Chapter 3
3
MARNIN
I pulled up to Auden and Keaton’s place as the sun began its lazy descent, painting the horizon in shades of orange and purple that even a grumpy bastard like me couldn’t ignore. Fall was coming, so we’d better enjoy the last hoorah of summer while we could. Stepping out of the car, I took a moment to take a deep breath—a futile attempt to compose myself for the inevitable onslaught of social interaction that awaited inside.
I knew this house well because it was where Auden had grown up. I’d spent countless hours here—more than I’d probably spent at my own house, to which I’d never had any attachment. I’d inherited it after my father had died, but I’d instantly had it bulldozed, then sold the land and donated the proceeds to a charity that took in homeless queer kids. Boy, that would’ve pissed my father off.
But I had nothing but wonderful memories of this house. The cozy garden in the back was ablaze with festivity—streamers danced from the trees in a cacophony of colors, balloons bobbed at the entrance gate, and a handpainted banner reading Happy 17th, Violet hung between two trees. They’d set up tables with flowery tablecloths that looked cozy under the soft lights that hung from every tree. It was the kind of over-the-top cheer that set my teeth on edge, but for Auden’s kids, I’d endure a thousand such displays.
A decent crowd had already gathered, a throng of teenagers in the front yard and the adults in the back, where I spotted Auden setting up the grill.
“Uncle Marnin!” Violet’s voice cut through the chatter as I stepped into the garden, her eyes lighting up in the way that only a teenager’s could when they were truly delighted. She looked so much like me it was unsettling sometimes, but right now, all I saw was the kid who had somehow wormed her way into the soft parts of my hardened heart.
“Happy birthday, kiddo.” I handed her the envelope with a feigned grumble. “Here, I got you something. Don’t expect this level of generosity every year.”
Violet tore into the envelope with an eagerness that matched the party’s energy. As she extracted the tickets, her sassy, smart mouth was momentarily stunned into silence before erupting into a scream that pierced the air and hushed all conversations. “Taylor Swift? Uncle Marnin, these are amazing seats!”
“Figured you’d appreciate a break from Forestville’s limited options for entertainment,” I said, trying to brush off the strange, soft feeling spreading through my chest at her joy. “Go enjoy some real drama with America’s sweetheart.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She threw her arms around me, and I patted her back awkwardly, a smile replacing my usual scowl.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough hugging.” I gently extricated myself from her grip. “Go show them off to your friends or whatever it is you kids do for fun these days.”
“You’re the best, even if you pretend you’re not.”
I nudged my head toward the bustling crowd. “You know I only pretend to like people at these shindigs. No pretending about my impeccable taste in gifts.”
Her laughter rang out, genuine and bright, and it was a sound that could cut through my grumpiest moods. With a final squeeze of my hand, she skipped back to her friends, leaving me to navigate the sea of high school enthusiasm toward the sanctuary of the backyard.
As she darted off, waving the tickets triumphantly, I allowed myself the smallest of smiles. For a girl who shared half my DNA, she sure knew how to live with a zest that baffled me. Maybe one day, I’d ask her how she managed it. It had to be Tricia’s DNA because it sure as fuck wasn’t mine.
I maneuvered through the crowd of teenagers, edging away from Violet and her orbit of adoration. The party buzzed with energy, the kind that made my skin itch for solitude. But duty—and not a small measure of affection for Auden’s brood—kept me anchored.
“Marnin,” Sheriff Frant said—I’d always call Auden’s father that, even if he’d been retired for a while now, “It’s good to see you, son.”
His handshake was as firm as always. “It’s good to see you too, sir.”
Auden’s stepmom was next, and I greeted her with the brief hug she expected. I liked Cora well enough, but my true devotion would always be to Sarah Frant, Auden’s mom, who had left this earth way too soon. The day she’d passed after a brutal but mercifully short bout with cancer had been the darkest day of my life, and I had grieved as deeply as Auden had.
I waved at everyone else, then escaped to the back of the yard. The grill sizzled as I approached, and Auden stood sentinel, flipping burgers with the same steady hand he used to maintain law and order in Forestville. Unflappable was his middle name and always had been.
“Need a hand?” I offered, more out of a sense of obligation than any real desire to engage in culinary arts. Plus, it was easier to talk when you had something to do and didn’t have to maintain that awkward eye contact the whole time.
“Sure,” Auden said, passing me a spatula. “How’s life in the fast lane?”
