Chapter Twelve
WINTER
All I could do was sigh.
And swoon.
I showed Ro my phone screen. “He quoted The Beatles. The freaking Beatles.” I sighed, not for the first time. “How is he even real?” I could have nearly cried.
If he fell in love with me, would I help him understand because love was more than holding hands.
“Could he be any more perfect?”
Ro shook her head at me. Also, it might not have been the first time I’d asked that today, or talked about him, or told her about the palm-tracing thing, or swooned.
“Go and get something to eat,” she ordered. She tapped the watch she wasn’t wearing. “I’m only here for an hour to cover your lunch break. The boys are at home by themselves.”
I grimaced. “Did they hate the new crate?”
I didn’t love the idea of a crate, but it was safer for them. Especially when they had to spend time at home by themselves. Like now.
She gave me a dead-eyed glare that told me I should know better than to doubt her, and she pointed to the door.
“Okay, okay,” I grumbled, pulling on my coat and scarf. “I’m going.”
Jeesh.
The diner was warm and busy, full of delicious aromas and happy chatter. Jayden was working today, and he looked up from the back of the kitchen when he heard me order.
He gave me a wave. “Hey, Win,” he said, tucking a dish towel into his apron. “How you goin’?”
Uh . . . “Going? What’s going where?”
“He means, how are you doing,” Hamish said, suddenly appearing beside me. “It’s an Aussie thing.”
“Oh,” I replied with a laugh. “Right.”
Jayden came over, grin wide. “Is this a planned lunch break ’cause I didn’t get the memo. Or the invite.”
“Uh, no,” I said. “Ro sent me on a break. Actually, it was more of a threat, but you know. Same thing.”
Hamish grinned and pointed his thumb at me. “And I saw him walk in from across the street, so here I am. Here for all the goss.” Then he shrugged. “And two lunch specials to go, please. I told Ren I was getting him food.”
“Two for me to go as well,” I added. “Whatever the lunch special is.” I didn’t even know what it was. But I hadn’t had one bad thing from here yet.
We each paid at the register. “Sure thing, boys,” Crystal said. “Take a seat, I’ll bring it over.”
Surprising me, Jayden slid into a booth with us. “I can take a fiver.”
“Do you ever rest?” Hamish asked. “Between here and the bed and breakfast, you are one busy man.”
He shrugged. “I’ll rest after the holidays. Plus, it’s not really work when you love it.”
“True,” I agreed.
“How is the bookstore going?” Hamish asked me.
“Great. Surpassed my expectations. Though, to be honest, I do expect it to quiet down after Christmas.”
“Well, yes. Such is retail. But,” Hamish said, “there is always something happening in this town throughout the year to base little events on and change up the display in your front window. There’s Valentine’s Day.
Arbor Day is a big day in the park in springtime.
We have tree-planting initiatives. We do stuff in the summer for the tourists.
” Then his eyes lit up. “Ooh, you know, we could organize a monthly farmer’s market between your store and the youth center.
I’m sure there’s some local businesses and producers who’d love that.
We could have stalls for jams and sauces, wood-carved stuff from the mill.
Maybe the school could sell cakes to raise money.
I dunno what else, but there’s a lot of local farms and ranches who can showcase their goods.
Pretty sure I heard Bryn telling Ren about her alpacas and using the wool for .
. .” He made a confused face. “Or was it the goat’s milk. I can’t remember.”
Jayden laughed. “That’s a great idea. You should totally run for council.”
He rolled his eyes and waved that idea off, but it got me thinking . . . “The market day is a great idea. It would attract locals and visitors alike,” I said. “Something to think about in the new year, anyway. But before I forget, about your Christmas party dinner . . .”
Hamish looked at me, then he began to smile. “Yessssss. Will you be a plus-one?”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Yes. He said he’d like to come along.”
Hamish gripped my hand and made a strange high-pitched eeeeep sound. “This is the kind of conversation I’m here for. Tell me everything.”
It was hard not to laugh because I was still so damn happy and giddy and excited, but I tried to compose myself.
“Okay, so he said he wants to come with me, but,” I said, high emphasis on the but.
“We might not stay long. He doesn’t like being in unfamiliar situations, and meeting a bunch of new people can be overwhelming.
But he wants to try. For me. He wants to try for me. ”
“Aww,” Hamish said. “He’s so sweet.”
Sweet? They had no idea.
I whipped out my phone. “Look at this,” I said, pulling up his texts. “Every morning he sends me a line of poetry.”
Hamish gasped and gripped my forearm. “Shut up. He does not.”
“He absolutely does.” I scrolled up, showing him.
“That is the most romantic thing ever,” Hamish breathed.
