Page 50 of Up All Night
“General or maybe mastermind would suit too.” Sean teased as the three adults made quick work of setting the dining room table. I supposed I was having a family meal whether I wanted it or not.
And in the end, it was a surprisingly fun, loud, chaotic meal. Sean didn’t speak much, but all three teens more than made up for his uncharacteristic lack of chattiness. As always, Wren scattered in plenty of scientific facts. Rowan did impressions of all the other leads in the play while John reported on upcoming football fundraisers, including a car wash. Apparently, the local team was notoriously bad, but John had high hopes for the fall season. I liked the way Sean and the rest of the kids encouraged him to think positively.
The baked ziti and mousse were both huge hits, and after dinner, Jonas shooed the teens upstairs for homework and waved Sean and me to the back deck so he could take charge of kitchen cleanup.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t be helping?” I asked as Sean took over one of the large Adirondack chairs on the deck.
“I offered. Jonas has a very particular method for loading the dishwasher. That and he probably wanted to offer us some alone time.” Sean shrugged and gestured to the chair next to his.
“Ah.” I lowered myself to sit, not particularly comfortable. “I suppose we could get some work in on the carriage house tonight since we’re both off.”
“We could.” Sean didn’t sound in a hurry to tackle one of the many in-progress projects at the carriage house. Instead, he stretched, taking in the cool late-spring evening. Flowers were in bloom all around the yard, and June strawberries were just around the corner.
“Weather’s nice, at least.” I couldn’t believe I was making small talk about the weather, but Sean had had a weird vibe ever since arriving home with John and Rowan. I didn’t know how to ask about his mood, though, so the weather it was. “Maybe I should go, let you?—”
“I came out to my dad yesterday.” Sean’s voice was remarkably matter-of-fact, to the point of being unreadable.
“Oh.” Well, that explained the weird vibe. I glanced over at him, but his expression was as emotionless as his tone. And he stayed quiet, not providing any additional information. “I’m…I’m not sure what the right thing to say is.”
“Congrats?” Sean leaned back in his chair. “Or say how you really feel? I know you didn’t want me to do it.”
“I didn’t want to be the reason.” My voice came out far too defensive, and Sean sat forward, his body tense. “Wait. I don’t want to argue.”
“Then don’t.” Sean sounded not unlike one of the teens, but I supposed I deserved it. I gazed over at him, really looking. His eyes were weary, and the lines around his mouth were more pronounced. I’d never been where he was, never had to come out to someone I cared that much about because there hadn’t been anyone.
“I’m proud of you,” I said softly, hoping it wasn’t more of the wrong thing to say. “I know it wasn’t easy.”
“What?” Sean’s tone was more curious than combative.
“I’m proud of you,” I repeated, only to have Sean launch himself at me for a hug. My chair creaked under our combined weight as he straddled me.
His expression shifted from tense and tired to grateful. “Denver?—”
“Hey, don’t get all sappy at me.” I held him as tight as I dared, to protect him if the chair collapsed under us but also because I needed the grounding.
“And saying the words wasn’t the hard part. Waiting for his reaction…” Sean quirked his mouth.
“How bad was it?” I kept my tone cautious.
“Not horrible. Not great. We’re talking more…sometime.” Sean shifted against me. “I have a feeling he thinks it’s a phase. But I have hopes that once he sees us together, once it just becomes a normal thing that’s not going anywhere, everyone will understand, and?—”
“Sean.” My voice croaked. His reliance on a permanence I couldn’t provide was exactly what I’d wanted to avoid.
“What?” His eyes were big and soft. “Things won’t be awkward forever, right?”
My heart cantered along like a Clydesdale trying to make up time. I had to tell him and tell him now. “The Honey family wants to sell. Land values, just like my rental. Guess nothing good lasts forever, huh?”
ChapterTwenty-Three
Sean
“So?” I gave Denver the harshest stare I could muster. I knew where he was going with this piece of news and already hated it.
“What do you mean, so?” Denver returned my stare with a firm look of his own. “The family is meeting at long last to discuss sale options. And the land and location are worth far more than a struggling twenty-four-hour diner. I’ll be out of a job soon enough. And if the apartment house sells…”
“So what? Let them sell. Let your landlord do what they’re going to do as well. You’re a great cook with other skills as well.” Warming to my pep talk, I added more enthusiasm to my voice. “There’s more than one job in Mount Hope, more than one apartment. If you need a loan?—”
“I won’t take your money.” Denver’s tone was bitingly dismissive, and I made an involuntary noise. I’d thought we were at the point where we could help each other. Like couples did. I started to move off his lap, but Denver tugged me back. “It’s not about money. Ever since I stopped partying, I don’t spend nearly as much as I make. I’ve got savings.”