by Megan Slayer
“I’m trying to see this from their point of view. This is new for all of us, and after what you told me Neil and Terry put them through, they’re going to be leery.” That was why he wanted to move in smaller steps. Yes, he wanted to be with Bobby and start their life together in the same house, but the kids were the biggest factor. He needed them to be on board with the idea. “When you tell them, don’t do it like a special dinner or bribe them. Just bring it up. Be casual.” The last time he’d been to a fancy dinner was the night he’d found out his parents were splitting. He wasn’t about to put another kid through that kind of torture.
“You’re too smart for your own good. We’ll talk to them in the morning.” Bobby tucked Remy to his chest and settled in the sheets. “This is what I needed. You beside me for always.”
“Sounds good.” Remy rolled onto his side and rested his back against Bobby’s stomach. He grasped Bobby’s arm and snuggled in to his lover. “Goodnight, babe.” He closed his eyes. He was glad the day had happened but thrilled that it was over.
Chapter Twelve
Bobby stretched and glanced over at the clock. Fingers of sunlight stretched across the room. Is it already morning? According to the bright green numbers, he’d slept past six a.m. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d woken up after the sunrise. He sighed. Yes, he was up early, but Remy wasn’t awake. Did he want to jostle the man? Not really. He’d rather let him sleep.
Bobby, though, was energized. Good sex, a great partner in his bed, and a full night’s sleep… He was ready to do almost anything. He slipped out of the covers and tiptoed across the room to his dresser. A run in the early morning air sounded like heaven. He yanked a fresh T-shirt over his head and stepped into a pair of boxer briefs as well as his running shorts.
If Chris was awake, he’d ask him if he wanted to join him on the run. He unballed his socks and headed down the hallway.
Chris was sitting at his computer and looked up when Bobby ducked into the room. “You’re up early.”
“I am. Thought I’d see if you wanted to go for a run. Anything good happening on the Internet?” He eased the socks onto his feet. “Or just blah again?”
“I logged my times from my runs into the spreadsheet for Coach.” Chris closed the lid of the computer. “I’ll get my watch and we can go. Remy coming?”
“Nah. He’s asleep.” Bobby glanced into Darcy’s room. Like Remy, she was still fast asleep. Bobby hustled down the stairs to the kitchen. He picked up his running shoes and retrieved his cooler of water from the fridge. He downed half of the icy water before Chris appeared.
“Sorry. I couldn’t find my watch.” Chris untied his shoes, then stepped into them. He followed Bobby to the front porch. “What are you going to do with the flags?”
Bobby stretched his calves, then rolled his shoulders. “I’ll pick them up later. They aren’t really hurting anything. So people know I’m gay? What’s new?”
“No more freaking out like yesterday?” Chris asked as he ran through his battery of stretches.
“I’m not happy about them or that someone was on my lawn, but it could’ve been worse.” He strode to the end of the driveway. “What’s the type today?”
“I should be doing a long run. Fifty minutes. We don’t have to race,” Chris said. “Ready?”
“Go,” Bobby said and started off. He fell into a cadence with Chris and made his way down the block.
“So Remy’s sleeping. Is he okay? He really got beat up yesterday.” Chris pumped his arms. “It looked bad anyway.”
“It wasn’t good, but there was nothing done to him that’s permanent.” He’d mentioned Remy sleeping over. He should probably have brought up the possible new living arrangement. “I wanted him to stay over in case there was any problem.”
“Duh. He got his clock cleaned.” Chris snorted. “He’s already stayed over, Dad. It’s not a big deal.”
He’d forgotten about that. “What do you think about him maybe being at the house more?” He was fucking this up. Jesus, man. Just say what you want to say. “What if he moved in with us?”
“I think it’s fine. Why? Are you going to marry him?” Chris asked. He turned from their street into the cross road.
Wow. He hadn’t expected Chris to ask if he’d permanently hook up with Remy. The thought wasn’t awful, but it knocked him for a loop. He needed a minute to sort himself out and decide how to answer. “Would you be upset if I did?” Not that he was thinking that far ahead, but he’d love to know what his son thought.
