“And now you’re competitors?”
Shit. Why hadn’t Isaac used that excuse for why they knew each other?
“Dad…” Dalton frowned at him.
“It wasn’t an intentional slight.”
“Could have fooled me,” Andrew muttered.
“I told you. What else would I be good at?”
The silence stretched again, but like before, Andrew was the first to cave.
“I should go. This is weird. You’re trying to have personal… father-son time,” he said like he’d smelled something rancid from the kitchen.
“But we both have reason to catch up with you,” Dalton said. “Do you want to join us?”
“I don’t know if—”
“Dalton—”
“Come on, please? I don’t want to miss the chance to catch up with either of you.” He slid into the booth, seated across from Isaac, and patted the space beside him. “Unless it’s really so terrible being around each other?”
“Not… terrible,” Andrew said.
“Oh no?” Isaac raised an eyebrow at him, remembering those same words spoken last night for very different reasons.
“You have your moments.”
“Great!” Dalton patted the seat again. “Then you can sit.”
Andrew did so, but with the next awkward span of silence readily on deck, he spoke up quickly. “So, Dalton, what are you up to? Did you get that job at Avalon?”
“I did! Working directly with Doctor Vallancourt. She’s incredible.”
“That’s great. I’ve met her a few times now. Avalon had some break-ins when I was a detective.”
“Really? So, you know my boss, and you dated my dad? Good thing we never slept together, or this would be a real mess.” He snickered, and Andrew’s face turned green, while Isaac felt bile in his stomach. “Relax! Seriously, Dad, we both had boyfriends when Andrew tutored me.”
Thank God.
Wait…
“Boyfriends?” Isaac questioned
“I’ve had boyfriends,” Andrew said, and then remembered the lie Isaac had neglected like an amateur. “Beforeyou.”
“How did you two meet anyway?” Dalton asked.
“Series of chance encounters,” Isaac said.
“More like obvious flirting disguised as playful banter,” Andrew murmured.
“Obvious? And here I thought you were oblivious.”
“Just because I didn’t give in doesn’t mean I didn’t know what you were doing.”
“But you did give in eventually,” Dalton interrupted, “so what changed?”
