by Megan Slayer
From his hairline to the neck of his T-shirt, Bobby blushed. “I don’t think you were supposed to hear that.”
“Well, talk quietly next time.” She rested her hands on her hips. “You told Chris you wanted a guy who liked us and you. Remy does.”
Remy nodded. “She’s right. I do.”
Bobby shook his head and some of the color bled from his face until he reached a normal shade. He met Remy’s stare. “I can’t fault her for repeating the truth. I wish she hadn’t used the colorful language, but that’s on me for using it while she was within earshot.”
“She’s right here,” Darcy said.
“You are.” Bobby turned his attention to his daughter. “What about your brother? Think he’ll accept Remy as his other dad?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. Remy didn’t yell at him when he kissed Jenna yesterday.”
“Oh?” Bobby pinched the bridge of his nose. “The kid’s looking down the barrel of sixteen, has a girlfriend and is kissing her. What is this world coming to?”
“Dad, Bliss is here. See her?” Darcy pointed at a woman and a girl who appeared to be about Darcy’s age. The girl waved. Darcy yanked her phone from her pocket. “I’ve got my phone and I can see you from there. Can I go talk to her?”
“Sure,” Bobby said. “Five minutes, then we’re going to the starting line.”
“Five minutes,” Darcy repeated as she jogged over to her friend.
“So.” Bobby kept his attention on his daughter. “Chris kissed a girl.”
“Yeah. I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t my place.” Remy clasped his hands together behind his back. “I’ll mention it from now on.”
“How about we sort it out as we go along? We’re partners, and although they’re my kids, we’ll do this together.” Bobby draped his arm around Remy’s shoulders. “I’m not sure I could get through the teen years with both kids without help.”
“You’d be fine.”
“I just wanted to make sure she was okay with another change,” Remy said.
Darcy trotted back to where he stood with Bobby. “Wait. Chris doesn’t like when we stand by the starting line.”
“True.” Bobby nodded to the group of parents along the fence. “We’re starting here. If he’s on pace, he’ll pass there in no time.”
“He doesn’t like you to watch the start?” Remy asked. “Really?”
“Parents aren’t allowed by the starting line and Chris tells me it messes with his Zen.” Bobby shrugged and stopped at the fence. “I don’t want to get in his way.”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “His Zen headspace. My brother is weird.”
“It’s like you before a swim.” Remy eased into the spot on the other side of Bobby. Darcy stared at him but didn’t answer. He waited for her to flip out. For a moment, he worried he’d overstepped. He’d thought he’d asked an innocent question, but who knew?
“He’s right, Darce,” Bobby said. “You’re just as focused as your brother.”
“Wow.” She gripped the railing. “I knew that—but I didn’t.” She grinned. “I am like Chris. Whoa.” She slipped her earbuds into place and rested her arms on the fence.
“That’s my girl.” Bobby shook his head. “She’s blunt.”
A shot rang out and Remy flinched. He knew the noise—the starting gun signaling the beginning of the race. Still. He hated sounds like shots and bangs. The memory of the assault came back to mind. He’d thought he was past the moment, but sometimes…
“Chris should be coming up this way in a minute or two.” Bobby leaned in close to Remy. “We’re safe. Promise. No one will hurt you or them here. I won’t let it happen.”
“Thanks.” He kissed Bobby’s neck. He appreciated Bobby’s reassurance. He loved his boyfriend so much.
An all-terrain vehicle rumbled by, followed by the first runners. A blond kid was two steps ahead of Chris.
“Chris! Go, Chris,” Darcy shouted. She jumped up and down. “You got it. You got it!”
“That’s my boy,” Bobby said and clapped. “Keep your pace. Run this thing your way.”
Remy applauded too. “Great job,” he hollered. “Keep it up.” He probably sounded lame, but he’d never cheered at one of the races. He wasn’t sure what to say.
Before Remy could figure out what to say next, Chris and the forerunner disappeared into the woods.
“Now, we run.” Bobby grabbed Remy’s hand. “Darce? Come on.” He broke into a jog. “If we go over by the playground, we’ll catch them once more before the end.” He waved his arm, nudging Darcy in front of them as he and Remy charged past the swings.
