He hugged her. “Congratulations. But why would you want me to—”
“Sometimes I wonder if there’s a hole in your brain where your common sense is supposed to be. Or maybe that hole’s been there all along,” she huffed. Her expression grew serious. “I may want to hit you over the head with a brick sometimes, but I don’t call you my best friend because I think it’s cute.”
“Oh? And I thought it was because I’m cute,” he deadpanned.
“Cute wouldn’t quite cover it.” She sighed theatrically. “But seriously, I’d never think of getting married without you there. Say you’ll do it?”
“Of course I will.”
“Thank God for that.” She sat back down again. “We haven’t set a date, but I’m thinking summer. Maybe in the mountains.”
“My place?”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Her bright smile was contagious.
“Good. Because I don’t use the place enough, and the pergola at the top of the hill…”
“Would be a perfect spot for a wedding ceremony,” she finished. “Of course, a double ceremony would be even more wonderful.”
“In your dreams. Besides, Dan and I barely know each other.”
She pressed her lips together and frowned. “I don’t get you.”
“What?”
“Look at yourself,” she said.
“What should I be seeing?”
“You’re happy. And here you’re already pooh-poohing it.”
“Terri, we haven’t even been on an official date.” His thoughts strayed back to the weekend and falling asleep holding Dan.
“All I’m saying is don’t start off the relationship assuming things won’t work out,” she said.
“I’m just being practical.”
“Sometimes I want to smack you, you know.” She got to her feet and headed to the door. “Just do me a favor, okay?”
He raised an eyebrow. “And what would that be?”
“Try to have some fun for a change.” She opened the door and nearly ran into Dan, who’d raised his hand to knock.
“Am I interrupting?” Dan stepped inside.
Terri shrugged and pivoted on a three-inch heel. “Not at all. Your timing couldn’t be better.” She waved and closed the door behind her.
“Did I miss something?” Dan asked.
“Terri’s getting married.”
“Oh, good. Did she ask if you’d be her best man?”
“Did everyone know about this before me?” Graham chuckled.
“She asked if I thought you’d do it. I told her you would, although you’d be more nervous standing up there with her than arguing an appellate case.” Dan rubbed the back of his neck. Graham pushed away the thought of nipping at the skin and kissing his way down to Dan’s chin. “So what’s your answer?”
“I told her I’d do it.” Shit. He was going to have to concentrate harder when Dan was around.
“I’m glad.” Dan smiled and Graham repressed a shiver. Dan’s body might send shockwaves to his lower extremities, but something about the way he smiled went straight to Graham’s heart—a far more dangerous reaction.
“Did you need me for something?” Graham needed a reason to focus on something other than Dan.
“Just to let you know that CRTC, Inc. filed an answer to our complaint. Nothing particularly interesting.”
“Thanks.” When Dan didn’t make any move to leave, Graham added, “Was there anything else?”
“Last weekend was great,” he said.
“It was.” Graham regretted not spending Sunday night with Dan and Lacey. At the time, he thought it best that he put some distance between Dan and Graham, the couple, and Dan and Graham, colleagues. But he hadn’t slept very well by himself, and he’d woken up wishing Dan had been there.
“There was something I wanted to ask you,” Dan said.
“Sure.”
“I was wondering if you’d like to spend Thanksgiving with me and Lacey at my parents’ place. If you have plans,” Dan added quickly, “I totally understand. People plan holidays way in advance, but—”
“I’d like that.” He hadn’t thought about it.
Dan visibly relaxed. “I’m really glad. I wasn’t sure if I should ask you, but Lacey insisted.”
“She’s going to have you wrapped around her little finger in a few years, you know.”
“A few years?” Dan laughed and rubbed his mouth. “She’s already got me twisted around it like a pretzel.”
After Dan left five minutes later, Graham realized the implications of his decision to spend Thanksgiving with the Parkers. As always, when it came to Dan, his brain didn’t seem to work as well.
