Chapter 20
CHAPTER
TWENTY
Ash
Monday morning was brutally cold. As Ash drove away from his house, he wondered if they were in for a storm this week. Normally, he’d park in the precinct lot and walk the three blocks to Cuppa Joe’s since it was his turn to grab coffee for himself and Hank, but today he parked around the corner from the café, not wanting to walk so far in these temperatures. Still, the wind buffeted him as he made his way to the front door, and he welcomed the warmth of the coffee shop as he entered.
He noticed Courtland sitting at a small table, so after checking his watch to confirm he had enough time, he ordered a single coffee for himself and sauntered over to his brother’s table. He’d grab two more on his way out.
“Hey, bro,” he greeted Court.
“Hi, Ash,” his brother replied. “Long time no see,” he added jokingly. “So any reason you stuck around at Mom’s yesterday after the rest of us left?”
“Direct much?” Ash grinned.
“Hey, I’m a lieutenant at the fire department,” Court answered. “I didn’t make it that far without learning to cut to the chase.”
“Mom wanted to let Ker and me know that she kind of had him checked out and said that she approves of our relationship.”
“No shit? But yeah, that sounds like our mom.” Court chuckled.
“Right? I guess I kind of expected it, though. The first time Ker joined us for Sunday dinner, we got there before everyone else, and Ker told Mom that he doesn’t drink alcohol since he’s had some issues with substance abuse in the past, so it’s just easier if he doesn’t drink.”
“Ah, now it makes sense.” Court’s face lit up. “Mom is nothing if not protective of her cubs.”
“That’s exactly what I told Ker after we left.”
“So what, he’s used drugs in the past?”
“Yeah. He got hooked on oxycodone when he was just outta college. He had an accident at a construction site that really messed him up. But he dealt with it back then and has only had a few temptations since, according to what he’s told me. But he admitted that it’s a stress trigger for him, and his folks tend to make him stressed.”
“Do his folks not accept him because he’s gay?” Court asked.
“No, that’s actually not the problem. It’s because he refused to take over the family business. It sounds like it’s been a sore subject for years.”
“Unreal.” Court shook his head. “But you’re okay with his history of drug use?”
“Yeah. I’ll admit, it was weird at first, but I talked to Hank about it, and he helped me work through it all,” Ash said. “I believe what Ker’s told me about it all, and as long as he stays clean and is open about it all with me, I think we can deal with whatever happens.”
“This sounds like it might be a more serious relationship than I first thought.”
“It feels that way more and more each day. I think this is gonna be something long-term,” Ash admitted.
“Well, I’m glad. You definitely deserve someone who makes you happy.”
“We all do, bro.”
“And on that note, I need to get to work,” Court said. “I just got approval to make a few new hires in the new year, and applications have already started to roll in.”
Since Ker would be away for Christmas, he and Ash had decided to spend the weekend before the holiday together to have their own celebration. They’d work at A Helping Hand on Saturday morning as usual, then would have their own version of Christmas afterward at Ash’s house. It would include a special dinner of grilled filet mignon with baked potatoes and broccoli au gratin. And those raspberry mocktails that Ash had made for Ker the day they spent cooking together. Ker seemed to really enjoy them.
And Sunday, of course, would be dinner with Muriel and the family.
After much discussion, they both finally agreed not to exchange gifts this year. Ker had enough stress surrounding his visit to Fitchburg, and he didn’t need anything to add to that. Instead, their gift would be to spend time together and enjoy each other in every way they could. Ash’s brain had been working overtime imaging all the ways he and Ker could enjoy each other. Over and over again!
But then he got an idea. A little something with a lot of meaning that he could give to Ker. Not exactly a gift but more like a declaration or a commitment.
At lunchtime that day, he walked to a nearby locksmith’s shop and had a duplicate key made for his house.