Matt watched her intently, ready to swoop in, if needed.
“You—” she whispered to Nicholas. Then her chest heaved up an anguished sob that broke through a dam of tears. “You…were…my…best…friend,” she moaned. Sank back on the couch, crying her heart out.
All three cats glared at Nicholas.
Matt grabbed a box of tissues, offered it to Debbie. He scooted the cats and sat beside her, hugging her protectively.
She sobbed into his shoulder.
The Kit Kat Wall Clock ticked on, whimsically wagging its eyes and tail, oblivious to the drama in the room.
Nicholas stood in the doorway, fidgeting with the lilies as if he still expected them to work their magic.
Eventually Debbie regained her composure. Dabbed at the mascara streaks on her face. “Mustang says you helped me get my job back,” she said to Nicholas. “Thank you.”
Nicholas nodded shyly. “It was the least I could do. When Matt, er, Mustang, told me what had happened, I wanted to help.”
“You two know each other?” Debbie looked from Matt to Nicholas. “How?”
Shit! Matt still hadn’t told Debbie he was gay. She’d had enough on her plate after getting fired from MCU. Plus, reason for getting fired: divorce, becausesome gay dude had found himself a nice girl (her), then figured out that wasn’t a smart plan. Plus, ex-husband gay dude turned out to be Nicholas, GM alumnus. And how exactly was Matt supposed to have sandwiched in a coming out to Debbie when he’d been so busy—working with Nicholas—to get her job back?
Now was not the time to break that news to her, to explain that the shoulder she’d just been crying on because of having been hurt by one gay guy belonged to yet another one.
Nicholas spun a quick cover story. “Our station sponsors a lot of organizations, including soccer teams. I met Ma—Mustang at a fundraiser event.”
Debbie nodded, but Matt wasn’t convinced she believed Nicholas’s explanation.
An awkward silence ensued.
Nicholas stood in the doorway, caught in the purgatory between having been invited inside but not offered a seat.
Debbie sniffled intermittently.
Matt was the third wheel, waiting to be excused, but not wanting to rush it.
He leaned in, whispered in Debbie’s ear. “Do you want me to ask him to leave?”
Debbie pursed her lips, shook her head.
Matt stood and offered Nicholas a seat on the couch.
“I’ll put these in water,” Matt said, taking the lilies from Nicholas. He carried them to the kitchen and put them in a vase.
When he returned, Debbie and Nicholas still weren’t talking, but the tension seemed to have eased a bit.
Matt hovered on the edge of the room.
“Are you happy?” Debbie asked Nicholas. Her voice was soft and genuine, like she hoped the answer was “yes.”
Nicholas nodded. “Happier than I deserve to be. Are you? Happy?”
Debbie grinned. She jerked a thumb Matt’s direction. “I thought I was happy with my life before this character came along. I had my cats. ‘Frasier’ every Tuesday. ‘ER’ on Thursdays. You know, hot fudge sundae happy. Then this guy showed up at the freshman mixer and next thing I know he’s calling me ‘Mom Debbie.’ Me, a mom at my age! And then he dragged the whole team along! Tony and Roger and Caleb and all the rest! Tony—his nickname’s ‘Idabel’ but he doesn’t like it—that guy can eat a whole cherry pie! With his hands, like it’s pizza! And Caleb’s got this girlfriend who might not be suited to him…”
Debbie was beaming—and babbling. “—But Mustang! He’s my favorite. He filled a hole in my heart I didn’t know existed. Now I’m banana split happy!”
Matt blushed.
Nicholas laughed. “Remember that time we made the World’s Biggest Banana Split and tried to eat it?”
