Chapter Six #2
“I’ve never done that.” Robin’s lips twitched. “Honestly.”
Dean had to smile at that. “Then we’ll do that. I’ll find us a hotel. Maybe Adrian can recommend a place. He lives there now. We’ll make a weekend of it.”
Robin nodded eagerly. “Sounds like an adventure.”
It occurred to Dean that he wanted to spend time with Robin as much as Robin wanted to spend time with him.
A car pulled up outside, and Dean went to the door. “That’ll be Kris.” When he opened it, Kris launched himself into Dean’s arms.
“God, I’m such a mess.” Then Kris stiffened as he looked over Dean’s shoulder, and he quickly disentangled himself. “Oh. We’re not alone. My bad. I should have asked, shouldn’t I?”
Dean gestured to Robin. “This is my friend, Robin. He’s going to make my new canoe.” Robin’s eyes shone, and Dean loved the sight.
“I’d better go,” Robin said. “Can… can we do this again?”
Dean grinned. “Are we talking ski instruction, or lunch?”
Robin laughed. “Lunch. And maybe some more skiing—without the instruction, this time.” He grinned. “You never know. I might show you a thing or two.”
Dean chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.” He grabbed Robin’s coat from the hook by the door and handed it to him. Robin got into his boots, fastened them, and with a nod toward Kris, he left. Dean watched him wheel his bike down the path toward the sidewalk.
“He’s cute.”
Dean turned to Kris. “And you’re a mess, apparently. Want to tell me why?”
Kris nodded. “Only, can we do it by the fire? I’m freezing my nuts off here.”
“Sure.” Dean glanced down. “Once you’ve taken your boots off.” As he closed the door, he recalled that some people didn’t need telling.
Then it occurred to him he was sorry Robin had gone.
“Is there a reason for this meet-up?” Diane asked as Dean passed her a martini. “Not that I’m complaining, you understand. Hell, we could be here to raise a glass to it being December first for all I care.”
“Maybe it’s because Dean changed the kitty’s name.” Suze’s eyes twinkled. “Hey, you could give him a new name every week, and we could come over to celebrate. I’d be up for that.” She stroked the fluffball curled up in her lap.
Dean gave a nod to Kris. “Over to you.” He poured himself a drink but didn’t sit. Kris had asked for the girls to come over, and Dean had agreed. Kris needed a little moral support right then.
“I need your advice, guys,” Kris confessed. “My mom called yesterday. My dad has had a stroke, and he’s in the hospital. She… she wants me to visit.”
Kate frowned. “Are these the same parents who kicked you out on your ass when you were seventeen? Who haven’t given a flying fuck about you all these years? And now they want to play happy families?” She scowled. “The nerve of some people.”
“I know all that,” Kris remonstrated, twisting his hands in his lap, his cocktail on the table beside him. “She thinks he hasn’t got long to live, and she says he wants to see me before it’s too late.”
“Well, that all depends on what he wants to see you for.” Suze’s face was hard. “Because if all you’re going there for is for him to launch into some deathbed lecture to stick the knife in again, I’d say fuck it, and let him die without giving him the satisfaction.”
“Wait a minute.” Diane’s voice was soft.
“What if he’s had some kind of revelation?
What if he’s realized he’s been an asshole all these years, and he wants to make things right before he goes?
” She looked Kris in the eye. “It’s up to you, sweetheart, but you need to ask yourself one thing.
Do you want to let him go, never knowing if he’s changed his mind about you?
This might be what you need to heal and move on. ”
Dean said nothing. He’d said pretty much the same as Diane the day before, but he could understand where Kate and Suze were coming from. It really was up to Kris now.
Kris sighed. “I guess you’re right. I was in such a panic yesterday.
I’ll be honest, my first reaction was to say fuck him.
But then I talked to Dean. I needed to hear from you guys too.
” He took a deep breath. “I’ll sort out a flight tomorrow, and I’ll get to him as soon as I can.
