Christmas Baby: Gay Holiday Romance E-Book

Trina Solet

• Herausgeber: Trina Solet
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Travis is the cautious type, not ready to give away his heart to anyone except his new baby boy, Andy. But he keeps running into Vance, his brash, young neighbor he can't seem to avoid, and Vance considers Travis a challenge he can't resist. They end up hanging out so much that spending the holidays together just seems inevitable. Can Vance overcome Travis's caution and win his heart?

Leseprobe

Christmas Baby (Gay Holiday Romance) By Trina Solet

Copyright © 2022 by Trina Solet

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales or actual events is entirely coincidental.

All sexual activity takes place between persons eighteen years of age or older.

This novel contains material intended for mature readers.

Cover image is only for illustrative purposes. Any person depicted is a model.

Christmas Baby

Gay Holiday Romance

Trina Solet

Chapter 1

As he parked, Travis gave a stern look to the gray clouds that threatened to unleash rain any second. "Not until I get the baby inside," he warned them. He managed to grab a parking spot that wasn't too far from the entrance to his building, but it was cold, windy and overcast, and he had a stroller, a baby, and a bunch of luggage to deal with. Getting caught in a cold, November rain was out of the question on the first day he was bringing his baby home.

The rain held off, and Travis made it safely to the covered entrance. He had bundled up the baby so well before he got him out of the car and into the stroller, he was surprised anyone could even see him. But there was his neighbor, Vance, gaping at him as he maneuvered himself into the lobby of his building, pushing the stroller, lugging bags, and not cursing because good dads didn't curse.

"You were gone for like a week. How do you have a baby?" Vance said.

Travis was surprised he noticed that he was gone at all, much less for how long. Vance was college age and effortlessly hot with his lean muscles, dark blond hair, and stunning green eyes. He made Travis gnash his teeth with envy and maybe some hopeless attraction.

Setting down the bags he was carrying, Travis unwrapped the baby a little, and Vance came over to lean down and peer at him with open curiosity. "This is my son, Andrew," Travis said and felt an incredible surge of emotion flood him. There was pride, happiness, disbelief. This was the first time he was introducing Andy to anyone and it hit him hard.

Vance didn't notice how overcome he was. His attention was on the baby. "Hi, there. A little son, huh," Vance said as he gave the baby a tiny wave though Andy was asleep. Vance now turned his pretty green eyes on Travis to continue questioning him. "Where did he come from all of a sudden?"

"I adopted him." He explained patiently though Vance didn't necessarily deserve an explanation. "My cousin had a baby. There was supposed to be an adoption, but it fell through. I was planning to have kids some day so I stepped in and decided to make it now."

"Spur of the moment adoption, wow," Vance said.

Travis didn't like how that made him sound. He had been planning to have kids when he was in his thirties maybe. At twenty five, he was just a little ahead of schedule. "It wasn't spur of the moment. I already knew I wanted kids."

"This is about that guy you broke up with," Vance accused him.

Travis resented that even more and also wondered, "What do you know about it?"

"I was seeing you with a cute, blond guy and then there's no cute, blond guy. It doesn't take a genius," Vance said, and again Travis was surprised that he had noticed anything about him or who he was with or wasn't. He probably just noticed Erick, everyone did.

"It has nothing to do with that," Travis told Vance then eyed the mailboxes. He probably had an overstuffed mailbox to deal with too.

"Want me to grab those bags?" Vance asked.

"I can manage," Travis told him and got his mail. He stuffed it into the pocket of one of the suitcases then went over to press the elevator button.

"You, that stroller and those bags in that elevator. I'd like to see that," Vance said like Travis was about to attempt some dumb internet challenge.

Travis did have a lot. There were so many things he got for the baby though most of them would be delivered. It wasn't easy, but he managed to get into the elevator with all of it. And then at the last second, Vance squeezed himself in there too.

"Good job," he said to Travis. "You even left room for me."

