Liam didn’t find that hard to believe anymore. “I haven’t dated someone quite seriously since your father, either.”
“Really? Ugh, could you twopleaseget back together? I miss Christmas with you.”
Liam sighed. “I know. But it’s complicated. And if we do end up back together, it’s going to be with someone like Eden.”
“Really?”
“Don’t give me that look. Your father and I are freaks, but we’re honest about it.”
“Ew.”
“Yeah, well, you’re apparently old enough to know the ways of sugar babies and gold-diggers, so you’re old enough to know that.”
“Does my mom know?”
“Oh, yeah. I don’t recommend asking her about it, though. You should ask your father why she eventually filed for divorce.”
Drew lazily pushed her chip around her salsa. “It’s ‘cause he’s queer, right? Mom’s a bit… embarrassingly homophobic. The kind that doesn’t care about anyone outside of the family being gay, but once it’s inhersphere…”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“She really hated that you and Dad were together. We used to fight about it all the time, especially after you guys got engaged. She didn’t want me going over to Dad’s when you were around. No idea why. You guys were fun. Honestly… I had never seen Dad so happy as when he was with you.”
“There were layers to that relationship, kid. Your dad and I… we weren’t traditional, even for two guys together. We were the center of our love lives, but there were others.”
“I kinda get that sense now.”
Am I talking to her as a stepdad, an uncle, or an older brother?Liam didn’t know anymore. He had filled all three roles in Drew’s life at some point, and now it was like he was all of them simultaneously, but also… he still felt like one of those frat boys she talked about in between digs at her sorority sisters and professors. Liam knew that she didn’t talk so openly about these things with her father.Benson would be so confused.Liam kinda loved him for that.
“Just… please be nice to Eden. She’s figuring things out, too. Even if she broke up with your dad, he would be distraught over it. You don’t want that for him. I know I don’t.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Drew wrapped up her last taco, but didn’t immediately bite into it. “Does Dad know you’re here, talking to me?”
“Nope. I’d like to keep it that way.”
“I see.” One tentative bite later, she continued, “All right. I’ll try to be nice. But no guarantee we’re gonna be besties or anything.”
“That would be pretty weird, yeah.”
“I’m just saying. She’s also ten years younger than you.”
“And I was ten years younger than your father back then, and I still am now.”
“That’s different.”
“Why? Because I was thirty when I was engaged to your father?”
“Because you’re two guys.”
With that, Liam realized he could not truly reason with someone who had little reason to begin with. All he could do was mediate. He wasgoodat mediation.
Too bad this whole conversation had made the rest of his enchilada grow cold. It wasn’t as good, and now he had to suffer.
Chapter 13
Eden
Chapter 13
