Chapter Sixteen
Micah had no idea what was going on with Greg, but it felt like a backwards step.
He’d spent all day in his room, only surfacing to eat or go to the bathroom.
Even Dad had noticed. He kept glancing toward Greg’s door, his brow furrowed.
Naomi had suggested going to talk to him, but Micah shook his head.
“He obviously needs some time on his own.”
Naomi frowned. “I don’t get it. He was fine at the weekend when we decorated the tree.”
Micah had a theory. “I think he’s depressed.” Just the thought made him ache inside.
Dad put down his phone and stared at him. “What’s getting him down? I know we haven’t known him all that long, but this seems out of character, somehow.”
“I saw his therapist just before she left this morning. She didn’t look happy. Maybe his leg is bothering him.”
“And maybe what he needs is cheering up,” Naomi said firmly.
Dad peered at her. “I know that tone. You’re up to something.” He smiled. “You got a plan?”
She nodded. “How about we all put on our coats and jackets, get into Micah’s car, and take Greg to see the Festival of Lights? That would bring a smile to anyone’s face.”
“Why my car?”
Naomi rolled her eyes. “Because you could push the passenger seat back so Greg could sit up front with his leg straight. I’m only little. I could squeeze in behind him.”
“Maybe you kids should go,” Dad said after a moment. “You don’t need me with you.”
“Maybe we’d prefer to have you with us.” Naomi met his gaze. “Come on, Dad. It’ll be fun.”
“Maybe we should find out if Greg wants to go first?” Micah said with a wry smile. “That is the point of the trip, right? To cheer up Greg?”
Naomi bit her lip, and Dad chuckled. “Good point. Go see if he likes the idea.”
Micah went up to Greg’s door, and rapped gently on it.
“Come in.”
Greg was sitting on his bed, propped up by a heap of pillows. He was fastening the Velcro straps on his cast as Micah stepped into the room. He looked up as Micah approached. “Hey.” He sounded cheerful enough, but Micah wasn’t fooled: Greg’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Listen, there’s something we’d like to do this evening, and we want you to join us.”
Greg arched his eyebrows. “Sounds intriguing.”
“We’re all going to the Festival of Lights. Would you come?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Greg shook his head. “Thanks for asking, but I don’t think that would be a good idea. I’m not exactly good company right now.”
“Aw. I was hoping you’d say yes. Dad was really looking forward to you coming with us,” Micah lied. It was only a tiny white lie, after all, and if it worked, then it didn’t count as a lie. He smiled to himself at the almost childlike reasoning.
Greg stilled. “Really?”
Micah nodded, sensing capitulation. “It was mine and Naomi’s idea.
After the tree worked so well, we thought we’d try a little nudge in a positive direction.
I sort of told Dad you wanted to come too, and his face lit up.
You wouldn’t wanna disappoint him now, would you?
” Okay, that was an outright lie, but Micah was past caring. He really wanted Greg to come along.
Greg sighed. “When you put it like that? No, I wouldn’t. When were you thinking of going?”
“Er, now, actually.”
Greg stared at him, then rolled his eyes. “Fine. Could you grab my jacket? It’s in the closet, along with my boots.”
“Sure. I’ll give you a hand to put them on too.” Micah darted into the closet and grabbed the jacket off its hanger. Inwardly he was grinning. Yes!
It wasn’t until he was helping Greg into the front seat that he realized just how much this meant to him.
Micah glanced in the rear-view mirror. “We all okay back there?”
“No, we are not,” Naomi said pointedly. “I can hardly move. My legs are squashed up against the seat.”
“I’ve got plenty of room,” Dad said, smirking. “It’s only a forty-five-minute trip. What are you complaining about? Just think about what’s at the other end.” He caught Micah’s gaze in the mirror and grinned.
What the hell? Dad agreeing to go to the lights in the first place was enough of a shock. His enthusiasm was nothing short of perplexing.
Naomi cleared her throat. “You’re right. I can put up with a little discomfort. What’s forty-five minutes?”
Right then Micah wished he could see Naomi’s face, because that didn’t sound like his sister at all. And judging by the whispers and chuckles coming from the back seat, she and his dad were up to something.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Santa’s reindeer to come pull us there?” Dad snickered. “Let’s go!”
