22
No matter how many times he looked over at the tank where their little family of alligators was happily sunbathing under a heat lamp, Oscar couldn't help smiling as he thought of Ryan’s reaction to watching them hatch.
He was in love. There was no getting away from it.
Hell, he was even starting to think he didn’twantto get away from it. That maybe being in love with Ryan was okay.
They’d both been hurt. They understood each other.
Maybe he’d somehow found the person he was supposed to be with. Someone kind, and shy, and supportive.
“You love those little gators, huh?” Freddie asked, having sneaked up on Oscar while he was busy daydreaming about Ryan.
He had to tell him. The words had been on the tip of his tongue half a dozen times now, but fear had stopped him from saying anything.
Tonight. He’d cook, and he’d climb into Ryan’s lap after and kiss him until he was breathless, and then whisperI love youagainst his lips and watch his whole face light up. Oscar could practically hear Ryan’s delighted laughter as he realized what Oscar was saying, feel the insistent, enthusiastic kiss that’d follow, the swoop of anticipation as Ryan tipped him off his lap and dragged him to bed.
“Uh.” Oscar blinked at Freddie, remembering that he’d asked a question. What was it?
The babies. Right.
“They’re adorable,” he said. “Ryan got some incredible pictures. He was showing me them last night. There’s one where one of the babies has its mouth open so it looks like it’s smiling. It’s really cute.”
“You got some too, right?” Freddie asked. “I thought I saw you taking photos.”
“Oh, yeah,” Oscar pulled his phone out, happy to share his enthusiasm for cute baby animals with anyone who cared to listen to him.
“Here,” he said, passing his phone over to Freddie once he had the alligator pictures open. “Ryan’s are better, though. You should ask to see them before you go.”
“I don’t think Ryan likes me,” Freddie responded, scrolling through the pictures.
Oscar didn’t think that was true. Ryan was just awkward with strangers.
“He seems a little standoffish at first, but he’s actually really sweet once you get to know him,” Oscar explained.
“Besides,” he continued. “Without Ryan, this place would be in serious trouble. He’s been fixing all the business stuff us animal guys aren’t smart enough to know the first thing about. When he first came here I was afraid he wouldn’t care like we did, that he’d just… look at the balance sheet and tell us we had to cut down operations, but he didn’t. Even though he was terrified of Spot.”
“Terrified of Spot?” Freddie asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is there something… wrong with him?”
“He had no way of knowing she was a sweetheart,” Oscar defended, bristling at the idea that there might have been somethingwrongwith Ryan.
There wasn’t. Not at all. He had a heart of gold and he’d been kicked while he was down and never really believed in before.
Oscar believed in him. Ryan had shown that he was trustworthy and had the sanctuary’s best interests at heart. Everything Oscar had been worried about had proven not to be an issue.
Ryan, from Oscar’s perspective, was a goddamn angel. It was a shame that he’d had to go through hell to get here, but they were lucky to have him.
Oscar was lucky to have him.
Lucky enough that it was worth the risk of getting his heart broken to at leasttryto keep him.
“If you say so.” Freddie shrugged, clearly unconvinced. “This is the same guy who freaked out over you getting within a few dozen yards of a crocodile, though.”
“I’m starting to thinkyoudon’t likehim,” Oscar said, aware that he was approaching shaky ground, but not willing to let the insult slide.
Ryan was a good man. Even if he wasn’t here, he didn’t deserve to be insulted by a rich boy playing tourist at the sanctuary.
On the other hand, keeping Freddie—and by extension, his family—happy was important to the long-term survival of the place. They needed donors who loved them, who felt good about their money ending up here.
