by Trina Solet
Theo didn't want to deny him, so he said OK.
When they arrived, Seth hung back and Ace ran over to the reception desk. "Sammy said I could come here to see you and the baby."
"I don't think the baby is here today," Theo told him.
"Just you then," Ace said.
Next to him Helen laughed. "Hi there. I'm Helen."
"I'm Ace," he said then he spotted Leo and Andy. "Theo, I see people we know."
"My bosses," Theo said as Acv waved to them.
"Mr. Atkins. Mr. Atkins." Leo nodded to Theo and Ace as he approached.
"Ace is here just to say hello," Theo said and hoped that wasn't a problem.
"I see Seth is here too," Andy said then he turned to Leo. "The sooner we replace McNeil, the better." McNeil was one of the waiters who worked in the tearoom, and if he was being replaced...
Andy called Seth over, and Theo couldn't help getting his hopes up. He gave Ace permission to have a look around in the gift shop as long as he didn't touch anything.
"There's an opening for a server in the tearoom," Leo said to Seth.
"I thought there weren't any openings," Theo said.
"This morning Ms Silver let us know that one of the wait staff wasn't up to snuff," Leo said.
"Poor guy kept messing up orders," Helen said. "All those different kinds of tea."
"I don't think he took the job seriously. McNeil is barely out of high school," Andy said, except that Seth wasn't that much older. Theo had to wonder if Ms Silver would give him a chance, and Seth looked like he was thinking the same thing.
Noticing Seth's worry, Andy said, "I don't think a lack of seriousness will be an issue where you are concerned."
"I don't have much experience or a lot of references," Seth said and now Theo was thinking that maybe he didn't want to work there.
"You have experience as a server at the Peach Tree Café, don't you?" Leo said. "Around here there isn't a more valuable reference than Mrs. Del Rio."
"You'll be interviewing with Ms Silver. She'll be making the final decision," Andy said to Seth who still looked unsure.
"As far as she's concerned, the tearoom isn't just an eatery, it's an experience." Leo looked like he might roll his eyes at his own words, but he didn't. Whatever he might think of the tearoom experience, the place did good business. But would Seth go after a job there.
"I'll be happy to apply for it. Thank you," Seth said and Theo's heart started to race. He was getting too excited about a job that Seth might not get.
Leo sent him to fill out an application and then he went in for the interview with Ms Silver. The whole time, Theo's stomach was in knots and he didn't dare tell Ace about the possible job. He was too afraid to get his hopes up. Seth just didn't seem like the right type to work in the tearoom, and he was dressed too casually for a job interview. Theo wasn't sure Ms Silver would be able to see past that.
Leo arranged for Ace to sit in the lobby and get served some cookies, and Theo gave him his phone to play games on. Feeling on edge as he waited, Theo was glad when a guest stopped by to complain that the room service she forgot to order never arrived. Theo handled it smoothly, apologizing for their failure to be psychic.
"That one would lose her head if it wasn't screwed on," Helen said when the lady was barely out of earshot. "And the way you finessed her. Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth."
"I did tell you that Butter is the name of our cat," Theo told her and she cracked up.
Constantly glancing toward the tearoom, Theo could swear that the job interview was taking forever. It wasn't, he just couldn't calm down. Then Theo got busy on the computer and when he looked up, Seth was standing outside the tearoom. He was looking down then toward Theo.
"You looked busy," he said when he came over. "I got it. I got the job in the tearoom."
"Congratulations," Theo said. It sounded bland, meaningless, like he didn't care either way, but he wanted to launch himself over the reception desk and hug and kiss him to death. He couldn't believe how hard his heart was beating, like the power of this news could knock him off his feet. He wanted to laugh and cry and all because Seth got a job and that meant he would be staying.
Seeing that Seth was back, Ace ran over and Theo gave him the news.
"Seth doesn't have to leave!" Ace said way too loud and a few heads turned.
