Tean laughed again.“I’m pretty weird.”
“Jem says you know you love someone when you think they’re the most special person you’ve ever met.”
The rush of tears made Tean blink, but he thought he managed to keep his voice even as he said, “That’s a beautiful way to think about it.”He tugged on the lights.“I’d also point out that you’re still young, and in many ways, you’re still figuring yourself out.It’s okay to try on different personalities and interests.It’s good to figure out what you like.”
“I like masc guys,” Daniel said without missing a beat.“Especially the super ripped ones.”
“Uh, I meant more like hobbies—”
“But I also like older guys, and they don’t have to be ripped.Dad bods are hot.”
“Let’s stay on topic,” Tean said.“Do you not like this outfit?Do you want to find something different?”
“I don’t know.I look good, I guess.And Justin will go crazy.Doyouthink I should wear it?”
A knock came at the door.Scipio whuffed, and then the whuff turned into a full-on bark, and the Lab eased himself off the sofa and began to prance in front of the door.Tean said a silent prayer to whatever god was in charge of saving him from teenage boys and went to answer it.
Jem stood on the porch.He was still dressed in the clothes he’d worn the day before, and he had dark circles under his eyes.His smile, when he tried it, trembled at the corner of his mouth and then vanished.He’d taken the time to fix his hair, and something about that made Tean’s eyes sting, and he had to fight for a moment before he trusted himself to say, “What are you doing?Why are you standing out there?”
Jem shrugged.He dropped his gaze.“I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to…”
But he trailed off.
As low as he could, Tean said, “Don’t be silly.This is our home; come inside.”
But a beat passed before Jem stepped over the threshold, and Tean caught himself moving backward automatically, keeping distance between them.He caught a whiff of soap, which meant Jem had showered somewhere.Slept somewhere.A hotel?A friend’s house?A hookup?
That last thought slipped into Tean’s thoughts despite his best efforts.
“I think if we try the comb again—” Daniel was saying as he came down the hall.And then he said, “Where were you?Tean can’t do my hair.”
“Something came up,” Jem said, and he gave the boy a once over, obviously taking in the tulle and the fairy lights.“Holy shit, Danny.How gay are you?”
A huge grin splashed across Daniel’s face, and then it was gone, and in a voice that actually sounded pleased he said, “You’re an asshole.Come help me.”
He retreated down the hall, and Jem turned a questioning look on Tean.
“Ammon’s picking him up in fifteen minutes,” Tean said.“We’ve had four separate meltdowns about his hair.”
“Yeah, because it looks like shit.Didn’t he show you that video I sent him?”Something on Tean’s face must have reminded Jem that they weren’t exactly out of the woods, because he said, as a question, “I guess I’ll go help him?”
“That would be great.”
“Why’s Ammon picking him up?”
“I wasn’t sure—” Tean hesitated.“I didn’t think I could take him on my own.”
Unhappiness darkened Jem’s eyes, and he said, “I’m sorry about yesterday.”
“I’m sorry too.”
The jagged end of a laugh broke free from Jem.“What do you have to be sorry about?You didn’t show up having a full-on green-out, and you didn’t make a complete asshole of yourself.”
“Jem,” Tean said.But he didn’t know what to say after that.
“I know we need to talk about it more.I just wanted to say I’m sorry.And I love you.”
“I love you too,” Tean whispered.