Now Micah was certain they were up to something.
Micah switched off the engine. “There’s a bus ride that takes you all through the park,” he told Greg. “That way, you get to see everything.”
Greg smiled. “I saw plenty coming in.” It wasn’t as though you could miss the park: brightly lit signs pointed the way all along the highway.
There had been one heart-stopping moment before they’d turned right off South Douglas Highway onto Garner Lake Road: just after the turn, Greg spotted Jake’s Tavern, and the sight had been enough to send cold shivers down his spine.
Then Micah reached across and found Greg’s hand. He squeezed it gently, and Greg breathed a little easier.
“Naomi was right. This is just what you need to banish the blues,” Joshua said, unbuckling his seatbelt.
Greg blinked and turned his head to stare at Micah.
“Dad? Let’s go wait by the fire for the next bus.
Micah, you and Greg stay in the car. Greg can’t stand anyway, so we’ll come get you when the bus comes in, okay?
” Naomi all but pushed Joshua out of the car.
They walked rapidly across the lot to the firepit, where several people were already waiting, stamping their feet and warming their hands on the flames.
Greg cleared his throat. “Just what I need to banish the blues, huh?” He was trying not to laugh. Micah couldn’t lie his way out of this: Joshua had let the cat out of the bag.
Micah coughed. “Okay, so I may have twisted the truth a little, but Dad’s right. You needed this.”
“So all that about doing a little more to get your dad in the Christmas spirit… that was bullshit, right?” Greg shook his head. “You didn’t tell Joshua I wanted to come, did you? This was all a ruse to get me out of my room.”
“Not just you—my dad too.” Micah heaved a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry. You seemed so low, and I couldn’t bear to see you like that. Then Naomi came up with this stupid plan, and I—”
“I never said it was stupid,” Greg blurted out. His heartbeat raced. “I think it was a great idea. Now tell me why it was so important that I came too.” He prayed it wasn’t merely altruism on Micah’s part. Not that.
“I….” Micah took a deep breath, opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut.
Greg wanted to scream. Instead, he changed the subject. “The lights are beautiful.” The glimpses he’d gotten as they drove into the park had brought back a sense of childlike wonder.
“They are,” Micah agreed, “but there’s something here more beautiful than any of the displays.”
“And what’s that?”
“You.”
Greg’s breath caught in his throat. “What?”
Micah smiled. “You heard me.”
“I did, but I seem to be having trouble believing it.” Because it sounded to Greg like—
The creak of leather as Micah shifted in his seat, a gentle hand cupping Greg’s cheek, then two lips brushed against his.
Greg breathed in Micah’s scent, the fragrance that still clung to his hair from the shower he’d taken, and the merest hint of spicy cologne.
The kiss was tender, deliberate, and set his pulse racing.
Micah’s fingers traced the contours of his face, and still he kissed Greg, his lips warm and silky.
Micah broke the kiss and pulled back to gaze at him. “Now do you believe me?” he murmured.
Greg smiled, his heart dancing. “I think I may need a little more proof.”
Micah’s grin sent warmth flooding through him.
“I can provide that.” And before Greg could utter another word, Micah’s fingers caressed his neck as he brought their mouths together in another languid kiss.
This time Greg closed his eyes and gave himself up to the intimate connection, his hands on Micah’s head and shoulder, letting out a tiny noise of contentment when Micah’s tongue parted his lips.
Greg opened for him without reservation, sighing inwardly when Micah made low noises of approval.
As first kisses went, this was sublime.
Slowly, Micah drew back, his breathing slightly faster. “We’d better stop, or we’ll miss the bus to see the lights.”
Greg opened his eyes wide. “There are lights?”
A tap on the window made them both jump. Naomi was grinning at them through the window.
“Do you think she saw anything?” Greg said in a low voice.
Micah snorted. “I’m starting to think she engineered the whole situation from the beginning.” Naomi was looking pretty smug. He opened the window. “Yes?”
“The bus is here,” she said, her grin not diminishing in the slightest. “Unless you two want to catch the next one? Dad and I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to be alone.” She batted her lashes.
“God, you’re insufferable when you’re smug.” Micah closed the window and turned to Greg. “Ready for a bus ride?”