"That wasn't my intention, but I guess you're in here now." Travis pressed number 8 with more force than was necessary. He knew Vance lived somewhere below him, but he didn't press a button. "You going to my floor for some reason?" Travis asked while Vance just stood there like he planned to go along for the ride. Travis was going to let him know he wasn't invited, but Andy started fussing and he had to give him some attention though it was awkward in the small space.

"The baby doesn't approve of your unfriendly tone," Vance scolded him.

When they arrived, Vance grabbed most of Travis's bags without asking. That did give Travis a chance to pick up Andy to try and quiet him once he got the stroller out of the elevator.

"Oh, he's cute even when he's crying," Vance said as he made funny faces at the baby and Travis unlocked his door. Vance went in first without being invited, dropped the bags he was carrying in the middle of the living room and opened up the blinds. "Your place is the same size as my gran's but it looks bigger. Not as cluttered I guess. Not as cozy and inviting."

"Your gran?" Travis said.

"I'm living with her until I finish college. My parents kicked me out when I wouldn't let them preach anti-gay crap at me," Vance said evenly, not showing much emotion about it.

"Oh, sorry."

"Gran isn't too bad. Where's the baby's room?" Vance said, changing the subject and poking his head first into Travis's bedroom then into his office.

"Not that it's any of your business, but Andy and I will share my office for now. That way I can keep an eye on him while I work," Travis said.

The baby was calmer now that Travis was bouncing him, but he either needed changing or feeding, maybe both. Vance needed to be kicked out, but Travis decided to prioritize Andy and put him down on the couch so he could unbundle him a little.

Vance was still peering around his apartment like he was doing an inspection. "Thanks for bringing in the bags for me," Travis said signaling to him that it was time to go.

"This place isn't ready for a baby," Vance pronounced, ignoring the heavy hint that he should leave.

"Maybe you want to help me put together a crib?" Travis said hoping to scare him off.

Vance gasped in horror. "You will not let a baby sleep in a crib the two of us put together!" he declared and looked at Travis like he was the worst parent who ever lived.

"I was kidding. Professionals will be putting the crib together. It will be here soon," he said and checked his phone to make sure he was right and the delivery was on time.

"OK, good. That's a huge relief," Vance said with a huff. "But this place is still subpar. For a kid, I mean. For a stuffy dude it's fine." He waved his hand at Travis like he didn't matter.

"Would you give me a break? I just got here. Right after you," he said pointedly since Vance had barged into his apartment first.

"So the next time I see this place, I can expect to see some color, some life in here," Vance said.

"Next time?" Travis said and didn't hide how he felt about a repeat visit.

"God, you're unfriendly. I'm out of here," he said but actually came toward Travis then leaned over the baby. "Bye bye, baby. Your daddy is probably not as mean as he sounds. Don't let the big meanie upset you."

With that Vance was gone and right away Andy started crying, and not just a little, crying full out even as Travis picked him up.

"Oh, come on. You don't miss him? He's terrible."

Chapter 2

After coming back from a party late last night, the morning found Vance still in a stupor, dragging himself around Gran's apartment, sometimes groaning miserably to himself. Gran was already at work and the coffee in the coffeemaker had gone cold.

As he debated if he had the energy to heat it up or if he should just give up and drink it cold, Vance remembered seeing a light in all the windows of Travis's apartment. Why did he even notice that? Why did he even know which windows were his?

Oh, because they lined up with Gran's windows four floors below. That's all. It wasn't weird, his brain was just slow because the majority of his brain cells were murdered by alcohol last night.

It was a nerdy good time of drinking to Brian rehearsing for a physics presentation for some high school kids. Vance, Zola and Ives were helping him and toughening him up by acting like the most obnoxious high school kids and generally making fun of him. By the end of it, Brian was real tough and they were real drunk.

But then Vance had a quiet moment downstairs, in front of the building. Seeing Travis's windows all lit up while he swayed on the sidewalk, Vance pictured him up with the baby. Maybe Andy was crying, the poor little guy.

Or maybe Travis was the poor guy having to be up with a crying baby instead of having a nerdy, boozy good time. Vance then had the urge to go up and keep him company. Being drunk, he almost did, but had enough brain cells left alive to tell him not to.

