Chapter 16
Izzy packed his stuff quietly. Sam went to bed for a while, then got up again, because he couldn’t sleep, or so he said.
“Izzy, coffee,” he called quietly sometime in the morning hours when Izzy had been done packing and lay curled on the bed that wasn’t his anymore.
When Izzy didn’t reply, Sam came to the doorway and looked at him.
“Is it weird that I know you didn’t do what they accuse you of?” he asked, and Izzy’s gaze snapped into Sam’s.
“What?”
“This meant too much to you. There’s got to be an explanation. And you wouldn’t leave Wyatt, either.” Sam crossed his arms. “I wouldn’t have chosen the boss’s brother though.”
“I didn’t choose anything,” Izzy murmured. “You don’t get to choose who you fall in love with.” He knew it now, that he was in love with the impossible, imperfectly perfect person that was Wyatt Abbott, and he’d fucked up so badly. There was no way Wyatt would forgive him, even if somehow Justin changed his mind. Not that he would, because he’d made up his mind and stopped listening.
“You’re spiraling. Come get some coffee, it’s not like you’re going to sleep anyway.” Sam turned and walked off.
Izzy dragged himself out of bed and went to the kitchenette to pick up the mug Sam had made for him. Then he went to sit with Sam at the small seating area. He’d liked this place so much. Liked the job, well, maybe not the bees so much, but everything else about it.
He wasn’t sure what time it was, but maybe something like eight.
Suddenly someone knocked on the door, and Izzy tensed.
“It’s open!” Sam called, and when Izzy turned to look, Del Abbot stepped in.
“Morning,” Del said awkwardly.
“How can we help you, Mr. Abbot?” Sam asked, and something in Del’s expression told Izzy that Sam had been calling him Del before. This was Sam taking a step back for Izzy’s sake, and he didn’t want that to happen.
“Sam, don’t…”
“It’s all right, Izzy. I get it. Sam is your friend.” Del looked at Izzy. “You didn’t do this, did you?”
Izzy shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Justin’s made up his mind.”
“You don’t have to tell me what happened, but here.” He held out a card with some cop’s name on it. “This is the officer we’re supposed to contact if we can think of anything else. I’m giving it to you, so you can decide whether you want to just leave like Justin told you, or if you want to tell your side of the story to someone who might listen.”
Izzy snorted at the thought Del Abbot believed cops listened to guys like him, but he picked up the card from where Del dropped it on the table.
Del pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning on and walked back to the door. “And Izzy? I don’t appreciate you outing my kid, even to me. I get that he’s an adult now, but those weren’t your secrets to tell.” Just before he opened the door, he looked back at Izzy. “He needs someone special, and I don’t know if that’s you. He seems to think so, and from the look on your face, I’d say this isn’t the kind of situation that Justin thinks it is. Do I like the age difference? No. But it would be awfully hypocritical for me to say it’s too much, wouldn’t it?”
With that, Del walked out and closed the door behind himself.
* * * *
Sam watched from the door as Izzy carried his stuff into his car. He’d made some calls, to Mrs. Rossi first, and then the officer in the card. He had about ten minutes to get to the Abbots’ house and then it would be showtime.
“I’m going to head to work,” Sam said. “I hope you’ll be here when I get back.”
Izzy smiled sadly at his friend, because that’s exactly what Sam had become. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
“At least you’re fighting. That’s better than to just leave.” Sam walked to him and gave him a real hug, not one of those shitty man hugs.
“Yeah. I think it’s time for me to fight for what I think is right.”
“Just…keep your head, okay? Don’t get too pissed off. Choose your words this time.” Sam grinned at him, and Izzy cuffed him on the shoulder.
“Asshole.”
