"No." I wasn't about to stand here and let him lie to me. "I was there long enough to see a lot more than you think. He kissed you. Then you kissed him. It was pretty fucking mutual, and it clearly wasn't a one-time thing. Besides, you never once mentioned that he was gay."
"I didn't think I needed to," he shot back. "Cy, I don't define people by their sexuality!"
I just grunted. While that was true, it also made a real good excuse in this situation, and I wasn't falling for it. "You were wearing my ring," I said instead.
"I messed up, ok?" he tried. "It was just that once, and - "
"Took you eight, almost nine months now, to decide you were ready to explain that." I nodded, making it clear that was bullshit. "I had a six-month lease in Denver. I was right across fucking town, and you didn't come explain. You didn't even leave a voicemail to explain, but almost three months after I left thestate,you drove your ass to Texas?"
"I couldn't find you," he insisted. "The only reason I found this place was because of that letter saying your license transfer had been approved. It listed this as your new business address."
"Yep."
"What the hell is this place?" he asked.
"Teen rehabilitation center," I said. "We take in selfless criminals and teach them how to become productive and successful members of society." I almost stopped there, but I couldn't help myself. "It's where I grew up, Kindle. This is my home. Our grandmother passed away in March. The family came back together, and we're starting it back up. I'm the psychiatrist on premises."
"Family?" he asked. "I thought you didn't have contact with your relatives."
"Wrong family," I assured him. "This? I'm not related to them by blood. These are the people who stuck with me when it got hard. This is my real family, and I'm not going anywhere. This is my home. So you'd better start talking, because I'm not desperate, and I'm perfectly happy here."
"With the cowboy?" he asked, pushing that again, all but proving he was jealous.
I just smiled. "I'm pretty fond of that cowboy, and he's pretty fond of using his fists, but we're just friends. I'm with someone else."
"Who?" he demanded. "You dumped me, moved here how long ago, and you've already shacked up with someone? Who is he, and how long have you known him? Because you aren't the kind to rush into anything."
I shoved my hand over my mouth and watched him, trying to decide how to play this. "You remember when I said you aren't my usual type?"
"Isthatthe kind of guy you dated before me?" He scoffed. "Please. You're more cultured than that, andthisis not culture, Cy. It looks like desperation!"
I just chuckled, realizing just how wrong this man had been for me. I also didn't want to get into it. I sure as shit didn't owe Kindle an explanation. He owed me one - and it hadn't escaped my notice that he was still trying to get out of explaining himself.
"You still haven't said why the fuck you're here," I reminded him. "Start talking or you'll be leaving before Emilio's back. After all, he's the only thing about 'us' that I actually miss."
"I want another chance," Kindle finally admitted. "I love you, Cy."
"So much that you had your tongue down another man's throat without even telling me you were into him."
He glanced away. "It was a mistake, ok? Your shift had you out so late, and I got tired of staying home. I started hanging out with some friends from work, and then I met Jonathan. We were just friends. We laughed about being the gay guys at work, and how atrocious the straight men dress. Things like that. It got to be a thing, and I saw him more than you. I was lonely, Cy, and I made a mistake. When he kissed me, I didn't even think, but Iloveyou."
"You moved him in, didn't you?" Because I'd driven past enough times and seen that man's car there.
Oh, I wouldn't admit that. I always had a reason why I'd driven that way. A good one, just so I didn't seem pathetic, but I still had. At the time, I'd thought Kindle had been the best I could get, but life had a funny way of knocking us down just to lift us back up. For me, it had been ripping this guy away to give me what I really wanted - and more.
"No," Kindle insisted. "When you caught me, I made it clear to him that it had been a mistake. I followed you home, but you were gone by the time I got there, and I couldn't figure out where you'd gone. I called your job and they said you'd quit!"
"Because I outed myself for you!" I roared. "I worked in a jail, you idiot. One hint that I like taking it up the ass, and that's all those inmates were going to care about. Once the men I worked with knew, they'd talk about it. Someone would hear, and before I knew it, I'd be pinned down by a murderer. Thanks, but no."
"I'm sorry," he breathed, reaching up to touch my arm.
Then the door to the house opened. I glanced at the window of the car, using the reflection as a mirror, but it wasn't Luke. Kindle looked over, his jaw set with his "determined" look, until his eyes landed on the man headed toward us. Then Kindle's head snapped back toward me.
"Isn't that..."
"Ashton Walker," I damned near purred. "Yeah, the same one who was on the office wall."
"Babe?" Ash called out.