But why did that thought even enter his head when he just wanted to crash out? Because Travis was tall, broad shouldered with dark hair and dark eyes. But he was so serious. Not Vance's type.

Whatever. He didn't go up there and bother him in the middle of the night. No need to analyze something he didn't even do. Plus he was drunk.

He wasn't drunk when he was coming back from his class and he stopped to look up at the windows on the eight floor. Maybe he was just curious about how Travis and his new baby were getting along. That must be it, scientific curiosity.

Instead of going home, Vance went to the store to buy some stuff to make dinner for his gran since she was working late. On his way back, he saw Travis and Andy in front of the building. Andy was in his stroller and Travis was looking up and down the street.

"Going for a walk and you don't know which way to go?" Vance said as he got closer.

"Waiting for a delivery," Travis said in his usual terse way but then he frowned down at Andy. "But I think we better get inside and wait in the lobby. It's too cold for a little guy like you to be out here." Now he didn't sound as terse because he was talking to the baby.

Vance could hardly see Andy, he was all wrapped up, but he was awake. "What's the delivery? Something fun?" he asked as they went into the lobby.

"A changing table," Travis told him in a tone that said he liked disappointing him. But then Vance caught him eyeing his grocery bags and wondered what got his attention.

"You eyeing the wine or the box of lasagna noodles?" Vance wondered since those were the most visible.

"Both," Travis confessed. "Is that what your grandmother is cooking tonight?"

"Gran doesn't cook. She heats up conveniently packaged frozen blocks of food. Her freezer is stacked with them. I'm doing the cooking," Vance told him.

Travis looked surprised. Did Vance really look like someone who couldn't cook? People did often underestimate him, assumed he was dumb. Maybe he was dumb because in the next breath he was saying, "Want to come over for dinner? I'm making lasagna rolls, not classic lasagna, and it will be vegetarian. Take it or leave it. It should be ready sometime after seven when Gran gets home."

Again Travis looked surprised but this time he had better reason for it. Why was Vance inviting him over for dinner when the man made it clear he didn't like him?

"Come on, RSVP. I need to text Gran that we're having a guest for dinner. Two guests. Andy too," Vance said and smiled down at the baby.

"I wouldn't mind a homemade meal and I'm curious about your cooking skills," Travis said but he sounded more like he was refusing not accepting. And he was definitely questioning Vance's claim that he could cook.

"So it's the company that's making you think twice," Vance accused him.

"Oh, no, you seem like you would be a gracious host. You won me over," Travis said sarcastically.

"I'm not wasting my wit and charm on you," Vance said and rolled his eyes then he noticed a delivery van pull up in front. "That's for you, I guess. They are bringing it up, right? You don't need help, do you? Because my hands are full."

"No. Thank you. And thank you for the dinner invitation. I'll be there," Travis said but he still looked dubious about it.

Great, by inviting Travis, he managed to turn making food into a nerve wracking activity. Now he was going to burn something.

When he texted Gran who was coming, she replied, "A baby. The place is not childproofed." Vance didn't know much about babies, but he was pretty sure that a baby that young wasn't going to go and stick his fingers into any outlets.

Vance wasn't worried about having Andy over. He was wondering about what kind of guest the baby's daddy was going to be. Then Travis showed up at the door a little early.

"Sorry. I know I'm early, but Andy fell asleep in his carrier and I thought this would be a good time to bring him down." Travis was lugging a big diaper bag, and Vance realized that's how dads with babies travel.

"Gran is not here yet, but you can pour yourself some wine," Vance said while Travis set the baby carrier in Gran's big, overstuffed chair.

"I'll wait for her. I kind of wanted to watch you cook," Travis said.

"To judge my cooking, you mean. You'll get to watch me make a salad. These are ready and going in the oven," Vance said and showed him the lasagna rolls.

"I am actually not here to judge," Travis said. "I don't know why, but watching someone cook and then eating is like..." Travis just stopped there and Vance looked at him questioningly.

"Like getting to watch a cooking show and eating it too?" Vance said and Travis chuckled.

"Something like that."

