11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
Simeon
W here the hell is Ryan?
I’d almost assumed he’d left, except I really figured he’d come up to let me know he was leaving. He seemed like a considerate guy that way.
But I’d been up here for almost forty minutes.
I sighed again. Such a mess. The bedroom’s hardwood floor had gotten completely soaked, and the water had done enough damage that some boards were already warping. I shot off a text to Maddox.
— Bad news. —
— Hit me. —
— Most of the floor has to come up…better if the entire thing. —
— Whatever it takes. We have the money. —
Money had been the very last consideration on my mind.
— I’ll ask Rainbow if I can do this first. —
— Ravi and I can stay in the spare room. —
— Let me get back to you. —
Then, a pause. I was about to put my phone away when it buzzed again.
— Ryan almost finished cleaning floor down here. Great guy. Should be up soon. —
My heart leapt at the news. See? He hadn’t left. You shouldn’t think the worst of yourself. Because I hadn’t been thinking the worst of Ryan. I’d been thinking I wasn’t worth remembering if he’d taken off.
Before I forgot, I sent off a quick text to Rainbow.
— You okay without me for a couple of days? —
— Just don’t miss the decorating party. —
With a flurry of smiley emojis. Even in text, her effervescence shone.
— Wouldn’t miss it. Thanks .—
A thumbs up.
I smiled as I tucked my phone into my back pocket. I snagged the crowbar I’d remembered to bring in and started working on the next board.
“Huh.”
Ryan’s voice caught me unaware. I nearly let go of the implement and cringed as it could’ve gone flying and hit something.
Or someone.
I pressed a hand to my chest.
He held out his hands in the universal I mean no harm gesture.
I tried to smile while nodding to say I understood.
“Man.” He bit his lower lip. “Like huge apologies on that one.”
“It’s o-okay.”
He gazed around. “What can I do?”
I placed the crowbar on the ground. I snagged the desk chair and brought it over so Ryan could sit close to where I was working.
He apparently understood my suggestion, and he sat. Then he handed me a cola. I nodded my thanks, then put it on the nightstand on a coaster. I’d get to it in a moment. I snagged a plank of wood from the floor and proceeded to show him how to remove the nail from hardwood. “Watch you d-don’t impale yourself.”
He grinned.
I’d loosened the nails, so all he had to do was use the flat bar to gently roll them out. I laid a plastic bag I’d snagged on the ground and indicated he could drop them in.
Then I moved a second chair over and gingerly piled the wood on it. This way he didn’t have to reach. He could drop the denailed wood on the floor. No worries.
Once he clearly had a handle on what he was doing, I resumed my work of prying up the boards. Things were going well until I realized the damage extended under the solid wood sleigh bed.
Shit.
I popped off a text to Gio.
— Want to earn extra cash? Manual labor. —
— Where and when? —
— Now and I’ll text you the address. —
I got a thumbs-up emoji. In return, I sent the address.
Then I popped one off to Maddox letting him know Gio would eventually turn up.
Another thumbs-up.
I dreaded what this would cost, but neither Ryan nor Maddox could help. The latter could wield an axe to cut down trees, but lifting of anything heavier than a large bag of Sofia’s dog food or one of his children was out.
While Ryan continued to work, I quickly searched flooring options. If Maddox wanted hardwood again, I’d do it. He’d built this place himself. Well, after his injury, his dad had organized workers to finish it. But Maddox had chosen all the finishing touches.
Apparently he hadn’t anticipated a Violet coming into his life. He’d once confided he always wanted children. Just, after Stanley left, he hadn’t thought it would happen. But he met Ravi and…after a round of IVF, Ravi’s sister had become pregnant. Using Maddox’s sperm. Apparently the Laxamana genetics were strong because I never would’ve pegged the twins as his.
Carefully, I selected sample images of hardwood, laminate, and vinyl floors and sent them off to Maddox for his approval.
— Which can withstand another torrent of water? —
— Vinyl is best. Some look really nice. —
— I liked the third vinyl option. I’ll text Ravi and get back to you. —
“How’s it g-going?” I eyed the pile of nails Ryan had dropped into the bag.
He shrugged. “Possibly the most boring job ever.”
I winced.
“Sorry. There are worse. Much worse.” He didn’t meet my gaze. “And I could name several off the top of my head, so let’s just forget everything I’ve said.”
