Something About You

by Jerry Cole

  Grant groaned, rolling his eyes. “Why do I have to be yelled at?”

  “Because you’re an idiot,” Matt chimed in. It was the first time Grant had heard his voice since leaving Chicago and though he could have called at any time, it was still a relief to hear from him, even if it was to berate him. “I know Seb isn’t right all the time, but offering money after knowing a guy a few days? Don’t be dumb Grant.”

  “I know all right?” Grant said. “I wasn’t going to do anything but then I was talking to Robert and he looked so upset. I couldn’t,” he paused, tried to find the right words. “I just wanted to make things better for him if I could.”

  Seb cursed and Matt muttered something that Grant couldn’t make out.

  “Look, neither of you get it, all right?” Grant was feeling too good to give in to the shame he could feel creeping up the back of his neck. “Robert and I – there was something there and I couldn’t have stopped myself offering, even if everyone in my life had been telling me not to.”

  “That’s fair,” Matt said, and Seb told him to shut the fuck up, but as was usual between them, Matt ignored him and continued talking. “Are you going to bother fixing this?”

  Grant snorted. “I already have.”

  Seb took over the phone. “What did he say?”

  “Well, it’s not perfect,” Grant hedged, “But I think we’re gonna be able to work it out.”

  Matt and Seb immediately started talking over each other. Grant could make out various parts of their argument, mostly trying to figure out who had taught Grant to own up to his mistakes. Grant personally thought his mother was the only person who could claim that particular trophy, but Morgan was probably runner up. She was the reason he had seen Robert so soon after their argument.

  “Guys,” he said eventually, when they had devolved into dissing each other’s appearance. “Stop bickering like children. Robert actually apologized to me first.”

  Seb immediately asked for the story so Grant gave it, encompassing everything from the phone call, to the boat mooring up in the harbor to Robert’s offer of being able to visit.

  “She really likes you, huh?” Seb spoke quietly and Grant remembered that he had heard Morgan on the phone. Perhaps he understood, as Grant did, how special she was.

  “I think so,” Grant said quietly. He thought about the way Morgan had cried against him and he didn’t want to be the reason for her crying ever again. He sat on the edge of the bed and dropped down onto his back. “It’s kinda scary.”

  “Kids are,” Matt said. He had dated a fellow student with a child a couple of years before. Grant should have gone to him for advice, but he had been stupid, obviously. The fact that he was fixing things, that he had the opportunity to change how things were working in Maine had given him a happier disposition. He was glad that the guys hadn’t called him the night before, otherwise they might have received a different mood altogether.

  Grant grinned up at the ceiling, thinking of the dinner he was gonna share with Robert the next day. “I’m hoping that the more time we spend together the easier it’ll get, you know?”

  “I’m assuming you’re talking about Robert now and not Morgan,” Seb said, amused.

  “Yeah,” Grant said, laughing. “We’re having dinner tomorrow night.”

  “Who’s cooking?” Matt asked. “Because that’s gonna determine whether or not it’ll be a good night.”

  “I hope you’re not implying I’m a terrible cook,” Grant said. “I’ll have you know I’ve spent most of the time cooking for them. According to Morgan, my spaghetti is the best she’s ever had.”

  Matt and Seb laughed.

  “True.” Matt made an assenting noise. “Your spaghetti is great.”

  “I dunno,” Seb said, humming. “I think I’ve had better at my mother’s.”

  “Your mother’s Italian,” Grant pointed out dryly. He didn’t think his spaghetti being compared to an Italian’s was fair. “Besides, she hasn’t tasted mine yet.”

  Seb laughed. “I dare you to cook for her the next time you’re in town. That should make her happy.”

  Grant didn’t know if that was the word he’d have chosen. It was quite a daunting prospect cooking for someone else, especially one to whom cooking was a vocation as well as a passion. Still, there was something to be said for having your cooking vetted by a professional and Grant had always cared about Seb’s mother’s opinion.

  “He’ll do it,” Matt warned. “We both know he will.”

