But moving in together wasn’t the only big change in our lives. Tristan’s clinic, the one he’d opened with his colleagues, was thriving, and seeing Tristan take control of his professional life was one of my greatest joys.

Leo’s living arrangements had also changed around the same time as they’d moved in with me. Simon had accepted a job in California, and he’d given Tristan full custody without any hassle or having to go to court. He saw Leo a few times during the year, but not on any sort of schedule, and he’d finally stopped trying to control Tristan’s life and pretty much left us alone.

I’d never thought I’d have a partner, let alone be someone’s stepdad, but I loved every second of the life we’d created together.

Things had changed for me as well. My contracting firm was doing amazing, and I’d slowly phased out my content creation businesses until I officially retired four years ago. I’d also stopped dancing around the same time.

I missed performing, and singing and the theater would always have a special place in my heart, but I was happy with the decisions I’d made and had no regrets about my past.

My choices might have been unconventional, but they’d helped me achieve my dreams, and I never would have met Tristan or my friends if I hadn’t taken that path.

Ping.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I checked my notifications.

Tris: turn around.

I did, more out of instinct than as a conscious choice.

Tristan stood behind me with a bouquet of yellow roses in his hand and a big smile on his handsome face.

“Babe?” I asked at the same time Leo said, “Dad?”

“Happy anniversary.” He held out the flowers.

I stepped closer to him and took them. They looked exactly like the bouquet I’d given him all those years ago when we’d gone on our first official date.

“Anniversary?” I asked, racking my brain to try and figure out what he was talking about. It wasn’t the anniversary of our first date or the wedding that had started it all. As far as I could remember, today’s date didn’t coincide with anything.

He grinned. “You don’t remember?”

I shook my head, my mind still spinning with dates and trying to connect the dots.

Leo snickered, his hand over his mouth.

“You know what’s going on.” I shot him some side eye.

“Maybe.” He grinned.

“I’m so lost. Not that I don’t love the flowers, or the surprise, because I do, but I have no idea what’s happening,” I confessed, turning back to Tristan.

“It’s the anniversary of when we started the process of you adopting Leo,” Tristan said.

“Wait, what?” My brain did a little stutter, then short-circuited. “Come again?”

We’d talked about me adopting Leo, but it wasn’t a possibility with Simon still being one of his legal guardians. And we weren’t married, even if we’d been living as common-law partners for the past four years.

Leo cleared his throat, and my brain came back online.

“I talked to my dad about it on my last visit,” he said shyly. “I love him, and he’ll always be my father, but he’s not my parent. You are. You’re the one who’s there for me. Who takes care of me and loves me, even if I’m not yours. You’ve chosen to be my father, and I want us to be a real family forever.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, my voice thick and raspy. “And he’s okay with it?” I glanced at Tristan. Simon had agreed to give up guardianship and let me adopt his son?

“We had a long talk.” Tristan’s tone told me there was more to it than just a conversation, but I suspected the evidence of bullying and neglect he’d gathered over the years had something to do with Simon’s willingness to listen. “And he agrees that this is best for everyone. It’ll take some time for the process to be complete, but we have the paperwork ready if you want to sign it and get things started.”

“Yeah, of course.” I cleared my throat and looked at Leo. “This means so much to me, and I’m honored you want me to be your stepdad.”

“You’re already my stepdad. Now you’re going to be my dad.” He rushed over and threw himself in my arms.

I hugged him tight, still reeling from the shock of their announcement.

Tristan slipped out of the room, then reappeared with an oversized envelope in one hand and a pen in the other.

“Ready to sign?” he asked when Leo stepped back from our hug.

“Yeah.” I wiped my eyes, not bothering to hide the few tears that fell. “So ready.”

Leo and Tristan beamed at me, and in that moment, I knew I’d do everything in my power to be the best father and partner I could for them. They were my everything, and now we were going to officially be a family.

I’d never been happier, and it was all thanks to a naked cat who’d snuck out of the house, prompting me to meet my new neighbors and starting the friendship that would lead me to finally having the family I’d always wanted but had never thought I’d have.

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