Chapter 1
“Come on, slowpoke. You’re going to be late,” Grant Weatherly called as he waited at his front door and sipped his coffee. He chuckled as his sixteen-year-old daughter, Audrey, tumbled out of the house with her backpack hooked around her elbow as she hopped into a shoe and twisted her wild blonde curls into a messy bun. Weatherly locked the door then caught up with her and quickly untucked the hood from the back of her sweatshirt before she dashed around the car to get to the passenger seat.
“Go, go, go…” Royce murmured. He pretended to study a clipboard as Weatherly backed his Land Rover out of the driveway then drove past him. Royce was parked on the curb, in one of the local electric company’s vans. “You two never stop running and one of these days, you’ll run out of time,” he warned then smiled as he started the van. His Grandmother Dabney told him that once, when he was small and Royce tucked it away and forgot about it until he encountered Grant and Audrey Weatherly. She kept him on his toes and running, and he seemed content to run after her until he ran out of time.
After observing the Weatherlys for two weeks, Royce learned just about everything he could about them. Royce assured Waites it would be simple: lonely, single, gay dad and teenage social justice warrior daughter. Royce knew they’d be a challenge but he was confident they’d fall in love with him. Grant Weatherly was shy and reserved and Audrey was the sharpest little tack, once she recovered from her habitually calamitous mornings. She was off to spend another weekend volunteering as a counselor at a camp for disabled children. Royce suspected Weatherly was almost ready to dip his toes back in the dating pool but Audrey was urging him to dive in. Royce planned to make his move while Weatherly was free and had the house and the weekend to himself. As far as Royce could tell, Weatherly only had two friends, and preferred to stay home with his dog.
“I can’t wait to meet Edgar,” Royce said under his breath as he steered the van into a parking lot behind the church. Royce was legitimately excited about the dog, a Harlequin Great Dane named Edgar. Edgar was a massive, goofy thing with floppy ears. Weatherly usually took him everywhere, but the dog was home, wearing a protective collar and nursing an injured paw for a few days.
Royce parked next to his Audi then unzipped the coveralls and pulled his arms free. Once he’d slipped his feet out and put the proper shoes on, Royce opened the door and stepped out. He smoothed and tugged the sleeves of his coat and checked to make sure his trousers weren’t wrinkled then hummed to himself as he unlocked his car and opened the door. He whistled the coda from Audrey’s recital sonata as he lowered into the driver’s seat and calculated. Weatherly was probably dropping Audrey off at the high school, to catch the bus to camp. After, he’d swing by the post office and coffee shop for his second cup. Weatherly usually had Edgar with him; they’d pick up the mail and go for a stroll to the park and follow the running trail around the tiny town center.
Hopkins Creek was a darling place. At least, that’s how Royce’s mother would describe it. Founded in the late 1800’s and later established as an arboretum, Hopkins Creek retained its English village charm and was a sylvan oasis on the outskirts of The Beltway. There were just over nine-hundred residents and about three-hundred households. Most of those households were conservative but everyone knew and adored the Weatherlys. If you were white and rich, you could get away with just about anything in Hopkins Creek, including being gay. But despite his cynicism, the people were lovely and Royce was happy to blend in and wallow in the placid charm for a while. The last few years had been hell and he was tired. A few months hiding in a cheerfully numb suburban paradise with a big, goofy dog would be a walk in the park.
“It’s time to fall in love, Grant Weatherly.”
Chapter 2
“Don’t ignore the alarm when it goes off. You’ll forget to take your pills,” Audrey scolded absently as she typed on her phone and Grant snorted.
“I think I can remember to take my pills,” he replied and she hummed in agreement.
“I like pretending you weren’t puffy and covered in hives when you picked me up last month too,” she said dryly. “Just take your meds when the alarm goes off or you’ll forget.”
“I will,” Grant promised. It wasn’t just his allergy meds, he got behind with his Effexor and caught up with his depression and anxiety. He spent the last half of the month on the couch watching old family movies and eating ice cream in the dark. “I’m glad it’s just three days this time. A month is way too long,” he complained.
“I’ve got bad news, dad. College is significantly longer than a month and then I’m never coming back,” she said then flashed him a sweet smile. “I’m kidding. I’ll miss you and come home so I can do my laundry at least once a month,” she promised. Grant glared at the windshield. He hated that she was sixteen.
“Why can’t you wait and go to college when you’re eighteen?” He asked and she sighed as they turned into the high school parking lot. Grant parked next to the bus and Audrey unbuckled her belt then hugged his arm.
“It’s just a two-hour hour drive and I’ll call you all the time,” she said gently. He shushed her as he gave her a squeeze and kissed her hair.
“Don’t think I’m not proud of you or excited, just because I’m falling apart. I’ll figure out some way to survive on my own,” he teased.
“I know,” she said as she sat back then waved at her best friend, Ashley, before her eyes flicked back to Grant and narrowed. “You better do something cool this weekend,” she threatened. Grant started to smirk before she pointed. “With someone other than Edgar,” she stipulated and his face fell.
“Why can’t I hang out with Edgar? That’s cool,” he argued and she shook her head.
“Hang out with Walter or Aunt Marcy or… I don’t know, meet a guy,” she suggested nonchalantly and Grant’s face twisted. “Come on!” Audrey begged. “Think about how much better I’d feel!” She protested. “I wouldn’t have to feel guilty for leaving you alone and someone else can remind you to take your pills every morning.”
“Shouldn’t you be going?” He asked flatly and she pulled a face as she leaned in to kiss him.
“I love you and I want you to do something this weekend. You don’t have to do anything radical like go on Tinder, if you’re not ready. But you have to do something nice for yourself or talk to someone other than Edgar. And not on the phone, please,” she added as she gave him a loaded look and he held up his hands.
“I will do my best but I can’t promise my idea of cool will be as exciting as you’re hoping,” he warned but she waved it off.
“Don’t spend the next three days at home, alone. And running by the post office and grabbing coffee doesn’t count. You see the same people and have the exact same conversations every day. Go get a haircut or a pedicure or buy yourself something nice. Whatever. Just don’t stay home,” she ordered.
“Fine. Get out or I’ll throw you out,” he said then kissed her loudly on the forehead. “I love you. Check in when you get there and send me a text goodnight.”