  “Good,” Seb said, and his tone was warm. “I wasn’t kidding that she wanted you to do it. You know she adores you.”

  “Whatever,” Grant said. “So, am I allowed to try and fix this thing with Robert?”

  “We’re not stopping you, man,” Seb assured him. “Like I said, we just wanted to yell at you for not listening to my advice.”

  Grant nodded even though neither of them could see it. “Fair. I promise to listen to your advice next time?”

  “Liar,” Matt said.

  “But we know this about you,” Seb allowed. “I think we can give you the benefit of the doubt this time, but we reserve the right to call and yell if you ever do it again.”

  “Fine,” Grant said, knowing that they would call either way, not that he minded very much. He hadn’t realized how much he missed them. “I’ll talk to you guys later.”

  “Go and woo your man,” Seb said.

  Matt muttered something too low for Grant to pick up. “Love you!”

  “Fuck off,” Grant said good naturedly. Hanging up the phone, he let it rest next to him on the bed. He grinned, covering his eyes with his hands. Things were looking up again and he couldn’t wait to get back to feeling good about his plan.

  Chapter Twelve

  Grant knocked on the door of the B&B the next afternoon, when he was sure that Morgan would hopefully still be at school. It was a gamble, especially as he and Robert were only just fixing their relationship via Morgan, but Grant wanted the time alone with Robert before she got home.

  Robert pulled open the door, raising his eyebrows. “Is there a reason you’re knocking?”

  “No?” Grant said, feeling a little embarrassed. “Sorry. I could probably walk right in, but I don’t know–”

  “I know, a little awkward,” Robert said with a wry smile.

  “Yeah.” Grant let out a nervous laugh and walked into the B&B when Robert stepped back to let him in. “I’m trying not to be, but I feel like our fight–”

  “I know you said not to apologize for it,” Robert said, shutting the door behind him. “But I feel like I should anyway.” He looked at Grant carefully, apprehensive but tilting his head defiantly. “I don’t think you’re nothing.”

  “Thanks,” Grant said, ducking his head and staring at the floor. “I came earlier because I wanted to apologize too. I shouldn’t have offered something I knew would be offensive. Sometimes I want to help and it’s hard to think that I shouldn’t, not if I don’t want someone to get mad.”

  “Yeah.” Robert took a step closer. “I should have listened to your reasons. I can’t promise I won’t get mad because I hate people trying to help me, but I can try and realize that what you’re doing isn’t malicious.”

  Grant nodded, pleased with that. “Did you want to grab a drink?”

  “Are you paying?” Robert said, amused.

  Grant shrugged. “I mean, we don’t have to have it here, right?”

  Robert checked the clock. They still had an hour or so before Morgan was due home. “You want to go out to get a drink?”

  “We don’t have to,” Grant said quickly. “I just thought–”

  “It’s okay,” Robert said quietly. “I would like to stay here.”

  “Sure.” Grant’s smile was gentle but pleased.

  They moved into the sitting room at the back of the house. Grant had only been in there once, when Morgan had tugged him through it to get to the back yard of the B&B. He hadn’t had time to appreciate it then
, but he did now, thinking how simply decorated yet appealing it was. There were more photos littered around the surfaces. Most of them were of Robert and Morgan, but there were a couple with an elderly man and a few of Robert’s friends; Darcy and Natasha, even one of Maria in there.

  “So, I’m from Canada,” Grant said, as Robert handed over a drink.

  Robert raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, I know.”

  Grant shrugged. “I figured we should start again, maybe?”

  “It might work,” Robert allowed. “I’ve been in Maine a couple of years now and I own this B&B.”

  “It’s definitely a credit to you,” Grant said. He gestured to the pictures of Morgan around the room. “As is your daughter. I’m sorry,” he amended quickly, “if she is your daughter, I would hate to presume.”

  “Oh God, I can’t do this,” Robert said with a laugh. “It’s too weird when I actually know you.”

  Grant grinned, taking a sip of his drink. “I think you might be right.”

  “Though,” Robert said, nudging Grant toward the couches. “Morgan did say you were on the boat the other day?”