Remy hustled the short jaunt to the path. A line of caution tape prevented anyone from crossing the course. People crushed against the edges and strained the tape.
“Wow, there are a lot of people here,” Remy said. He plastered himself to Bobby’s side. “I thought it’d be packed, but man.”
“It gets nuts.” Bobby let go of Remy and clapped. “Here he comes.”
Remy peered down the trail. Sure enough, the ATV led the way, followed by the blond kid and Chris.
“Wow! Great job,” Remy shouted. “Awesome pace.” Holy hell. He hadn’t looked at his watch when the race started, but he knew he couldn’t run nearly two miles in such a short period of time.
“Knees up,” Bobby growled. “You got it.”
Darcy jumped up and down again as Chris passed. Within seconds, more runners came down the path, but by then Chris and the kid in first were back into the woods.
“The pack will show up in a bit,” Bobby said. “They string out the longer the race goes. Plus, the big hill around the one-mile mark tends to slow them down.” He grasped Remy’s hand. “Chris is doing great, but if he wants to win, he’ll have to dig deep at the end. Bryson set a blistering pace.”
Darcy strolled out ahead of Bobby and Remy. “Let’s go. We’ll miss the end.” She jogged across the playground and down a grassy slope to the knot of people and the gigantic timing board. More caution tape blocked the parents’ and fans’ access. Remy blew out a long breath as he made his way to the finish line. He hadn’t realized how much running was involved on the part of the parents. Then again, he’d never participated in a sport.
Along the final six hundred meters of the course, people waited. Some clapped and most of them shouted.
Remy glanced down at the timing board—16:55. When Bobby had said ‘blistering pace’ for a 5k run, he hadn’t been kidding. Damn.
“There they are,” Darcy screamed. “Yay, Chris. Go, Chris!”
Remy clapped and focused on his lover’s son. “You got this. Keep it up.” His heart pounded as Chris matched strides with Bryson. He was so close. If he found just a tiny bit more speed, he could overtake Bryson. “Come on, buddy,” Remy murmured.
“Yeah, Chris. Yeah. Dig. PR! PR!” Bobby pumped his fists. “PR.” He kept his focus on the race, but spoke over his shoulder. “Personal best or personal record.”
So that’s what PR means… Remy balled his hands. Pride and excitement rushed through his veins. He wasn’t a dad to Chris, but he wished he had been all along. He understood the thrill of watching the athlete—Bobby’s son—excel.
Chris matched Bryson’s pace and had him step for step, but at the finish line Bryson pulled inches ahead of him.
Bobby whooped and Darcy screamed. Remy clapped, but he wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand he was thrilled that Chris had finished a very respectable second, but then he wondered if Bobby expected Chris to win everything. Remy shook his head. He needed to learn more about the sport and Bobby’s expectations for his kid.
“Hell, yes.” Bobby hurried to the finish line and the roped-off area beyond the line where the runners were expected to remove the little tag attached to the laces of their shoes. Some of the boys were bent over and others had collapsed. Chris stretched out on the grass with his knees up and his arms over his face.
A man wearing a bright yellow and green Cedarwood
Cross-Country shirt rushed around the tape. He grasped Bobby’s hand. “That’s a school record.” He grinned. “You should be proud, Dad.”
Bobby nodded and matched the man’s—Remy assumed the guy was the coach—smile. Darcy grabbed a cup of water and offered it to Chris. He didn’t take the cup right away.
“You’ve got to get up, son. Walk around and cool down.” Bobby snagged another cup of water. “Keep moving.”
Remy watched the scene but felt a little like an outsider. They had the family thing down, especially at the end of a race. He was in the way.
Chris sat up and dumped one of the water cups over his head. He turned to Bobby. “Dad?”
Darcy yanked Remy over to the fence. “Chris just earned his lifetime PR. How cool is that?”
Emotion overwhelmed Remy. Pride, thrill, love… Tears burned at the corners of his eyes. “That’s awesome.”
Chris re-laced his shoes and stood. He walked around the roped-off area with his hands on his lower back. “Let me get my cool-down run completed and we can talk,” he said. “Thanks, Dad, Darcy, Remy. You’re all awesome, too.” He grimaced, then started away.
