Rowan’s cheeks pinkened a bit. “Look, it was six very long weeks followed by averylong flight. We did the best we could, but promises had to be made.”
Fuck it. Jordy pulled him into another hug, briefer this time. He let go before Rowan could respond. “Just shut up and tell me your order.”
They ate in the car. It was rented on the Orcas’ dime anyway; what did Jordy care if the company charged them a cleaning fee? He even got everyone a McFlurry for dessert. Ice cream seemed called for. Jordy was celebrating having his family together again, even if only temporarily. Rowan might not love Jordy the way Jordy loved him, but he loved Kaira. That was enough.
It would have to be enough.
By the time Jordy pulled into the garage, his McFlurry was half melted, Kaira had talked his ear halfway off, and his heart felt full.
He put the car in Park, not missing Rowan’s raised eyebrow.
“No butler in this place,” he said apologetically.
“I like it,” Rowan said. “More house, less fortress.”
They brought the bags in while Kaira ran inside, too excited to wait for them. “Take your shoes off!” Rowan reminded her before Jordy could get the words out.
When Jordy turned to look at him, he hunched his shoulders sheepishly. “Sorry, I should let you—”
Jordy shook his head and nudged open the door with a suitcase. “You should quit worrying about it. You’ve basically been her parent for half a year. More than I have.” It hurt to say, but not more than it hurt that it was true in the first place. “I’m not going to get upset about it.”
Rowan set Kaira’s bag down in the entryway. “Well, that’s good to—” He cut off as he looked around. “Wow.”
Jordy didn’t realize what he meant until he put down the bag he was carrying and lifted his head to look around.
“Uh.” Jordy remembered buying Christmas decorations. He remembered putting up the tree and hanging the stockings.
He did not remember hiring half a dozen psychotic reindeer to deck his halls with brightly lit evergreen boughs, ribbons, and candy canes.
“You really went all out,” Rowan said.
“I really didn’t,” Jordy said. After another moment of looking around, he found a red-and-green sticky note on the back of the front door.
Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal!—RW & Co.
Rowan read it over his shoulder. “Friends of yours?”
“My captain.” Smiling, Jordy stuck the note in his pocket. Ryan didn’t even celebrate Christmas. He did loveHome Alone,though. Which was weird because that movie was older than he was.
Jordy was just thinking he’d have to send Ryan something nice, not as a Christmas present but maybe for New Year’s, when Rowan looked up.
Jordy followed his gaze.
Someone had hung a sprig of mistletoe from the chandelier. Ryan definitely hadn’t done that himself; the foyer ceiling was twelve feet high.
Rowan cleared his throat and took a step back. Jordy let the moment break. What he had was enough, he reminded himself.
“Daddy! Rowan!” Kaira careened back toward them, beaming. “Look! It’s so beautiful!”
Jordy swept her up in his arms and planted a half-dozen kisses all over her face. “It’s just for you, peanut.”
“Can we see my room?”
Jordy gave them both the tour, starting with Kaira’s room, which Ryan and whoever “& Co.” was had also decked out in fairy lights. Jordy had ordered a complete set of the Winnie-the-Pooh plushies for her bedroom, because a parent with a guilty conscience shouldn’t have access to the internet and a major credit card. He wasn’t supposed to paint the walls in the rental, but he’d picked up some colorful decals and applied those—Disney and storybook characters and a giraffe that doubled as a growth chart.
And on the bedspread—
Kaira gasped. “Daddy, it’s an armadillo!” She flung herself onto the bed and starfished against the giant cartoon animal, hugging it.
