I swallow hard, refraining from attacking Dad. I can't lose my job no matter how much I want to choke my father to death.
"I'll see you and your brothers around, Son," Dad growls. "That's a promise."
"Get lost," Bert snaps.
Dad glares at me for a beat longer before waddling out of the office, taking his sweaty stench with him.
"You going to be okay?" Bert asks, finally releasing the back of my neck. "Your pops seems like a real prick. I didn't realize you two had beef. Had I known, I would’ve never called you out to see him."
"It's okay," I assure him. "But, um, do you think you can give me a ride home tonight? I'd rather not walk home."
"Consider it handled, kid. You're a grown ass man now. You can do what you want and that piece of shit has no say in your life."
I suck in a calming breath.
Bert's right.
My life. My life with Andy and Nate. I'll be damned if I let Dad try and fuck up our world again.
It’sdark when Bert drops me off in front of the trailer. I give him a wave and then wait until he’s gone, listening for any sounds or car engines. Nothing but crickets chirping. Relief floods through me. Hastily, I make my way up the rickety steps of the porch and go inside. The scent of something savory greets me, making my stomach grumble in appreciation. After locking the door behind me, I make my way to the kitchen where Andy's at the stove stirring something and Nate is perched on the counter, reading a textbook. Seeing them so happy and relaxed nearly brings tears to my eyes.
This is how it's supposed to be.
How it was always supposed to be.
Dad was the monster in our life and I'll be damned if I let him try to trample on us again.
"Smells good," I say, making my way over to Nate. "Miss me?"
Nate's grin makes my heart twist in a delightful sort of way. "Duh."
Our lips meet for a chaste kiss. Then, I break away to meet Andy. He's also smiling. So fucking happy. This kiss is short and then he's back to fussing over his boiling pot.
"What's for dinner?" I ask. "I'm starving."
"Chicken and dumplings," Andy replies. "An old lady at the grocery store told me how to make it. It's pretty inexpensive and goes a long way. I hope it turns out okay."
At this point, if it tasted like shit, I'd still eat the hell out of it because it smells so damn good.
"I'm sure it'll be great." I give his ass a pat. "I'll grab a quick shower and then we need to talk." Andy tenses and Nate sucks in a sharp breath. "Not about us. We're perfect."
The sighs they release are relieved. I'm not having second thoughts about what happened last night. Repeating it every night and more was all I could think about today.
I leave them to finish up dinner and hurry through my shower. After dressing in a pair of shorts and no shirt, I make my way back to the kitchen. Chicken and dumplings have been served into bowls. Each bowl has a small plate of salad beside it. It's so fancy looking. We're adults having real dinners and a real, happy life.
"Wow," I praise as I sit between Nate and Andy. "This is amazing."
Andy preens and Nate smirks. We dive in without much conversation, the three of us eager to share this delicious meal. It's quite possibly the best thing I've ever eaten. I'm shocked Andy can cook so well. The three of us fly through our meals and even go back for seconds. Once we've finished and cleaned up the kitchen, I guide them to the bedroom.
"Why do I feel like this talk is going to hurt?" Andy asks as he strips down to his boxers.
I scrub my palm over my face. "Because this talk is going to hurt."
"Are you okay?" Nate asks.
Staring down at my feet as I stand beside the bed, I shake my head. "Dad came to the shop today."
"What?" Andy hisses. "Are you fucking serious? How did he find us?"
