Epilogue

Three Months Later

Rafferty

"Ooh, Daddy! How about this one?"

I've given up trying to shush Kadence, despite being in a bustling crowd. If people hear him call me that, then they hear. Instead, I smile as he tugs me by the hand down an aisle of large wire cages. He's so light and carefree these days, I never want to dim his shine.

The first official Paddle Creek Summer Fair is in full swing, and honestly, I can't remember the last time I was so proud of a project. Compared to the multimillion dollar deals I used to negotiate for breakfast, this event is peanuts. But it represents something that I've become the biggest advocate for.

Change.

It's pretty crazy to think back to my life just a few months ago before I crossed paths with a certain beautiful, bratty, bossy doll. Since then, I've separated amicably from my wife and started divorce proceedings while she made her permanent move to the West Coast.

I informed my board of directors that I wouldn't be selling off my properties in Paddle Creek after all, choosing alternatively to invest in the area.

The board has had quite a few resignations and replacements since then, but somehow, my company still survives without them. They still have those dreadful fundraising events, but I haven't felt it necessary to attend one lately.

Kadence did bring me to my first drag show, though. That was quite an education. In fact, The Ice Cream Parlor is co-running the bar here today and their headliner queen, Kimmi Sugar, is giving a performance later.

O'Toole's is the other drinks sponsor here today, partnering with the local Cardinal chapter and Horowitz's garage. They're letting kids take photos on the bikes and are running demonstrations on simple motorcycle maintenance.

Food is being offered by Dino Mite, the themed kids' fast-food joint that I remember taking Logan to once when he was a kid. Staff are wearing their signature T-Rex baseball caps as they sell burgers, fries, slices of pizza, and shakes.

Some of the art students from the college are painting faces. Butterflies nail salon is selling bottles of polish and other beauty products but also applying false lashes and face jewels for free, all while blasting eighties rock music.

The Paddle Creek Kittens are soon scheduled to perform a version of their latest competition routine that they've adapted to make safe on the parking lot asphalt. We're in the shadow of the Paddle Creek Panthers football stadium, and the players are volunteering all across the fair today. I keep looking up at the building every now and again, marveling how I almost bought the whole damn thing on a whim.

I thought I knew this town. But I'd just been lording over it. Kadence had been right. I only saw it as a business opportunity, not thinking about the real people I was hurting.

Not anymore.

Against some strong objections from certain members of my board, I helped form a coalition so that the businesses and residents of this town could have a communication network as well as a board of their own to represent their best interests. I'm no longer planning on either selling or flattening the properties I've accumulated here over the years. I'm hunting for new tenants to fill the vacant lots with exciting new prospects.

Hence the fair. It was actually Kadence who suggested that the town needed an opportunity not only to show off what it already has, but also to do some much-needed fundraising.

I was reluctant at first to introduce a charity element. I simply wanted to crack open my check book and start spending. But again, it was Kadence who patiently pointed out that wouldn't drum up much community spirit.

Gone are the days when the McKennas will be the overlords lurking in the shadows as this town slowly crumbles while it begs for refurbishment. I've been getting to know so many of the business managers but also the community figures like the school principals, religious leaders, the sheriff, and the new mayor. Paddle Creek isn't just a series of financial decisions for me anymore.

It's home.

I frequently marvel that in just a few short months this town has felt more welcoming to me than Albertson ever did. It was always Charleen who wanted to visit there. But it's become frighteningly obvious how very little we had in common toward the end of our marriage.

In fact, it's been made blindingly clear to me how little I had in common with most of my so-called acquaintances. Once word got around that I was a ‘fucking queer,' a great many of them apparently lost my number.

What a shame.

"Look, look!" Kadence cries breathlessly, pulling my gaze away from the stadium and my attention back from my deep thoughts. He looks stunning as always in denim shorts that barely skim his ass and a floaty top. My heart skips a beat whenever I look at him, like it's still the first time I'm laying my eyes on him.

"Hmm?" I say, realizing he's trying to tell me something. I look down at the rows of cages and their timid occupants, already sensing how my day is going to go.

One of Kadence's best friends is a human kitten whose Daddy runs the cat café in town, Toe Beans. They're selling coffee and cakes today, but their main purpose at the fair is an adoption drive. They worked with the local animal shelter where they foster the cats at the café to safely transport all the animals today. These kitties—and the pups in the adjacent row—are looking to find their forever homes.