"Should have told him outside," Theo said, but he didn't blame him for getting so excited when Seth leaving seemed like a sure thing. Things were still tense and uncomfortable between the two of them, so Theo kept his own feelings under wraps.
He reached over the reception desk and high fived Ace then sent him off home with Seth. Theo was still mad at him, but that didn't seem to change how happy and relieved he was.
And it did occur to him that if Seth took that job, it meant he didn't really want to leave.
When Theo got home, he wasn't sure what he would say to Seth, but he didn't get the chance to talk to him. As soon as Theo was through the door, Ace was jumping up and down, telling him his idea. "Theo! We should have a party."
"A party?" Theo thought about it. "We have that picnic table. We could make some food, have a few people over."
"A real party, not just us?" Ace said, getting even more excited.
"Yes, a real party." Theo glanced at Seth. When he didn't disagree, Theo got his phone out. "I'll send some texts."
"I'll see what we can feed 'em." Seth then looked in the fridge for a while. "We have this ground beef. I could make something with that."
"I don't think we'll be feeding them dinner," Theo said after getting some replies. "Most of them are saying they can stop by after."
"I'll fry up some meatballs. We can serve 'em up to guests and have meatball subs for dinner," Seth said.
"Not for me. I'll grab something later. I want to mix up some dip," Theo told him and started pulling out ingredients.
"I'll eat later too and just make one sub for Ace. I can make a cheese dip too," Seth offered.
They started making food and even put Ace to work a little bit, but mostly he had his hands full keeping Butter off the kitchen counter. In the end, Theo just had to kick them out.
As he and Seth worked, Theo was very aware of how small that kitchen was and also that they hadn't really talked. This wasn't the time for it, and anyway, Theo didn't know what he would say.
Lara and Gloria were the first to arrive and they brought peach iced tea and some homemade caramel striped shortbread cookies. "It's a new recipe I'm trying," Lara said.
"Looks great," Theo said.
Gloria pointed up at the sky. "Look, Momma, birds are coming back. They are bringing spring with them."
"This girl loves spring," Lara said as Gloria spotted Ace and ran off calling for him and Butter. "I smell good things cooking." Lara was pointing to the open kitchen door.
"We're a little more ready for guests this time thanks to Seth," Theo told her.
"It's great news that he found work," Lara said and then gave him a meaningful look like she knew exactly how he felt about it.
"It is," Theo agreed, but he was also thinking about what almost sent him running. Would Seth be embarrassed again today about people thinking there was something going on between them?
Rico and Mitch only stopped by to drop off Sammy. Theo and Lara went over to their SUV since they weren't getting out.
"Sorry we can't stay. We're driving to a lumberyard," Mitch said.
"Sounds romantic," Lara said to them.
"Any drive with my man is romantic," Rico said and he draped his arm over Mitch's shoulders as he leaned into the driver's side to talk to them.
"OK, Sammy is in good hands. Now you can get handsy with Mitch while he drives," Lara instructed him.
"I like how you think, lady," Rico gave her a wink and they drove off.
Wyatt and Sam arrived with the boys, but it turned out Sam couldn't stay long. "I have to go back to the café. I just want to congratulate Seth on his new job."
<
br /> "He's finishing up some cooking. I better go see if he needs help," Theo told them.
"I'll come with you," Sam said.
Sam and Seth got into some cooking talk, and Theo took more food out. The kids were playing among the trees while the adults stayed closer to the house.
Coming out, Sam told Theo. "I'm so relieved that Seth got that job. Hannah was saying that he planned to leave."
Theo tried not to make a face when her name was mentioned. "Ace was very happy about that too."
"And you." Sam didn't make it sound like a question so Theo didn't say anything in reply.
The food was all set out on the picnic table Seth made. He was done cooking, but Theo could swear he lingered inside longer than he needed to.
Theo went over to find him cleaning up. "You did most of the cooking. I can take care of clean up later. This party is to celebrate your new job."
"Right," Seth said and came outside just as Julian and Rob arrived with Danny and Lenny.
"They take that dog everywhere," Theo noticed.
