G R A Y S O N

"You've been keeping him from us forever."

I rolled my eyes while passing my son to his grandma. "Mom, he's barely a week old."

"I know." Her eyes twinkled as she looked from me to Gabriel. "I've just been so excited."

Excited was an understatement. When Nessa and I stepped into their house for brunch this morning, my parents were positively giddy. Nessa's family would be along any minute now to also meet Gabriel for the first time.

It didn't surprise me one bit, but our parents all got along great. A little too great, if you asked me. My moms talked way too much about the spicy romance reads that Nessa's mom had gotten them into, and I felt a little bad for what Nessa's dad had to go through whenever they got together without us. Luckily, Ivan had always been good-spirited.

"He's so precious," Maman cooed, peeking over my mom's shoulder to get a glimpse at Gabriel.

I smiled, and then Nessa rested her head on my shoulder as we watched my parents meet Gabriel, and my smile grew even wider.

"Why don't you go sit down?" I whispered, ripping my gaze away from Gabriel to kiss the top of Nessa's head. I've always known Nessa's strength, but damn, it had undoubtedly shone this week. She was exhausted, though. We both were, but I was sure any fatigue I felt was multiplied by hundreds in her. I hadn't pushed an entire human out of me a few days ago.

Nessa shook away my suggestion. "I'm fine."

"Please rest," I urged.

I knew she hated the idea of leaving Gabriel's side, but this was her chance to relax. I mean, I'd been trying my damn best to give her other times to relax, too, but still. My parents would take care of Gabe and fawn over him for as long as we let them.

With a reluctant nod, Nessa moved into the living room, and we both noticed for the first time who was waiting in the armchair in the corner.

A content grin lingered on his face, but it grew into something more when we made eye contact. Clearly, he'd been hanging back to let my moms have the spotlight, but now he leaned forward, standing as Nessa rushed toward him. He enveloped her in a hug, but his eyes smiled at me over the top of her head. After muttering a few heartfelt congratulations, he released Nessa, ran a hand through his gingery hair, and crossed the living room to clap my shoulder.

When I told Julian that I wanted him to meet Gabriel in person, he insisted on flying out here. I insisted on paying for his airfare, and then he insisted on not taking the money. It had been a lot of back and forth, but the most important thing was that he was here in the end.

It had been too short of notice for him to make it for the birth to be there with our other friends at the hospital, but I actually preferred it this way. Because Nessa and I had a special question we wanted to ask Julian—just Julian.

"He's perfect," Julian muttered, looking over my shoulder at Gabriel.

"Yeah," I said absently, also staring at the miniature recreation of Nessa and me in my mom's arms. "He is."

"I see more of Nessa in him, gotta be honest," Julian said, humor in his voice.

"That's why he's perfect," I agreed.

I glanced over my shoulder. Nessa was curled up in the corner of the couch, snuggled under a blanket. I liked that she seemed so much at peace and at home under the roof where I grew up. She'd melted into my family perfectly, and now we were making that family bigger.

The contentment on her face was exactly how I felt, too. This week had been like nothing I'd ever expected or experienced, and it had been undeniably challenging, but this moment...this was a good moment.

"Thanks for coming, man," I said, turning back to Julian.

He shook his head as if to say I shouldn't bother thanking him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Gray. You know that."

I opened my mouth to ask him the important question on my mind and wondered if I should have planned a more elaborate approach. When I'd asked him to be the best man at our wedding, it had been over a beer in the backyard. Afterward, we tossed our football around and went our separate ways. Nothing fancy, but very us.

Before I could say anything or come to a conclusion, though, the front door exploded, and Nessa's family flooded into my parent's living room.

Rory charged at me, and I happily let the teenager nearly take me out. I didn't know how long these moments of playfulness would last now that he was getting older, and I knew I'd miss them.

I caught sight of Piper walking over to Nessa, snuggling beside her while her parents gathered around the baby. Nessa's lips curved, pulling her sister in for a hug.

While I'd miss the youthfulness of Rory, I think Nessa was happy that Piper had matured out of her early teen years. It seemed they were finally coming to a place where they understood each other as people, as young women. And Nessa needed that. Of course, she had Madie and Collins, but she needed her sister, too.

Julian had engaged Rory in a conversation about football, leaving me available to turn my attention to my son, who was being carted away by his grandpa.

From across the room, Nessa and Piper watched as their dad bounced Gabriel. Ivan walked toward the kitchen, his eyes glowing. He touched Gabe's nose, which was Nessa's nose. Which was his nose. There were southeastern European traces all over Gabriel's face, and I could tell it made Ivan explode with happiness.

After all, he'd immigrated over the seas for love, and now that love was expanding through generations.

Rounds of hugs, chatter, and congratulations ensued, and I felt like I was being pulled in a million different directions until I finally stole my son back and returned with him to my wife.

Piper had gotten off the couch a few minutes ago, drawn to Julian and Rory—or, if I had to guess, mostly Julian. I knew my sister-in-law could care less about football, but she sure tried to get in on the conversation.

"It looks like we'll have lots of people willing to babysit," I muttered to Nessa before lowering next to her on the couch.

She put her hands out, her fingers wiggling with an obvious indication that she wanted Gabriel back.

A look of pure adoration and love melted onto her face once she had him in her arms again.

"They'll have to pry him away from Beau if they want to babysit," she said with a chuckle.

