Chapter 17
Bailey didn't know how he kept his hands off Matt since they came back from the island. He did though. Matt was always staying busy and Bailey didn't want to get grabby with him when he was working.
Today Joey was at the museum day camp and Matt had gone to get him.
Afterward they were going to a bird sanctuary.
Bailey was done with work a little early so he called Gwen and she told him what she found out about the rumors.
"The guy who was spreading lies about Matt was staying at the hotel but he checked out before I could bludgeon him.
The girl who does massages knows him, and she told me about him.
He was a returning guest and he got rejected by Matt.
Smearing his name was his way of getting back at him. "
"I see," Bailey said. "I'm kind of glad he's gone and you didn't have to get in trouble confronting him."
"He better not come back here," she said.
To take her mind off that, Bailey told her about their plan to visit the bird sanctuary. "Then we're going to the Boathouse Diner for dinner."
"The diner is a nice choice, but the bird sanctuary, why?" she said then she scoffed. "Birds' nests and birds and more birds. The excitement never stops."
"It's educational," Bailey told her. He might have told her that he wasn't lacking in excitement, that every thought of Matt made his heart race. And thinking back to what they did on that island was almost unbearable, but he wasn't sure how much it meant to Matt or if it would lead anywhere.
The bird sanctuary was lush with greenery and flowers and noisy with bird sounds.
The place was thick with trees for birds to perch on, and there was a pond where birds waded.
Joey liked that there were so many birds for him to spot, but Bailey wasn't really thrilled with either the number of birds or their loud calls.
It felt like the start of a horror movie where everyone gets their eyes pecked out.
"Why are you making that face?" Matt asked him.
"This might be too many birds," Bailey said and didn't mention anything about the horror movie vibe.
"It's not too many. I like them, Daddy," Joey told him.
Matt agreed with him. "It's a bird sanctuary. The birds are supposed to be here. We're on their turf."
"Why am I being scolded?" Bailey grumbled.
"Because you're not getting into it like you should," Matt told him.
Joey seconded that. "You have to like the birds, Daddy."
"OK, OK, I love the birds," Bailey told them, but the main thing to him was that Joey and Matt were enjoying themselves.
Joey was pointing out practically every bird he saw. "Look at that one! It's yellow!" he exclaimed.
"That's a nice looking bird," Matt said taking a picture of it.
"I'll take one of you since I like you better," Bailey said and took a photo of Joey.
Then Matt picked up Joey and put him to sit on his shoulder. "Now you're closer to the birds," he said and Joey laughed, happy to be up so high.
Bailey took a picture of them like that and got a bird in the shot too. "OK, I'm starting to like this place," he said and showed the picture to Matt and Joey.
"That's just me and Matt. You like us," he said rightly.
"Yes, I do. But there is a bird in there. See?" Bailey enlarged the photo and Joey saw it.
Now Joey had instructions. "Take more pictures, Daddy. But you have to be in them too with me and Matt and birds."
"I'll try to get myself in there," Bailey said and then felt Matt put his arm around him and pull him close.
"How's that?" Matt asked with a grin.
"Very helpful," Bailey said as he enjoyed the closeness even a little too much. He managed to take a photo of all three of them, Matt's arm still around him and maybe a feather or two in the shot. Then he tried not to stare at that picture and wish that it meant something.
Once they were done at the bird sanctuary, they drove to the Boathouse Diner which was on an actual boat. Matt told Joey, "They serve a great fish burger here. Is that your thing?"
Matt was teasing him, but Joey panicked a little. "No. I want a real burger," Joey said and looked alarmed.
"And real fries?" Bailey asked.
"Yeah. No fishy fries," Joey confirmed.
The diner boat stayed anchored which disappointed Joey a little, but he liked his burger, fries and chocolate shake. That was the kind of basic fare the place served, but it was all good.
They ended up staying there kind of late and Joey was getting a little sleepy. "Better get this guy home," Bailey said though he would have loved to stay out longer with Matt.
Once they were home, they got Joey to bed and then Bailey brought out two beers for him and Matt to drink while sitting on the porch. Bailey wondered if tonight something might happen between him and Matt. He desperately wanted it to.
Matt was looking at his phone and frowning so Bailey asked, "Something wrong?"
"A girl who works at the Blue Pearl just texted me to say that she hopes it's OK that she told Gwen about some guy and how he was telling everyone..." Matt bit his lip and didn't finish.
As the silence stretched out and Matt kept staring at his phone and looking upset, Bailey felt like he had to come clean.
"I told Gwen about the rumors. That's why she was asking about that, but the guy who was spreading them is gone now." He hoped that would be good news to Matt, but he kept his head down and wouldn't look at him. He then stood up and walked away toward the shore.
It was like he just wanted to get away from Bailey. He considered leaving Matt alone to deal with this, but he just couldn't.
Setting down his beer, Bailey followed him. Staying turned away, Matt asked him, "You heard about that? What people are saying about me?"
"I did. I should have told you, but I just felt I shouldn't bring it up. It seemed like it was better if you didn't know. That wasn't my decision to make. Sorry, I..." Bailey trailed off. He wasn't sure how to explain himself and not make Matt feel worse.
Now Matt faced him and the expression on his face was pained. "You talked to Gwen about it and not me. You went to her because you didn't trust me."
"No, of course not," Bailey told him. "I trust you."
"You know I'm desperate for money. Everyone knows," Matt said.
"That doesn't mean you would do anything," Bailey said. "You work hard."
"And what if the rumor was true? How would you feel then?" Matt challenged him.
"I would feel the same. I wouldn't judge you," Bailey told him.
Matt looked surprised. "Really? I'm telling you it's not true. I've never had sex for money."
"OK. I believe you," Bailey told him.
"Why?" Matt asked.
Bailey wasn't sure how to answer that. "I just trust you. I don't know why you're surprised. I trust you with Joey."
Matt hung his head. "Yeah. That's true. I guess I can't believe how hard I've fallen for you or how much I like you. And you..." He didn't finish, just took Bailey in his arms and kissed him. "Thank you for believing me."