Page 13 of The Boyfriend Gamble

Then, all at once, he collapsed on me.

As I held him for the longest time, I knew I’d found my heart.

Epilogue

Tanner

MonicaTanysNelsonShahmade her way into the world on Valentine’s Day. She was tiny, wrinkly, disgruntled, and beautiful.

Kary Cameron Nelson Shah was just as cantankerous as his older sister. Younger by a whole eight minutes, he was no less demanding of everyone’s attention.

Kade held Monica while I held Kary.

Nita cuddled a rather emotional Rohit. Even now, hours after the birth, he still kept tearing up. Labor had been rough on Nita, but she’d borne it like the trooper she was, and had popped out two perfect babies.

Donna and Rob had already visited, and Cameron planned to drop by just before the end of visiting hours.

I was exhausted after a long day in court, but holding my nephew buoyed me greatly.

Kade caught my eye. He waggled his finger with the ring I’d placed there at Christmas. A nice quiet ceremony in the snow-covered backyard at the Nelsons’ with just a dozen close family and friends. Nita as my matron of honor—with one massive belly—and Cameron as best man. A month later, Kade and I had quietly moved into a house of our own. With our combined salaries, we qualified for a decent mortgage.

Finally, we’d started talking about how to start our own family.

My husband had all kinds of baffling suggestions.

My response was that we should take our time. Settle into the marriage and house first. As I gazed at him holding Monica, I knew the conversations would pick up again very soon.

He never did like to be outdone by his younger sister.

“Okay, you two, I need some rest.” Nita yawned.

I was on my feet immediately, handing Rohit the baby. He laid his son in a crib next to Nita’s bed.

Kade was slower to his feet.

“You need a hand?”

He met my gaze. “I want one.”

I pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I know you do, sweetheart. We’ll look harder, okay? Remy said there’s a woman who used to work in social services, Alessandra MacLean. She might be able to guide us.” I’d discovered that someone always knew someone. And adoption or fostering felt like it might be the right option for us.

Rohit eased the baby from Kade’s arms.

I pulled him against me and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “You’ll get to see these two all the time, I promise. Practice.” I’d expected to be emotional, and I was, but I hadn’t expected Kade to be so…moved.

We waved goodbye to the family and headed out.

In the snow-covered parking lot, Kade pressed me against his freezing SUV. “I love you. I really, really love you. I thought loving you might be a jeopardy, but it turned out to be the best decision of my life.”

“Same here, sweetheart.” I pressed a kiss to his lips. “Let’s go home so I can prove to you just how much.”

We made love long into the night and adopted our own daughter with special needs three months later.

The Boyfriend Arrangement

A Mission City gay romance novella

Gabbi Grey

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