The Christmas Deal

“Hey, Con,” Logan said, putting him on speaker. “Where are you?”

“Just past Auburn, but it’s snowing.” Connor’s voice sounded deeper every time Logan heard it. He was taller than Logan and Seth now, but still a beanpole. “People are driving like they’ve never seen this foreign substance falling from the sky before.” Logan could hear him rolling his eyes, and it made him smile.

Seth snorted. “Sounds about right. Take your time. Be safe. Tell Asher to drive carefully.”

“Yes,” Connor said with a sigh and probably another eye-roll. “He will.”

Seth asked, “You’re sure it’s not out of his way to drop you off?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m sure.” Then Connor’s voice faded as he talked to someone else—probably his buddy Asher. “I’m coming! Just had to call my dads while I have a good signal. Order me a large fries and a root beer, okay?”

Logan’s chest had gone tight, his breathing shallow as he and Seth stared at each other and then back down at the phone on the island.

“Sorry,” Connor said, talking directly into the phone again. He paused. “You guys still there?”

“Yes!” Logan answered too loudly. He cleared his throat. “Thanks for calling. Drive safe. Doesn’t matter if you’re late, okay?”

“Yeah, but it’ll suck ass to miss Aunt Jenna’s turkey.”

“We’ll wait for you,” Seth said, his voice a little hoarse. “Even if it’s midnight.”

“’K. But it really shouldn’t be past seven. Later!”

Logan jabbed the disconnect button and leaned on the shiny counter, flattening his palms. Seth covered one of Logan’s hands with his own and threaded their fingers together.

Logan met his gaze and muttered, “Fuck. Wow.”

His dads.

“Yeah.” Seth blinked rapidly, tears catching on his lashes. “Wow.”

With a creak, the front door opened. “Ho, ho, ho!” Jun called from beyond the sitting room. Boots stamped the mat, voices and activity filling the air, a cold blast already finding its way toward the kitchen.

They hadn’t even noticed the vehicle pulling up. Logan swallowed the lump in his throat and swiped his thumbs under Seth’s eyes before kissing him soundly.

Seth nodded and gave him a shaky smile before going to greet their family with a hearty, “Merry Christmas!”

Logan scooped up his phone and looked at the home screen picture he’d seen a million times—him and Seth in fancy suits in front of the local Unitarian church, friends and the Derwoods surrounding them, Angela Barker and her family too, Connor giving a genuine smile.

The invites to the Marstons had been returned to sender, and Seth had made peace with not trying to contact them again.

Putting the phone in his pocket, Logan said hello as Pop grumbled by, leaning on his walker and making his way toward the great room and the reclining armchair they’d bought specially for him. Seth followed and sat next to Pop, and Logan listened to the rumble of their voices as Seth asked all the right questions to get him talking.

“Coming through!” Jenna carried the big, shiny silver disposable roast pan, foil covering the mound of the turkey. “Trivets!”

Logan quickly slapped down a couple of the big coaster things on the island. “Yes, ma’am.”

She plonked the turkey on top. “You and Seth have the potatoes and squash done?”

“Shit, were we supposed to do that?”

She paled. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m joking, I’m joking.”

She kissed Logan’s cheek. “You little shit. You’d better go put on some decent clothes.” Then she spotted the cake batter. “Are you just baking the cake now? It has to cool before you ice it!”

“It’ll be fine! It took a little longer than we expected to get the rest of the stuff ready. Chill. Have some wine.”

Noah was racing after his older brother, shouting something. Jun told them to cut it out and sighed heavily. “Maybe Ian can drive home later. I need a drink too.”

“Six more years until he can be our designated driver,” Jenna said, pouring herself a glass of sweet white. “It’ll fly by.”

Seth came back and shooed Jenna and Jun into the great room to relax. The fresh smell of the pine tree wafted with him, and Logan inhaled deeply as he pulled Seth into a hug.

“Mmm.” Seth relaxed against him. “We have got to get that cake in the oven.”

“I know. In a minute.”

Seth leaned their heads together. “I’m officially going with polka dots, by the way.”

“But what colors?”

“Red and green.”

Logan chuckled. “You think I got you holiday polka-dot socks?”