Resolution (Mason Family 5)

I swirl my coffee around in my cup. “Guess we don’t always get what we want, huh?”

Coy’s head bows. “You know, I bet Hollis’s parents didn’t expect to lose their kids when they were born.”

“Coy …”

He looks up, his eyes wide and wild. “Wade, what if … what if I can’t do this? What if I can’t be a dad?”

I set my cup down and fold my hands in front of me.

“I’m sitting in this chair for hours on end while Bellamy is in a misery that I can’t stop,” he says hurriedly. “And in a matter of hours, there will be another human being in this world, and I will be responsible for him.”

“It’s a little late to be considering this angle.”

He gives me a look that’s half shock, half glare. “Is that your attempt at a joke?”

“It would be funny if it weren’t true.” I shift in my seat. “But if you’re being serious and wondering if your kid is going to grow up in foster care and come looking for you someday, the answer is no. Mom won’t let that happen.”

He sighs and sits back in his chair.

I mirror his reaction. “I know you must be … I don’t know—fearful? Anxious?”

“What if I fuck this up, Wade? What if I don’t know what to do? What if—”

“What if you’re great at it?”

I want to roll my eyes at my own words. They’re so fucking cheesy. But I don’t know how else to say it.

Despite my hope that he takes this at surface level, he doesn’t. He just sits in his chair with his coffee in his hand and waits as though he expects me to expound on why he’ll be a successful parent.

“Look,” I say, sucking in a breath as I prepare myself for what’s about to come out of my mouth. “I know you must be feeling a number of ways right now. That’s what happens before the biggest events of our life. But you have to back away from all of that emotion and think back to the version of you that got you into this mess—I mean, situation.”

Coy grins.

I shake my head, refocusing. “There was a day, a month, whatever that you were sober and of sound mind, and you made a decision to start a family with Bellamy. Although I can’t fathom why she agreed.” I return his smile. “And now, here you are, about to realize your dreams for a little mini-Coy, and that’s exciting stuff if that’s your thing. It’s apparently your thing since you chose this.”

“Doesn’t mean I’ll be good at it.”

His tone lacks the conviction from earlier. It’s more conversational, more humor me. Even though I very rarely humor anyone, especially my brothers, it’s well after two in the morning, and I’m already here.

So fuck it.

“What’s the most important thing in the world?” I ask him.

“Family.”

“You said that without thinking. No hesitation.”

He shrugs. “What’s there to think about? I’d do anything for you guys. Obviously for Bellamy. For Hollis and Riss.”

“And that’s why you are going to be a great dad.”

He mulls that over, sipping his coffee. If I thought I looked tired earlier, Coy looks exhausted. But there’s a hint of something in his eyes as though he could flip a switch and bust out a marathon.

I do not have that.

“You aren’t going to do this alone,” I say, yawning. “Bellamy is entirely more intelligent than you. You have Mom. And Dad, if you’re being ballsy.”

We exchange a grin.

“You have Holt. Ollie. Boone and he even did something productive and had a child for you so yours has a cousin. And a babysitter in a few years.” I lean back in my chair. “Look at that. Boone being helpful. Wow.”

Coy smirks. “And you.”

“Me? What about me?”

“And I have you.”

I scoff, shoving my chair back. “I’m not the one, Coy. I assure you.”

We stand, straightening our table before heading toward the recycling receptacle. We toss our cups in the bin and then head toward the elevators.

Once we get to the doors, we stop.

Coy looks at me. “Wonder why I called you tonight?”

“Well, the question did cross my mind.”

“Because I knew that out of all of my brothers, you would be the one to tell me the truth.”

I chuckle. “What if I would’ve told you that you were going to suck as a dad?”

“Then I would’ve called Oliver, listened to him tell me you were an idiot, and took his side.”

My chuckle grows louder.

“Thanks for coming, Wade. When I called you, I didn’t expect this, and it means a lot. Truly.”

I take a step back. I don’t want or need his gratitude. He’s family, and short of taking deals that I truly don’t want to touch, I’d do anything for them.

Because that’s what you do.

“It’s fine. No big deal,” I say.