“How are your parents with you being… gay?” Bear squinted at me, realizing we hadn’t actually discussed how we identified yet.
“Gay, yeah, in the way that I’ve always been drawn to men. Whether they’re cis or not doesn’t really matter to me.” I finished my coffee before answering his other question. “My parents are fine. My dad had harder time wrapping his brain around it, but he’s gone with the ‘if you’re happy I’m happy’ thing.” I grinned. “I guess he does the best with my being gay when he ignores it.”
Bear laughed. “Ah, the rainbow elephant in the room.” He finished his meal and sighed happily, patting his belly. “That was good. We need to come here again.”
“Agreed.” I couldn’t help but to smile. “I’m happy with you.” I held my hand toward him over the table.
He immediately grasped it and squeezed my fingers. “I’m happy with you too, Sir.” This time, the honorific wasn’t a slight. This was Bear the submissive, his little brain was on the backburner for the time being.
My phone rang, and since it was work, I answered.
“Hey, boss,” Sara said in a tone that immediately alerted me to something being wrong.
“What’s going on?”
“Well, long story short, I had to call the cops. Some drunken, overaged, fratboy types harassed Georgia.”
I cursed up a storm. “What the fuck is wrong with people? It’s not even midday on a Sunday of all days!”
They chuckled wryly. “You know, some people go to church.”
“Is G okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. A bit rattled, because they cornered her into her space while I was in the back, but she punched one in the nuts and screamed bloody murder.”
“Did you at least get to pepper spray someone?”
Bear’s eyebrows tried to connect with his hairline.
“I didn’t have to. I showed them the can while calling 911 and then the cops came to take over.” Their cackle was incredibly self-satisfied.
“Good deal. Tell Georgia whatever she needs and to call me if needed, day or night.”
“Will do. I’ll WhatsApp the guys so they know too, without tagging her in the chain.”
“Sounds like a solid idea. Rico especially can be a bit… Rico.” I frowned a little.
“Oh yeah…. Anyway, gotta go. Have a good day, boss man.”
“Thanks, you too.”
I put the phone down and explained the situation to Bear.
“What do you mean about Rico?”
“Ah, he has a temperament and he’s a bit boisterous. He forgets that it can be intimidating to people, even though he’s a good guy and wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose.”
Bear nodded. “I think we should go get flowers and chocolate for Georgia and take them to the shop before we go home.”
Was it too soon to tell him I loved him? Yeah, definitely too soon.
The expression on Georgia’s face when Bear shyly handed over a bouquet of flowers and some chocolate he said was his sister’s favorite was priceless.
“Uh… thank you?”
“Bear thought we should cheer you up somehow,” I explained when Bear ducked his head and blushed a little.
“Aww, Bear, you’re a good guy,” Sara told him, patting his shoulder, making him blush deeper.
