Page 15 of Dax (Big Hot Alphas 1)

“You know what?” my mom says. “We should have Dax over for dinner tonight. I think that would be nice. What do you think, Ian?”

I hold my breath as I wait for my dad’s answer. He scratches at a spot above his eyebrow with his thumb, then clears his throat and nods.

“All right,” he says. “Sounds fine.”

Chapter Six

Dax

I’m ankle-deep in sawdust and wood shavings when my phone rings, but I’m in such a zone that I ignore it at first.

I’ve been putting all my focus and energy into the bookmatched table for the last couple of days—from cutting the tabletop down to its final dimensions to chiseling off the bark to going over it again and again with the router to even out the surface. Once I get the tabletop nice and flat, I’ll sand the hell out of it, then stain it, seal it, and build and install the base.

The longer I’ve been working on this table, the more I’ve come to understand why I’ve been obsessing over making it perfect.

This is a table for us. For Bailey and me.

It’s the table our future children will sit around.

The phone rings again and I force myself out of my thoughts. I step away from the table to answer it.

“Hello, Dax,” says Alice.

“Alice,” I say. “Hi.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

I glance at the table. “No, it’s fine.”

“Good,” says Alice. “I’m calling because we’d like to have you over for dinner tonight. If you’re available, that is.”

“That sounds nice.”

“Wonderful,” she says.

She sounds cheerful, but I catch something else in her voice, too.

“She told you, didn’t she?” I say.

There’s a beat of silence on the line.

“Yes,” Alice says. “She did.” She lowers her voice. “To be honest, Dax, I think it’s going to take Ian a little while to get used to it.”

“And you?” I ask.

“Well…I’m not going to lie. I was surprised when Bailey told me. But when I looked into my daughter’s eyes, I saw how much she truly cares about you, and I felt reassured. Besides, it’s not like we don’t know you, Dax. You’re notjustour neighbor. You’re a friend. And if you and Bailey have found happiness with each other, then by all means, of course you should be together.”

“I appreciate that, Alice.”

“So we’ll see you for dinner, then?”

“You will.”

It feels like déjà-fucking-vu,going over to Alice and Ian’s place again that night.

Everything’s different though, now, of course.

When I see Ian for the first time that evening, I give his shoulder an easy squeeze.

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