Are you ready for this? He hadn’t been back to Carletonville since he’d left it fifteen years before. And what do you think you’ll find there? Most of the kids would have moved away. He had no friends or family left there. In a very real sense, it was just like any other town. He’d be a stranger. No one would recognize him. He had nothing to fear.
It’ll be fine. You might even enjoy yourself.
Terri was right. He was happy. And spending time with Lacey and Dan was pretty much guaranteed to keep him that way.
So why did his gut feel like a lead weight?
Chapter Twenty-Four
DAN wrapped his arms around Graham’s waist and spooned against his back.
“Morning.” Graham’s voice was a sexy rumble.
Dan kissed his back and glanced at the bedside clock: 8:13 a.m. If he’d been home, Lacey would have already woken him up. He reached for his phone and fumbled it.
Graham reached over the side of the bed to retrieve Dan’s cell and the covers slipped off his naked body. “I’m sure she’s fine. But I’m also sure she’d like to hear from her dad.”
“I need a minute first to admire the view.”
Graham shook his head and took just a little too much time to pull on a pair of sweatpants.
“You did that on purpose,” Dan admonished.
“Call Lacey. I’ll make some coffee. After that we can go for breakfast or….” Graham smirked, then walked out of the bedroom. Graham’s bedroom.
Lacey was at his parents’ for the weekend and they’d gone to a bluegrass concert at Red Hat Amphitheater and a late dinner at the Capitol Club. A real date, his mother had called it when he’d told her about his plans.
“It’s been long enough,” she’d drawled.
He and Graham trained regularly now. They’d even been talking about doing their first Ironman in Hawaii in the spring. But they hadn’t had much time to themselves otherwise. Dan didn’t mind that, of course. He loved spending time with Lacey. But a weekend without having to worry about getting Lacey to her swim classes and cleaning the house was something entirely unfamiliar.
“On the balcony,” Graham said as Dan stumbled into the bright sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Caffeine awaits.”
Dan chuckled and padded through the living room and onto the balcony high over the city. He inhaled slowly, then joined Graham at the small café table outside.
“One sugar, extra milk.” Graham handed him a steaming mug, and Dan sighed contentedly. He took a long drink and met Graham’s gaze. “Life is good.”
Graham shook his head and laughed. “That good, huh?”
Dan set his coffee on the table and ran a hand through his hair. “I can see why you like this place so much.”
“Easy commute,” Graham quipped.
His bright expression reminded Dan of running barefoot on freshly cut grass when he was little. Things had been so much simpler then. With Benn, things had been comfortable. Simple. They’d fallen for each other quickly. No drama. No regrets. When Benn died, Dan hadn’t thought about moving on. He had Lacey, and that was all he needed. Or so he thought.
Dan got to his feet and kissed Graham on the head.
“What was that for?”
“Just because.”
Graham stood and frowne
d. “Having second thoughts about us?”
How could Graham even think that? “Us? No. I was just thinking about how I had fun last night. At the concert—” He kissed Graham on the lips this time. “—and after.”
“We didn’t get much sleep.”
“Nope. But living with a four-year-old, I’m used to surviving on a few hours.”
“I’m thinking we can nap after breakfast.”
“Oh?” Dan brushed his lips over Graham’s. “Our track record of actually sleeping when we’re in bed together isn’t very good.”
“We sleep,” Graham said with feigned indignation. “A little,” he added with a snort.
“Speaking of breakfast,” Dan began. “I seem to remember your mentioning we were going out?”
“I haven’t had a chance to do any grocery shopping,” Graham admitted sheepishly. “With depositions last week, I forgot.”
“There must be something in your pantry we can throw together.” Dan pulled Graham inside and opened one of the cabinets in the kitchen. “Protein bars?”
“I don’t usually have time to make breakfast.”
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Dan parroted.