Do I push? Sit back and wait for him to come to me? On an impulse I didn’t understand, I knelt before him—gazing up to meet shadowed blue eyes. “Y-you can talk to me.” I tried to swallow down the emotion pressing up. Even compassion could trigger the stuttering to get worse. “I’m n-not Justin. B-but I can listen.”
He grasped the hand I had placed on his knee.
I wasn’t supposed to touch without invitation, but if I didn’t balance, then I was liable to land on my ass. Possibly with a nail in it—if I wasn’t careful.
He squeezed my hand. “I just…it’s too raw.”
I nodded. I started to push up but halted when he placed his other hand on my shoulder.
“Maybe…someday…”
“Sure. Whatever w-works for you.” I willed him to see the earnestness in my expression. To understand I’d never push. That I’d always hold his secrets—if that was what he wanted.
He squeezed my hand and shoulder once more, then released me.
With extreme care, I pushed off him and back to standing. I hadn’t noticed him favoring anything other than his chest, but he might have injuries I knew nothing about. I certainly shouldn’t be leaning on him in any way.
I grabbed my crowbar and resumed my work.
The silence wasn’t as oppressive as I thought it might be. We’d both said what we’d needed to say. I didn’t really have anything to add to that, or any other, topic. Instead, I just worked to a steady rhythm until the bedroom door burst open.
“Help has arrived.” Gio stepped into the room with a flourish.
Mercer followed behind and held up his hand. “That would be me.”
I grinned. I adored Gio’s soon-to-be-fiancé. Don’t say anything about the rings. I eyed Ryan. Hope he remembers as well.
Mercer and Gio were a study in contrasts. I loved how they’d come together so perfectly and were such a study in complementary couplehood.
I pointed to the bed. “If we shift the b-bed, I should be able to pull the f-flooring up.”
Gio snagged a piece of warped wood. “This took how long?”
“Yeah. T-that’s what I thought. Not treated p-properly to start, I think.”
“He should ask for his money back.” He eyed the bag of nails. “Ryan, you’re doing a great job.”
Ryan rolled his eyes.
“Don’t mind that lug.” Mercer playfully smacked Gio on the chest. “My name’s Mercer. He belongs to me.”
Gio puffed out his chest.
“Sorry, we don’t belong to people. We’re not, you know, pets or anything like—” Mercer pointed to his partner.
Ryan snorted.
Mercer, after a long moment, smiled. “Yeah. It’s like that. Boyfriend feels inadequate, though. Which is nuts, right? Because I’d never had one before him, and—”
Gio snorted.
I shot him a warning glare. He might hurt Mercer’s feelings. Or he might give Ryan the wrong impression.
That’s not your problem. Ryan’s an adult…he can reach his own conclusions.
Mercer eyed the bed. “Would it be better to take it apart?”
“No.” Gio and I said the word at the same time.
Ryan chuckled. And continued pulling nails from the wood.
“Okay.” Mercer eyed the bed. “How do we know the frame wasn’t damaged by the water either?”
Gio and I met each other’s gaze.
Immediately, he dropped to his knees by the bed and poked around. “This is pretty solid construction, and it’s barely damp.” He popped back up. “We’re good to go.”
“Should we remove the mattress?” Mercer kept eyeing the bed.
Gio slung his arm around his boyfriend. “You don’t have to help.”
Mercer poked him in the ribs. “I’m just trying to make certain we don’t all get hernias.”
Hadn’t been my biggest worry. Putting my back out was, to me, a worse thing to do.
“I wish I could help.” Ryan tossed the next piece of wood onto the discard pile with a bit more force.
“You are.” Mercer grinned. “I’ve heard good things about your chaperoning skills.”
Ryan cocked his head.
“Well, I know these two are up to no good when I’m not around to supervise.” He pointed between Gio and myself.
Heat crept up my chest and into my cheeks.
Gio guffawed. “Right, Mercer. You shouldn’t believe all the stories Rainbow is telling you behind my back. She always was a gossip.”
Ryan blinked.
“J-joking.” I met, and held, his gaze. “She’s n-never gossiped.” I glared at Gio.
He winced. “Yeah, sorry…wrong sister. Sunshine’s the blabbermouth.”
Mercer chuckled. “Nice save. And the absolute truth.” He turned to Ryan. “I’m just joking around. Mostly because I know, as attractive as Gio is, that Simeon would never make a move on an employee.”
