“He’s attracted to you.”
“So it’s a fucking case of ‘if I can’t have him, no one can’?” Leaf let out a huff of disbelieving laughter.
“Uh-huh….”
“For fuck’s sake,” Seth groaned.
“You can’t help it, love. You’re just too gorgeous and smart for your own good,” Dev comforted him playfully, reaching back to pat Seth on the butt.
“Jesus….” Seth sighed, but moved so he was even closer to Dev’s back, with his arm over him and hand resting on Leaf’s stomach.
“Yep!” Dev smiled. “So here’s for it not being awkward tomorrow at the party!”
Both Leaf and Seth groaned, and Dev couldn’t help the delighted giggle that escaped him then.
THE PARTYwas supposed to be in the evening, so at one point in the afternoon, amid all the preparations, the caterers running around, and people setting out tents and fencing off the pool in the backyard, Dev left Seth and Leaf to nap in their bedroom and went to find his parents.
“So, here’s my presents for you guys,” he said after following them to his dad’s study, where the window hanging sat against the wall in its supersecure packaging. “Yes, Mom, you can open it now.” He chuckled at his mother clapping her hands like a little girl.
He gave his dad the small package. “Happy anniversary, Dad.”
While Dad opened his present, he helped Mom with hers, because the whole thing was quite big.
“Now, I don’t know where you’re going to put this, but….” He took the last of the packaging away and she stared at the stained-glass peacock surrounded with vines and roses.
“Oh, Devin,” she breathed, then hugged his side while never taking her eyes off the art. “It’swonderful!”
“That’s beautiful, son. And thanks for these, I’ll definitely use them tonight.” He held up the cufflinks, smiling.
“I think it will fit my reading room’s window perfectly. I think I want it hung right now. Dev, could you get someone to help you and hang it up?” She looked so happy and hopeful, Dev nodded immediately.
“Sure thing, Momma.” He kissed her cheek and went to get Angel.
They were carrying the piece carefully to the small library room—or reading room, as Mom put it—when Angel piped up. “I’m so glad this isn’t a contest, brother mine.”
“Why?”
“Because I got her chef’s knives and a few super hard-to-find games for Dad’s old consoles.”
“Dude, they still love everything we get them. And I bet you didn’t get the cheap knives?”
“Definitely not.” Angel grinned.
“Good thing it isn’t a contest, then.”
Smiling, they made sure the heavy artwork was securely attached to the wall above the window. It did look amazing, even if Dev said so himself.
“Good job, bro,” Angel said as they stepped back to examine their handiwork.
THE PARTYitself went fine. There were a few people who looked at Dev, Seth, and Leaf funny. Some didn’t know what to make of them. Apparently three men looking close in different configurations throughout the party seemed to confuse some.
One of Dev and Angel’s old teachers, Mrs. Elliot, came to Dev in a rare quiet moment when he was standing by the opening to one of the two tents, Seth and Leaf slow-dancing to something beautiful.
“You look at them like my husband used to look at me,” she stated by his elbow.
“Then you were a lucky woman,” Dev, ever polite, answered.
She smiled at him and patted his arm. “That I was, Devin, that I was. For nearly fifty years.”