"How is it going with you and the baby? You making him cry?"

"No. It's scary but Andy is a good baby," Travis said and smiled at Andy, still sleeping peacefully. "Actually I'm having some friends over to meet him on Saturday. Lunch. You should come to that. If you want. But you might be bored."

"You're just asking me because you think you owe me for this dinner invite. Don't worry about it," Vance said to let him off the hook.

"Returning an invitation is normal. And since I don't really cook, you get a catered lunch. It's the best I can do."

"Is your ex going to be there?" Vance asked and watched his expression sour.

"No, he isn't. But one of my other exes and his boyfriend will be."

"Then I'm in." Vance said signing himself up for an event where he wouldn't know anyone except Travis.

"You interest in my exes isn't normal," Travis said, but Vance wasn't interested. He was mildly curious.

He didn't have to make an excuse for his interest because Gran walked through the door in all her redheaded glory. Her eyes fell right on Travis. "So this is our guest. I was wondering which of our neighbors Vance was talking about. The tall one. That could be anyone," she said and offered him her hand.

"Travis Bowman. Thank you for having me. And that's Andy." He pointed toward the baby carrier in Gran's chair, and Gran took only a few steps close to peek at him.

"Angelically asleep. I like him already. I'm Norma, and where is my glass of wine?" She was eyeing Vance but Travis offered to pour.

Unlike Vance, Gran didn't seem to be very curious about Travis at all. She regaled them with stories from her work as a manager at a catering and events supplier. Travis seemed perfectly happy to listen to her mildly interesting stories, and definitely happier than when Vance needled him. He never even glanced at Vance when he didn't speak up. Now Vance was thinking, maybe he wouldn't show up at his lunch on Saturday after all.

Chapter 3

Travis hadn't seen Vance since he went over for dinner, so he wondered if he would really see him at the lunch for his friends on Saturday. He found it unlikely that Vance would actually want to come, and maybe it would be better if he didn't.

The dinner with him and Norma was perfectly nice, and Vance was a good cook, but there were a few glitches. For one thing, Travis couldn't believe he almost blurted out that watching someone cook for him and then eating together was his idea of a perfect date. Good thing he stopped himself just in time.

Then when Norma arrived, Travis realized to his shame that he had kind of been hoping she wouldn't show up and it would be just him and Vance, a guy he didn't even like. After that, Travis had been afraid to look him in the eye almost as if he thought Vance could read his mind. When Travis did glance at him once or twice very briefly, he would have sworn that Vance was glaring at him, but he couldn't imagine why. If he didn't want Travis there, why had he even invited him for dinner?

Travis just shouldn't have accepted. Since the adoption, Travis made the decision to swear off guys for a while and just focus on Andy. There was so much to learn, how to feed him, bathe him, soothe him. That's all he should have been thinking about, but maybe some part of him was rebelling at this dad only mode, and that's why he was now fixating on Vance.

Today Travis was meeting Ellie and Clara so they could go to lunch together. It was Ellie's idea, Clara was just tagging along. Ellie had insisted on meeting the baby ahead of everyone else. "I don't want to be part of the throng and not get any quality time," she said.

"How many people do you think are going to be there?" Travis asked. She had completely the wrong idea about what was going to be a very small gathering on Saturday.

Clara on the other hand had no use for babies. She gave the baby one, not very friendly look and said, "I still can't believe you got one of these."

"Babies are wonderful," Ellie said and touched one of Andy's mittened hands with her fingertips and smiled. "Everything so teeny-tiny."

"There is nothing wonderful about babies. I used to babysit. I know," Clara declared.

"You didn't babysit babies," Ellie pointed out.

"I babysat monsters," Clara said dramatically.

Travis didn't have a strong opinion about babies in general, but Andy was wonderful. Even when he was crying, he wasn't a monster. He was his daddy's sweet, baby boy. Right now he was quiet and sleepy, and would hopefully sleep right through lunch. Ellie was still leaning over his stroller, fussing over him while Clara looked away disdainfully.

"Blocking the sidewalk, I see," an unfriendly voice said and Travis turned around to see Vance standing there with a bookbag over one shoulder.

