Epilogue

Christmas Day, 2026

Daddy Isaac

“ D addy, look what I can do!” Dezi yelled from the swing set in our backyard. It was one of her Christmas presents, and I’d been up late putting it together. Thankfully I had help.

“You’re swinging on your own,” Leo cheered her on, standing to the side so he didn’t get caught by her pumping legs. He caught my eye and I blew him a kiss.

“Me too, Tío,” Nacho yelled. He was seven, but was still big on showing how strong he was. “Look how high I can go!”

Nacho’s mom chuckled from her spot beside me on the back porch. “I’m so glad you guys bought this place. And you’re closer to our parents.”

Leo had gone with me to meet my dad on Dezi’s second birthday, and he was amazing. Pop hadn’t cared that I was with a man, and he agreed Leo was great with Dezi. I’d asked Leo to move in with me that night. We were already basically living together, but I wanted it official. It was Valentine’s Day, after all, and I was a romantic.

When Pop passed that summer, he helped me make all the arrangements to have Pop cremated and for a full service back in Michigan. Without him, I might have fallen apart in my grief, and Dezi would have suffered for it. Leo was the best partner I could have asked for, and I’d fallen even more in love with him.

After a year of two men and a little girl sharing a condo, we started looking for a place outside of the city. Selling the apartment meant we could afford a three bedroom with a yard just big enough for a small swing set, which I’d promised Dezi she would get by Christmas.

“They are always up for babysitting,” I replied, clinking my glass of eggnog with her flute of champagne.

Leo’s parents had been a good surprise when they had met me and only wanted to know if I had a good job and wanted children. When they found out I already had a daughter, the Ibarra’s welcomed Dezi as their own grandchild.

“So, have they started bugging you guys to have another kid yet?” Cam asked with a grin.

Groaning, I shook my head at the memory of Mrs. Ibarra’s hints over Christmas Eve dinner the night before. “They do know we can’t make a baby together, right?”

“Not sure they do, hermano,” Cam teased, and I loved how she accepted me as her brother.

Leo and I had discussed adopting, not wanting to go the surrogate route when there were children like Dezi whose mom’s couldn’t care for them. One’s who didn’t have a dad waiting to pick up the slack. We had the paperwork to make him legal guardian of Dezi, but there was one thing I wanted to do first.

“Papa, push me,” Dezi insisted, and Leo immediately moved to follow her command. My girl had Leo wrapped around her little finger, but I knew I was right there with him.

Leo thought it best she had a different teacher when Dezi started calling him Papa. She was almost four and was still at Leo’s school, but I couldn’t believe she would be in pre-K in a year. As long as he was in her life, I was happy.

No, as long as my boy was in both our lives, I was happy.

“When are you gonna put a ring on it and make an honest man out of my brother?” Cam asked bluntly and I choked on my drink.

Leo looked up from across the yard with concern, but I didn’t think he heard her. It wasn’t a huge yard, but we were at least thirty feet away with the cover of two children talking to cover us. Clearing my throat, I waved to let him know I was fine and he went back to pushing Dezi. Cam raised a brow, but didn’t look at all remorseful.

“Don’t say a word, but…” Turning my body so I could pull the last present out of my pocket, I showed Cam the platinum band I picked out for Leo months before. “Do you think he’s ready?”

Cam clapped a hand over her mouth to contain her reaction before whispering, “I thought you were smart.”

Putting the ring away, I raised my own brow, “What? He was fresh out of college when we got together. I don’t want to rush him.”

“Seriously, man?” Cam sighed and gestured her head towards the yard and the man I loved. She grabbed onto my shoulder and faced me towards her instead of the yard, her face serious, “He’s been in love with you since your first date. If you don’t ask him soon, he’s going to think you don’t want to marry him.”

“But I do. I love him more every day we’re together,” I replied as emphatically as I could, wanting to make sure she didn’t doubt my feelings for her brother. “Leo is my soulmate and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. He has to know that.”

Cam grinned and looked over my shoulder.

“He does,” Leo’s watery voice from only a few feet away had me turning around.

Halfway up the steps, I found the boy I loved biting his lower lip with tears in his eyes. Cam went around me to hug her brother before moving to stand with the kids by the swings, giving us some privacy.

Meeting Leo on his level, I took his hands in mine, “I don’t know how much you heard, but I meant every word, baby. You’re the one I want to spend every night with, and every day raising our daughter together. I love you more than words.”

Leo choked back a sob at my words and I wiped one tear from his cheek, “I love you too, Daddy.”

Deciding to live in the moment, I pulled the ring from my pocket and moved down a step so I was looking up at my boy, “Leo Ibarra, my baby boy and parenting partner, will you marry me and add husband to your list of titles?”

He nodded and then let out a giggle when I pulled the ring back, waiting for his words. “Yes, Daddy, I’ll marry you. Can I have the shiny ring now?”

“So long as you’ll never take it off,” I said in all seriousness.

“Promise, Daddy.” Leo held out his hand as he tried to hide his smile but did not succeed. Good, I liked him happy.

Slipping it on his left ring finger, I bit back a moan at how possessive it made me to see the symbol of our love there for the world to see. Getting back to my feet, I pulled my boy in for a kiss, which only ended when tiny arms wrapped around us at hip-height.

“Daddy and Papa are getting married!” Dezi cheered, and I had to guess that Cam clued her in.

Lifting her to sit on his hip, she cupped her hand to whisper in Leo’s ear, “Can I be the flower girl?”

“Sweetie, you can be whatever you want,” Leo told her indulgently.

“I wanna be the ring bear,” Nacho declared, racing up the steps to join our hug.

“It’s bearer, mijo,” Cam corrected with a watery smile. She added to the group hug, her thin arms completing the circle. “And I’m the maid of honor, of course.”

“Of course,” Leo agreed with a chuckle.

Our eyes met and I saw my future reflected back at me. Dezi would have a sibling or two and we’d raise them together, with Leo’s family for support.

My daughter and I would never be alone again.

Thank you for reading Leo: A Little Christmas 3! I hope you enjoyed their Holiday HEA and will leave a review, whatever time of year you're reading!