it’s real, and I love her because she’s my little girl.”

  Dev looked a little misty and smiled. “Good deal, man. I’m going to remember that when he’s got me awake all night. And I hear you on the getting-laid thing. Though to be honest I wasn’t exactly racking up the bed partners before I got him.”

  “No? I, uh, well, I had a guy. He wasn’t into the family life.” Hank had been very clear, honestly. Very.

  “That’s too bad that he couldn’t stick it out with you.” They were all quiet for a moment, like the moment of silence at a funeral. A moment of silence for his lost relationship.

  “It’s okay. He couldn’t suck worth a… sugar.”

  Dev looked shocked for a second, then joined Zack in more laughter.

  “I’d kill for a BJ right now. It’s been way more than the three months that I’ve had U,” Dev admitted.

  “My twins are six. Six. Twins. Six.” Zack said it like it trumped them both, and Aiden guessed that it did.

  Dev groaned. “Don’t tell me things like that. I have to hold out hope that I’m still going to meet attractive guys who aren’t going to run screaming when they learn I have a kid.” Dev might have been answering Zack, but his gaze was on Aiden when he said it.

  “At least you only have one. I have two.”

  Zack patted his own chest. “Guys. Twins.”

  Aiden rolled his eyes. “Yes, Zack. We know, and you want another one. Weirdo.”

  “I have to admit, that does sound rather insane, Zack.”

  “You two don’t appreciate what you have.”

  “We have what we have twenty-four seven,” Dev countered. “They’re easy if you’re holding them for twenty minutes and that’s it.”

  Zack snorted. “Twins. From birth. I know.”

  Dev glanced over. “Did you raise them all alone?”

  Zack shook his head, and Aiden reached over, took his buddy’s hand, because he’d been here. He knew. Watching Steven’s death had been hell on earth.

  “He passed away eighteen months ago. Liver cancer. It was quick, brutal.”

  “Oh God. I’m sorry—I didn’t know. Damn.” Dev looked stricken.

  “You couldn’t have known,” Zack told him.

  “No. It’s okay.” Aiden smiled at his friend and added, “Zack made it.”

  “I did, and so did the girls. Together we’re figuring it out.”

  “That’s great, man. Really.” Dev took a long drink from his lemonade, head tilted back, throat working.

  Aiden shot Zack a grin, then leaned to check the girls. Linds was curled up on one of the booths back there, holding a dolly and dozing, blinking slowly as she watched the older twins play.

  Zack chuckled. “It’s hard work to be three.”

  “Very.”

  “It’s hard work being any age,” Dev suggested.

  That increased Zack’s chuckles. “Yeah, I suppose it is at that.”

  “I don’t know. Six months old seems to be pretty decent for this one.” He hadn’t gotten custody of Linds until she was two, so he wasn’t sure if that was just Bee or all six-month-olds.

  “Not my boy. I mean he’s not quite five months yet, but he’s pretty miserable a lot of the time. Colic is hell.” Dev leaned toward Zack and rubbed Unicorn’s back, the look on his face soft and loving. Dev might complain, but clearly he was all-in with the kid.

  “Yeah. Yeah, I can’t imagine.” That had to totally suck. Aiden’s girls were, for the most part, easygoing, peaceful.

  “I keep telling myself he’ll grow out of it, that we’ll figure it out. Sometimes I even believe it.” Dev grinned. “I don’t mean to be maudlin, but I don’t usually have anyone to bitch to.”

  “That’s why we’re here, right? Coffee, companionship, and comfort.” The three Cs.

  “Yeah, that’s great.” Dev pulled his phone out of his pocket. “You mind sharing your number? For when it’s not Tuesday or Friday?”

  “Not at all. I’m up late working, as a rule. I’ll give you my social media info too.”

  “It’s not healthy, you know,” Zack muttered.

  “It was healthy enough when you had me set up the Roasty everywhere, Luddite.”

  “You two have a whole routine going, don’t you?”

  Aiden winked at Dev. “It’s a distraction and it’s easy. Harmless fun.”

  “How long have you known each other?” Dev asked.

  “Eight years? Nine?”

  Zack nodded. “Aiden and Steven were best friends, roommates in university.”

  “That’s a long time.” Dev gave him a sympathetic look. “And I’m sorry for your loss too.”

  “Thanks, man. Steven was a cool guy, like a brother to me.” And so was Zack. A good guy, family, even though they drove each other insane.

  “That’s great. I have to admit, I don’t have a lot of friends who are more than just a handle on the Net. I lost more than my family when I came out, and my job lets me keep to myself.”

  “That sucks, man. Seriously. My folks died in a car accident when my sister was a teenager, but they were totally supportive.”

  “Wow. We’re a sad bunch, aren’t we?” Dev downed the rest of his lemonade. “We should plug in to some game and shoot things. I always find that cheers me up.”