Graham wrapped his arms around Dan’s waist. “You’ll just need to make it for me more often. Even though my mom taught me to cook, breakfast for me usually meant Cocoa Krispies or Froot Loops. It’s faster.”
“I’m jealous. I had at least a few meltdowns in the cereal aisle. I’m pretty sure the few I’ve had to suffer through with Lacey are payback.” Dan opened another cabinet and found some self-rising flour, holding the package up triumphantly.
“I thought you didn’t make them from scratch.”
“It’s as good a time as any to start. Besides, I can’t have you one-upping me in the kitchen, can I?” He opened the fridge and pulled out the milk, a butter dish, then rummaged around and pulled out some jam. “This’ll do nicely.”
“I bring a man home and he takes over my kitchen.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Are you kidding?” Graham kissed Dan’s neck, making him shiver.
“If you keep doing that, Mr. Swann, breakfast isn’t going to happen.” He winked and opened a few more cabinets until he’d found a mixing bowl.
“You know that the thing about breakfast is total BS, right?” Graham said as Dan got to work measuring out the flour. “Invented by the breakfast cereal companies.”
Dan put a flour-covered hand to his heart. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is that my parents were the Tooth Fairy.”
“I wouldn’t tell you that,” Graham shot back.
“Good. Now be a good boy and snag the coffee we left on the balcony,” Dan added, imitating his mother’s voice.
“Or what?”
“Or you’ll find out what happens if I don’t finish my coffee in the morning.”
“I’m sure you’re all sunshine and roses.”
“Something like that.”
Graham waved and walked out of the kitchen. When he returned a moment later with the lost cups, he was smiling.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Dan poured the milk into the mixing bowl.
“No reason.” Graham set the coffee down and stood behind Dan, circled his waist, and kissed his neck.
“You’re distracting me,” Dan said and gasped as Graham sucked on his earlobe. A welcome distraction. All of this. The comfortable banter. The sex. The friendship. How good it felt to have someone to spend a lazy Sunday morning with. And though he loved Lacey more than he ever thought he could love someone, it felt good to have another adult around.
“Maybe I am.” Graham kissed him again, and this time Dan set the wooden spoon down. He turned around and claimed his lips, pulling Graham against him. Reveling in the heat of the contact. The warmth of his touch.
“Bedroom?” Dan asked.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Graham backed them out of the kitchen and down the hallway, his arms still wrapped around Dan.
Breakfast could wait.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“I CAN’T believe I agreed to this,” Graham said as Dan turned off I-40 onto Route 74. Already the high mountains were visible on the horizon. Graham had bought a vacation home near the Blue Ridge Parkway, but he’d only been a few times.
“My parents are pretty laid-back,” Dan said. “Took my dad a little longer to come to terms with my sexuality, but he has. Mom insisted on meeting you the minute she heard I was seeing someone. And when she realized you didn’t have plans for Thanksgiving….”
“I’m a charity case now.” Graham’s smile belied his words. He was nervous as hell. Bad enough he’d agreed to go back to a place he’d sworn he’d never return to, he was going back to meet the parents of the man he was head over heels for.
“She makes a damn good pumpkin pie, and my dad fries an amazing turkey. You won’t regret it.”
Graham really hoped that was true. Graham’s stomach did a few flip-flops. No one in Carletonville would remember or even recognize him now, but he’d still spent a few sleepless nights worrying. He wasn’t exactly the easiest person to get to know, and Dan was so warm. What if Dan’s parents didn’t like him?
Graham glanced to the back, where Lacey slept in her booster. She’d fallen asleep after lunch in Asheville, and he guessed she’d sleep until they arrived. He wished he could relax that easily.
“They know we’ve just starting dating,” Dan had said. “But they also want to meet my boss.”
Graham guessed that was only partly true. But this was important to Dan and Lacey, and it was worth suffering through a little anxiety.