"Beau's helping to run a Fortune 500 company while flying his wife around the world to paint portraits for famous people. I'm sure there will be times when he's unavailable to babysit."

"It's Beau," she laughed. "He'll find the time."

"If I lived closer, I would definitely take the best babysitter title from Beau."

Julian plopped down on the couch next to me, grinning over at us. He looked a little relieved to have escaped Rory and Piper. Well, most likely just Piper.

"Do you want to hold him?" Nessa offered, although I knew it pained her to ask after she'd just gotten him back.

Julian nodded, holding out his hands, and Nessa passed our son to my best friend. Gabriel squirmed a bit before settling in, looking perfectly happy to nap in the crook of Julian's arm.

"You look like a natural," I teased him, nudging him with my elbow.

That got a big sigh out of Julian. "Well, my parents started placing babies in my hands at a pretty young age. That's what happens when you have five sisters."

He said it ruefully, but his lips curved as he looked down at Gabriel.

Julian was a natural caretaker. Sure, maybe his parents forced him into it, but he seemed to enjoy it. It was why he'd been such an outstanding captain, why he'd always looked after me like the brother I'd never had. It was why he'd make such a good godfather.

I glanced sideways at Nessa, raising a brow with silent communication.

Should we ask now?

She nodded.

Damn, I should have thought this through more. But it had been a whirlwind to get to this point, and I honestly wasn't sure how people usually asked these sorts of things. But Julian liked simplicity, and I knew he wouldn't want me to make a bigger deal out of it than it already was. I mean, it was a big deal. But it was also pretty straightforward. Nessa and I hadn't needed to consider it for long.

"He's pretty cute, huh?"

Julian chuckled with indents forming on his cheeks as he watched Gabriel. My son's tiny hand reached up, wrapping around Julian's finger. Christ, he was perfect. And so squishable. Loveable.

"He's pretty cute," Julian agreed, giving Gabriel a bounce. He made a mewling sound in response, his mouth opening and closing. I wondered what such a little baby would say if he could. Although I thought I understood him regardless. That sound he was making was a happy sound.

"I think he likes you," I muttered.

Julian's reply was barely above a whisper. "I think I like him, too."

"That's good." I cleared my throat. "It's a pretty important thing to like your godson."

Julian froze. His eyes flew to mine, so blue and clear. He was assessing my expression, trying to see if I was serious.

"If you want him to be, of course," I added.

Because there was definitely some responsibility that went along with it. I knew that. And Julian had a lot on his plate already, but responsibility was what he was good at. He liked being responsible for people, teams, work. At least, that was how he made it seem.

"Of course I fucking want him to be," he said sharply. But beneath his Boston accent, he sounded a little choked. And it was just like Julian to be gruff and soft all at once.

"I want him to be, too," I said, swallowing past the thickness in my throat. "It would mean a lot to me."

Julian looked back at Gabriel, a bit of possessiveness in his eyes. "Means a lot to me too, Gray."

"You can't keep him, you know," I said with a laugh, feeling relieved and elated all at once. I felt Nessa's soft laughter against my neck. She scooted closer, and I felt her head press against mine.

"You can visit whenever you want, though," she said. "And we'll try to get out there more." 

Julian glanced up, eyes twinkling. "Promise me that you'll come to all the New England games. I want to bring this little guy to watch his dad get pummeled by his former roommate."

"Like that's gonna happen," I scoffed. "I know all of Noah's weak spots."

Julian laughed, but his retort was cut off when my mom called for everyone to sit down for brunch.

The smell of one of Maman's delectable brunches lingered in the air, and my stomach grumbled. Julian popped up from the couch, bringing his newly appointed godson with him, and Nessa watched him walk away.

"We're going to have to steal that baby out of his hands, aren't we?"

I nodded. "They can all fight over him for a few hours," I said, kissing her temple gently. "We'll get him back tonight. And then it will just be us again."

"I like us," she said softly.

My gaze swept over her. It was so beautiful watching Nessa become a mother. I didn't think it was possible to love her more than I already did, but this past week...God, there wasn't anything like it.

"I like us, too," I agreed.

|||

Once the dishes were cleared and the conversation had died down to predictions for the football season, Maman pulled me to the side, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears nervously. And I knew before she opened her mouth what she was going to ask.

"He's fine," I said, reassuring her.

Pure relief flooded her expression. "He is? Are you sure? Did they run scans of his—"

"They ran all the tests," I said soothingly. "His heart is healthy."

"Really?"

She still didn't look like she believed it.

"Really." I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her slight frame into my side. "The doctors knew of my history, knew of everything to look for. But they said they didn't find anything we needed to worry about."

"Oh, Gray." A shaky hand raised to cover her mouth. "You have no idea how relieved I am."

"I think I do." I squeezed her tighter. "I think I do."

So fucking relieved.

"We need to celebrate," she gasped, jumping into party mode again. She looked about ready to bake a cake or throw together some other kind of elegant French dessert, even though we were already at the end of our little get-together.

"We're already celebrating," I said with a smile.

This was more than I could have ever asked for.

"No, I mean celebrate."

"Sometimes less is more, Maman," I said with a chuckle. "Sometimes the little things are really big. And this already feels really big. Thank you for hosting today."

"Of course." Her eyes were shiny now as they looked up at me. "I'm so happy for you."

I pulled her in for one more hug.

"I'm so happy, too."

It was an understatement, but sometimes simple words and simple moments were the best at conveying the grandest things.