“You’re nervous.” Chris chuckled. “This is what you do when you’re freaked out. You answer questions with questions.”
“Okay, so I’m scared. This is a big leap for me. I never asked Neil to move in.”
“True, but I would’ve moved out if you had.” Chris nodded. “Turn left.” He stopped at the traffic light. “Look, if I were you, I’d hold up.”
“Chris?” When the traffic signal changed, he started across the street. He kept pace with his son, despite his shock at Chris’ statement. “What do you mean? I don’t disagree or agree with you necessarily, but I’d like to know what you’re thinking.”
“Promise you won’t get pissed?” Chris asked between puffs.
“I promise.” He needed a voice of reason—especially if his kids weren’t thrilled about his decision.
Chris turned into a parking lot and stopped again. He leaned over and rested his hands on his knees. “I’m well short of the fifty-minute mark, but I can’t say this and run at the same time.”
Bobby slowed, then stopped. “I’m all ears.”
Chris stood upright and met Bobby’s gaze. “Remy’s a great guy. Really. He seems interested in us and hasn’t tried to buy us off.”
“But?”
Chris laced his fingers together behind his head. His shirt stuck to his thin chest and darkened with sweat. “But you need to take the advice you’re always giving me. Slow down and think about this before you go crazy.”
Yeah, he’d told Chris those exact words many times. Besides, his son was making a lot of sense. Hadn’t Remy warned him to slow down too? “I asked him to move in with us,” Bobby blurted. “I didn’t force it.”
“Dad.” Chris rested his hands on his hips. “Have you lost it?”
“No, I haven’t. If it makes any sense, Remy told me to ask you and Darcy before he made his decision. If you and your sister agreed, then he’d move in, but if you didn’t, then he’d leave things as is.”
“Wow.” Chris stared at him. “I didn’t think he’d say that.” He chuckled again. “He’s more in tune with what you want than you are, if he said that.”
“He did. I was the impulsive one.”
“That’s so not you, Dad.”
Bobby glanced around at the buildings and the trees ringing the lot. “The more I think about what I said, the more I realize I’m very impulsive. Or I have too much faith in people. I never should’ve let Terry do what he did, but I believed things would get better or that they were better than I thought. I was trying to keep something that wasn’t available. Neil… He was a mistake I wasn’t willing to admit I’d made.”
“And Mom?”
“That situation was me not being honest with everyone—including me about who I was and what I wanted.”
“What about Remy?” Chris asked.
“The truth?” He couldn’t believe he was about to say this to his son, but what the hell… “I’m in love with him. It’s fast and I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my mind, but I do love him. I even told him, then sort of reneged on it. I mean, fuck. I’m impulsive. I want Remy, and I’m scared I’ll lose him.”
“Sounds to me like you need him.” Chris tapped Bobby’s arm. “Let’s get the rest of the fifty minutes in.” He started off and Bobby quickly caught up to him.
“I don’t want you and your sister in the line of fire if things fall apart with Remy. You’ve already had to deal with your mom and I splitting, then Terry and Neil. I want R
emy, but I don’t know if I can put you through the wringer again.”
“You’re a dad,” Chris said. “No matter what you do, it affects us. We’ll always be in the way—well, until we move out.”
“Jesus. I’m not ready to even think about you and Darcy leaving home. I’m not ready for either of you to date.”
“Chill.”
“I can’t.” Frustration built within him. He couldn’t shake the helplessness or the confusion. He hated feeling so conflicted. “Chris, I know what I want, but I’m not sure I should have it, even though it’s…ugh.”
“If it helps, I don’t get the skeevy feeling with Remy like I did with Neil or Terry. If you want my approval, then yeah. Let him move in. Do it.”
“I—wow.” He’d figured Chris would be completely against Remy moving in.
Chris held both hands up and continued to run. “I am the greatest,” he shouted and pumped his fists. “I’m the bomb.”
“You’re a trip.” He tapped Chris’ shoulder. “You’re also being left behind.” He kicked his run up a notch. “Catch me.”
“Dude.” Within moments, Chris was right beside him and keeping pace. “Cold, man.”
