His parents had been surprised and delighted to learn he’d reconnected with Micah. He hadn’t dropped the boyfriend bomb yet—mostly because he and Micah were taking things slow for the kids’ sake. Outside of Tabby and his closest friends, Daniel hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else either. Once the kids had been told, Daniel would tell the rest of his family, but there’d been so many changes lately, he didn’t want Nate and Gretchen to know until he was certain he and Micah were in it for the long haul.
“You look really happy,” Tabby whispered to him as Daniel affixed a star to the top of the artificial tree. The kids had run off to snag some cookies from their grandmother. “I haven’t seen you smile this much in a while. Every time he laughs, your face lights up. It’s like this automatic response, and it’s adorable.”
Heat suffused his cheeks, and Daniel ducked his head to hide the unexpected blush.
Tabby nudged him. “Hey, don’t be embarrassed. I don’t think anyone else will notice. But I know you. I know how you look when you’re in love.”
Daniel glanced up, stricken, to find her smiling at him gently. “Tabby.” His stomach twisted. “I don’t—we’re not—”
Tabby yanked him into a hug before he could finish. The smell of her perfume wrapped around him, easing the tension in his shoulders. “I’m not upset. I’m happy you’re happy, Daniel. I want this for you.”
Daniel puffed out a tremulous breath and held her close. “We haven’t talked about it. I mean...it’s so early.”
“When you know, you know,” Tabby said, her voice muffled against his chest. “We knew right away, didn’t we? And even though we’re not together anymore, I wouldn’t change a thing. Would you?”
Daniel shook his head. “Of course not.” Tabby was one of his soul mates. Someone meant to be in his life, always. He’d never regret their time together.
Tabby rubbed her hands up and down his back. “Come on, then. Let’s go see if they need help with the food.”
She pulled away, and Daniel took a moment to collect himself before following her into the kitchen.
Micah was in the middle of cutting sweet potatoes for his mom’s traditional casserole. He grinned at Daniel, his auburn bangs shadowing one eye and his face flushed pink from the warmth of the room. The color made his freckles stand out more vividly, and the pang in Daniel’s chest as he noticed proved Tabby right. He was falling in love with this man, his childhood confidant, his friend and playful lover. Micah was easy to love, and Daniel’s heart had no restraint, no concept of doing things by halves.
“Have a cookie,” Micah said, tilting his head toward the tray. “We just frosted them.”
Gretchen held one out to him. A smear of white icing gleamed at the corner of her mouth. “Here, Daddy.”
Daniel took the cookie and bit off the head. Sweetness and spice flowed over his tongue. “Mmm. Delicious. Best gingerbread man I’ve ever had.”
“Gingerbread person,” Gretchen corrected him. “Not just men. Girls can be cookies, too. Right, Mr. Micah?”
“Just Micah is fine, Gretch,” Micah said, chuckling. “And, yes, absolutely.”
Daniel spread his hands. “I stand corrected. This is the best gingerbread person ever.”
Gretchen nodded sagely and reached for another cookie.
“How many of those have you had?” Daniel asked before she got her sticky fingers on one.
Gretchen pouted. “Only three.”
“Three is enough for now.” Tabby put a hand on Gretchen’s dark curls. “You don’t want to spoil your dinner, right? And we need to save some for Santa, don’t forget.”
“Yeah!” Nate declared. “If we don’t leave him cookies, he won’t leave us presents. I want presents.”
“Let’s go get you two cleaned up,” Tabby said, steering them both out of the kitchen.
Micah looked over his shoulder. Daniel followed his gaze to where his mother was busy stirring something on the stovetop. Micah turned back to him, stepped closer, and murmured, “You know, there’s another ginger man you can eat later, if you like.”
Daniel choked on the bite he’d just taken. A chunk of cookie went down the wrong pipe, sending him on a coughing fit.
Micah pushed a bottle of water into his hands and pounded him on the back in between laughing apologies.
“I’m sorry,” he said while Daniel wiped his leaking eyes. “That was some bad timing on my part.”
“It’s okay,” Daniel rasped. A few more rounds of throat clearing finally dispelled the urge to cough his lungs out.
“Are you all right?” Mom asked, her voice bright with humor. “I’d come check on you, but Micah seems to have everything under control over there.”
Daniel’s eyes widened. Had she overheard Micah’s comment?
Whatever expression Daniel wore on his face started Micah laughing again. His cheeks were positively rosy at this point.
“Sorry,” Micah whispered. “I’ll dial back the inappropriate comments.”
“No need to do that on my account,” Mom said, and Micah’s face went even redder.
Daniel turned to meet his mother’s gaze. She looked amused but unsurprised, and best of all, delighted. Just one morning and she’d seen right through them. And while Daniel’s parents had always been liberal in their voting and huge supporters of marriage equality, Daniel hadn’t expected her to be quite so pleased at her discovery.
Relief made him smile, which prompted her to cross the kitchen to pat his cheek.
“Don’t worry, honey. My lips are sealed.” She mimed zipping her mouth and tossed away an imaginary key. “Honestly, I’d been wondering since you first told us you’d found each other again, but the joke confirmed things.” She giggled. “Keeping things quiet for the kids, I take it?”
Daniel nodded. “For now. While we see how things go.”
“Seems fair.” Mom hugged him briefly before going back to stir whatever was in her pot.
And that, apparently, was that.
* * *
After an early dinner, they settled in front of the television to watch Elf, one of the kids’ favorite Christmas movies. They migrated out to the terrace once it was over, and Daniel got the firepit going. Tallulah and Sephie plopped down next to it to savor the heat, the way they did with sun patches at home. Kiki chose her usual spot on Tabby’s lap. Rocket cuddled up between Nate and Gretchen, resting his black-and-white head on Gretchen’s knee. And Petey, who’d taken a liking to Micah since he’d started spending the night at Daniel’s place, flopped onto his back next to Micah’s thigh to beg for tummy rubs.