  “Yep,” Grant said, perching on the edge of the couch. At Robert’s look he slid backward, getting more comfortable against the cushions. “Derek offered me work in exchange for not moping.”

  Robert stared at him for a long time at that, searching Grant’s face. “Moping, huh?”

  Grant nodded, taking slow sips of his drink instead of talking, trying to find words that weren’t offensive, and that he had the courage to say. “It’s weird,” he said eventually. “Everyone I’ve spoken to thinks it weird to feel as if you’ve known someone your whole life after meeting them a couple of days ago. But I can’t help the way I feel, you know?”

  “Yeah, I do,” Robert said gently, looking hopeful. Grant wondered if it was the same kind of hope he was feeling.

  “I know I’ve already cooked for you,” Grant pointed out, staring down at his hands and trying to find the right words. “But I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat somewhere. Not tonight,” he said hurriedly. “I know I promised Morgan I’d be here for dinner, but one day, we could go out and get it? From the cafe or wherever else–”

  “I’d like that,” Robert said, cutting across him. The smile on his face was soft and Grant’s heart skipped a beat.

  “Oh. Okay, cool.” Grant’s grin was probably wide and stupid, but Robert had a similar expression on his face, so Grant couldn’t bring himself to feel embarrassed.

  Searching desperately for something to say that wouldn’t sound idiotic, Grant was relieved when Robert said, “Did you wanna come get Morgan with me?”

  Grant finished the rest of his drink and nodded. “Sounds good. Guess it’s a bit of a surprise for her, huh?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Robert said, sliding his own glass onto the counter and taking Grant’s from his hands. “She’ll love it. She doesn’t shut up about you, you know.”

  “Sorry,” Grant said with a wince. That must have been a pain in the ass for Robert.

  Robert shrugged and led the way out of the sitting room, grabbing his keys from the counter. “I’m not complaining. I haven’t seen her so excited about something in a long time.”

  Grant didn’t know what to say to that. It was a little sad to think about what it had taken for Morgan to get excited, but at the same time, he was grateful to be the reason. “How does she like school?”

  “The same as any child, I guess,” Robert said with a shrug. “She likes it well enough when she’s learning something she loves, but otherwise, she’s always whining about why I have to send her.”

  Grant waited for Robert to lock up the B&B. “Do you worry that someone’s gonna come along while you’re out?”

  Robert paused, and Grant hoped he hadn’t messed shit up already. Thankfully, Robert shrugged easily, slipping his keys into his jeans pocket and starting off down the path. “Sometimes? But Morgan comes first, and I know that’s not the kind of business mentality that I should have. Maybe I’m not cut out for this sort of thing.”

  “I think you’re selling yourself short,” Grant said. “It’s not an easy market, less so when tourists would rather be hunting and staying in cabins when they’re somewhere like this. Or even in boats,” he added, thinking about some of the cruisers he had seen on the open water the day before. “It’s not always going to be easy.”

  There was more that he wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut about advertising and the like, not wanting a repeat of their fight.

  “Thanks,” Robert said quietly. “I appreciate that.”

  Grant put his hands into his pocket and stuck close to Robert as they walked down the sidewalk. It was fairly busy, with few other people there picking up their children. The school itself wasn’t far from the B&B but in the opposite direction to the cafe and the cabins where Grant was staying. It was high up a path, and kids were giggling and running down the path.

  Robert managed to navigate his way through the children easily. It made sense considering he had one of his own, but it was more of a struggle for Grant, who wasn’t used to the flow. Robert looked back over his shoulder, laughing gently as he reached back, gripping Grant’s wrist and tugging him forward. “Come on, Grant, I promise they’re not all frightening.”

  Grant was trying not to focus too much on the fingers around his wrist, and swallowed around the noise he wanted to make. Following behind Robert was easy after that, and eventually they made it to the school gates. Robert didn’t let him go, and Grant couldn’t bring himself to ask for it.

  “Daddy!” Morgan’s voice filtered through the noise, and then, “GRANT!”