"Hi, Vance," Travis said so the girls wouldn't think he was just some rude stranger. He was his rude neighbor so Travis introduced him. "This is my neighbor, Vance. These are my friends, Clara and Ellie. We're just on our way to lunch."

"Nice to meet you. Hi Andy," Vance said and waved to the baby.

"He met Andy before me?" Ellie realized then she had a good look at Vance. "Oh, your neighbor is cute. He's coming with us."

"Stop trying to kidnapped people off the street," Clara told her. "She went after some girl at the bookstore. Tried to drag her off."

"A bookstore isn't 'the street', and she was also cute, and I want to be surrounded by cuteness," Ellie said.

Vance was ignoring her invitation, just grinning at her weirdness when she put her arm through his. She then looked at Travis and Clara expectantly. "Let's go, people."

"You really are kidnapping him," Clara said.

"It's not kidnapping. He's this one's neighbor or whatever," Ellie said and made it clear that was irrelevant and she would have tried to kidnap him even if he was a total stranger.

"Oh, I have, uhh... studying to do," Vance said making the excuse so half-assed that Ellie just ignored it and marched on with him toward the restaurant.

Travis sighed and followed. After she gaped at Ellie in disbelief, Clara fell into step with him. "You're not putting up much of a fight," she said insinuatingly.

"He isn't putting up much of a fight," Travis said and pointed at Vance's back.

That's when Vance turned and gave him a challenging look over his shoulder, like he was daring Travis to say he wasn't welcome.

Despite Vance being kidnapped and shooting scathing glances his way, their lunch wasn't too bad. Ellie was happy with a cute baby on one side of her and a cute guy on the other. Clara was happy that the place served the martinis she liked.

Travis couldn't figure out Vance though, plus he was trying not to look at him too much since Clara had as much as accused him of being into him. When Ellie brought up the lunch on Saturday, Vance didn't commit to being there. Travis didn't care if he came or not. He just didn't want to owe him for that homemade dinner.

Of course Travis got stuck walking home with him since they lived in the same building. And it wasn't a mercifully silent, uncomfortable walk, just uncomfortable.

Vance started in on him as soon as they split off from the girls. "And the trend continues. You were ignoring me again."

"Again?" Travis didn't know what he was talking about.

"You were ignoring me at dinner too. It was full on Grandma time."

"You're jealous that I was talking to your grandmother and not you?"

"Jealous. Oh please!" He said in a way that left no doubt how uninterested he was in Travis.

"If you wanted attention, I would think Ellie was giving you plenty," Travis said.

"Aha, who's jealous now!?" Vance raised his voice and Travis shushed him since Andy was still sleeping. After a worried glance at the baby, Vance dropped his voice to a whisper to threaten, "You know, I might show up at you lunch Saturday just to spite you."

Chapter 4

Hearing a knock, Travis wondered who was arriving early for his Saturday lunch. He opened the door to Vance.

"Is it party time?" Vance asked and leaned over to look behind him.

"It's just a lunch and I'm still setting it up," Travis said and went back to organizing the utensils. "The food hasn't been delivered yet."

"You ordered in, huh?"

Travis turned to see if he was judging him for that since he proved he could cook, but Vance was just looking around with mild interest. "I could have made a spaghetti lunch," Travis said. He used to do that when he was in college, but his friends had lower expectations then.

"I wouldn't complain if you served that up," Vance said with a shrug but then he was still in college. "Need help?" Vance made the offer just as Andy started crying and the intercom buzzed.

"It's probably the food delivery. Could you let them up, please," Travis asked and went to check on Andy.

After he changed him, Travis brought Andy out into the living room in his rocker and set it up in the corner. "He didn't want to miss the party, that's what that was," Vance said and winked at the baby.

Travis noticed that Vance was unpacking the food that had been delivered. "You didn't have to do that."

"It's no trouble. It's all cold food, right?" he said.

"I never know when Andy is going to need me, so I didn't want to deal with keeping things warm. I ordered from Missy's Deli."

"They have good stuff," Vance said.