“Fast as ever,” I said, taking over burger duty while Auden switched to inspecting the chicken wings. “But you know I love it.”
“Oh, I know. For the life of me, I don’t understand how the city doesn’t drive you crazy, but you always wanted to get out of Forestville.”
Yes, and with reason, but I didn’t need to say that. “Keaton and the kids keeping you busy?”
He added more wings to the grill with practiced ease. “Always. And if it’s not them, it’s the job. But it’s a good kind of busy, much more of a balance than before.”
Auden had changed since meeting Keaton, no longer living for the job but taking time for himself and his family. “That’s good. The kids will be off to college before you know it.”
Auden sighed. “Don’t remind me. We only have one more year with Violet and Byron. It’s hard to think about. Anyway, what’s new with you? Any exciting new products coming up?”
“Nah, but we’ve implemented some AI-powered tools in the office, basically personal assistants. They don’t talk back, so I’m considering swapping out some staff.”
I was the chief technology officer for LeClerc Robotics, a cutting-edge firm specializing in robotic appliances and technology, like snowblowers, lawn mowers, and more. I’d been working there for four years, and I loved it.
Auden laughed, the sound as calm and reassuring as the man himself. “Still not a people person, huh?”
“Never was, never will be.” I handed him a perfectly seared burger. “People complicate things. Computers follow orders.”
“True, but computers don’t throw birthday parties or give Taylor Swift tickets to teenage girls.” He nudged my shoulder. “You made her day, Marnin. That was an extraordinary gift.”
I shrugged. “Working for Sebastian LeClerc has its benefits, and access to those kinds of perks is one of them. All I had to do was ask Hadley, his husband, who’s annoyingly perky but also the most competent personal assistant you’ve ever met in your life. Within thirty minutes, he’d come through for me.”
“Didn’t they meet because Hadley worked for him?”
I grinned. “They did. That was back when Sebastian was still CEO and almost ran the place into the ground. Hadley saved his ass…and the company. And I gotta admit, Hadley is not only deadly efficient, but he’s also cute as a bug and has an ass that… You get the idea.”
Auden laughed. “I do. Too bad he’s taken, huh? I doubt you can compete with one of the richest men in the country.”
“As if I’d want to. I’m not relationship material, and we both know it.”
Auden’s eyes grew unexpectedly serious, and alarm bells went off. “I think you’re wrong, but we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
I had nothing to say to that.
Once a mountainous pile of grilled sustenance had been added to the buffet tables, dinner was announced. I waited until the teenage stampede had retreated, then loaded some ribs onto my plate and added a big scoop of Cora’s potato salad. Some cucumber salad would constitute today’s serving of vegetables.
I grabbed a seat at a table where Ennio sat and plucked a rib from my plate, the tangy scent of barbecue sauce tickling my nostrils. The meat fell off the bone with an ease that made me hum in appreciation, but as I glanced over at Ennio, his normally bright eyes were dulled, his lips pressed into a thin line. Even his outfit wasn’t as colorful as usual. I’d never seen him wear a black shirt, even if his tight purple pants had some sort of glitter on them. Hell, he wasn’t even wearing nail polish. Was he okay?
“Hey.” I nudged him lightly with my elbow, pointing at his untouched food with my chin. “You’re missing out on Auden’s famous ribs here.”
Ennio offered a weak smile, his fingers aimlessly pushing a bean around his plate. “Yeah, they look great.”
Who had pissed in his Cheerios this morning? It wasn’t like Ennio to be so glum. The kid—he’d always be a kid to me as Auden’s half-brother since he was thirteen years younger than us—was usually a frigging ball of sunshine, like a kid in a bouncy castle, only one high-five away from annoying. Not that I was about to ask. That would lead me into a territory filled with emotions and feelings, a thorny path best avoided.
Auden’s father and Cora joined us, and Ennio perked up a little as we made conversation. The rest of dinner passed with the usual clatter and chatter of family gatherings. Once we’d demolished the spread, Tricia emerged from the house carrying a cake ablaze with candles. She set it down with a grandiose gesture, and the crowd erupted into an off-key rendition of “Happy Birthday.”
Violet blew out the candles, sporting a grin so wide it took up her whole face.
“Make a wish, birthday girl,” Auden said after the applause died down, handing her the knife for the ceremonial first slice.