  Grant laughed, and Robert finally let go of his wrist so that Grant could grab Morgan as she threw herself into his arms. “Hey.”

  “Sorry,” she said almost immediately, taking a step back and looking reluctant.

  “It’s all right,” Grant assured her. “You’re allowed to be excited.”

  Morgan grinned, moving to hug Robert just as enthusiastically. “Daddy! I didn’t know you were bringing Grant.”

  “That’s why it’s a surprise,” Robert told her, kissing the top of her head. “How was school?”

  “Boring,” Morgan said, dragging out the word. “I did get good grades in math today though.”

  “That’s brilliant,” Robert said.

  “Agreed,” Grant chimed in. “You never know when you might need math!”

  “Hopefully never,” Morgan muttered, and Grant and Robert exchanged an amused look. Morgan gave Grant a sideways look. “Are you staying for dinner?”

  Grant nodded. “I am. Is that all right?”

  Morgan curled her fingers into her father’s, looking thoughtful. “Are you making spaghetti?”

  “Morgan,” Robert said quickly.

  “I don’t think so,” Grant said. “I don’t know what food is at your house, but I’m sure we can find something that’s just as tasty as spaghetti.”

  “I guess,” Morgan sighed, but halfway down the path, she started swinging her and Robert’s arms back and forth.

  Grant slipped his hands into his pockets, smiling indulgently at the sight of Robert and his daughter. It was something he wanted, he realized, more than he had before. Maybe because he knew it was a possible thing, with Robert agreeing to a date. It obviously wouldn’t be smooth sailing with the two of them getting their wires crossed, but Grant was looking forward to it anyway.

  “Can we go to the store?” Morgan asked. “Can we get some candy?”

  “You mean the candy you were supposed to get yesterday?” Robert asked his daughter wryly.

  Morgan didn’t look abashed. Instead, she grinned up at her father. “Exactly, Daddy.”

  Grant smothered a laugh by turning his head to the side, looking out over the water. It really was the most picturesque town and he was glad he had stayed.

  “Grant?”

  Grant looked over to see Morgan’s eyes wide, her
expression pleading. “Tell Daddy it’s a good thing that I want candy.”

  Grant knew better than to get involved in that kind of argument, and a look at Robert told him he better be careful about what he said next. “I think you should stop testing your Daddy if you actually wanna get that candy.”

  Morgan giggled, and he could see the amused smile on Robert’s face. “Fine. But if I can’t have candy, can we please have something for dessert? We can watch a movie and eat ice cream!”

  That did sound like a great idea to Grant. He said as much and Morgan pumped her fist, apparently a trademark, and Robert snorted, rolling his eyes. “Fine. Ice cream over candy.”

  Morgan cheered and let go of Robert’s hand to run up ahead. Grant took an aborted jerk forward until he realized the convenience store was only a few steps away.

  “Relax,” Robert said amused. “Trust me, you’ll give yourself a heart attack.”

  Grant made a face. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “Sure.” Robert’s tone was dry as he held the door open for Grant.

  Morgan was already at the freezer, chattering a mile a minute to Sval about what kind of ice cream she should get. Derek was behind the counter, clipboard in hand, and an empty box at his feet.

  “Another delivery?” Grant asked.

  Derek looked up, surprised but smiling. “Grant. Yes, unfortunately. Someone ordered last night, which is a pain. We have to get the boat out tomorrow.”

  “Yes, a shame,” Grant said. “You realize your job is amazing, right?”

  “Yes,” Derek said. “But feel free to take it off my hands.”

  Grant knew he was joking, but he couldn’t help but offer his services anyway. Derek looked surprised, but relieved.

  “Are you sure? Sval’s busy with the store tomorrow and I’ll be on my own with these emergency deliveries.”

  “Of course, I’ll help,” Grant said again. “I can sail a boat if you ever need that.”

  “Your mother,” Derek said. “She taught you how?”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever tried to steer the kind of boat you have,” Grant admitted, “but I’d be more than happy to help in whatever way that I can.”