Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
CONSTANTINE
Fletcher: I hear you’re done playing hard to get.
Me: I really don’t know what you mean.
Fletcher: Don’t play dumb. I spoke to Julius. You’re moving to Stillwater?
Time to rip off the Band-Aid.
Me: Already here.
Fletcher: Dude, wtf! Why didn’t you say?
Fletcher: Damn, we have a house full of kids. I want to catch up and do dumb shit.
Me: What, like raise your son alone before you get married to the first hot dude immune to your charm?
Fletcher: He wasn’t the first. You didn’t bite either.
Me: Which is why we’re still friends.
Fletcher: Fuck, I missed you. I’ve still not forgiven you for not coming to the wedding. A Victoria Sponge Cake would go a long way to getting back in my good graces. Just sayin’…
Me: We’ll see…
I put my phone away and let him stew. Predictably, the messages keep coming, but I ignore them. The last time I saw Fletcher, his son, George, was only two. Now, he’s married and a stepdad to Harrison’s daughter, Megan.
He’s not earned just his favorite cake. He’s earned a visit.
And since Julius gave me the weekend off to settle in, and Bittersweet is closed, getting familiar with his kitchen is just what my antsy hands need right now.
The kitchen in Julius’s apartment is small and functional. Perfect for most people.
Unfortunately, I’m not most people.
Fortunately, Julius said I can use his fully equipped kitchen for my personal needs at any time. I placed a grocery order yesterday, so I have everything I need.
Even though the apartment is above Bittersweet and technically part of the premises, access is through an external staircase outside the back door.
The chill outside hits my face just as Leo comes out of the bedroom. I close the door again to keep the heat inside.
“I’m sorry,” Leo says, stopping a few steps away, his blond hair all over the place because he hasn’t brushed it.
Damn, I’m acing this parenting gig if he’s ready to apologize this quick.
“What are you sorry for? For having a legit concern, or for being a little shit about it?”
He laughs. “Both?”
I set the grocery bag on the floor. “I know you’re worried, but you can’t hide from the world. You have the right to live your life to the fullest. Have an education, do stupid things, fall in love. Okay, that one, not for a long, looong time,” I add quickly.
He looks down, running his hands through the overgrown hair on the back of his head. I need to find out where he can get his hair cut before starting school. “Yeah, like that’s ever going to happen.”
Fuck, I just want to scoop him up in my arms and make it all better. At just fifteen years old, he was handed the shittiest deal.
“I know it feels that way now, Leo, but you’re on the right meds, and your viral load is undetectable. Yes, this is something you’re going to live with for the rest of your life, but having HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was.”
“You’re saying that because you’re my brother, but who’s going to want to give a job to the guy with HIV? How about when I go on a date and have to disclose my status?”
I take a breath and resist the urge to scoop him up in my arms. Instead, I break the space between us and hold his hands between mine. “I can’t promise that everything will always be okay or easy, but I can promise I will always be here for you, okay?”
He sighs. “Do you think it was the right thing moving here?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
I may not have taken Julius’s calls when Leo’s life imploded and I couldn’t see past the next doctor’s appointment or stop researching everything about living with HIV and treatment, but I knew about Stillwater. When I met Fletcher in Europe years ago, he talked about where he grew up so much that I feel like I already know what it’ll be like to live here.
Small-town living was never my thing. I grew up in LA, and the world always seemed too big and full of opportunities to settle in a small town.
That feeling in my gut when I’m creating a new recipe and know how much of something to add? That’s the same feeling I get about Stillwater. I know I made the best decision for us. I just hope I’m right about it.
“Okay,” Leo says. “I’ll go back to school.” But then he pauses. “Can I…um…not tell anyone about…?”
“It’s your choice to disclose your HIV status,” I say with as much finality as I can because I’ve done my research, and I know he can’t be discriminated against because of it. I will fight with all I have to ensure Leo has the best chance at a normal life.
“I’m going to play X-Box,” he says, turning back toward the room. I really shouldn’t have set up the game with his small TV in the bedroom. I’ll never see him again.
“Take your fill because, after this week, I want to see you catch up with schoolwork. Gaming hours will be supervised.”
“Ugh. You’re worse than a real parent.”
I take that as a compliment as I blow him a kiss and pick up the grocery bag again. Having kids was not on my radar. Hell, I can’t even hold on to a relationship because who wants to date a pastry chef with irregular hours?
Tasty food on demand? Selling point. Leaving the house before dawn some days and not returning until after dinner? Not so attractive.
I make my way down the stairs, pulling the keys Julius gave me from my pocket.
When I get to the door, it’s open.
Shit, have we been robbed?
I go in carefully, trying not to disturb anything that could be evidence. There are three grocery bags on the kitchen island.
Weird.
I hear noise from the front of the building. Maybe the thief is still here and trying to get money from the register. It’s unlikely Julius would leave any cash on the premises over the weekend, so when the thief comes out feeling all pissy because there’s no money and then sees me, they’re going to get extra pissy.
The knife block is nearby, so I reach out for it.
The door opens just as I draw the knife.
“Whoa.” Julius holds his hands up.
I drop the knife on the counter and bring my hand up to my chest.
“Sorry. I thought…”
“I was here to rob my own place?” His brow quirks a little, and I try not to fixate on the dimples that make him look like an adorable, huggable giant or the way the coat he’s wearing makes him look like a cuddly bear.
“Yeah.” I laugh. “Especially when I’m the one who shouldn’t be here.”
“Nonsense. This is your kitchen now. I’m not used to having someone else around, so I forgot to tell you.” He walks over to the grocery bags and takes out all the stuff that needs to go in the fridge.
I put it away for him and then reach over to my own bag.
“You came down to bake?” he asks.
“Yeah, you said it was okay and…I was bored.”
Julius leans against the kitchen island, juggling a tin of condensed milk between his hands.
“I have an idea to help you with that while also impressing the shit out of your new boss.”
I try not to stare when he removes his coat and reveals a Henley stretched around his big chest and arm muscles. I fail.
When I find my voice again, it’s a lot breathier than I’d like. “I’d love to impress my new boss.”