Bobby grabbed Remy in a bear hug. “We did it.”
“Uh-huh.” He wound his arms around Bobby and Darcy. “We did.” He wasn’t sure what he’d really contributed, but he wasn’t going to argue.
Bobby kissed him. “You’re a great support to me and the kids. Love you.” He kissed the top of Darcy’s head. “You too, Peanut.”
“Dad.” Darcy didn’t pull away.
“Love you both.” Remy held them tighter and glanced over Bobby’s shoulder. He noticed a man behind Bobby. While the other fans and parents clapped, cheered and shouted, this guy stood quiet and stared at them. Remy looked away but noticed the man still watching them. His annoyance grew. Who is this person and why is he staring?
He focused on the man and snorted. He recognized the stare-er. Francis Loperman, the vice president of the Coalition. Was he pissed about Remy and Bobby kissing in public? If so, why did it matter? There wasn’t anything illegal about two men showing affection. Would someone have a fit if they saw Francis kissing his wife, Ree? Not a chance. What made what he was doing with Bobby any different?
Remy remained close to Bobby. Fuck Francis and his narrow-mindedness.
“What’s wrong?” Bobby asked. He must’ve followed Remy’s gaze. “Jesus.”
“What are you doing?” Francis asked. He folded his arms and stood as tall as he could. “This is a public place.”
“So?” Remy growled. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by the man or the Coalition any longer. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“No, we’re not.” Bobby draped one arm around Remy and the other around Darcy. “I’m cheering on my son. Is that a crime?”
“You’re corrupting children,” Francis snapped.
“Honey, please,” Bobby replied.
Jayce and Kell, along with Bret and Shae, strolled up behind Francis. “What’s going on?” Jayce asked. “What’s this clown want now?”
Francis paled. “You’re friends with him? Them?”
“They are good people, and yeah, we are. So?” Jayce matched Francis’s stance. “What’s your point?”
“He’s part of the Coalition and we don’t fit their requirements to be in public,” Remy said. “It’s crap.”
“What would your wife say?” Bret asked. “Where’s Ree?”
If it was possible to pale even more, Francis did. “Bret.”
“So you can make judgments on gay people, but you can’t handle it when someone realizes you’re not here with your wife?” Jayce asked. She shook her head. “You’re getting a divorce because you had an affair with your secretary. We don’t care. A lot of people don’t care.”
Remy stepped in front of Bobby and Darcy. He was tired of being shamed too. “Don’t you see? There’s no point in embarrassing anyone or trying to run people out of town. Who cares what we do or who we’re with? We’ve got to live with the decisions we’ve made. I have no regrets.”
Francis’ mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out.
“All we want is what everyone else wants. To be equal and to live our lives. The Coalition is entitled to their opinion, but so are we.” Bobby draped his arm around Remy’s shoulders. “‘Live and let live’ is what Remy wrote in his opinion piece. I’m all for that motto.”
“You’re crazy,” Francis squeaked. “This isn’t over.” He started away, then stopped and glared at Remy and Bobby. “Don’t any of you mention Ree or my secretary. Ever.” He stomped across the lawn to the parking lot.
“Wow.” Jayce shook her head again. “He doesn’t give up.”
“It’s not over,” Remy replied. “Never will be. We’re not going to change anyone’s mind if they don’t want it. Maybe that’s the thing.”
“Probably.” Bobby hugged Remy tighter and kissed his temple. “The argument will never end, but as long as we’re true to ourselves, we’re fine.”
“Cheers.” Bret applauded. “Speaking of cheers, your boy took second overall. We should be congratulating him, not dicking around with Francis and friends.”
“Very true,” Bobby said.
“Lead the way.” Remy slipped his hand into Bobby’s back pocket. His lover was right. The difference of opinion would never go away, but it was healthy. Not everyone had to agree. As long as no one else was assaulted, then let the Coalition have their point of view. He had his.
“Proud of you,” Bobby murmured. “You’re hot as hell when you’re riled.”
“So are you.” Remy squeezed Bobby’s ass. “Then again, you’re sexy all of the time.”
“Tonight, your ass is mine.” Bobby kissed him again.
