Two hours and at least as many orgasms later, Callum and I finally lay, spent, in the center of his bed, catching our breath from yet another round of earth-shattering sex. For a guy who had never even touched a dick until last night, I sure can’t seem to get enough of it now. Everything about the man currently snoring gently against my chest draws me in, sinking its claws in and not letting go.
His rhythmic breathing is a reminder of the intensity of last night and this morning. It was so much more than just physical; there was a connection, a spark that ignited something within me that I never knew existed. Not until him. But as the sex haze slowly clears from my mind, the questions that have been bubbling beneath the surface roll in.
The clock on the nightstand ticks away, each second a reminder of reality closing in on the little bubble we created around ourselves over the last twelve hours, closing in and ready to make it burst. The question is, will we still be standing when it does, and the dust settles? Will I?
I try to calm my thoughts and live in the moment, soaking up the last few minutes of the quiet with him in my arms before we have to return to the real world outside these four walls. Callum has to pick up Georgie in less than an hour, and I made the excuse of having some errands to run while we talked about our plans for the day between the second round of shower blow jobs and the third round in the bed… or was it the fourth? Either way, I pulled what feels like a chicken shit move and begged off going with him to pick up Georgie. It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with them, because I do, I really do. It’s just that I need a moment to process the tidal wave of feelings that’s taken over my mind and heart.
Twenty minutes later, Callum’s alarm goes off, signaling the end of our little escape and our inevitable return to the real world. We chat easily as we each throw on some clothes and head out to the living room to find the pieces that got tossed around in our rush to get undressed last night. As Callum digs through the couch cushions for his keys, I can’t help but glance at the pictures on the wall—Callum and Georgie laughing on a beach somewhere, another of them all bundled up in full winter gear with a snow-covered mountain in the background, another one that’s clearly in front of Georgie’s school here in Rapids Bay… all of them featuring both father and daughter, arms wrapped around each other, their smiles genuine and infectious. It hits me that this isn’t just about Callum and me; it’s about Georgie too. They’re a package deal, and I need to figure out if I’m ready for all of it.
The chilly morning air greets us as we step outside and exchange a quick, sweet goodbye on the front step of his building. We exchange innocent kisses and promises to see each other later before turning to our cars and heading out. But instead of driving home or accomplishing one of the errands I have been putting off, I find myself driving toward the hardware store a couple of blocks off Main Street. My dad’s shop was like a second home for us boys growing up, and something inside me is longing for the familiar right now… and my dad. Dad has always been the one I turn to when life gets a bit too complicated, and right now, I need his perspective more than ever.
The bell above the door chimes as I push it open and step into the warmth of the shop. Dad looks up from the catalog he was flipping through behind the counter and waves me over with a warm smile.
“Hey Charlie, what’s up?” he asks.
I manage a weak smile as I walk closer. “Hey, Dad. Can we talk?”
He snaps the catalog on the counter closed and gestures for me to follow him into the back. When we get to his office, he flips on the monitor for the little camera he has pointed at the shop door so he can watch people coming in and gestures for me to sit. “Alright, spill. What’s on your mind?”
I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “So, you remember Callum, right?” He nods, patiently waiting for me to get to the point. “Yeah, well, we um… fuck, this is weird to talk to you about…” I say, questioning if coming here was a good idea.
“Spit it out, son. I’ve yet to hear a single thing outta any of the five of you boys that surprises me. Just say what you need to say.”
“Yeah, okay. Fair enough. So, Callum and I spent the night together last night, and I can’t stop thinking about it.”
Dad leans back in his chair, studying me. “And this is a bad thing because?”
“Because it’s never been like this before. I’ve never been with a guy, and now it’s like… I can’t deny there’s something more here, but I don’t know if I’m ready for it.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Charlie, I love you, but you’ve always been the one to leap before you look, take the stupid chance, and hope for the best. So what’s different now?” I open my mouth to respond, but he holds his hand up to cut me off. “Don’t answer that. Just think about it. Look, change is scary, especially when it’s something new. But that’s what makes life interesting. So, spill, what’s the real issue here?”
