Marcus stirred, realizing Melissa was not in bed beside him.
Instead, he found Matthew nestled in his arms.
Matthewâs body emanated warmth, nestled close to Marcusâ heart, with one of his tiny hands resting gently on Marcusâ shoulder.
Soundly asleep, Matthew seemed peaceful in his slumber.
Marcus gazed at Matthew longingly, a mix of emotions stirring within him.
Rising and preparing for the day, Marcus ventured out, only to be met with an unexpected presence in the living room.
At the table, Shawn, Julieâs son, engaged in an animated conversation with Melissa about his business.
His excitement faltered upon witnessing Marcusâ emergence from Melissaâs room, leaving him momentarily speechless.
A few moments passed before Shawn regained his composure, promptly rising to his feet.
âHi, there.
You must be Matthewâs dad.
Iâm Shawn.
Melissa and I are like brother and sister,â he introduced himself.
Julie, serving breakfast, overheard the exchange.
She discreetly pinched Shawn, shooting him a warning glance, before addressing Marcus with a smile.
âHe tends to speak out of turn.
Please, pay no mind.
â
Marcus harbored reservations.
He wasnât keen on other men growing too familiar with Melissa, particularly if they lacked familial ties.
Nevertheless, Marcus excelled at concealing his true feelings.
Seating himself, Marcus maintained a composed facade.
âNo worries, Julie.
â
Marcus and Shawn engaged in a casual business discussion.
Shawn appeared buoyant, as if he had stumbled upon a treasure.
He chatted animatedly while attending to Marcus.
Notably, both Julie and Melissa found Shawnâs obsequious behavior hard to tolerate.
Marcus offered Shawn insights on a few stock options.
Pouring Marcus a cup of coffee, Shawn addressed him with affection.
Julie experienced a mix of concern and joy, her maternal instincts tinged with guilt for potentially influencing Melissaâs dynamics with Marcus.
Melissaâs perspective differed.
Returning to the bedroom to change into his work attire, Marcus reached into the closet to retrieve a tie.
As he did so, Melissa entered the room quietly.
Sensing her presence, he smiled and teasingly asked, âWhatâs this? Do you want to lend a hand with my tie?â
Melissaâs lips formed a tight line as she spoke softly.
âWhat were you doing just now?â