Page 119 of Except You

It worked for a short time, my mind preoccupied with the need I have for Beau, but then I went back to worrying.

And now, we’re meeting them. I’m seeing the brother I betrayed and bullied growing up. I’m going to his house. I’m going to meet his kids. He’s letting me back into his life, giving me a small glimpse of what I could have, and I don’t want to fuck it up. I don’t want to start all over, not when I’ve made such great strides.

Beau’s hand settles in mine, and he squeezes it gently.

“Oh, Max. It’s gonna be just fine. I’m here. I’m here and this is going to be so good. I just know it.”

I believe him, and yet it does nothing to settle my churning stomach.

Beau stops the car in front of a cute little one-story house in the middle of wide-open land. Not a soul in sight. There are a few drought-tolerant trees scattered around the property and two old Jeeps parked near a large garage. But it’s the cute window boxes filled with flowers and the Big Wheel outside on the porch that make my heart sputter.

Oh my god. It’s happening.

I’m going to see my brother after all these years.

“You’ve got this,” Beau says, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the car. We walk hand in hand up the porch, and Beau rings the doorbell. I’m deathly pale and trembling like a leaf, but there’s no way I can hide my nerves. They’re omnipresent at the moment, and Magnus notices as soon as he opens the door and I immediately hear both squealing children.

My eyes swivel down to him. He was always so much shorter than all of us, but he looks good, in his jeans and an oversized shirt. His hair is a little longer than I remember, but for the first time in ages, I’m seeing him happy.

He looks so fucking content.

“Good god, Max. Are you alright?” he asks, and when I shake my head, my eyes watering, Beau wraps his arms around me and squeezes.

“He’s not sick or anything. He’s just been so nervous about this.” Beau lowers his voice and leans forward. “He doesn’t want to mess up.”

“Oh,” Magnus says as he chews on his lip. “Well, just don’t be a dick and we’ll be fine.”

“Daddy said the D word! That’s a bad word, Daddy!” Kieran shouts, and I feel my lips quirk up despite my nerves.

Magnus rolls his eyes and opens the door for us wider.

“It’s a bad word sometimes,” he corrects and then nods for us to come in. “Dinner won’t be ready on time. Because of the kids, but it’s fine. I do have drinks. Do you want anything?”

He leads us through his house, not really showing us around, but I can’t help but take it in anyways. The floors are a wide-planked light wood and the walls are painted gray. There are hand-drawn pictures everywhere, and my heart warms at the sight. These kids are so goddamn loved. We pass by a small living room where couches sit on top of a brightly colored rug and then move into the kitchen where I find Sem standing with both kids, Lucy on his hip and Kieran on the granite countertop, something purple smeared across his face.

“Sem, honestly. Do not let him eat all the blueberries. You remember last time? His poop was blue.”

Sem shrugs. “Was pretty cool. Maybe next time we can make it green, huh?”

Kieran squeals and pumps his fist as Lucy grins widely. “Green poop!”

Magnus chuckles and then shakes his head. “Sorry about them. My heathens. The lot of them.”

Magnus climbs a step stool and grabs two glasses from the cupboard as I fight back tears. I can’t tear my eyes away from his kids. They’re so damn cute. Better than the pictures. It’s making my heart pinch.

My niece and nephew.

I’m an uncle.

I blink and sniffle, the sound causing Beau to turn his gaze up toward me.

“Max,” he whispers. “You okay?”

I nod and then swipe at my eyes. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just allergy season.”

Beau grins at me and kisses my chest just as Sem turns toward me and holds out Lucy. “Can you take her for a minute while I wash Kieran’s face?”

I stare at her a moment, flabbergasted, but then Beau pinches me, and I hold out my hands. Surprisingly, she comes to me with very little fuss, and I adjust her in my arms, not quite sure how to hold a kid this small. From what Magnus told me, she’s eighteen months old right now.