I glance at the security camera feed and watch a display sign in front of the window flutter in the current generated by the central heat as I sort through my thoughts. “Callum’s an amazing guy, dad. I’ve never felt this way before. But it’s like I’m not just falling for him—I’m falling for his whole life. Georgie’s a sweetheart, and I can’t help but wonder if I’m ready for all of it. I mean, being a part of their lives in a more permanent way, hell, potentially as another dad figure. Am I crazy for thinking about this stuff after just a month?”
Dad leans forward, his eyes serious. “Charlie, you’re overthinking this. Sure, it’s a big step, but you won’t know if you’re ready until you try. Every new parent says that… that you never know if you are ready until it actually happens. You think your mother and I had any idea what we were doing when we had you? You think I felt ‘ready’ when Barbie told me she was pregnant with you? Not a chance in hell. No one is ever ‘ready.’ I promise you Callum wasn’t ready before she was born, but you’d have to be deaf, blind, and dumb not to see how that little girl is the center of his world. And besides, I have seen you with her. You’re amazing with Georgie; she has you wrapped so tightly around her little finger. It’s fucking adorable. Maybe you are looking at this all wrong. What if Georgie isn’t the package the rest needs to fit in, but instead, she just might be the missing piece of the puzzle?”
I nod, taking in his words. “But what if I mess up? What if I’m not cut out for this kind of commitment? I don’t want to hurt them.”
I look up and see a soft expression on my dad’s face as he answers. “Charlie, you’ve never been the type to hurt anyone intentionally. You care about people; it’s what you do. And it’s clear you care about Callum. Just take it one day at a time. But I will tell you this… the fact you are even asking that question and have that worry tells me all I need to know.”
As I sit there, letting my father's words sink in, I realize he’s right. Life is full of uncertainties, and sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith. It may be a big step, but I know I want to take it with Callum and, by extension, Georgie.
Dad and I shoot the shit for a little while longer before I make my excuses and head out, leaving with a promise to bring Callum and Georgie over for dinner again sometime soon. After my heart-to-heart with my dad, I decide its time to confront my fears and stop running away from what I truly want. I drive back to Callum’s place, my mind buzzing with a newfound determination.
Betha is just arriving home with an armload of groceries, and being the good midwestern boy like my momma raised me, I take the bag from her and help her inside… all while being berated that she isn’t an invalid and can do it her damn self. Once inside, I tell her I really just needed an excuse to get in the building and give her a kiss on the cheek and a wink before taking the stairs up to Callum’s apartment two at a time.
Stopping outside his door, I take a deep breath and steel resolve for the conversation I know I want and need to have. I knock and wait impatiently for someone to answer. Are they still not back? Fuck, I should have called or texted first. I turn to head back down the stairs after only waiting a grand total of thirty seconds, even though those were the longest thirty seconds in the history of the world, before I hear the door open behind me.
“Charlie?” Callum asks, and I can hear the smile in his voice before I even turn around. Fuck, just hearing him calms something inside me, helping my head to clear and reminding me why I’m here. I turn back around and offer him a grin and an awkward wave.
“What brings you back? Did you forget something?”
I take a deep breath, looking directly into Callum’s eyes. “I wanted to see you. And maybe spend some time with Georgi,e if she’ll have me.”
Callum’s smile widens, his eyes sparking with a mix of emotions I can’t quite place as he nods toward Georgie, who’s peeking out from behind the door. “What do you say, troublemaker? Want to spend some time with Charlie?”
Georgie’s face lights up, and she hops out from behind the door. She nods enthusiastically, sending her curls bouncing around her head. “Yes, please!”
As we spend the day together—playing board games, making silly faces at one another whenever Callum turns his back, and telling increasingly horrible puns just to make each other laugh—I realize that maybe, just maybe, this is the right step for me. Love, commitment, and a family might not be as daunting as I once thought.
Eventually, the sun hangs low in the sky, casting a warm glow over the three of us as we sit on the living room floor, an intense game of Uno spread out on the coffee table. I steal a glance at Callum, and he catches my eye, a silent understanding passing between us.
Maybe it’s too soon to say the words out loud, but as I look at the makeshift little family in front of me, I can’t help but feel that love has a funny way of finding you when you least expect it.
And as Georgie giggles, her laughter echoing through the room, I know that taking a chance on love, on Callum, on this unconventional family, might just be the best decision I’ve ever made. Life is full of uncertainties, but sometimes, all you need is a little courage and a whole lot of heart to navigate those unknowns and come out the other side with everything you never knew you wanted.