Page 29 of Greedy Grizzly
“Of course. You’re who I came for, anyway.” I winked at my sister and gave my nephew a zerbert on his chubby cheek. Dang, I loved these babies. They were the cutest ever, and the best part was I could hand them back when I’d had enough.
“Yeah, right.” Maddy laughed, tossing her head back. “Don’t lie to me big brother. I know you’re hot for Libby and with Grizzly gone, you can have her to yourself until he returns.”
“I’ll be in my office with Birdie if you need us,” Storm said. “Doing those color-by-numbers books she likes.”
My eyebrows shot up. Storm colored?
“Not one word,” he growled. “She loves them and I love her. Enough said.”
“Man, never thought I’d see this day.” I admired him a little more than before.
Maddy turned to face me and whispered. “He’s the best father in the world, sans his potty mouth.”
“Well, nobody is perfect.” I shrugged.
“He is to me, but don’t tell him that. He’s already cocky enough.” She laughed. “What’ll you have? Coffee? Iced tea? Beer? Water? A Coke?” She went behind the island in the kitchen, while I took a seat at the table with my buddy, Chase.
“What? No sparkling water?” I teased her as I studied the little dude. His hair was dark brown like Maddy’s and Storm’s. His chubby cheeks reminded me of Tommy’s. My mom kept a photo of my deceased brother, about the same age as Chase, in the living room. The resemblance put an ache in my chest.
“We have it in the bar.” Maddy’s voice tugged me out of my thoughts.
“Plain old water is fine. Do you think his eyes will stay blue like yours?”
“I doubt it. All the Knight men have gray eyes, and I’m okay with that.”
Of course she is. My sister was the most accepting and easy going person I knew. And why I hadn’t told her I was bi was beyond me. No better time like the present…
“Maddy?”
“Yes?” Her back was toward me as she filled a glass with ice.
“I’m bisexual.”
She froze for a split second. If I wasn’t watching her like a hawk, I’d have missed the hiccup of time. “Okay. Would you like a slice of lemon in your water?”
“Sure. But did you hear what I said?”
“Yes, I heard you.” She turned around and brought my drink to the table. “If that’s how you plan to tell our folks, just lowering the boom with no buildup, you’d better have a medic on standby to resuscitate them.”
“Not a good way to come out of the closet, aye?”
“Worst way ever.” She hugged me around the neck. “I love you, Toby. No matter who you do.”
“I appreciate that. Somehow I think I knew you’d feel that way, but I still couldn’t tell you until now.”
“And why are you choosing now?” She sat in the chair next to me, and acceptance poured out of her like a river.
“Because I’m unemployed and need a place to stay.”
“Okay, wow. You’re full of surprises today.” She took a gulp of her Diet Coke. “You can stay for as long as you want.”
“I have one more surprise and it might make you take back your generous offer.”
“You’re on a roll, so just tell me.”
“I want to be with LibbyandGrizzly. And not like a threesome where Grizz and I keep Libby between us. I want him in the middle.”
Her mouth dropped. “That’s an image I never thought I’d have.”
