“Long-distance relationships are so hard,” Anna said sympathetically. “Kudos to you two for making it work.”
“He’s worth it,” Oscar said, grinning over at Ryan.
Ryan opened his mouth to respond, still blushing prettily, when the doorbell interrupted him.
“I’ll get that,” Gary said. “Got a feeling I know who it is,” he added, winking at Anna.
Oscar exchanged a glance with Ryan, who shrugged, so at least he wasn’t the only one in the dark. Instead of worrying too much about it, he finished off the last of his pancakes and sat back, hand resting lightly on his stomach.
This weekend away wasdefinitelyworking for him, and he couldn’t see now why he’d been worried.
Gary returned with a tall, brown-haired man with the clearest green eyes Oscar had ever seen, about Oscar’s age, laughing and talking as though they knew each other.
Which, Oscar realized a second later, made sense—why would a total stranger be turning up unannounced at a summer home?
“Oscar, Ryan, this is Freddie,” Gary said. “Our son.”
Freddie smiled a bright, confident smile at both of them, offering a small wave and then, without another word, settling next to Oscar at the breakfast table. Which he was allowed to do, obviously, since this was his house.
“I didn’t know youhada son,” Oscar responded once he’d recovered from the surprise.
Anna chuckled. “He’s been away in Canada,” she explained.
“Five years,” Freddie added cheerfully. “Mom’s told me all about you, though. I was starting to think I’d been replaced, and here you are when I get back.”
Oscar swallowed. That explained why Anna had been so excited by the opportunity to get him to spend the weekend here. She’d missed her son, and she clearly hadn’t realized he was coming back this weekend.
Gary obviously had a little forewarning, but probably only since this morning or so. It would have been hard to keep a secret like that for long.
“Your mom’s been really kind to us. And the animal shelter,” Oscar said.
This whole weekend was suddenly in a completely different light, and Oscar felt guilty now for being upset about it in the first place. Not that it was his responsibility to be a surrogate son for lonely older women, but… Annahadbeen good to the sanctuary, and Oscar wished now that he hadn’t tried so hard to avoid this.
He’d been lonely, too. He knew what it was like.
“Sounds like mom.” Freddie beamed, looking between Oscar and Ryan. “You, I haven’t heard about,” he said to Ryan.
“I’m new to the sanctuary,” Ryan said. “My aunt’s the one who runs it. I’m just… uh…”
“You’re notjustanything,” Oscar said, rushing to cover for whatever mistake Ryan had been about to make. He’d probably been about to sayjust passing through.
“I just keep an eye on the books and get startled by one of the animals occasionally,” Ryan finished.
“Spot loves you.” Oscar shrugged. “She wants to make a friend.”
“Spot’s a tiger,” Ryan said to Freddie, who was helping himself to a pancake now.
Freddie chuckled. “I dunno, I’dloveto meet a tiger.”
“Well, we’re always looking for volunteers at the sanctuary,” Oscar responded. If he could get Freddie on-side, they’d have a much easier time keeping donations from the Kowalski’s flowing, surely.
Ryan would want him to be nice to a new potential donor. Besides, Freddie seemed okay for a rich boy.
“Freddie’s a rocket scientist,” Anna added, clearly proud of her son.
“I’m not… it’s not like I work for NASA or anything. I’m just an engineer.” He shrugged, but for all that he was clearly trying toseemhumble, Oscar could tell he was proud of his accomplishments, too.
Not that he didn’t have every right to be. Engineering was a hell of a discipline. Oscar got a headache when he had to do any math more complicated than simple addition or subtraction.
