The Unlikely Daddy

• 42 •

"Okay, I'll be headed downstairs" Mr Dylan announced to Mr Bentley once he was ready to go to sleep.

"What do you mean?" Mr Bentley wasn't sure why Mr Dylan would be needing to go back downstairs.

"I was just going to sleep in the living room" Mr Dylan said, picking himself up a blanket.

"Oh. You can stay up here if you like" Mr Bentley offered, feeling guilty for making Mr Dylan sleep on the sofa all night.

"Connor. I know nobody's slept there since Hope passed away. I wouldn't want to put you in a position where you felt uncomfortable" Mr Dylan explained.

"Are you trying to suggest I haven't had a girl back here for 7 whole years?" Mr Bentley joked, letting Mr Dylan know that it wasn't as serious of a situation as he was making it out to be.

"I didn't have you down as a player" Mr Dylan laughed.

"Maybe once or twice" Mr Bentley laughed along as well.

"Well, if you're cool with it I can stay in here. Whatever you want" Mr Dylan shrugged, unbothered by either option.

"It's probably for the best, incase Alfie comes looking for somebody, that we're both here" Mr Bentley decided.

"Sure" Mr Dylan said, throwing the blanket down onto the bed, before throwing himself onto the bed in a similar fashion.

"It's like we've both got two more kids" Mr Dylan spoke with his face pressed into the pillow.

"Who'd have thought we would've taken ours jobs this seriously?" Mr Bentley bantered.

"Evidently not my wife. I'm sure she's still convinced that I'm sharing the bed with a mystery woman tonight rather than you" Mr Dylan sighed, once again thinking about his rapidly deteriorating marriage.

"She'll come around" Mr Bentley had never been a fan of Hope, but he felt he had to feign some level of sympathy towards their situation.

"I'm not even sure if I want her to anymore. Does that sound awful?" Mr Dylan spoke honestly.

"What do you mean?" Mr Bentley was slightly confused.

"Part of me thinks it's run its course" Mr Dylan revealed.

"Come on. You've been with Harper since high school. You have always been obsessed with each other" Mr Bentley played devils advocate.

"Don't get me wrong, we used to be. But, it's different now. She's angry with me all of the time and I'm not sure how much more I can take" Mr Dylan huffed.

"How long has it been like that?" Mr Bentley asked with genuine interest.

"A couple of years I'd say. Maybe since Benny was born" Mr Dylan thought back to when things weren't so toxic.

"The fact that you're here, spending the night at my house, just so you could look after Alfie and Logan, tells me what a good man you are. If things are that bad it is okay to take a step back. You deserve to look after yourself too" Mr Dylan couldn't help but provide some of his psychological wisdom to Mr Dylan.

"Do you want honesty?" Mr Dylan asked.

"Hit me" Mr Bentley braced himself.

"I'm not here just for Alfie and Logan" Mr Dylan spoke almost inaudibly.

"I don't understand" Mr Bentley was once again confused.

Mr Dylan looked at Mr Bentley, not knowing how to explain what he was trying to say. Instead, he opted for showing him. Slowly, he moved himself closer to Mr Bentley, so he was barely a few inches away from his face. Then, he closed his eyes before leaning towards Mr Bentley and allowing his lips to meet his own.