  Zack rolled his eyes, shook his head, then jumped as the thunder rocked, shook the entire building, and five little ones wailed.

  Dev took his boy back, freeing Zack up to go deal with his girls. “Damn. That was loud.” His eyes widened as it began to pour, coming down so hard that they couldn’t see past the windows.

  “Daddy? Daddy
, hold me too! Me too, Daddy!” Linds was shaking, and Aiden grabbed her up with his free arm.

  “Just a storm, honey. That’s all. Just a storm.”

  A bolt of lightning lit up the coffeehouse, followed immediately by a boom of thunder.

  “DADDY!”

  He held her close, forced himself to stay calm. “Wow, that was cool, huh?”

  She sniffled, searching his eyes. “C-cool?”

  “Totally. Wow.”

  “Gotta love a good storm,” Dev added. “Look at all the rain coming down. And the really neat lightning makes everything bright, but only for a second.”

  He nodded and smiled at Dev, grateful the man was playing along, helping out.

  “And did you know that if you count from when the lightning flashes to when the thunder sounds, it tells you how far away the storm is?” Dev asked.

  Another flash lit the place up, and Dev started counting. “One, two—” The thunder sounded as Dev said two.

  “The storm is close, Daddy. Is it going to get us?”

  “Of course not,” Dev answered for him. “We’re nice and dry here in the Roasty Bean. The storm wants to give all the trees and flowers and grass lots of water.”

  “Exactly. Water helps everything grow,” Aiden continued, tickling her tiny body gently.

  She didn’t seem to be one hundred percent sure, but she cuddled into him, obviously willing to let him lead her reaction.

  Dev was watching him with an indulgent look on his face, and he winked over, smiled.

  Dev smiled back. “Look at U—the thunder seems to be calming him.”

  “It does. Have you tried white noise?”

  “No, I haven’t. But that might be the way to go.” Dev looked pleased, face lit up. “That would be awesome if it would help soothe him.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, it totally wou—” The lightning flashed and the lights went out with a pop.

  “Oh fuck,” muttered Zack.

  The twins started crying in Zack’s lap, and that set Linds off, which had Bee crying. Dev’s little Unicorn seemed to still be blissfully asleep.

  “I’ll lock the front doors,” Jeannette said. “Until the lights come up.”

  Zack nodded. “Good idea, hon.”

  There were a few other patrons, all regulars, though. Aiden recognized them by sight.

  “Everyone okay?” Zack asked. “Everyone settled?”

  There was a chorus of agreements and nods, and it was weirdly nice—strangely like being home.

  “Jeannette, let’s give everyone a muffin on the house. I think there were a bunch of carrot ones in the fridge.”

  “You got it, boss.”

  “You’re going to spoil us,” Dev teased. “Breaking out the refrigerated carrot muffins.”

  “It’s what the coffee shop owners of the future do, honey.”

  “Coffee shop owners of the future?” Dev asked, looking bemused.

  “He’s being clever, Dev. Just applaud.”

  Dev clapped his hands gently. “Like that?”

  Zack laughed, and then they were all laughing, even the little girls.

  Zack wandered off with his girls, heading into the back. A minute later, one of his girls came running in. “Look what Daddy found!”

  “Candles. How fun is that?” Dev asked.

  “We’re going to be what, girls?” Zack asked, reappearing with the other twin.

  “Super careful ’cause they’re hot.” The girls spoke in unison.

  “That’s adorable.” Dev watched Zack put a couple of candles on each table and light them…. “It’s also kind of romantic, isn’t it?”

  “I don’t remember romance, honey….”

  “You don’t watch romcoms?” Dev asked. “I adore them—they’re my guilty pleasure.”

  Aiden opened his mouth, and Zack shot him a look. “I have one title for you. No Reservations.”

  “I love that one,” Dev noted. “I’ve seen it… let’s say a few times.”

  “I do too. When I was a teenager I wanted to be a chef so badly.” He couldn’t hack the hours or the yelling.

  “Oh, so you can cook, can you?” Dev looked interested.

  “I like to cook a lot, but I’m not a chef or anything. I just like it, you know?”

  “I see the difference. But it still means you do better than franks and beans on toast.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m making shrimp and grits for supper tonight.” Linds loved grits with a passion.

  Dev’s eyes lit up. “No sh—sugar?”

  “Yeah. You… you like shrimp? I’m making cornbread too.” And he loved cooking for other people.

  “I like shrimp. And cornbread.” Dev gave him a grin. “Would you think I was a jerk if I invited myself?”

  “If I didn’t have enough, yeah, but I bought plenty and I’d love the company.”

  “Oh, awesome. The company is a bigger draw than the food, you know.”