“As long as we continue this… conversation when we get home.” Greg didn’t want to lose this gloriously happy feeling.
“I promise.” Micah leaned in quickly and kissed Greg on the lips. “A little more proof,” he said with a smile. “Now let’s go stare at the pretty lights that can’t hold a candle to you.”
Greg waited for Micah to come around to his side of the car, to help him. All the while, his head was in a whirl.
Micah kissed me.
Greg wasn’t entirely sure who to thank—God, or Santa.
“I’m bushed. I’m going to bed.” Naomi kissed Micah on the cheek. “Sweet dreams. I don’t have to guess who’ll be in them, right?”
Micah grabbed her arm before she could walk away. “Okay, truth time.” Greg was in the bathroom and Dad was in his office. “Did you plan that?”
Naomi gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Plan what?”
Micah snorted. “You haven’t been able to pull off innocent for years, so don’t even try.
That whole trip to see the lights—leaving Greg and me alone in the car—was that all part of a plan?
And if it was, how much did Dad know?” He still couldn’t believe how quickly Dad had agreed to the trip in the first place.
Naomi glanced down to where he still held her arm.
Micah let go, and she sighed. “I just felt you two needed a little push in the right direction. It meant leaving a lot to chance, that you’d actually get up enough nerve to kiss him, but I figured with the romantic setting, the odds were in my favor. ”
“You… conniving, scheming, manipulative little—”
“But to answer your question,” she interjected. “Yes, Dad knew. When you went to ask Greg, I took Dad aside and told him I thought you and Greg were interested in each other. I said all you needed was a little time on your own, in the right setting. He said go for it.”
“Dad… approved of your matchmaking?”
She smiled. “Micah, he really, really likes Greg. I do too. I think you’re perfect for each other.
The only ones who couldn’t see it were you two.
” She leaned into him and hugged him. “Is it so hard to believe that we just want you to be happy?” Then she straightened.
“So if we’re done, I’m going to bed. Just one last thing.
” Her eyes gleamed. “I made certain there was plenty of mistletoe around here. At least try to get some use out of it?” And with that, she darted out of the kitchen, her shoulders shaking with laughter.
Micah stared after her, stunned.
From behind him, Dad cleared his throat. “I think I’ll go off to bed too. It’s been a long day.” He patted Micah on the back. “Don’t stay up too late.” Dad poured himself a glass of water and went to leave the kitchen.
No way was Micah about to let him off that easily. “That’s it? That’s all I get?”
Dad came to a halt and turned slowly to face him.
“Since the day you told me and your mom that you were gay, I’ve been waiting for you to bring someone home to meet us.
All the way through college, we wondered if you’d met someone, but were too shy to bring him home.
When you graduated, and still there was no one, we told ourselves it was good that you weren’t rushing into anything.
When the Supreme Court ruled in 2015, your mom was overjoyed.
She said she was gonna live to see both our kids married.
” His face tightened. “Yeah, well… What I’m trying to say here is…
.” He drew in a deep breath. “I just want you to be happy. And tonight, when I saw you and Greg together….” Dad smiled. “You looked happy,” he said simply.
Micah chuckled. “Dad, that was our first kiss. Don’t go making wedding plans just yet, okay?”
“But you do like him?” Dad gazed at him steadily.
Micah sighed. “It’s more than like. I still need to find out where he stands.”
“Then stop talking to me, and go talk to Greg!” Dad shook his head. “To quote a line from one on your mom’s favorite movies… youth is wasted on the wrong people.” Muttering under his breath, he went to his room.
Micah waited until the house was quiet. There was no sign of Greg, so Micah figured he was in his room. He turned off the lights everywhere and was about to head that way, when something caught his eye. Micah grinned. Seeing as Naomi had gone to so much trouble….
He knocked quietly on Greg’s door.
“Come in.”
Micah stuck his head around it. Greg was lying on his bed, arms folded behind his head. He smiled at Micah. “I was just thinking about you.”
“I haven’t come empty-handed.” Micah held up the sprig of mistletoe.
Greg’s smiled widened. “In that case, you’d better get in here.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Micah entered Greg’s bedroom and closed the door quietly behind him.