City planner Remy McIntosh is looking forward to spending the holidays with his lover, architect Lane Anders. For the past six months, he’s been planning the perfect getaway -- two weeks in a forest cabin at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains. Remy also has a special gift he can't wait to give Lane on Christmas Day: a wedding ring. But Remy's ex-wife changes her Christmas plans at the last minute, and asks him to take care of their eight-year-old son, Braeden. Remy loves spending time with his son, but balks at the idea of taking a child along on vacation. The main problem is that Braden has never met Lane, and doesn't know his father is gay. Lane is ready to take his relationship with Remy to the next level, and has a secret Christmas gift of his own. Having a young boy along will put a crimp in their plans, to be sure, but Lane wants to be a part of every aspect of Remy's life, and that includes Braden. How will Braden deal with meeting the "other man" in his father's life? What happens when Remy’s romantic holiday for two must also include his son?

Just the Three of Us

“What I got you,” Braden replied. He held up the present, but over Remy’s lap, all Lane could see was the top of the wrapped gift. “See? You’ll love it.”


Remy widened his eyes and made a face that said otherwise. “Someone will love it, anyway,” he said with a nod at his son. Releasing Lane’s foot, he patted his lover’s leg and stood. “Let me put the rest of my stuff away. I don’t want to be the only one living out of a bag for the rest of the time here. Brae, you need to unpack, too.”


“Lane already did for me,” Braden said. He shook something else under the tree; Lane heard the crinkle of wrapping paper.


Remy said, “Stop that. Find something else to do.”


“Da-ad,” Braden whined. “Like what?”


“Like your DS,” Remy countered. “Something that doesn’t involve trying to figure out what everyone got you for Christmas.”


Chapter 40