“Okay,” Hank said, checking his watch. “We’re going to call it here, folks. Same bat station, same bat time next week.” He grinned as if pleased with himself, and Billy groaned.
“Nice dad jokes there,” he said, then flushed. It was the first time he’d spoken, but Hank laughed as if he’d been waiting for it.
“I’m sorry I upset you,” I said to Baker, and had to repeat myself to be heard over Rosy chatting loudly with Drake.
“Fuck off,” he snapped, and I sat back, stunned. He stomped toward the door, and I watched him go.
“Don’t mind him,” Drake said. He stood and stretched, and I was stunned by how many muscles the man had packed onto his body. His neck was wide, his hips solid—he could pick up the bus I’d ridden here on.
“Can I ask why you’re here? No one could hurt you.”
His smile wilted at the edges.
Hank touched my shoulder and gave me a sad shake of his head. “If only it were that simple. Anyone can be hurt.”
Drake cleared his throat. “My Dom and sub weren’t good to me, and I’m having trouble connecting with someone new. They put me through the wringer.”
I considered that but was still confused after a few seconds. “You had both?”
“Yeah. My Dom was....” Drake shuddered, and I felt bad when his smile fell completely. “He was awful to me and my sub. We both sort of belonged to my Dom. It was complicated.”
I nodded and felt rude, but said, “I want to go find my Daddy now.”
“Come on, I’ll take you out.” Drake gestured toward the door, and I decided he was nice. I smiled at him, and he walked out with me to find Daddy.
“Sorry, I don’t know what to say. I’ve had a long day, and it’s only my second one.”
“Your second day of what?” Drake asked, and his blond brows furrowed. People kept looking at me that way, as if I was... stupid, maybe, and it was starting to sink in that everyone had expectations of me I wasn’t meeting. I wrapped my arms across my middle and stared toward the doorway we couldn’t reach fast enough. I didn’t want to literally run away from Drake, but I sped up.
“Being back in the world.”
He nodded as if he understood, and even though I’d been uncomfortable with Baker’s ranting, I felt like someone truly got what I was saying for the first time in a long while, and it was friendly and nice. Daddy was sitting in the hallway, and I rushed toward him.
“Your Daddy is a priest?” Drake said, and his voice had gone funny. “How long were you gone on Mars?”
I flung myself at Daddy. I needed him after all that stress, and I didn’t care if Drake thought it was strange. “Daddy, I don’t want to sleep on the futon,” I murmured. I felt like I was pushing my luck, but he only hugged me tighter.
“Let’s talk about it tonight, okay?”
Stiffening, I held him closer. It sounded like he hadn’t changed his mind. “Daddy, can we go home now?” I asked.
At first, he didn’t hug me back, but then he squeezed me closer. Drake came to stand nearby, and he was still watching us, but I was too exhausted to care.
“I’m sorry, but I got a text, and I’m needed at St. Michael’s first. Father Malachi volunteered to go to the hospital to help there because one of our parishioners died today and the family was blindsided. It might take a while. Would you like to go to the church with me?”
“Yes, Daddy,” I whispered, because the only place I wanted to be was by his side, no matter where that happened to be.
10
GIAN
I didn’t thinkI’d seen Phoenix as happy as he appeared now, eyes wide as he stared at the spread of food across the kitchen counter.
“Your mom did all this?” he asked in awe, mouth dropping open as his gaze jumped from the risotto to the ribollita to the spaghetti and meatballs. Mamma had gone all out, even making desserts like my favorite, torta tenerina. While growing up I’d learned eventually that everyone else called the dessert brownies, but Mamma’s were a million times better than the ones in cafés and stores. My belly growled at the sight. “How are we going to eat all this?”
“We don’t,” I said with a laugh, walking around to Phoenix’s back to lay my hands on his shoulders. I looked over at the food he’d pulled out of the fridge and sighed. “If there is something Italians are famous for, it’s food. Mamma makes enough to feed an army, and the rest is leftovers.”
“I can see that.” He bounced on his toes and glanced at me over his shoulder, mouth spread in a wide smile, and the good mood was wonderful to see after the meeting had left him so shaken. It had taken all afternoon for him to relax, and he hadn’t truly seemed better until we were walking home after the evening service I’d led. “What do I start with, Daddy?”