“Hey.” Dan put his free hand on Graham’s knee. “You doing okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“If you decide you want to stay at your cabin, that’s fine too.”
Of course Dan understood. He always did. “Thanks.”
“Terri said you grew up in the mountains,” Dan continued. “We could take a day and drive to your old hometown if you’d like. In case there’s anyone there you’d like to—”
“Not necessary. There’s no one there I want to see.” He’d said this with more force than necessary, because Dan frowned.
“Sure, no problem.” Dan didn’t pursue the topic further.
Why did the past always nip at his heels? He’d thought he’d be okay with this, but he’d miscalculated. The trip to his cabin didn’t take him past his old haunts. But with every passing mile, things became more familiar: an ice-cream place he’d gone to with the marching band after a game, the used-car lot where Carl bought a clunker just a few months before Graham moved, a rival high school.
Breathe. Just breathe.
“You okay?” Dan asked again.
It took all Graham’s willpower not to shout at Dan. “Please don’t worry about me.”
“I need to go potty,” Lacey whined.
“Can you hold it a few more minutes?” Dan asked. “We’ll be there soon.”
“I need to go potty,” she repeated more forcefully this time.
Dan sighed and turned off the road. “It always takes longer than I expect.”
Forty minutes later, having stopped at the Han-Dee Hugo’s gas station so Lacey could pee—Graham picked up a couple of Cokes while Dan gassed up the car—they exited the freeway into more familiar territory.
“Almost there,” Dan said when Lacey once again asked how much longer.
As they passed through the outskirts of town, Graham clenched his jaw. The place looked pretty much the same, although on the other side of the rivers that ran through the area, a new mall had popped up. They followed the main road toward downtown, if you could call the main street with its mixture of Christmas shops and the general store “downtown.” A few of the stores were the same, but several storefronts had For Rent signs in them. The town looked smaller. Many of the buildings were in disrepair.
“It’s seen better days,” Dan said, as if he’d read
Graham’s mind. “The recession hit pretty bad. It’s only now starting to recover a bit, what with the new ski station a few miles down the road.”
“Do you ski?”
“I was pretty good when I was a kid,” Dan said. “But once I started playing serious ball, my coach told me no way in hell was he going to let me mess up my knees on the slopes.”
“I always wanted to learn.” Graham had never had the money to afford a lift ticket.
“Maybe one of these days, I’ll show you how. I’ve been wanting to start Lacey out with lessons.”
“They teach kids her age how to ski?” It was a stupid question, but Graham needed something to keep his mind off the memories that rattled through his mind like wind against a tin roof. He also needed to stop fantasizing about a future with Dan.
“Even younger. They take them to the top of the bunny slope without any poles, put a helmet on them, and they fly.”
“Are we there yet?” Lacey asked.
“Almost.” Dan glanced at Graham and shook his head.
Graham’s stomach dropped to his knees as they pulled into the driveway of a modest split-level home a few minutes later. They’d barely stepped out of the car when a woman with long gray hair tied in a ponytail burst from the house, arms open wide.
“Gamma!” Lacey ran and the woman picked her up and swung her around.
“My mom,” Dan said as he handed Graham one of the suitcases. “In case you had any doubt. She was overjoyed when Benn and I adopted Lacey. I think she figured I’d never have children. Lacey adores her too.”
“Mom,” Dan said as he and Graham walked over, “this is Graham Swann. Graham, this is my mom, Jane Parker.”
“I’d offer to shake your hand,” Graham said in an effort to mask his discomfort, “but you look like you’ve got both occupied.”
“Lacey,” Mrs. Parker said, “I’m gonna put you down for a second. I need to give these two boys a serious welcomin’.” Lacey hopped onto the front porch, and Jane smiled at Graham before grabbing him in a bear hug. “No hand-shakin’s good enough for a friend of my son’s.”
The familiar twang had Graham feeling momentarily nostalgic. “Good to meet you, Mrs. Parker,” he said.
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