“I knew you’d catch me. Hell, I’m in shape, but I know you can lap my ass with ease.”
“True.”
Bobby remained in step with his son for the rest of the run. By the time he and Chris reached the house, his knees ached and he wanted to collapse. The fifty-minute runs would be the death of him—at least at such a fast pace.
Chris stopped in the driveway and flopped over on a patch of empty grass. “Go for it, Dad.”
“Thanks, Chris.” He rested his hands on his knees and gasped for air. He needed a nap and a bottle of water, but not in that order.
“So, what about me dating?” Chris asked. “Jenna wants to go to the movies next weekend. A bunch of other kids from the cross-country team are going, so it’s not a date-date, and it’ll be after the first meet. You and Remy can come—but sit far away…like in another theater.”
“I’ll think about it.” Bobby jogged up the street and back for his cool-down run. He’d probably let Chris go to the movies. He and Remy would be there, most likely, so it wasn’t like Chris could get into much trouble.
He helped Chris up from the grass, then headed into the house. Remy and Darcy were in the kitchen. Remy wore a shirt and shorts he must’ve dug out of Bobby’s closet. Darcy wore an oversized T-shirt and had her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail.
Remy poured batter into the skillet. “Pancakes, anyone? Darcy begged me and showed me where the stuff was.” He grinned. “Like I could tell her no.”
“Remember that when you take her shopping.” Bobby gripped the back of the closest barstool. “When your credit card is crying, you’ll learn to say no way, baby.”
Remy met Bobby’s gaze and his eyes widened. “Well, okay then.”
Bobby rounded the island and eased up beside Remy. He kissed him.
“Did you tell him?” Remy asked in a hushed tone.
“Yeah.” He kissed Remy’s temple and patted Remy’s ass. “I did and he gave me the green light.”
“Whoa,” Remy murmured. He managed to flip the pancake. “Wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I.” He squeezed Remy’s ass cheek, then turned his attention to Darcy. “So you got him to cook.”
“I did.” Darcy folded her arms and rested her chin on her hands. “So. Is he going to live here?”
“That’s sort of out of the blue,” Remy said. He flipped the pancake, then faced her. “Would you be okay with it if I did? I like you and your brother as well as your dad. Living here would be fun, but I want to know your opinion before I decide.”
“What you think is important to us,” Bobby added. He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles. “What are you thinking, Peanut?”
Darcy waved to Chris then, when he stood beside her, she held her hand up in front of her mouth. “What’d you say?” she asked.
If she was going for a whisper, she’d failed. Bobby heard her with ease. He didn’t stare at her and instead studied the seam of his sock. She’s not thrilled about Remy potentially moving in? Or is she being guarded? He wasn’t going to groan and show his hand. He wanted a candid response from his daughter without his intrusion.
Chris turned his back on Remy and Bobby, but didn’t lower his voice enough for them not to hear. “Dad’s happy and Remy’s solid. This won’t be like before.”
“He’s not like Terry or Neil?” she asked.
Bobby stole a glance at his children and met Chris’ gaze. He hated to be caught eavesdropping, but the kids weren’t exactly being stealthy in their conversation.
Chris nodded. “The past won’t repeat.” He faced Bobby and Remy. “Since you’re cooking, I’d like two pancakes, please? I’m starving. Dad made me run my butt off.”
Remy plated what had been in the skillet and offered the pancakes to Darcy. “Since Darcy asked first, these are hers, but I’ll have yours done in a few minutes.”
“Sweet.” Chris rounded the island and washed his hands.
Darcy twiddled with her plate, then left her seat. She inched up to Remy. “Thanks,” she whispered. “I hope you do move in. I like you, too.”
Remy poured another pancake into the skillet, then put the spatula down. He gathered Darcy in a hug. “Thanks, kid.”
Bobby sighed and closed his eyes. Things weren’t perfect. Hell, they weren’t even settled. For all he knew, the Coalition would come knocking on his door at any minute or they’d protest his accounting business. But at the moment, he had everything he wanted in his own kitchen—Darcy, Chris and now Remy. When he glanced around the room, he realized he had the family he’d always wanted. The missing piece was Remy. He’d blurted out his love for Remy once, then ignored the sentiment. Remy deserved more than that. Moving in was good, but he and Remy were solid together. Once he found the strength to be honest with himself and Remy, he’d be golden.