"I think he makes Danny feel safer," Seth said. "Sam mentioned the little guy had some trauma and he was trying to get over being afraid of cars and loud noises." He then went over and greeted everyone but the dog especially.
Theo hung back thinking about Ace and his fears. Most of the time he was doing OK. But at night he sometimes woke up from nightmares, or just called for Theo when he got scared by noises outside.
Shaking himself out of it, Theo went to greet Julian and Rob as they joined the others. There was some kind of cooking discussion again.
"Sam can't forgive us because we weren't born knowing how to cook," Julian said and then he and Sam glared at each other.
Lara shook her head and put a positive spin on it. "When people don't know how to cook, it just means you get to show off."
"And then there are sexy cooking lessons," Wyatt said and gave Sam a provocative leer.
"God knows what they're going to imagine us doing," Sam complained.
"Don't worry about them. It's my imagination that's running wild." Wyatt nuzzled his neck, but Sam pushed him away.
"I have to be going," Sam said. He waved to the boys as he started going to the car, but then he turned back to where Theo and Seth were standing with Wyatt.
"Missed me already," Wyatt said and grabbed for him.
Sam dodged and turned to Theo and Seth. "I was thinking you guys could come over for some homemade pizza. Maybe Sunday."
"Homemade pizza. Who can say no to that?" Wyatt said.
"Sounds great," Theo said then he looked at Seth like he was challenging him. "You in?"
"I don't know my schedule yet. Sorry. But you all have fun." It didn't surprise Theo that Seth wanted to get out of it.
Wyatt didn't take it as a final answer though. "We'll firm up the plans when you find out your schedule."
Sam left, and Theo eyed Seth wondering if he would find some other reason not to go, like the fact that it made them seem like a couple to be going places together.
"Butter spit up a hairball!" Gloria announced and all the kids clustered around to see it.
"You guys, don't do anything weird with that hairball!" Wyatt warned them.
"Like what?" Ace wondered and all the kids looked eagerly at Wyatt like they wanted to know the answer too.
Lara hissed at Wyatt, "Don't you dare give them any ideas."
Wyatt laughed.
"I can't think of anything weird to do with a hairball," Seth said.
"You don't have a wicked mind," Lara concluded.
Seth went over to the kids, and Theo went to talk to Rob and Julian over by the table with the food and drinks. Theo kept looking over at Seth and telling himself to stop doing it. But he also caught Seth glancing his way.
"I see the porch is good as new," Rob said. "You're in the home stretch."
"The window is scheduled to be fixed, but we still need a lot of furniture," Theo said and tried not to pay any attention to Seth. Still he couldn't help noticing when Wyatt and Lara went over to the kids, and Seth came over to the picnic table to fuss with the food.
"Furniture? We can hook you up," Rob said and nudged Julian.
"I have kind of gone crazy redecorating, so we're getting rid of a lot of furniture," Julian said. "I don't want things around that belonged to my grandfather. Bad memories."
That was the opposite of how Theo felt. "And I've been wishing there was more of my grandfather's things left here."
That's when Seth spoke up unexpectedly. "The house is here for you and for Ace and that's the must important thing. It's like your grandpa is sheltering you and taking care of you."
Theo smiled and the guys stared at Seth making him get embarrassed. "That's a good way to think of it," Theo told him.
"You guys should come by the house and pick out some furniture," Julian said.
"Do it when you can bring Ace over," Rob added. "Danny will be thrilled."
Julian and Rob were telling them what they planned to get rid of, the changes they were making. They had just started talking about their upcoming wedding when Danny and Ace came over, both of them looking upset. Danny was hugging Lenny to him, and Julian picked up both of them to hold them in his arms.
Sitting at the picnic table, Theo drew Ace to sit next to him. "What happened?"
With a sad expression, Ace looked at him then at Seth, who stuck close by. "Ry found a dead bird and he got sad. Wyatt told him that anything that's alive has to die and it's only natural. Then Ry said that his dads couldn't die. But that's not true, is it? Anyone can..." Ace stopped and lowered his head.
