23. Logan

Family nights, as a rule, were not a thing the McDonalds did. We spent time together as much as we could, but as a family of all guys, none of us were big on making plans and organizing bonding activities.

Enter the three Sanders women, and now here I was, finishing up a game of charades in which I'd been absolutely creamed by a five-year-old. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite my initial reservations, it felt strangely right, incorporating Jodie, Carly, and Ella into our family. We felt complete, perfectly whole, for the first time since my mom died over a decade ago. And I knew a big part of it wasn't just the roles we were playing on the surface—step-siblings with Carly, something like uncles with Ella. In truth, Carly belonged to me and my brothers in a deeper, more primal way, and it only added to that meant-to-be feeling.

The only problem was the secret. It didn't feel right, not being able to claim Carly as ours in the light of day, in front of our parents and the little girl we were all beginning to see as ours. But surely, it was a right now, not a problem of forever. Jodie and my dad didn't know the truth of our connection with Carly yet, but they would have to someday if we could ever hope to be a family for real.

The only worry was with her. Somehow, I doubted our type-A, careful, often-conventional Carly would jump at the chance to change more parts of her life by revealing the truth of our arrangement to her mother, stepfather, and child. It made my jaw clench with tension, the idea of never being able to be with her out in the open, but I shoved down the worry.

Dad and Jodie were earlier birds than the rest of us, so after a fun night of games and laughter, they had finally had enough. Since I'd carpooled with them but I wasn't ready to leave, I made some excuse about catching a ride home with Nate. In a moment of surprising intuition, Dad seemed to glean some part of why I was staying behind.

"You all have a good night," he said carefully, shooting me a wink over Carly's shoulder as he hugged her goodbye. I stood in shocked silence for a second, realizing that he must know something about what was going on with us. He at least suspected that I was sleeping with her, if not all three of his sons.

After a series of too-long goodbyes and hugs and more lingering laughter, we finally saw our parents off at the front door, and once their car had pulled out of the driveway, I felt my body come alive with the knowledge that we were alone again. Carly, Ben, Nate, and me. I was more than ready for the next round that I'd been promised.

Well, we were alone except for Ella. But the little one was clearly tired, and she wasn't even fighting too hard to negotiate a later bedtime for once. She rushed off to put on her pajamas at her mama's request, leaving the adults alone in the hallway.

Carly looked at me and the guys with a gentle grin. She seemed to gather her resolve before speaking. "Would you three like to help me tuck Ella in for bed?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. This felt like a step toward something official, above-board. Ben and Nate nodded, and Carly finally looked at me. I'd had the least time with Ella of the three of us, but the idea of fulfilling this fatherly role for her sent a warm thrill through my chest. I'd always wanted to be a father, and even if Ella wasn't my flesh and blood, I already loved her like she was my own.

"Of course," I told Carly with a surprising amount of emotion. "If she wants me there, I'm there. Anything for Ella."

Those were the magic words Carly needed to hear. She beamed as she invited us all further into the cozy section of the house that was only for family. That was what we were, after all.

Ella was excited about all three of us helping her with bedtime. She even rushed to hug each of us around the waist, and Christ, I could have wept like a baby when her little arms came around me. Her energy and joy were infectious, making all of us eager to laugh and smile. It was like she thought this was a game we were all playing, or the start of a sleepover. A thought fell into my head that was ridiculous and right at once, making me want to laugh out loud, but I kept it just for myself. Just like Dwight McDonald had taken in my brothers as his foster sons, Ella was now into collecting strays, too. She seemed more than happy to claim us all as her new foster dads.

Carly led us into the bathroom, where Ella eagerly climbed onto a stool in front of the sink. I watched with a smile as Carly helped Ella brush her teeth, Bennett standing by to answer the questions Ella had about dental hygiene. Eventually, though, he ran out of knowledge.

"I'm a pediatrician, not a dentist, Ella," he said with a laugh when she asked him how cavities worked. "But hey, maybe you could be a dentist someday. Teach all of us a few things about teeth."

"No," Ella said with certainty as she rinsed the toothpaste from her mouth. "I'm going to be an entomologist. But hey, isn't it sad that bugs don't have any teeth to brush?"

We moved on to the part of the routine where Carly brushed Ella's fine, light hair, and Nate and I talked her through it to keep her from noticing any snags as her tangles were released. Almost ready to climb into her covers, Ella turned to me, then. "Can you get me some water, Logan? From my favorite special cup."

"Ladybug cup. Top right cabinet," Carly explained to me automatically.

I chuckled softly at Ella"s request. "Of course, kiddo. I"ll go grab one for you."

Leaving Carly to tuck Ella into bed, I made my way to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. As I returned to Ella"s room, I found Carly smoothing the covers over Ella"s small frame, her expression one of love and tenderness. Placing the glass of water on the nightstand and accepting her tiny thanks, I couldn"t help but feel a sense of gratitude that I was here for this moment.

"Goodnight, baby girl," Carly whispered, pressing a kiss to Ella"s forehead.

"Goodnight, Mama," Ella murmured sleepily, already drifting off to sleep. She made an effort to look at each of her almost-fathers, too. "Goodnight, Nate. Goodnight, Doctor Ben. Goodnight, Logan."

The ladybug night light became the only beacon in the darkness when Nate flipped the overhead light switch. We all blew kisses to Ella as we backed out of the room, closing the door at the same time her eyes closed with sleepy finality. I was no expert, but I could tell she was out like a light within seconds.

Carly approached us one at a time, starting with Ben, who was closest to her. I watched her crane her neck to kiss him, tender and sweet, as a thanks for his help. Then it was Nate's turn, and he was ready for her, grinning down and leaning in to lessen the difference in their heights so they could share a slightly longer kiss. Nate was never very good at restraint. Finally, Carly stepped in front of me, and it was my turn. She reached up to hold my face between her hands, stroking my beard, and I kissed her before she could.

Every kiss with Carly felt new and exciting. This was no different, and it really was new, since our kisses before this point had mostly been full of heat and frantic need. Now, she kissed slowly, as sweet as candy, imbuing all of her gratitude and affection in this one gesture. I kissed her back a little harder, needing her to know the feeling was mutual and that my body still burned for her.

When she pulled back, her cheeks pink, she looked between the three of us.

"You're all… amazing," she breathed in the quiet. "And I want you all so much. Please, guys, come to bed with me. Together."