I’ll call my mom tonight when I get home, so she knows to expect me. ”
Dean walked over and squeezed Kris’s shoulder. “Does that feel better?”
Kris nodded. “Thank you. All of you.” Lady chose that moment to stretch and wander over to him, gazing expectantly at his lap.
Kris laughed. “You too, Lady, but you’re not getting up here.
” He patted the empty seat of the sofa next to him.
“This is reserved for Dean, who is going to sit and tell us all about the cutie I saw here yesterday.” He stared up at Dean. “The one with the huge crush on you.”
Kate leaned forward, glass in hand, her eyes wide. “Oh, tell us more.”
Dean arched his eyebrows. “Crush?” What the fuck is he talking about?
Kris rolled his eyes. “Oh please. It was so obvious.”
Suze frowned. “Who are we talking about? What cutie?” She gave Dean a hard stare. “Have you been holding out on us?
“His name’s Robin,” Kris supplied. “Dean didn’t say any more than that. All I can tell you is he was so pretty. Those eyes…” He brought his hand to his chest. “He caused my heart to flutter.” Then he grinned. “He caused something else to flutter too.”
Dean narrowed his gaze. “Down, boy.” He addressed Suze. “He was a student—not one of mine—and he now works at the boatyard with his dad. I met him this week when I went to order a new canoe.”
Suze’s face lit up. “Robin Davis?”
“That’s him. I gave him a skiing lesson.”
She snorted. “Of course you did. Is that what they’re calling it now?”
“What’s so funny?” Diane asked.
“Nothing, unless you’d seen Robin ski. He’s really good, but then again he should be. I think he’s been doing it since he was a kid.”
“And he asked you to teach him to ski?” Kate asked.
“Yeah, but—”
Kris laughed triumphantly. “See? I was right.”
Diane glared at him. “You? Hush.” She turned to Dean. “You? Talk.”
Dean told them everything, from meeting Robin, to him turning up at the house Thursday evening, the so-called skiing lesson, the conversation after, and lunch the previous day.
When he was done, Diane glanced at Kris.
“So what’s he like?” She gave him a mock glare.
“Apart from his eyes. I think we already know about them.”
Kris grinned. “Hot. Put it this way. I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers.”
Dean glared at him this time. “And you’ve obviously made up your mind that he’s gay, or maybe bi.”
Kris gave him a superior look. “Trust me, honey. He’s gay. You may not have seen the way he was looking at you, but I sure did.” He grinned. “He looked like he wanted to lick you from head to toe.”
“Ooh.” Suze grinned. “Kinky. I wish a guy would look at me like that. I could do with a good… licking.”
Kris cackled.
“How old is he?” Diane asked.
Before Dean could reply, Kris leaped in. “About twelve, judging by the look of him.”
“He’s eighteen!” Dean protested.
Kris arched his eyebrows. “How lucky for you.”
Suze chuckled. “He always did have a baby face. Gorgeous kid.”
Kate gave a satisfied nod. “And if this kid turns up again with another manufactured reason for being here? What will you do?”
“Apart from taking him to bed and fucking his brains out,” Kris murmured.
Dean gaped at them. “Did you all miss the part where I said he was a student?”
Suze shook her head. “Was a student, Dean. We got that part. And the part about you never actually teaching him.”
Kris nodded vigorously. “You know what all that adds up to?” He counted off on his fingers. “He’s legal. He’s freaking adorable. He’s obviously eager.” He stared at Dean. “What are you waiting for—a signed invitation?”
“Now hold on a minute,” Diane interjected. “I think we’re all missing something here. So what if this Robin—is that his name?—is cute, hot, whatever. What do you think about him, Dean?”
Dean took a long drink from his glass. “I think… it’s time to change the subject.
” He narrowed his gaze. “I mean it.” He did not want to discuss this with them.
He was having a big enough challenge contemplating the idea that Robin wanted him.
Okay, if it were true, the impromptu visit and subsequent request made sense—kind of—but Dean wasn’t convinced Kris wasn’t seeing things.
And if he was going to discuss this with anyone, it would be Robin.