Chapter 22
Jon
“It’s true what they say: all good things must come to an end.” Jon was packing the duffel that he shared with Kyle. Their time in Hawthorne Bluff was over. For now.
“Yeah, but if all goes well, we’ll be back at some point,” Kyle replied. “Now let’s stow our stuff in the car and have one last stroll through town.”
Clay was at the registration desk, sorting through some paperwork, when they descended into the lobby. “Hey, guys,” he called out to them.
“Hi, Clay,” Jon said. “Is it okay if we leave our car in the parking lot while we linger a while in town?”
“Absolutely. Take your time. I trust you enjoyed your visit?” Clay asked.
“We did. Both here at Bradley House and in Hawthorne Bluff. If all goes well, we’ll be back to stay as soon as we can.”
“That’s great to hear!”
Jon and Kyle headed to the door as they waved goodbye. After stowing their things in the back of the SUV that Ben had kindly lent them, they ambled down Main Street, taking in the sights and sounds one last time. For now.
After a leisurely stroll through town, they stopped at Cuppa Joe’s for an early lunch before making their way back to Westport.
When they finally got on the road, with Jon behind the wheel, neither of the men spoke much.
Jon was lost in his thoughts, and he assumed Kyle was as well.
Jon contemplated another move less than a year after he’d relocated to DC: no small feat.
But to keep his family together and happy, he’d eagerly do it.
His brain started making lists, which he’d eventually put in a spreadsheet or to-do app, organizing all the things they’d need to do to prepare for such a life-changing event.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Kyle said as they drove through New Bedford. They’d be back at Ben and Rob’s home in about fifteen minutes.
“Oh, you know me.” Jon chuckled.
“Mentally, you’re making lists of things we’ll need to do to make this move happen, aren’t you?” Jon could hear the amusement in Kyle’s voice.
“See, I was right. You do know me.”
“Well, it’s not like I wasn’t doing the same thing,” Kyle admitted. “Although I’m sure my thoughts aren’t as organized as yours.”
“Hey,” Jon said softly, reaching for Kyle’s left hand, “we’re both in agreement that this is what we want, what we think is best for our family, so it’s gonna be okay. Maybe a bit overwhelming at times, but we can do this.”
“Thank you.” The sincerity in Kyle’s voice was evident. “Knowing that you’re on board with this is all I need. I know we can do it together.”
As Jon turned into the driveway of Ben and Rob’s home, Kyle said, “Yeah, they’ve been watching for us. The side door just opened, and Rob is standing there waving.”
“I hope Wyatt wasn’t too much for them,” Jon replied.
“I’m sure it was fine.”
Rob hugged both men warmly as they entered the kitchen. “Welcome back. Your dad is in the family room with Wyatt.”
Just then Wyatt came around the corner on only slightly wobbly legs—his walking and almost running had been improving steadily of late—yelling “Da!” He practically leaped into Kyle’s arms, where he was hugged and kissed.
“That’s new,” Jon said softly.
Wyatt then reached for Jon, wriggling out of Kyle’s arms. Jon grabbed the boy and kissed his cheek. “How’s my big boy?”
“Back, Dada,” Wyatt said. Jon’s eyes widened, and he stared at Kyle.
“Yeah, buddy, we’re back.”
“That’s new too.” Kyle’s face echoed Jon’s surprise.
“Yeah,” Ben said, walking up to both men and hugging them around Wyatt. “He’s been calling me Pa, and since you left, Rob is now Papa. Seems his brain is making all sorts of interesting connections.”
Wyatt yawned, and Rob said, “I think it’s time for this guy’s nap. Then you both can tell us what you thought of Hawthorne Bluff.”
“I can put him down,” Jon said and trotted upstairs with the boy. Once Jon returned, Rob got everyone beverages, and they settled in the family room.
“So, guys, what did you think of Hawthorne Bluff?” Ben asked.
“It was everything you said it was and then some,” Jon answered for the pair. “We really love the people and the place.”
“Great!” The excitement was evident in Rob’s voice.
“Does that mean you’d consider moving there?” Ben queried.
“We would,” Kyle said. “We met Clay and his boyfriend, Finn.”
“Hmmm,” Ben murmured. “Older guy, tall, handsome, graying at the temples?”
“Yeah, that’s him,” Jon said. “He works at the bank in town and gave us the name of a realtor. We met with her and explained our situation. She showed us some house options and gave us an idea of what we could expect to pay.”
“All in all, a very productive visit,” Kyle added.
“We didn’t officially meet Finn when we were there,” Ben said. “But I’m pretty sure we saw him at Bradley House one day. There was something about the way they looked at each other.”
“How quickly do you think you’ll be able to relocate?” Rob asked.
“It’s probably gonna be at least a year,” Jon told them. “I’ve decided to sell my house in Phoenix, so that will take a bit of time. Then we’ll need to put the condo in DC on the market and look for jobs in or near Hawthorne Bluff.”
“Finn said I might be able to get a job in the investment department at the bank, so I’ll look into that first,” Kyle said. “He also explained that there weren’t any family-law practices in Hawthorne Bluff, but there’s at least one in Plymouth, so Jon can check it out.”
“Your uncle Mike might be familiar with it too,” Rob said. “It won’t hurt to ask him about that.”
“Yeah.” Kyle sighed. “We still need to tell him and Aunt Ellen about moving. And I’ll need to break the news to Neil too.”
“Hey,” Jon said, reaching for Kyle’s hand. “It’s gonna be okay. There’s a lot to do, but we can get through it.”
“I know.”
“And this might be exactly what Neil needs to take his relationship with Matthew to the next level,” Rob said. “He could move to Massachusetts to be closer to both of you as well as his boyfriend.”
“That’s a good point, Rob,” Jon agreed.
“And just so you know, Rob and I discussed it, and we’ll help you out in any way that we can,” Ben told them. “If a house becomes available that you both love, we’re happy to loan you the money for the down payment while you work on selling both of your homes.”
“And if you need a place to stay while everything happens, our home is always open to you,” Rob added.
“Thanks, guys,” Jon said. “We really appreciate it.”
“Hey.” Ben smiled. “That’s what we do. We’re family after all.”