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Smiling to myself, I agreed to come. He told me to be there at seven, which wouldn’t be an issue. Not with how excited I would be to tell them both about today.
I put my phone in my pocket and got back to work.
CHAPTER 25
Paxton
Pops was adamant that he couldn’t tell me what was for dinner before Grizzly arrived. Any other time I would have argued the man down, but I kind of liked the idea of not being in the know. It gave me and Grizzly something to bond over.
It would be the first time Pops and Grizzly were together since Pops found out about Grizzly’s diagnosis. Knowing my father, he wouldn't say anything about it. I had no doubt he would be observant, though. He'd want to keep his eyes open for anything Grizzly might need. While I never wanted to think of my pops as kinky, he had all the makings of a proper Daddy.
Grizzly arrived right on time. I pulled him close, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my lips to his. He melted against me, giving me some of his weight, and I loved it. I was strong; built to keep up with a grueling sport. It was nothing to take on some of him.
My boy buried his face in my neck. I shivered as my cock hardened. It took everything I had to pull myself away. I couldhave stayed buried against him for hours, but my pops's singing in the kitchen picked up a notch, his voice going slightly off-key. Part of me wondered if maybe he'd come in to check on us, caught the tender moment, and decided to make himself known.
I wouldn't strip Grizzly bare and take him right there at the front door. I had some self-control. Then again, Iwaspassionate.
Shaking my head, I pulled back and pressed one last kiss to my boy's forehead before leading him deeper inside.
I watched as he took in the interior of my home. He'd never been inside. Seeing him notice all the little quirks of mine and Pops's life was interesting. He appreciated the things I expected him to—all the small figurines and the soft blankets on the couch. Those were fairly new. The minute I understood he preferred fluffy and comforting materials, I went a little overboard, both for him and for myself. Pops didn't mind. He thought it was cute that I kept my “boyfriend's blanket” on the couch.
"Pops, Grizzly's here," I called out, even though I was sure he'd heard the doorbell.
Pops's singing cut off, and he shuffled through the doorway of the kitchen. His smile grew as he tossed his dish towel over his shoulder and spread his arms. "Grizzly, my boy, come here and give me a hug."
Grizzly peered over at me, eyes wide. I smiled, nodding softly. "Go ahead, baby. He means it. If you don't go to him, he'll come to you."
He shuffled right on over into Pops's arms. Watching the two of them hug was a treat. Grizzly closed his eyes, though he didn't sink against Pops the same way he did with me. Pops, for his part, squeezed him tight, head leaning against Grizzly's. I couldsee his lips moving as he whispered something I couldn't make out. I didn't need to worry. Pops was probably reassuring him that he was happy he'd come for dinner, and maybe even making a joke about me.
Sure enough, in the next second, my boy's shoulders shook as he giggled softly.How precious.
Ugh. I needed to get myself together. No crying at dinner. I could save that for later, when I was alone and didn't have my pops’s teasing or Grizzly's concern. My boy would probably panic if I started crying, even if they were happy tears.
"Are you finally going to tell us what we're eating?" I asked when the two pulled apart.
Pops smirked. "I'm surprised you haven't picked up on the scent. Usually your nose is better than this."
I closed my eyes, doing as he suggested and taking in the aroma coming from the kitchen. It took only a moment to pinpoint it. I guess I'd been too in my head about Grizzly coming over for it to register.
"Spaghetti tacos," I murmured.
"Spaghetti tacos?" Grizzly repeated.
Pops threw an arm over his shoulders. "Yep. A family favorite. My wife came up with the idea one night after seeing it on a show. We tried it out, and the rest is history."
He shimmied his shoulders, which made Grizzly laugh even more. The way my boy's entire body dropped, like the stress of the day left him all at once, made every corny joke worth it. I'd listen to a million more of them so long as Grizzly was happy.
We went into the kitchen, where Pops unveiled his pots full of meatballs and pasta with a homemade sauce. I knew from experience that it was pretty spicy. Thankfully my boy didn't seem to mind. In all the meals we'd eaten together, he'd always been fine.
I helped make Grizzly's plate while Pops got his drink in order.
Pops gave him a sports water bottle to drink out of and nearly had me falling over. It was the adult-size equivalent of a bottle. Whether Grizzly realized it or not was anyone's guess, but he lit up the moment he had it in hand and began gulping it down like he hadn't had anything to drink in days.
Pops didn't laugh, though his smile told me he was quite tickled.Same, Dad. Same.
Once we were all plated up and at the table, Pops did what he did best—he talked. In the time it took us to eat our tacos, I learned even more about my boy than I had known when he arrived. His favorite movie and musical were at the top of the list, because those things were important to Pops. My old man even managed to get details about Grizzly's family, a feat I hadn't explored much beyond the surface level.
As Grizzly explained how his parents were distant, how they had judged him his whole life, and how he never managed to fit what they expected, my heart broke. His voice trembled as he spoke.
