“Okay,” my mom said. “Well, you know you can tell me anything.”
“I know.” I stopped by the small window and stared out at the rain running down the glass. “I’d love to see you and Dad next week, and you’re welcome to stay at my place, as always. But…” I swallowed, and then just ripped the Band-Aid off. “I won’t be there. I’m not living at the apartment right now.”
There was a long pause as my mother processed that information, and then the questions began. “What do you mean you’re not living there? What happened? Where have you been staying? Are you sure you’re all right?”
If anyone had ever wondered where I’d gotten my curious nature from, they need not look any further than my mother.
“I’m fine. It was just too difficult to be there after everything that happened, and finding out that lunatic had been in my place made me feel uncomfortable.” It was one of the things I was working on with my therapist.
“I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I didn’t want to worry you any more than I already had.”
“Alexander. When are you going to realize that it’s our job as parents to worry about you?”
“I’m okay. I’m just not ready to live there again yet.”
“That’s completely understandable.”
“That’s what my therapist tells me.”
“Well, she sounds very wise.”
I chuckled. “She is. Anyway, if you’d like to stay there with Dad, you are most welcome.”
“So where have you been staying? With Bailey?”
“Actually”—here goes nothing—“I’ve been staying at Sean’s house.”
“Sean? Bailey’s big brother?”
“Yes,” I said before I lost my nerve, and then just kept right on going. “We’ve gotten close after that night. I—we’re—dating.”
Another much longer pause stretched between us, and then she said, “Sean Bailey?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, wishing I could see the expression on her face “Yes.”
“I…I didn’t realize he was gay. He always had a girl on his arm, from what I remember.”
Shit. I’d known this would be something people speculated about when they discovered we were dating, and I probably should’ve had a response at the ready. “I guess my charming nature made him switch sides.”
“Alexander, please don’t be flippant about this.”
“I’m not.” I really was, but I wasn’t in the mood to get into this right now. Something she clearly wasn’t understanding.
“You’ve been through a traumatic event, and I understand Sean was the one to help you. But maybe now isn’t the right time to enter into a relationship. Maybe the two of you should put a bit of space between—”
“I don’t want space between us, Mom. That’s kind of the point.” The sound of the front door slamming caught my attention, and I moved into the hall to see a wet Sean stepping through the door. He caught my eye and waved, and I pointed to the phone and mouthed, One second.
He nodded, kissed my cheek, and then headed off to the bathroom.
“I don’t want to tell you how to live your life,” Mom said. “But are you sure about this? About Sean? It seems a little—”
“I’m sure, Mom.”
“And Bailey? What does he think about it all?”
And that was my cue to get off the phone. “Look, I’ve got to go. If you and Dad still want to come to town next week, let me know and I’ll tell the front desk at my building to expect you.”
“I— Okay. I’ll talk to your father and call you during the week.”
“Sounds good. We’ll talk then. Thanks for calling.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, Mom. Bye.”
After ending the call, I made my way down to our—Sean’s—bedroom, and found him stripped down to his briefs, pulling on a dry pair of jeans.
I leaned up against the doorjamb and watched the show before making my presence known. “Well, this doesn’t bode well. Did Bailey toss you out in the rain?”
Sean glanced at me then pulled a shirt from a drawer and tugged it over his head. “Didn’t even see Bailey. Boudreaux wouldn’t let me inside.”
“What?” I straightened and walked in.
“Yeah, turns out Bailey doesn’t want to talk, see, or even let me in the house.”
Damn it. Bailey was taking this much worse than either of us had expected him to. We’d known there would be pushback, but not at this level. Bailey was always the congenial one. The lover, not the fighter.
“So now what?”
“Boudreaux said he’d call. I guess he’s going to try to help us.”
“Really?” I cocked my head to the side. “He didn’t threaten to kick your ass?”
“Shocking, right?”
“Very.” I’d figured Henri would have a great time holding this over Sean’s head. “Well, I guess we wait and see what Henri suggests. If anyone knows Bailey’s mind right now, it’d be him.”
Sean nodded and squeezed my arm. “Funny, before all of this, I would’ve said you knew Bailey the best.”
I would’ve too. But things had changed, and I wasn’t sure they’d ever be the same again. “Henri will know what to do.”
“Agreed.” Sean stepped around me and toward the door, but at the last second stopped and looked back at me. “Oh, who was on the phone? Everything okay?”
I looked down at the phone still in my hand and was about to tell him, but changed my mind. Best to tackle one thing at a time, and since Mom wasn’t sure if they were definitely coming, I’d let Sean worry about that at a later date.
“Everything’s fine.”
Sean’s eyes narrowed on me. “You sure?”
“Mhmm.” I slipped my phone into my pocket and walked over to him. “Why don’t you throw those in the laundry and then come and help me pick out a movie to watch? It’s the perfect weather for it.”
“You’re right.” Sean slipped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “And pizza?”
I chuckled. “Why not? With this new exercise program you have roped me in to next week, I’m going to need the carbs.”
Sean slid his hand down my back to my ass. “Then you better think of a meal to eat tomorrow night, because I plan to make you work off these carbs today. In a very private and personal workout.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Uh huh. One-on-one training.”
I grinned and shoved him away from me. “Go and put your clothes in the laundry, and I’ll start searching for a movie.”
“Something with some action.”
“Okay. But also a little romance.”
Sean’s mouth parted as though he were going to have an opinion on that, but then he nodded and disappeared into the laundry room.
Sometimes opposites could attract—they just had to compromise and meet somewhere in the middle. We both knew and believed that. Now if only everyone else in our life could get on board, that would be amazing.