Ryan’s gaze shot to mine.
I was ninety-nine percent certain the furrowed brow was because he hadn’t known I was gay. Or at least hadn’t had it essentially confirmed.
Gio cleared his throat.
Mercer gazed at him. And flushed. “Oh.”
I laughed. A little forced, but I managed. “I t-think we’ve surprised him.”
Ryan shook his head. Then sort of moved his head in a weird way. “I… I don’t make assumptions. You didn’t say anything—and you still haven’t—”
“I’m g-gay.” Jesus Fucking Christ. Of all the words to stutter on, it had to be that one?
“Well…” Ryan gazed around. “That would make four of us.”
Gio laughed. “Six if you include Ravi and Maddox.”
“That’s a lot of gay men.” Ryan’s gaze didn’t leave mine. As if asking if I was okay with someone sort of casually outing me without at all meaning to. “But I’m cool with that. I just…” He swallowed. “I haven’t shared that with many people.”
By that, I read virtually no one .
Does Justin even know?
“We w-won’t say anything.” Make him understand this is a safe space.
He squinted. “Actually, I can’t say I care.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I’ve defied death. What’s coming out?”
Gio clapped him—gently—on the back. “That’s the spirit.”
“Right.” Mercer surveyed the room. “I think we can manage to shift this thing.”
And so we did. Took about forty-five minutes to move the bed out of the way, for me to rip up the flooring, and for us to move the bed back so I could do the rest of the floor. Some of the boards farthest away from the door weren’t warped, and I was careful with how I removed them. There was just nowhere else to move the massive bed.
“Some of this might be salvageable.”
“That local group that rehabs old spaces to make them livable for people in transitional situations…” Mercer trailed off.
“The people he donates both paint and his time to.” Gio grinned. “And mine. They’ve created about thirty homes—sometimes just rooms, but other times rehabbing old houses or condos in need of love.” His eyes darkened for a moment. “If not for Mercer, I might’ve needed to ask for their help.”
Mercer moved quickly, pressing a kiss to Gio’s temple. “Well, you didn’t, and now we help people who do. That simple.”
“Why h-haven’t I heard of them?” Hurt lanced through me. I could totally help.
Gio cocked his head. “Simeon, you’re already completely booked with work. And you do plenty of stuff at cost or even at a loss for your poorer clients.”
Heat raced to my cheeks, and I studiously avoided Ryan’s intense gaze.
“W-well…” I blew out a breath. “I can d-do stuff too.”
“I’ll give the organizer your name.” Mercer smiled. “We can always use help. Salvaging this flooring will help. If Maddox doesn’t mind—”
“He doesn’t.” The voice coming from the doorway had us all turning.
Maddox stood in the doorway. “They’re watching a show, and I have thirty seconds. Pizza’s on the way. I ordered four different types, so hopefully there’s something for everyone. I think you were saying something about giving away the flooring. I’d be over the moon. If a donation helps, you can have that too.” He met my gaze. “Have you ordered the vinyl?” He snapped his fingers. “I didn’t tell you that Ravi gave me the go-ahead. So…do whatever you need to do. If one of you can watch the kids, then I’ll grab what Ravi and I need from the closet and dump it in the spare room. Thank God we have a queen-sized bed.”
“If you w-wear shoes, you should be able to walk in here. All the n-nails are in the bag.”
He scratched his auburn beard with noticeable flecks of silver. He was an older dad for sure. “I just would prefer to close this room off entirely. Safer for everyone.”
“Of c-course.” I pointed to the desk and large, comfy reading chairs. “I should have the rest of the f-flooring up shortly.”
“And we’re helping.” Gio wrapped an arm around Mercer and put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “We make a good team.”
Ryan’s cheeks reddened under his beard. Not as thick as Maddox’s. But absolutely adorable.
I’d never say as much, of course.
He rose. “I can watch the kids. I’m not much use here.”
Before I could protest, he’d walked out of the room.
Maddox blinked.
I winced.
Still, after a moment, we got to work, and by the time the pizza arrived, the flooring was completely up. We devoured a good portion of the pies, then loaded the warped flooring into the back of my truck, and after a long day, I headed home.
At least Ryan stayed and seemed to enjoy the pizza.
I’ll have to find a way to thank him.