Chapter Eight
I’m walking on air after finally meeting Spencer and talking to him again. But when I enter the showroom, every smile and happy thought disappear.
Nate. He’s talking to Debbie, but as soon as he sees me, a scowl flits over his face. He obviously hasn’t got over what he found out and my subsequent anger at him last night.
“I’d like to talk to you in my office, please, Nate.”
I motion for him to go ahead. “Hold my calls, Debbie.”
“Good morning, Carl, and certainly.”
She smiles and gets back to her computer screen.
I step past Nate, who has the decency to stay standing when I sit behind my desk.
“Have a seat, Nate.”
I wait until he’s settled. “How many sexual partners have you had?”
Nate blushes and looks at his feet. “Um, really, Dad, are we having this conversation?”
“We are. So how many?”
I rest my elbows on the table and steeple my fingers, tapping them on my mouth.
“About eight or ten.”
He lifts his chin like a defiant teenager. “Why?”
“How old were they?”
He squirms in his seat. “Christ, Dad, I don’t know. The youngest was eighteen, I think. The oldest maybe a year older than me.”
“Would I have liked them? Did you ever stop and consider ‘what would my dad think’ of my choice tonight?”
“No, you never entered my head at all. Why should you? It’s private. Who I sleep with is none of your business.”
He pulls his shoulders back, eyes flashing. He’s pissed off now. Good. I am too. He still hasn’t connected the dots and worked out where I’m going with this. And that’s what kids do when they’re confronted by a parent. They fight back without thinking of the consequences.
“Yet last night you thought you had the right to an opinion on who I choose to take to my bed. You made it your business. Why, Nathan? Why is that?”
He blanches and swallows hard. “How would you feel if I started going out with someone your age?”
He pouts like a petulant child.
“Do you hear yourself? Do you really think that if they made you the happiest you’d been in over ten years, I’d be against it?”
I lower my hands and place them flat on the table.
“Did he make you feel like that? The happiest in years?”
“He did. We got on well together. I want to see him again so much, but after our first night, he’d figured out you are my son, and he ended our relationship, or what was the start of our relationship. He hadn’t told me why until last night. And then you were there. Care to tell me what you object to?”
He blushes again, scrubbing his nape, a nervous habit he’s had for years. “I…I was surprised. I’d never have thought you were interested in men my age. It’s even weirder because I know him.”
“You knew him. You left that school when you were fourteen because your mum wanted you to go to another school. You haven’t seen Spencer since. You don’t know him, Nate, not as he is now. But you hurt and embarrassed him last night, and I raised you better than that.”
“I never really thought about you being gay and equated it with other men. It was what broke up you and Mum. I know that. And I can’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to finally admit who you are, and I admire you for it. But last night put the sex aspect into it, and that’s not something I want to think of my parents doing.”
He grimaces but still manages to look contrite.
I laugh despite the gravity of the situation. “Parents think the same thing about their kids, you know. We never like to think about them being sexually active. To us, it’s equally weird.”
“I should apologise to Spencer,”
he says quietly.
“Yes, you should. You also need to keep any opinions about him and me to yourself. I want him back, Nate. And I don’t want you to interfere.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
He stands and rounds my desk. “If he’s as cool and funny as he was at school, you’ll be very happy with him.”
I give him a hug and a pat on the back. “He’ll be at the LGBTQ youth centre on Moss Street this afternoon. Go and apologise to him.”
“I will, and I’m sorry I upset you too. I’d better do some work. The boss here is a tyrant.”
He grins, the cheeky sod.
“Go before the tyrant sacks your sorry arse.”
I point to the door and chuckle when he gives me a Boy Scouts salute. “They threw you out. You were too badly behaved,”
I call after him. I ring through to Debbie to let her know she can direct my calls again.
I let Nathan leave early. I want him to talk to Spencer in a place that makes him happy. Maybe he’ll see that these kids need role models of all ages. Should I send Spencer a text to alert him? Better not. He’ll probably refuse to see Nate. I don’t expect them to be friends again. At least not right away. I can understand it’ll be weird for them. But I’d like them to realise they’re both important in my life.
An hour later, I’m on my way home. When my phone rings, I click the pad on my steering wheel to accept the call. “Simpson.”
“Ooh, I got you, Mister Bossman.”
It’s the voice I’ve been so desperate to hear again.
“Spencer.”
I smile broadly. “What’s up, little one?”
“Nate has been here, or I should say is still here. Did you send him?”
Where’s he going with this? “I told him where you would be this afternoon. He wanted to speak to you again.”
“Yes, he apologised for being a dick last night. But now he’s helping some of the kids with their homework.”
A loud bark of a laugh breaks free. “He’s doing what? Why?”
“Homework. And the kids love it. Did you tell him to do that?”
He doesn’t sound annoyed. “He said he’s going to sign up to do some more work here.”
“God help you all,”
I joke, then grow serious. “Will that cause a problem for you, for us?”
“We haven’t decided if there is an us yet, Carl.”
Is he teasing me?
“I hope there will be, Spencer. I have ways of persuading you.”
I flick the indicator stalk and turn right into Moss Street. “Starting right now.”
I pull up in the centre’s car park.
“How are you going to do that, Mister Bossman?”
He sounds like he’s smiling, and my heart soars.
I get out and stride to the security-locked doors. I peek through the glass. Paintings of rainbows and unicorns cover the walls, and Pride flags hang from the ceiling. Even though the large room is full of kids, it isn’t too noisy but looks more like organised chaos. Nate sits with a couple of teenage boys, his hands working as fast as his mouth as he explains something. The boys look transfixed with whatever he says.
Spencer calls my name, but it’s through my phone, not in person. A woman approaches me, and I end the call.
“Can I help you?”
She smiles. “You seem to be looking for someone.”
“Yes, I’ve got something to give to Spencer. It’s a surprise.”
“Oh, how lovely. He’s been so down lately. Can you sign in for me? Then I’ll take you through.”
I quickly fill in the book and follow her into the room. Spencer snaps his head towards the door. Has he sensed me? No, that would be wishful thinking. More than likely he’s used to checking who enters for security purposes.
“Spencer, someone’s here for you,”
the lady says.
I shift my weight from one foot to the other as he weaves through the kids to get to me. “What are you doing here?”
His wide eyes dart from me to the kids and Nate.
“I wanted to give you something, something to help you make up your mind.”
I ignore anyone and anything around me, my focus solely on the gorgeous, blushing man before me.
As soon as he’s within arm’s length, I pull him against me. “No more ifs or buts, little one. You’re mine.”
I press my mouth to his, tuck my hands around his bum, and hoist him up. He wraps his legs around my waist and opens his mouth for me. When I slip my tongue in, he moans and pushes his hands into my hair.
“Spencer’s got himself a hot Daddy!”
one of the kids shouts, and they all clap and cheer.
I break the kiss before it gets too X-rated and lower Spencer slowly back to his feet. He wobbles a little but then laughs, his face bright red.