Garrett, concentrate.
Okay, I’ll do my best but can’t make any promises.
I spent Saturday helping my aunt and uncle string up decorations in their back yard, set up tables, and inflate a bouncy house which I hated because those things were dangerous. I made sure the stakes were secure.
Unlike most family gatherings, the entire extended family arrived early. But I was onto them.
“He’s just human,” I told Aunt Raine when she asked what Pax looked like.
“Who happens to be someone you’ve been waiting eight years for.”
“But he doesn’t know that,” I pointed out.
“Yet.”
Right on the dot of two, Pax pulled up, and sweat trickled down my spine and into my briefs. My dragon told me to calm down, but that was easy for him. He wasn’t out here with me having to brave my family’s reactions.
You’re not helping.
Pax was walking through the gate holding a wrapped present. But he was fidgeting with the ribbon on the birthday boy’s gift, and he paused a couple of times. I guessed he was wondering why he was here.
“Hi.”
“Hey. I hope it’s okay I came. Your dad was really insistent.”
“Everyone’s looking forward to meeting you.” That much was true. “But I should warn you, my family is a lot.”
“I like a lot.” He smiled, and parts of my body reacted. Not now. I didn’t want to scare him awaybeforehe met the family.
We walked around the side of the house, and I tried not to notice how good he looked in his jeans and sweater. And I did my best not to think about what was under that sweater.
“Hello, Pax. I’m Dray’s pops.” He pulled Pax into a hug. “We’re so glad you could make it.”
“Thank you for having me.”
Pops looped his arm through Pax’s and led him toward the throng of people eager to meet him. I trailed behind them, worried what my family members would blurt out.
“This is Aunt Raine, Stephen’s mom, and Uncle Noel is the birthday boy’s dad. And here’s Stephen himself.”
Stephen thanked Pax and ripped the paper off his present. He squealed at the box of Lego and raced off to build something.
“Are you Dray’s boyfriend?” Anderson piped up.
I should have been relieved he hadn’t said mate, but he’d watched enough human TV to know about boyfriends. I glared at him, but Pax shook his head.
“Just a friend.” He was more subdued than at our previous meet-ups, and his voice was kinda sad.
Another of my young cousins grabbed Pax and me, saying we were on their team for capture the flag. We ran around the yard chasing the kids. Pax was out of breath and he tripped, but I caught him before he hit the ground and we were face to face. We were both breathing hard from running, and my dragon was pestering me to claim him or at least kiss him.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. The tip of his tongue poked between his lips as his chest heaved and sweat trickled over his brow.
“Are you going to kiss?” That was Stephen, and we jerked away from one another.
The kids raced into the bouncy house, and the adults sat and ate. Despite their promises, my family asked Pax a series of pointed questions, including if he had a boyfriend. Garrett was useless and joined in the rapid-fire questioning.
Pax was very sweet and either answered or batted away the questions. But he wasn’t the guy I’d spilled water and coffeeon, nor the one who called me in the middle of the night. He scratched at his arm, and his answers were monosyllabic.
