Needless to say I receive a deluge of teasing and questions from my workmates after lunch. Word had gotten around about the group of hotties that had picked me up for lund Julie’s crass taunting of the guys on my return had won her a lot of fans among this rough and tumble group of stru workers. Among all the jibes and inappropriate jokes I saw more than a few jealous faces. I tell them the truth, to a point, in that they were my nddy and her retives though even as I said it I realized how odd it sounded. Heather I’d only known a couple of days, Lily was at best an old acquaintance, and the rest of them had been perfect strangers yet here they were to meet the down and out stray that had stumbled into their circle. I take my coworkers banter with good humor. It was easy to be of good humor as I was still buzzing with positive energy, but uhe m it was now interwoven with a strange mencholy.

  My mood is reinforced both by being put back with the framing crew after the boss hears how well I did that m and by a general cheerfulness all around as the weekend drew near. From the older heads I pick up that weekends off was far from the norm in the industry and that we had some local byws to thank for them on this job. Riding this upbeat vibe the hours pass quickly and I am kept far too busy and my mind was way too occupied with learning my rade for me to really refley lunch, though the thoughts bubbled away unsciously. Again I am invited out for beers and again I dee, to more teasing, though I do promise that I’d e out with them week sometime.

  It wasn’t until I am strolling home that I finally give my attention to the iiing that took pce at the cafe. As I think back I smile at the way Heather had hovered close to me and showed me off to the others with that funny pride of hers. Though definitely awkward, it had beey damn cool to see Lily again and marvel at how she’d matured since graduation. Julie had been a hoot, Mia’s shy smiles had melted my heart, and evechy Rebecca had a strange charm to her. Like her or not, no family was plete without a Rebecca or two.

  Like the clouds parting to let through the rays of sun the reason for my flicted mood is shines down upo was ainess, a yawning hole in the ter of my life. Something deep and fual. It was family!

  Sitting there amoher’s kin had rekindled memories of aime. From Rebecd Julie’s bickering to Lily’s exasperation with her mom to Heather’s worry for her daughter’s well-being to the way they talked about the men in their d so much more I am reminded of moments like that with Mom and Dad and my estranged extended family. Among all the arguing and sighs and ‘Yes, Mother’s and rolls of the eyes was a bedrock of love and acceptahat only came with family. In the moment it had been wonderful, I loved how they sort of adopted me for that short time and I could not help but to p up the sed-hand familial affe so starved was I for it, but now irospect it made me wistful and got me thinking about everything I lost on that oragic day.

  I sigh and for a moment find myself pitying my lot once again. I had nobody and Liam had this incredible family just waiting for him to return from his adventures abroad? It just wasn’t fair! I swore to myself then that if I was ever blessed with a family so special that I would ake them franted.

  As I push down the desire I was trying so hard to deny that rose inside of me my gait gradually slows until I eventually e a stop as it finally surfaces. This family could be mine.

  What I had learned over that lunch hour had retextualized everything!

  Heather’s warning to me was still valid. If she and I bohere would be certain unbearable heartbreak in my future due to our mismatched ages and the loss of free will was a s thought to be sure. But she had failed to let me in on all of the extra bes that I would receive in the meantime. Because she was this rare ‘matriarch’ type of woman I wouldn’t simply be her bonded mate, I would be a prince! Or, as Julie so bluntly put it, a ‘honey hole’, a male safe for the others to be around and do what they wanted with. Potentially I wouldn’t just be her man, but the whole damn family’s man! Needless to say that idea sent my honey fueled imagination into overdrive.

  Meeting the others had alsht to light the fact that if Heather really was dead set oing an older man in order to protect me there were still possibilities fetting on the inside of this unique family. It hurt my heart even to think about it as I wanted Heather so fug bad, but meeting a couple of girls near my own age made me realize that Heather was not the end-all and be-all of this special breed of woman. Lily sure was looking fine and she was as friendly to me as she’d ever beee her brother and I’s bitterness. And Mia! My fellow orphan was such a sweet and pretty woman who had clearly had some attra to me based on her smiles, blushes, and the fact that she had offered that she could ‘take’ me if a volunteer was needed. Hell, if there was no other way I could even try for Julie. Life with her would be…iing, but at least I’d never be alone again.

  I shake my head and carry on walking as the selfishness of that st se leaves me feeling ashamed. They’d giveaste of the family I was so missing and instead of being grateful I was greedily reag for the whole buffet. For a moment there I’d let my own fantasies overwhelm my rational sehe women, these incredible women, bonded for life. For life! This was no joke. There were no easy flings with them. Being with them meant forever. There wasn’t just my freedom to sider but theirs. Lily was on the road to being a successful doctor. She could get a WAY better an than me anytime she was ied iling down. Plus she’d made it quite clear that she was not ied in me. And Mia, a genius! She deserved to have a fellow genius at her side and not my dumb, uncultured ass. Besides, her bonding with me would surely cause quakes in the family unity as Rebecca rightfully disapproved. And Julie? Nah. She seemed fun and all but I didn’t like the way she said she would get ‘fat and zy’ as she forced her ensved man look after her.

  The more I thought about it the more I realized that Heather’s pn was the best I could realistically hope for. She would get a man of her own and be happy. I wanted more than anything for her to be happy. We could remain special friends and roommates, hopefully with bes, at least until my unbound presence became too much of an issue for the others. Over time I could get bay feet, establish this new job, find a girl appropriate for me, aually, luck willing, move on to form a family of my own. My p this family was not to st. It was a gift from above at the precise moment that I most and ohat I would treasure until it came to its natural end.

  Pity might have e over me again, but I just couldn’t find it within me. I had a good job, a great pce to live, I’d met some super cool dies, and if I pyed my cards right I might be sug on some titties tonight! Besides, right now I had some tacos to make and share with the most beautiful woman in the world.