“Isn’t it always?” Remy grinned. He’d offer himself up to Bobby whenever Bobby wanted. “Love you.”
“I love you too.”
Remy sighed and sagged into Bobby’s side. He never would’ve guessed he’d come so far in such a short period of time. His thoughts had evolved and his life was better because he’d opened his heart, not only to Bobby but to the kids too. Being together in Cedarwood as a family rocked.
Epilogue
Bobby stretched out on the deck chair and stared at the ripples in the pool. He’d have to close it down soon. Despite having the heated feature in place, he refused to keep the pool open and available through the winter. But first, he’d enjoy the last warm weekend in October. He gripped the arms of the chair and listened to the gentle slap of the water against the side of the pool.
He missed the noise, though. A chaotic house meant a happy one. He had what he wanted—Chris, Darcy and Remy.
“This is strange,” Remy said and sat beside Bobby. “No kids. I’m not sure what to do with myself.”
“True.” Normally, he’d be packing the kids off to bed and hitting the hay soon after in order to get up in time for the various cross-country events. But since Chris had only made it to districts and regionals, but had barely missed going to state, the season was over.
“I’m surprised you let him go on that date.” Remy offered Bobby a glass, then sipped his own wine. “Darcy was thrilled to sleep over at Bliss’, wasn’t she?”
“She loves that kind of thing.” Not that a sleepover was bad, but he worried. Call him an overprotective dad, but he liked knowing his kids were safe and happy. “As for Chris, he earned it—and her parents went along.” He grasped Remy’s hand. “It’s quiet. The water splashing and crickets are a good lullaby. Plus, it gives me time alone with you.”
“It’s the first kid-free weekend we’ve had since the middle of August. That’s what? Almost three months?” Remy replied. He placed his glass on the arm of his chair and settled on the decking between Bobby’s knees. “We should celebrate.” He smoothed his palms along Bobby’s belly and up to his chest. “The last I checked, the gate’s locked, the alarm is on and the fence is high enough to keep what’s going on in your yard private.” He leaned f
orward and kissed Bobby. “You should be inside me.”
“I should.” Bobby bit back a groan as Remy feasted on his mouth. Passion and desire spiraled through him.
Remy kept the connection but smoothed Bobby’s shirt up. He broke the kiss and moved to Bobby’s nipples. He scraped his teeth over the sensitive skin then sucked on one of the tight bundles of nerves.
Bobby threaded his fingers into Remy’s hair and groaned. He tugged lightly on the silky strands. “Remy.”
“Uh-huh?” Remy pinched one nipple and resumed sucking on the other.
“God. I’m on fire.” Prickles assaulted him from within. Every nerve ending sizzled. He spread his legs and rubbed his groin against Remy’s abs. The pressure from the cotton of his shorts added to his pleasure. Bobby let go of Remy’s hair long enough to remove his shirt. He needed the temperature change, but that was what Remy did to him—made him hot all over.
Warm night air surrounded Bobby. He never had to think about what he needed from Remy. The man knew how to please him, and he always wanted to be with Remy. Now that they had the opportunity to make love on the deck, he was taking it.
Bobby nudged Remy away from his nipples. He’d let Remy have his fun later. His nipples beaded as the slight breeze kissed his skin. He blew out a long breath. He wanted to make Remy come apart. He knew what his lover needed, too.
Remy licked his lips. His mouth was swollen and his eyes wide. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Bobby curled his fingers under Remy’s chin. “You’re right. We’re alone and I’m taking advantage.” He helped Remy to his feet, then stood. Raw desire took over. He pinned Remy to the fencing around the deck and kissed him hard. Their teeth clashed, and he bit Remy’s bottom lip. Remy battled him and won by sucking on Bobby’s tongue. Bobby threaded his fingers back into Remy’s hair. He loved the softness of the strands and how Remy kept it shaggy enough to pull but always looked sexy.
He breathed in the scent of Remy—pine and spice. The memory of the taste of Remy’s kiss lingered in his mind. Bobby slid his tongue along the velvet of Remy’s and groaned. He ran his fingers over Remy’s abs, loving how his hard body felt under Bobby’s.