“Hope it’s as sweet as the tickets Uncle Marnin got me.” Violet beamed, cutting into the chocolate confection with gusto.
“Nothing’s sweeter than Taylor Swift,” I quipped, earning a chorus of laughter.
Cake plates were distributed, forks dove in, and the conversations ebbed and flowed like the tides. Despite my standing policy against unnecessary emotional entanglements, I did feel a sense of belonging among these people who had, somehow, become my own.
I was sipping a glass of whiskey at a table in the back, finally alone for a moment, when Ennio joined me.
“Hey, Marnin, can I ask you something?” His voice had dropped to a conspiratorial whisper meant for my ears only.
“Shoot.”
“Could I…stay with you in Seattle sometime?”
As if I would say no to my best friend’s little brother. “Sure. I have a guest bedroom, and you’re welcome anytime. Just give me a heads-up.”
“Really?” A grin split his face, bright enough to outshine the fairy lights strung across the backyard. It was the first time I’d seen him flash a genuine smile that evening.
“Absolutely, but what’s pulling you to the big city?”
“Change of scenery,” Ennio said, his gaze flickering to the celebration around us. It was clear there was more he wasn’t saying, but I wasn’t the type to pry. “I want to dive into the dating scene there. You know, spread my wings, cast a wider net. And the gay clubs there are legendary.”
“Legendary, huh?” The skepticism must have been evident in my tone because his smile faltered for a fraction of a second before it bounced back.
“Come on, it’s not about…well, you know.” He waved a hand dismissively, leaving the sentence unfinished, but I knew what he was implying. “It’s about meeting new people in the hopes of finding someone special. I’ve got this…this yearning, you know? To start a family before time slips away. I’m thirty-six, so the clock is ticking.”
“And you really think you’re going to find Mr. Right in a sea of sweaty bodies, groping hands, and strobe lights?”
He shrugged, an elegant lift of his shoulders that somehow encompassed all of his hope and none of his doubt. “Maybe, maybe not. But at least I’ll be looking, right? You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take and all that.”
“Rather you than me,” I mumbled, thinking of my own long string of one-night stands and fleeting connections. Perhaps I wasn’t the best person to give advice on finding lasting relationships.
Ennio was undeterred by my lackluster response. “I’ve got to try. Forestville is…comfortable, but it’s not exactly bursting with opportunity, if you catch my drift.”
I did. Ennio was a peacock among pigeons in Forestville. He needed a flock that appreciated his colors. “Yeah, I can see that.”
“It’s like everyone’s waiting for me to dull my sparkle. I can’t do it anymore. I need to cast my net wider.” His eyes met mine, pleading for understanding.
“Seattle’s not some magical land where the streets are paved with compatible, family-oriented guys,” I said, trying to inject a dose of reality without crushing his spirit.
“Maybe not, but it’s got more streets to try, doesn’t it?”
“The club scene is a minefield. It’s easy to step wrong and end up?—”
“Alone?” Ennio arched his eyebrow in a challenge. “How would that be any different from now?”
“I was about to say hurt.”
“Same difference. I owe it to myself to at least try, you know? If it weren’t so expensive, I’d stay in a hotel.”
A hotel? Then he’d have no one to check in on him at all. So not happening. “My guest room is yours.”
“I promise I’ll try not to cramp your bachelor style.”
“Alright.” I shook my head at his unwavering determination. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Those club guys can be sharks.”
“Sharks are misunderstood creatures, Marnin.” Ennio’s blue eyes sparkled with mischief. “Besides, I’ll have you as my land-locked lighthouse, keeping me safe from the rocky shores.”
“Flattering as that is,” I replied dryly, “I’m not going to be your chaperone. Just your roommate.”
“Deal!” he exclaimed, bounding forward to envelop me in a hug that felt like being wrapped in joy.
“Okay, enough,” I grumbled, though I didn’t immediately push him away. “And don’t you dare bring glitter into my apartment.”
“Glitter is my lifeline and my salvation.” Ennio pulled back with a mischievous wink. “So, no promises.”
As we rejoined the others, I felt a twinge of something like envy. Ennio had the courage to chase after what he wanted, no matter how elusive it might be. What would it be like to live with such abandon, to greet life with arms wide open instead of fists clenched tight? Maybe I could learn a thing or two from him. Or I’d end up picking up the pieces of his broken heart.
Either way, Seattle was about to get a whole lot more colorful.