Free One Bright Star by Kate Sherwood

CHAPTER ONE
    “It’s a Christmas tree.” Dan waited for the baby to process the idea, or the words, or the image… whatever it was that was keeping his eyes so wide and alert. “They’re fairly harmless. And this one is anchored so tight it wouldn’t move if a hurricane came through, so you can touch it if you want.”
    “He’ll be climbing it by lunchtime.” Evan’s voice was affectionate and only a little boastful, and Dan leaned back into the warmth of a strong, broad chest.
    “More likely that he’ll be eating it,” Jeff warned. “I told you about the lemon.” He had one arm around Evan, the other hand resting on Dan’s shoulder.
    “Just get him to stop looking like it’s going to eat him ,” Tat instructed. “I want to call this picture Robbie’s First Christmas , not Robbie’s First Panic Attack .”
    Dan jiggled the baby a little, and reached his own hand out to touch the needles of the tree. “See, RJ? Just a tree. You’ve seen trees outside. This one’s in a weird place, though. And the ornaments are new, right? You don’t usually see ornaments on trees.” Dan tweaked one of the shinier baubles, and the baby watched in fascination as it moved.
    Tatiana was snapping away wildly, taking her self-assigned responsibilities as the family’s photographer as seriously as she always did. “Good candids,” she said. “I’m getting some good shots, here. Dan, can you turn just a little more toward the camera? Angle your head down a little?”
    “I think they stop being ’candids’ when you start making me twist around like a pretzel.” But Dan did as he was told. In his worst moments of insecurity, he thought of Tat’s many photo sessions as a way to collect evidence. See? he’d tell future RJ in the midst of whatever crisis the boy was suffering through. See how much we loved you? See how we’d have done ANYTHING for you? We still will—just tell us what you need!
    He shook his head to banish the thoughts. The baby would be fine. Evan and Jeff wouldn’t let Dan screw him up.
    “Okay, he looks happy again,” Tat decided. “You guys get all posed up for the portrait.”
    “And you get your butt over here to be in it,” Jeff said firmly. “A family portrait needs as many family members as possible in it.”
    “That’s what the camera’s timer is for, Tat,” Evan prompted.
    “I want a few with just the boys,” Tat said firmly. “I’ll be in the ones this afternoon, with Anna and the rest.”
    Great. Just one more thing to worry about. Maybe Dan wasn’t just going to ruin RJ’s life; maybe he was pushing Tat out of her family, as well. But Jeff was the one who would normally pick up on something like that first, and he merely said, “Get a couple with Dan and Evan and the baby, too. Lots of variations.”
    “Fine.” Tat agreed absent-mindedly. “Now, smile! This is Christmas, not a firing squad!”
    When Tat was finally satisfied, Dan stepped forward, RJ outstretched toward her. “I’m already really late,” he said. It was only a slight exaggeration. “Can you feed him? Evan ends up with more food on the walls than in RJ’s mouth, and Jeff seems to think it’s a good idea to give lemons to babies.”
    “I expected better from Jeff , but that’s probably the best you’re going to get from Evan,” Tat said as she accepted the offered child. “Cereal and fruit and yogurt?”
    “He doesn’t seem to get sick of it,” Dan agreed. “I’m just chauffeuring, so I shouldn’t be more than a couple hours.”
    “Chauffeur and couples therapist,” Evan said with a smirk. “It might take you longer than you think.”
    Dan ignored him and headed for the door. He was going into this with a positive attitude. But he couldn’t deny that he was braced for anything.
    ***
    “I don’t have to go,” Ryan said gently, for about the tenth time in Dan’s hearing. Who knew how many other times he’d offered when Dan wasn’t around. “I’m fine here.”
    “And I’m