He shook his head. “But learning about the affair when you were still a boy and knowing there was a chance you weren’t mine—”
“So Ma was right,” Liam huffed out a short mirthless laugh. “I didn’t believe her at first when she told me the reason you’d never tested me DNA against yours was ‘cause you didn’t trust yourself not to throw me out like last week’s garbage if you found out I wasn’t yours.”
“But you are mine—”
“It shouldn’t have mattered!” Liam shouted, hands going to the sides of his head. “Jaysus, I’ve spent the last two years ever since ma told me the truth trying to prove to meself that I was your son. People only ever wanted me for what I could give them. If you disinherited me and I lost it all, where’d that leave me?”
“Son, I—”
“Don’t,” Liam bit out, running a hand roughly down the back of his neck and staring at the floor. There was silence for a second before Liam looked back up. “It wasn’t ever about the money to me.” He stared Da down. “All I ever wanted was you. I didn’t even realize it, either. Not ‘til the last few months.”
He looked at Calla and then Mack. “I didn’t know what it meant to love someone who loved you back. Not because of what you could do for them. But just for you. Just because you made each other happy.”
He focused on Mack. “I’m sorry for how I’ve been to you. But you gotta know everything you just said was complete shite. Here I was trying to prove I was better than you, like it meant I was his son somehow.”
He shook his head, pain tightening his gut as Mack frowned. “But every step of the way, you’ve proved you’re a better man than me. You’re the best man I’ve ever met.” Mack took a step back at that, but Liam followed him, getting right up in front of him. “Seems the only place I could admit that was the bedroom. But you took me as I am. It’s just one of the reasons I love you.”
Then he kissed Mack in front of God, his dad, and anyone who happened to be passing by.
His father made a disgusted noise and turned around. “When you’re done with these juvenile stunts, call me office.” He headed for the door.
“This is all I’ve got to say to ya.” Liam gave his dad the middle finger, never taking his eyes off Mackenzie. Then he intertwined his fingers with Mack’s and pulled him back toward Calla on the bed.
Calla had tears in her eyes.
Liam’s neck heated but he didn’t let go of Mack’s hand. “So. If you didn’t hear, I’m not interested in ever findin’ out which one of us donated to make the little sprout.”
Calla laughed and this time when she reached for their hands and put them to her belly, Mack didn’t pull away. The look on his face was priceless, Liam wished he had a camera to capture it. It was full of shock and awe while he also looked a little like he was about to pass out.
“Family,” Mack finally whispered, echoing Calla’s earlier sentiment. He squeezed both their hands and bowed his head to Calla’s stomach.
Epilogue
MACK
“Is the blindfold really necessary?” Calla asked, tilting her head toward Mack. He was driving and he frowned her way. Liam reached up from the back seat and waved his hand right in front of her face, but she didn’t react. Mack smiled.
“You bet your arse it’s necessary. What’s the point of a grand gesture if it isn’t grand?”
Mack pulled onto the long gravel driveway and Calla grabbed for the door to steady herself when the truck started bouncing up and down.
“Whoa,” she said. “So we’re officially somewhere off the beaten path.”
Mack glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Liam looking smug as fuck. Shit, he’d never hear the end of how this was Liam’s great idea. Rest of his life, the Irish wanker would brag about how he knew just how to make all Calla’s dreams come true.
But then Mack smiled. After all, it was his name going on the paperwork.
Mack slowed the truck down as they came up to the house.
“Wait’s almost over,” Mack said. He parked in front of the house and then Liam got out of the truck and opened Mel’s door for her.
“Can I take the blindfold off now?”
“Not yet,” Liam said.
Mack came around the front of the truck to their side and took Calla’s other hand.
“Now,” he and Liam said together.
Calla reached up and pulled the blindfold off. She blinked a few times in the bright noon sunlight. Then her brow scrunched.
She looked from Liam to Mack. “I don’t understand. Why are we at my family’s old ranch?”
Liam’s grin was so wide it was gonna break his damn face. “Gotta have a place to bring our baby home to, yeah?”