* * * *
Remy stared at his computer screen and sighed. His head ached. He probably should go to the eye doctor for an exam, but he’d worry about it later. He’d spent the last week moving his things from his apartment to Bobby’s house. He still couldn’t believe he and Bobby were living together. The kids had helped him lug his stuff across town and hadn’t complained. Bobby had stowed Remy’s bed in the finished portion of the basement and insisted Remy share his closet. Bobby had been the one to find someone to sublet Remy’s apartment.
He massaged his temples. He loved Bobby with his whole heart and hadn’t wrapped his mind around how well he and Bobby worked together. Life usually didn’t work out for him. Although he thanked God for his good fortune, a tiny part of him wondered when things would go to shit. Yes, he had a positive attitude, but he couldn’t shake his past.
Remy focused on the screen again and cracked his knuckles. He needed to finish the next Positively Cedarwood column. He’d reworked his initial op-ed into a happier piece of writing. He wanted to show the good things happening in and around Cedarwood, not give in to the negativity caused by the Coalition. He added the last few sentences to the story about the art fest that would be taking place that weekend, then saved and sent the piece off to Maureen at the paper.
He glanced over at his cell phone. He should call Julia. He hadn’t heard from her or called her in over three weeks and had forgotten to phone her after the assault. Ignoring her in favor of Bobby wasn’t cool. He had his commitments, but still. He swiped the screen and switched the device to speaker. After three rings, she answered.
“Wow. I thought you’d dropped off the face of the earth, except you’ve been in the paper,” Julia said. “You asshole. You got beat up and never bothered to call me? What’s wrong with you?”
He deserved her anger and let her vent. “Hon, I—I fell in love.”
“Love got you beat up?” she asked. “With Bobby?”
“The Coalition sent a
goon to beat me up because I bothered to go out in public with my boyfriend.” He propped his feet on his desk and leaned back in his swivel chair. “Bobby makes me happy. He asked me to move in with him.”
“Bobby?” Julia paused. “You’re sure about this? I’m not saying you shouldn’t be with him. Convince me this is a good thing. I already like him, so it won’t be hard.”
He loved Julia. She refused to be easy on him. “I jumped into this kind of fast, but I jump into everything fast. But he’s sweet and hot as hell. He introduced me to his kids right away and let me know that the kids were very important in his life. We have fun together, and it’s not all sex. He’s got a good job and owns his own house. He knows how to take control in the bedroom and makes me feel special. It’s not like with other guys. I look forward to being with him, and one of my favorite things is to sleep with him. Not just sex, but cuddling together. I’m a romantic, but Bobby makes being with him fun.” He groaned. He’d rambled and probably sounded like a lovesick fool.
“I see.” She didn’t say anything for a long time, and her silence unnerved Remy.
“You think I’m making a mistake?” he asked.
“Rem.” She went quiet again. His heart nearly stopped as he waited. Julia sighed. “I always thought you should’ve gone after him to begin with. He is a good man. I didn’t know him personally, but I’ve seen him around. Just don’t get stupid, okay? You’ve got a chance to do something awesome with him and two other lives you’ll affect. Don’t screw it up.”
“Are you giving your blessing?” He bit back a chuckle. “Julia, babe, I love you.”
“I’ll always be the other woman,” she replied. “I’m glad. You and Bobby will be great together.”
“You’re not upset? Really?”
“Nope, but I don’t understand the part about the assault. Did the cops catch the guy?” Julia asked. “I haven’t seen anything else about it in the paper.”
“I heard from Chief Gagnon this morning. They’ve got the man who assaulted me in custody, and I guess he confessed. I met with the prosecutor at lunch and made a statement. I’ll be available when this goes to court, but I’m hoping it’s not a huge thing. I don’t want to relive what happened.” He shuddered just thinking about having to testify. He’d do whatever was needed, though.