“I know! That’s what I told him.”
Jayden was smiling at me. “I’m telling ya, this Cupid thing needs to be studied.”
I sighed dreamily. “And this is probably going to sound lame to you guys, but it’s huge for him . . . He wants to practice holding my hand.”
Jayden stared. “He wants to practice—”
There was a muted thud, and I was sure Hamish kicked him under the table to shut him up.
“That’s really sweet,” Hamish said gently. “It is a big deal for him. When I first took Chutney to the vet for a checkup, Ren told me not to expect a handshake or anything like that. Said he doesn’t like being touched.”
Pretty sure he said this for Jayden’s benefit, not mine.
I nodded. “It’s a whole thing.” I turned my hand over on the table and drew my index finger over my palm. “But he did this last night.”
Hamish put his hand to his heart. “Oh my word.”
I sighed again. “He’s the sweetest man I’ve ever met.”
“You’re perfect for each other,” Hamish whispered.
There was no judgment or sarcasm, just complete understanding.
Then he put his hand to his heart and leaned in so only we could hear.
“I totally get why you don’t—asexuality is one hundred percent valid—but personally, I love the big D. If you know what I mean—”
“Jesus,” Jayden mumbled.
“Looooove the D,” Hamish continued. “Hard, fast, slow, I don’t care. Any way I can get it, and lemme tell you, Ren is—”
“Okay, we get it,” Jayden said.
I burst out laughing. “So happy for you.”
Hamish beamed. “Me too.” But then he reached over and gave my arm a squeeze.
“And being serious, I’m happy for you too, Win.
Queer love in all its forms is a beautiful thing.
It really makes me so happy that you and Deacon have been mowed down by the Christmas Cupid like the rest of us.
We’ve got two more little rainbow babies in our family now, and it just gives me life, ya know? ”
I nodded. “Family, huh?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Hamish mumbled.
Thankfully, no one close by seemed to hear him.
I smiled at them both. “Moving here was the best thing I ever did.”
“Same,” Hamish said.
“Same,” Jayden added.
“Here you go, boys,” Crystal said, bringing over two bags: one for me, one for Hamish.
“Yeah, I better get back to work,” Jayden said.
“Same,” Hamish said.
“Same.”
“Okay, so remember dinner is potluck,” Hamish said. “We all have to bring something so Jayden doesn’t feel the need to cook on what’s supposed to be a night off for him.”
I smiled at Jayden. “Totally fair.”
“I think we have most of it covered,” Hamish said. “Though a vegetable side would be great.”
“Perfect. I can bring a Mediterranean vegetable thing,” I offered. “No one has any allergies, right?”
“None,” Jayden replied. “Though Clay and Gunter get totally weird when anyone mentions garlic bread.”
Hamish snorted. “Yeah, do me a favor and ask Gunter about that.”
They both laughed.
“Oh,” Jayden said, as if he’d just remembered. “And no gifts,” he said, directing that straight to Hamish. “Handmade or otherwise. We’re not having a repeat of last year.”
Hamish grimaced again, then sniffed and raised his chin. “Well, yes. However well-intentioned I may have been at the time, that’s not a mistake I ever intend to repeat.”
I didn’t know what that was about, but it made me laugh anyway.
They had such a history, all these small inside jokes that close friends seemed to have.
It was so lovely, and the fact they were now including me into their circle—their little queer family, as Hamish had called it—made me incredibly happy.
Hartbridge already felt more like a home to me than Boise ever did.
I’d never really had the queer-friends-only group thing before. Sure, I’d had queer friends back in Boise, but nothing like this. Here, these guys made a point of catching up often, had regular meals together, they helped each other, they supported and cheered each other on. It was awesome.
I just hoped Deacon was ready to be included too.
Small steps. Remember, Winter, small steps.
Yes. Absolutely, I reminded myself. Small and patient steps, and I knew there might be the occasional step backward, but I was excited for what our future might look like.
Whatever that might be.
“Come in,” Vicky said, opening her front door. “Deacon’s just . . .” She glanced over her shoulder. “He’s a bit nervous.”
Oh.
I kept my voice down. “Is he okay? Can I do anything?”
She gave me a soft smile. “No, no. He’s fine.” Then she whispered, “He told us that you’re dating.”
“Oh.”
Oh god.
She put her hand to her heart. “That’s very exciting. He was beaming.”
Pure relief made my legs feel a little weak. “I’m glad. And yes, exciting. For me as well. I thought for a moment—”
She leaned in and whispered in a rush, “Vegetables can touch vegetables but not meat. Sides should never touch anything.”
Uhh, what?
It took a second for her words to click . . .
“Ahhh, okay. Understood.”