Who excelled at art.
Who loved to read.
Who was shy until you got to know him.
Assa and Wes’s son.
Ryde.
Who was turning eight in a month.
Who had tawny curls and a cute little mole on his left cheek.
The spitting image of Zinn.
Calder forced the gravel from his throat and gritted out, “Nice to meet you, Ryde.”
“You too.” Ryde leaned further into Assa “Can I get a cookie?” he asked hopefully. Wes pulled out a ten-dollar bill and sent him over to Lolo at the counter.
Calder must not have been doing a great job of covering his shock, because Assa glanced at him in concern. He worked to make his face blank, smiling affably.
Inside, he reeled. The universe was clearly speaking to them. Eight years ago, when he first met Assa, something had tugged at him. He’d known their small interaction was important. He’d just never dreamed how important. And it was only yesterday that Zinn told him about his first son. If not for that, would he have noticed how much Ryde looked like him? Calder watchedthe boy pick out a carrot raisin cookie, marveling again at the resemblance.
He would never keep this secret from Zinn. But what should he do? Ambushing everyone without a plan seemed unwise. There was also the slim possibility that he was wrong. Zinn’s pregnancy was so new, and he’d only committed to trying a relationship with Calder the day before. Would this change things? Would Zinn resent being tied to Calder when Valentin’s child was back in his life?
Calder heard the metal door in the rear of the building slam shut. The delivery team had returned. Head spinning, he rushed over to Lolo. “Can you keep Zinn busy in the kitchen for a few minutes?”
“Sure, boss, why?”
Calder raised his eyebrows and Lolo backed away.
At the Pashuks’ table, Calder said, “We have everything we need here, right?” He did not sit back down.
Wes blinked before replying. “Um, yes, thanks.” Assa studied him quizzically.
Calder walked away and stationed himself behind the counter. He didn’t mean to be so terse with the couple, but he needed them to leave before Zinn accidentally glimpsed Ryde. He had no idea what Wes and Assa knew about their son’s omega birth father. Perhaps they’d catch the similarities between Ryde and the man who was going to make his birthday cake.
Stars! This was complicated.
Calder continued to avoid eye contact. Five minutes later, the Pashuks left.
With the immediate crisis averted, Calder placed his head in his hands. So many lives were about to change.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed through the swinging door into the kitchen. Lolo was giving an obviously-bored Zinn theplay-by-play of his rec league’s latest volleyball game. Calder told the beta he could return to the main room.
Once Lolo was out of earshot, Calder wrapped his arms around Zinn. “How’s your first day back? Job go okay?” He nuzzled the top of his head, hoping the closeness they’d just begun to explore wasn’t about to be upended.
“It went great. The rental company set up the tables wonky, but after we got that straightened out, everything was fine.”
“Thank goodness. I’m not sorry we’re done with that client. He was intense.”
Zinn laughed. “The word you’re looking for isdemanding. But it was a good learning experience. And to answer your question about how coming back has been, this is the first day I can remember where I spent more time thinking about the future than the past.” He rested his hands on his belly and sighed contentedly.
Oh, sunshine.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Assa