  “Well, it’s not like I don’t have a place for little ones at the house.” Was he doing this? Was he making a date?

  He totally was just having supper with another father, a guy in need.

  “That’s awesome, thanks.” Another flash of lightning hit, followed by a long rumble of thunder. “If we can ever get out of here that is.”

  “It’ll blow over.” He hoped. Otherwise they’d be eating a sugarload of muffins….

  Chapter Two

  DEV wandered around the living room, checking out the pictures, the children’s toys, the comfortable couches. There wasn’t a sharp corner to be seen.

  “This is a nice place, Aiden.”

  “Thank you. I bought it five years ago, and I love the neighborhood.” Aiden gave him a smile, those bright green eyes laughing and warm. “It’s got three bedrooms, which I’m grateful for now.”

  “I bet when you bought it you thought it was bigger than you’d ever really need.” He knew about that. He had a guest bedroom that was now a nursery. It had been that or give up his “den-office.”

  “God, yes. But now I have a kids’ room and a guest room and a playroom in the basement with my office. It worked out.” Aiden nodded toward U and smiled. “He’s zonked out.”

  “I know! Zack’s got the touch. I might have to hire him full-time.” Dev was exaggerating a little bit, but U pretty much cried every night for hours. And the doctors told him it was perfectly normal. Normal, his ass.

  “That, or it might be the storm. You might try white noise. I have a friend online who swears by it.”

  God, how weird, to talk about this stuff with another grown-up.

  “That’s right. Someone mentioned that at the coffee shop. It might even have been you. I’ll definitely have to look into it.” If Dev could get a few solid hours of sleep every night, things would be much easier to deal with.

  “Come on. Let’s put the babies down. Linds is happy with her cartoons, and we can sit.” The rain started up again, the water crashing on the windowpanes.

  In contrast to the miserable day, everything in the house was kid-friendly, the place a little worn but with such a welcoming ambiance.

  “Sounds good to me.” Dev set U down in his stroller and held his breath for a moment. He didn’t cheer out loud when U stayed asleep, but he sure was celebrating inside.

  Aiden’s baby grunted when he put her in her little seat, but that was it. Lucky bastard.

  He sat with Aiden on the couch, and he could smell the guy—clean man and baby powder. He told himself he wasn’t supposed to be noticing that kind of thing. No thinking about how his new friend smelled or how he could feel the warmth pouring from Aiden’s body.

  Aiden sighed softly, but it seemed peaceful, relaxed.

  “If I fall asleep on you, poke me in the ribs,” Dev told Aiden.

  “Fair enough. I’m going to enjoy the rain and the quiet.”

  “Not to mention having another grown-up to talk to. I don’t even know what I have to say, but it feels pretty lonely being a single dad.” He didn’t h
ave scads of friends and didn’t go out a lot, but he still felt alone ever since U had been dropped on him.

  “It does. It’s isolating as hell, especially when you’re gay. Single guys tend to avoid the babies.”

  “Tell me about it.” Dev grinned and leaned back against the couch. “This fatherhood thing sort of swallows you up, doesn’t it?”

  “It does. That’s why I was so grateful to have Zack and Logan. Good friends, good support, and someone to call when you’re going to hang yourself in the bathroom.”

  “Hopefully it’s not going to come to that, but I’m really pleased to be included in the group. They’re definitely going to be highlights of my week. So you design websites, eh?”

  “I do. Mostly commercial, but I maintain a few blogs too.”

  “That’s cool. You mentioned a playroom in the basement. Have you got a gaming system?” He was something of a gamer geek, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it.

  “Yeah, I do. I’ve got a PS4. It’s an easy way to destress and still be here with the kids.”

  “That’s it. I’m lucky that my job is basically playing games and writing about it.” He had a good life, he knew that. It was better now with U in it. Harder. But better. He hadn’t been sure the first couple of weeks, but he believed it now. Of course, there was no guarantee Teresa wasn’t going to come waltzing back and take U away again.

  “What’s your favorite game to play?”

  “The latest one I’ve played? No, not all of them are great. The new Doom is a lot of fun—they’ve done a great job updating it. And Overwatch has a great story. But I’m not just all about the new stuff. Skyrim rocks and you gotta love the Mario games.”

  “Rock on.” They started chatting about games and work and suddenly Linds was standing there. “Daddy, can I have a cookie?”

  Dev glanced at his watch and saw with surprise that it was after five. “What happened to the afternoon?” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so engrossed in a conversation that he’d lost track of time.

  “We were visiting. The babies need to wake up, though, and eat. I’ll get Linds a cookie and a peanut-butter sandwich, and then we’ll feed the little ones before I cook.”

  “Sounds good. I’ve got at least one more bottle of formula in my bag.” He hated the thought of waking U up, but he supposed Aiden was right.