Page 8 of The Boyfriend Gamble

Nita nudged me hard before heading over to receive congratulations from her parents.

I was happy for her, of course. And I knew the father was Rohit, an Indian man she’d been dating seriously for about six months. Or at least, I assumed he was the father. Nita had talked about eventually meeting the guy’s family. Well, as long as he was happy about being a father, that would likely happen sooner rather than later.

And I’d need to find another place to live.

Or maybe Nita would move in with him. Funny, I didn’t even know where the guy lived. I just knew Nita spent about half of her nights at his place.

I removed the pancakes from the skillet, plated them, then put them in the oven. I put on another batch and then started the bacon.

Excited voices chattered behind me, but the words escaped me. I was happy for Nita. Essentially, I was about to become an uncle. Which was pretty fricking cool. But I’d also lose her. Or at least the close relationship we’d shared for the better part of the last twenty-five years…

“Are you okay?”

I gazed up into Cam’s dark eyes. I cleared my throat. “Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

He smiled. Likely with sympathy. “This is going to mean big changes for you. And I get the feeling you didn’t know.”

I shook my head. I looked away to flip the pancakes, then I looked back. “No. But I’m sure she wanted to tell her parents first.” I caught Rohit’s name. And a demand of why they hadn’t met this man before now. I winced. Yeah, glad I didn’t have to answer that one. “I’ll be okay. Really, Cam, I’m happy for her.”

“Okay.” He cocked his head. “I believe you. Now, about what I saw last night—”

“No, Cam. That was private. Between Kade and myself.”

“He’s never been serious about anyone, Tanner. He might hurt you.”

I smiled gently. “I’m a grown man, Cam. A little slow to mature, but if I choose to date Kade, that’s on me.”

After a long moment, he turned to the sink. He washed his hands, and then set about helping me with the bacon.

Tofurkey first, of course.

Kade joined us just as Cam and I set the last of the food on the table.

“Good timing, son.” Rob snickered. “You’re on dish duty.”

“I’m pregnant. And starving. So, let’s eat.”

Nita’s words hit Kade hard. I knew him so well that I saw the poleaxed expression he quickly covered with hugs, congratulations, and all the questions Nita’d already answered. Of all of us, he ate the least.

Since Cam had helped with cooking, and Nita and Donna had headed up to go through the baby things in the attic, Rob and Kade did the dishes.

Cam and I sat across from each other at the kitchen table.

“What’re you thinking?” He pitched his voice low.

“About how much my life is going to change.”

“Can you afford to live in the rental house alone?”

I winced. “Not while trying to save for a down-payment for a place of my own. I got through law school on mostly scholarships and some bursaries. I’ve managed to pay down most of the rest of the debt.”

“Your parents didn’t help you?”

My eye roll had him chuckling.

“Okay, fair. Will you find a new roommate?”

“With housing being tight and the rental market competitive, I should be able to rent out a room. Heck, if I rent out both, that’d be even more money. I could find students from the local university, or even foreign students. This is assuming Nita moves in with Rohit, and not the other way around.”

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