“I love you,” I said again.
A smile spread over his face. “I love you, too,” Beau whispered. “Want to talk a shower together?”
I nodded. “I’d love to.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Beau
Istared at the house before me, taking it all in. Jackson and Maverick had left on their honeymoon a couple of days ago, but Dean had convinced me to stay in Canfield for a little longer. I had learned that saying no to him was something I had a very hard time doing, so I agreed. I was excited to get back to Boston, to have Dean move in with me, but if being back in his hometown was what he wanted, then that was what I wanted, too. Giving him some space and time with his friends, I had decided I needed to finally go and introduce myself to his parents.
Because now I was about to confront Liam and Yolanda Frost. The parents who should have loved Dean, should have told him he was amazing and that it didn’t matter who he brought home, they would welcome them with open arms. Instead, they had raised two boys who were terrified of their father, scared to be themselves, and left this town as soon as possible.
I climbed from the rental car and took a shaky breath. Maybe they weren’t home. Maybe this was all a bad idea and they would have me arrested. Or maybe it would turn out to be a blessing. Liam and Yolanda would realize the mistakes they made, deciding they wanted to be back in their sons’ lives. I wasn’t counting on the last one. They could have reached out at any time, and they chose not to. Just as I raised my hand to knock on the screen door, a man appeared. He wasn’t as big as I was, but taller than his sons.
Liam Frost didn’t smile at me. He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest before he spoke.
“Can I help you?” His voice was gruff, unfriendly, and it told me that I was unwanted.
My gaze flicked behind him for a second, catching a glimpse of the sign on the door that readNo Smoking-oxygen in useand the yellow medication bottles on the counter. And the giant cross on the wall. The statue of Jesus on the kitchen table. This was where Dean had been raised? It was cold and unfriendly. Nothing like the man I was in love with.
I squared my shoulders. “I wanted to introduce myself.”
“I’m not interested.” Liam started to shut the door but stopped when I held up my hand.
“My name is Beau Whitaker, and I’m in love with your son, Dean.” The words slipped easily from my lips. “He’s amazing. Funny, talented, and kind.”
A woman appeared behind him, smaller, fragile looking with stark white hair and bright green eyes. She looked too thin for the clothes she wore; the dress hanging from her body. “Liam, who is it?”
“It appears that Maverick isn’t the only homosexual son you gave me,” he grunted.
I wanted to rip the screen door from its hinges, grab Liam by the collar of his shirt, and tell him what a horrible man he was. That he’d scarred his children for life.
Yolanda stared at me, and I caught the way her lips twitched. Wait, was she happy to hear this or was that something else?
“They’re dead to us. It doesn’t matter.” She started to cough and turned away.
“You heard my wife. They made their decisions when they left.” Liam nodded.
I wanted to talk to Dean’s mother alone. Didn’t she miss her children? Did she love them? “Maverick got married to JacksonOlson a couple of days ago. He’s happy now. And he’s going to be a father, too. The best one in the world.”
“We heard about that wedding. The whole town seemed happy about it, but they’re wrong. Two men together is an abomination. Get off my porch, boy.” Liam raised his chin. “We washed our hands of those boys, even though we gave them everything.”
I barked out a laugh. “Gave them everything? Children need love. That was all they wanted. Dean is... He’s perfect. If he wants me, I’m going to marry him and spend the rest of my life making him happy. Watching him smile and listening to his laugh. He’s so perfect. Don’t you care that you’re going to be grandparents?”
“No.” Liam shook his head, but once again, I caught the glint in Yolanda’s eyes. The way she tried to hide the smile that threatened to cover her face. Did she not feel the same as her husband? Did she miss her boys? “We don’t care about them. They’re homosexuals and dead to us.”
My blood pressure spiked. “Dean is the reason I get up in the morning. For the first time in my years, I feel like someone loves me, and I want to prove to him that I’m worthy. It’s your loss if you don’t want a relationship with them.”
“You’re going to hell, that’s what you’re doing.”
“If I’m going to hell, you are, too, for what you did to your children.”
Liam’s nostrils flared. “I don’t know who you think you are—”
“I am the one who is going to love your son, Dean!” I roared. I hoped everyone heard me. I wanted the world to know. “I’m going to take care of him. I’m going to make sure no one ever hurts him again or tries to use him. And I know damn well that Jackson will do the same for Maverick.”
I thought of the struggles that both brothers went through. Trying to figure things out. Isolated themselves from theirfriends and family. I waited for Yolanda to jump in and defend her husband or their actions. I waited for Liam to try to tell me I was wrong, but when that didn’t happen, I sighed.