Theo pulled him into a hug. "Just because something bad can happen doesn't mean that it will. We have to think positive." He stroked Ace's hair and kissed the top of his head.
Looking over at Danny who was being consoled by Julian and Rob, Ace put on a determined face. "Yeah. I'm gonna be positive."
"I was thinking I might make a skillet cookie," Seth said.
"A what?" Ace asked, very interested.
"We can't bake a cookie without a working oven, but we can make a cookie on the range," Seth told him.
"One cookie?" Ace said.
"One big cookie."
Ace was all for it. He called all the kids over and they followed Seth into the kitchen and watching as he made a big cookie.
"I'm glad he found a way to distract them," Julian said, but he was still watching Danny closely.
Once the cookie was made and divided up between the kids, Theo told Seth, "You did a good thing."
"Our neighbor's granddaughter made one of these when she visited. She's a college girl and she only had a hotplate to work with at her dorm."
"I see," Theo said and tried not to let his imagination get away from him where Seth and this girl were concerned. He just wished he could stop noticing how great Seth was. He wasn't just hot. He was helpful and kind. And also afraid of people thinking he was gay.
***
It seemed funny to Seth that they had a party just because he got a job. Everybody was telling him they were glad he would be sticking around. Only Theo didn't tell him that, but he also didn't tell him to get the hell out.
Once everyone was gone, they cleaned up together though Theo kept wanting to do it all himself. But even as they worked side by side, Seth couldn't tell where things stood between them.
Then they were sitting at the table in the living room after Ace went to bed and Theo suddenly asked, "Did you have a thing with that college girl you mentioned?"
"What? No. She just showed me how to make that cookie," Seth said, surprised.
"It's none of my business," Theo said with a shrug and turned back to his iPad. But then he put it down and looked lost in thought. "When I was sitting with Ace as he was going to sleep, I put my hand on his hair and I remembered something – how our mom used to smell Ace's head when he was a baby. She would cuddle him and say, 'You got to smell his head. It's the best thing in the world. Better
than cookies baking. I swear it.'"
Seth smiled. "She loved you guys like crazy, huh." He looked over at the shelf that held the photo of their mom and dad sitting on a swing on their wedding day. "Your folks make weddings look like fun."
"I guess they can be," Theo said like he didn't feel one way or the other about them.
"I just remember my dad saying weddings are for fools, it's all a big act and a waste of money."
"Do you think that too?" Theo asked him.
"Never really thought about it. I guess they're alright," Seth said, but he was really thinking that they seemed kind of nice, everybody celebrating together, wishing the couple a happy life.
"What about gay weddings?" Theo said reminding him that he thought Seth was prejudiced.
"Aren't they the same as other weddings?" Seth asked. It's not like he knew anything about them. "There's still cake and all that."
"Cake? What are you a kid?"
"Cake is important. Cake with ice cream is even better. That's what I'll have if I ever get married," Seth said and Theo looked like he wasn't sure if he was just messing with him.
For a while Seth didn't say anything and he realized he was just staring at Theo. Looking away quickly, he got up and paced the living room aimlessly. But soon he found himself standing behind Theo, who was sitting at the table with his iPad set aside.
Now Seth was dying to touch his hair, bury his face in it, then pull Theo down to the floor and...
That couldn't happen, not while Theo thought he was no good and only wanting to use him. He had to keep his hands off. But even knowing that it would make Theo think even less of him, it was a struggle against temptation like Seth had never known.
Theo was right there, so close, so beautiful. Not touching him was painful, and still Seth was confused about things. Why were his feelings for Theo so strong?
"I heard about a place in town," he said after taking a few steps back.
Turning around to face him, Theo was confused. "A place?"
"A room I can rent above the hardware store. Now that I have a job..."
Theo stood up angrily. "You have a job, but you're still leaving?" His voice got too loud and they both glanced toward the bedroom where Ace was sleeping.