Page 15 of Wanted: Unwavering Daddy

After we’d stopped peppering him with questions, Toby said, “Okay then. Next up would be Dylan.”

“Excuse me,” Hayden said.

Nigel waved him off. “We already know your news.”

“Not all of it,” Hayden said.

“What else have you got?” Luca asked.

“We’re buying a house, too.”

Another round of congratulations and applause went around the table.

“What about you, Nigel?” Levi asked.

Nigel ducked his head bashfully. “I’m opening a storefront.”

“No way”, Levi said. “That’s fantastic news, man.”

We talked about the location and some ideas he had, which took us back to Toby, who told us the location he was looking into. Then it was Dylan’s turn. He held up his hands. “I already told you my big news. More school for me.”

“I think that’s great, though,” Archie said, leaning into him.

“What about you, Archie? Tell them your news,” Dylan said.

Archie’s face went red, but the smile trying to burst out on his face was obvious. “Zachary and Avi have decided that Zachary’sgoing to stay home with their twins. So I’ll be one hundred percent in control of the thrift store from now on.”

“Your dads must be so proud,” Kenny said.

Archie nodded. ‘Yeah, they are. Dad thinks it’s cool that he works at the police station with Hutch, and that I’ll be working with Pops.”

Julian snorted. “Don’t lie. You think it’s pretty fabulous, too. The whole family does.”

“I do,” he admitted.

“Why don’t you tell them about your dad’s big accomplishment, too,” Julian suggested.

If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I wouldn’t have thought it was possible. Archie’s smile grew impossibly wider, taking over his whole cute little freckled face. “My dad, Marcus, if you don’t know who’s who, just made detective.”

A roar went around the table. Of course we all knew who his fathers were, and they were both stand-up guys. It was always great hearing about good things happening to good people.

Oz, our favorite bartender now that Levi had moved on, sauntered over to our table, throwing a towel over his shoulder. “I love you all. I promise. But if you’re too loud, I’m supposed to call your Daddy”—he pointed at Indie—“and your Daddy”—he pointed at Levi—“and since they’re my bosses, I’ll throw you under the bus so fast your head will spin.”

Chip snickered. “No you won’t, but we’ll tell them you tried.”

Oz grinned, put his hands together before his nose, and bowed at him. “That’s all I ask,” then he wandered away.

“Welp, I guess it’s my turn,” Levi said. “I just found out I have my own classroom after Christmas break.”

“Hey,” Dylan yelled down the table. “I thought you’d have to sub a year or two before they’d find you your own room in the district you want?”

“Me, too, man. But they have a teacher who’s decided that once she goes out for maternity leave, she’s not coming back. It’s her third child, and she wants to stay home for a few years.”

“That’s really great,” Indie said.

“Thank you. I’m pretty excited.”

“Okay, I want to hear Julian’s news,” I said. I already knew it. He’d told us the other day after I told them my and John’s insta-love story, but he’d sworn us to secrecy.

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