I've never had a pet in my life, but Kadence seems determined that we're going to rescue a cat. As unsure as I am that's a good idea, as usual, I'm powerless to say no to my boy when he really wants something.

His attention is completely focused on reading every description attached to each cage. Plenty of the little kittens and fluffy cats have other people peering down at them, but Kadence keeps tugging me past those.

"No, Daddy," he says impatiently. "We have to check out the ones that are being overlooked!"

I sigh, thinking that it would be easier to buy a pedigree kitten from a breeder. I have no idea what to do with a cat, let alone one that's had a hard life. But I'm willing to follow Kadence's lead and see where that takes us.

He's not steered me wrong so far.

It's insane for me to think back on how our relationship began with deception. I don't believe for a minute that Kadence was ever truly intending on ruining me. I'm only sorry that he carried that secret around for so long. The bridge that still needs healing is with my son. It took a while, but Kadence talked to me about what happened and how Logan treated him.

For now, we're keeping our distance from each other. I've offered to pay for therapy, but Logan is yet to take me up on it. I hope time will heal this riff, but he's not going to be able to love anyone else until he loves himself.

A wise drag queen has taught me that.

And now I know what it truly means to love and be loved by a partner, I want that for him. He deserves to find peace, even if he's made mistakes in the past. There's nothing he can't come back from, or at least I hope so.

"Aww, look at this one, Daddy," Kadence says. He is at least trying to keep his voice down, but he's just so excited. While he waggles his fingers at a pretty ginger cat, I can't help but sneak a look at him.

How is he still just as beautiful to me as the day we met? I keep waiting for the butterflies to subside every time I look at him, but they're not going away. I wonder if they ever will. I bet in years to come he'll still be bringing light into my life.

There's no part of me that doubts he'll still be mine, no matter how far into the future I look. But there isn't any need to rush into anything for now. It's still something I find myself saying to him after that initial weekend was over.

We've got time.

He gasps, bringing my attention fully back to the present. "What's wrong?" I hiss immediately.

Kadence waves his hands, then holds a finger to his lips to make me be quiet. Carefully, he points over to one of the end cages.

A raccoon is reaching between the bars, trying to fish their little paw into the black cat's food bowl. "That's Clayton," Kadence whispers. I don't ask how he can tell the college nuisance-slash-mascot apart from any other pest. I just trust he's right.

The raccoon curls his little paw around a fistful of kibble. The black cat was curled up in a loaf, apparently sleeping. All the potential adoptees have either blue or pink collars on to indicate their sex, so I can tell she's a she from this distance. It seems that she might have been napping, but she was still paying attention to what's hers. Clayton barely lifts the food he's stealing an inch from the bowl before the black cat suddenly leaps to her feet, shooting across to the other side of her cage, and bopping the raccoon on the nose.

Clayton hisses and drops the kibble in shock before cradling his nose. The black cat screeches at him and lifts her paw as if to punch him again. Clayton apparently decides that he can find dinner somewhere else less hazardous, and makes a break for it, disappearing between the parked cars.

I bark out a laugh as I watch the black cat saunter back to her spot in the sun. She's clearly very pleased with herself as she starts to clean her paw, as if she's a fancy lady who had to swat a commoner away from snatching her purse.

"Oh, she's trouble," I scoff.

When I look down, Kadence has the biggest puppy dog eyes I've ever seen.

"You like a challenge, though," he whispers through a devilish grin.

I raise an eyebrow. "Of all the adorable cats here, you want that sassy minx?"

It's his turn to laugh out loud before fixing me with a knowing glare. "As if that isn't your exact preference."

Damn. He's got me there.

I sigh, already knowing I'm beaten but refusing to admit defeat so easily. "Who's going to take care of her when we go on vacation?" Because you better believe Kadence already has a passport now, and I'm planning several excursions over the coming year so he can begin to see the world.

He rolls his eyes. "Jessie and Nim, of course." Yeah, he's got me there. We couldn't really ask for anyone more qualified. He already knows he's won and is dragging me over to the black cat's cage. "Come on, let's find out her name."

"Little Miss Kiki the Second," I quip.

Kadence slaps my arm playfully. "You know there's only one Kiki," he growls.

I pull him against me for a kiss on the lips. I'll never take for granted that I can do that whenever I want, whether it's with my boyfriend, Kadence, or playing with my Kiki doll. He's mine, always.

"Damn, right," I agree. "You're once in a lifetime."

His expression melts as he cups his hand against the side of my face. "Once in a lifetime, Daddy," he tells me.

Yep. And we have all the time in the world.

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