Ethan didn’t say anything, merely fixed me with a penetrating stare. “I think you’re keeping something from me, but I don’t have time to sit here and figure you out. I haven’t been able to do it in the forty years you’ve been around. It’s not going to happen in the next ten minutes.” His expression softened. “Whatever it is, I’m glad you’re continuing with it. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah, sure.” I let him go, already anticipating spending the night ahead with Presley.
* * *
To my surprise, when I walked into the church room where the meeting was taking place, Presley was already seated next to the group leader, Monroe, who was relaying a funny story to Presley that had him laughing.
Sweat pooled under my arms and dampened my shirt, and my hands clenched into fists. I had no idea what came over me. I didn’t have a jealous bone in my body. I never cared when guys hit on my old boyfriend, Carson, but the sight of Presley gazing up with a smile at Monroe Friedman, smoky-dark eyes lit up, full bottom lip caught between his teeth, ignited a burning desire to lay claim to him.
He caught my eye, gave me a slight smile and a nod, then turned to Monroe.
No, I didn’t like that. Not one damn bit.
I chafed at restraining myself, wanting to go over to him, but even from the little I knew of Presley, it was clear to me that he wouldn’t appreciate a scene. So I sat between a hulking man with body odor and the man who had lost his wife to cancer, but I kept my eyes on Press.
“Hi, I’m Leo.”
“Nate.” What was Monroe saying to Presley that had him laughing so freely? I couldn’t stop watching them, remembering Presley naked and under me in my bed.
“You were here last week, right? You came with the guy talking to Monroe.”
“We’re not together. We met here for the first time.” Hard to believe I’d only known him for a week when he’d been on my mind so much. Not since Carson had I thought twice about a guy, and I’d hardly thought about Carson in the three years since I broke up with him.
“Oh.” He scratched his chin. “I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Thanks. And it must be rough without your wife.” I didn’t really know what else to say. “Do you have kids?”
“No. She got sick not long after we got married. We never had the chance.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah, we always planned on them. We wanted two. You have any?”
Did I look like I had? “No. I’ve never thought about it. My brother has two, so I’m happy to play uncle and give them back.” Alyssa and Chase were seventeen and fifteen and were great kids, especially when they drove Ethan crazy. I encouraged them every time I visited.
The room filled up quickly, and though I still had no intention of talking, I was more comfortable in the surroundings. Several people from the week before nodded and smiled at me in recognition, and I returned their greetings. Funny how I wanted little to no interaction with people I saw in everyday life, but with these strangers, I didn’t mind.
Monroe finally stopped his flirting session with Presley and brought the group to order. “Good evening, everyone. I’m glad to see so many returning faces as well as some new ones. Once again, I want to remind you that this is a safe space where you can talk if you want, or not. We’re here to listen, support one another, and try to help by sharing stories of loved ones who’ve passed, but by no means should you feel pressure to speak.”
A man raised his hand. Thin-faced, with a defeated expression, he sat with his shoulders stooped as if the weight of the world rested on his back.
“My son died last year. I hadn’t seen him in a long time before he passed.”
“I’m so sorry. Was he living in a different city or out of the country?” Monroe asked.
The man shook his head. “No. H-he moved out of the house. He was gay, and me and my wife…we didn’t get it. It went against what we’d always been taught, and I couldn’t wrap my head around it.”
“Why did it matter what you thought about his sexuality?”
Shit. Did I just say that?Apparently so, as everyone in the room stared at me.
“Because we’re his parents.”
“Right, but what does that have to do with who he falls in love with? As long as the person is good to him, it shouldn’t matter.”
I sneaked a glance at Presley, who gave me an encouraging smile. I was suddenly seventeen and coming out to my father all over again, unrest snaking through my veins.
“We wanted him to be like everyone else.”
