Chapter 24 The Babysitters Game #5
Taylor’s spoon clanked against the ceramic bowl as it fell out of his hand. Fletcher watched as he flickered his eyes to Gretchen with horror and dread evident in his eyes. The blood drained from Fletcher’s face as it all suddenly clicked in his mind.
“You…saw?” Taylor choked out, sounding like he had been the one who got caught stealing candy.
Cap cleared his throat. “We have cameras downstairs,” he said with a hint of conviction in his tone. “Cause of the time when Caleb broke the sliding glass door and we thought there had been a break-in.”
Taylor was frozen as he stared at Cap with a look of pure guilt on his face.
“Kids, let’s go. Your grandparents will be here to take you guys to the zoo,” Gretchen said abruptly. Marina and Caleb got up from the table and put their empty bowls in the dishwasher, clearly unaware of Taylor who looked like he had seen a ghost.
After Gretchen and the kids went upstairs, Cap looked at Taylor and Fletcher and shook his head with a knowing smirk. “You two are fucking idiots.”
Taylor was still frozen in place as Cap sat down at the end of the table beside them.
“Taylor, son. Take a deep breath. You need to breathe. You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. They were fucking screwed.
“Taylor,” Fletcher said quietly, growing concerned about the fact that he did indeed look like he was about to pass out.
When he still didn’t move, Fletcher stood up and let out a scoff as he walked around the table and put an arm on Taylor’s shoulder.
Cap seemingly gave him a look of approval.
“Babe,” Fletcher said a little more sternly.
Cap reached over and put the back of his hand on Taylor’s cheek before cursing to himself and standing up.
“He’s clammy. I’ll get an ice pack,” he quickly said.
Fletcher used his foot to pull Taylor’s chair out from the table.
Cap handed him an ice pack and Fletcher held it to the back of Taylor’s neck.
It must’ve done something to shock Taylor’s system because he finally blinked, causing a singular tear to fall down his cheek.
“Fuck, Taylor. Hey man, it’s okay,” Fletcher assured him.
Taylor let out a deep breath. “I’m okay,” he told them. He reached up to place his hand over the one Fletcher still had on his shoulder and let out a deep sigh.
“How long?” Cap asked him calmly.
Taylor gulped as he looked at him. He wrapped a finger around Fletcher’s finger. “Since the beginning of May,” he answered, sounding a little unsure. Fletcher nodded at Cap.
“Around then,” Fletcher confirmed.
Cap couldn’t help but let out a little laugh of disbelief. “Shit, guys. Well,” he sighed. “Gretch saw you guys kiss on the camera footage. She said it was really hot. And then she changed her mind because she said it was like watching her son make out with someone.”
Taylor and Fletcher let out nervous chuckles. “That sounds like something she’d say,” Taylor laughed cynically.
Cap clapped his hands together and rested them on the table. Like he was putting his Captain Hat on. “Is this something that will be disclosed to the team sometime in the future? Is it casual, or is it—”
“We’re together,” Taylor quickly admitted to him. “He’s…my boyfriend.”
Fletcher tried to hide a smile. A huge wave of warmth and acceptance flew through him. This was good, he told himself. Taylor just called him his boyfriend. Actually, this was probably one of the happiest days of his life.
“So, you’re gay, then?” Cap asked Taylor earnestly.
Taylor answered, “I’m not sure,” at the same time Fletcher snorted and said “definitely.”
Taylor quickly craned his neck up to look at him with a dumbfounded kind of look on his face before letting it go. “I don’t think so. Fletcher’s the only guy that I’ve ever really…”
“Same here,” Fletcher said.
“Wow. Okay then…” Cap said, still sounding shocked and confused. “Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”
“Oh, I float his boat,” Taylor joked lightly.
Cap gestured the same way a conductor did when they wanted the orchestra to stop playing. “I don’t need to hear anymore. You guys are entitled to your own privacy, so let’s just…”
Cap stood up and gave them a little head nod before grabbing his cup of coffee and joining the rest of the family upstairs.
“Well, I think that went well,” Fletcher said only half sarcastically. He removed the ice pack from the back of Taylor’s neck and put it down on the table. He really wanted to kiss Taylor. Someone knew. Someone knew and it was okay!
Taylor looked at him and nodded. “He knows,” he said in disbelief. “Pancek knows and it’s…”
Fletcher looked at him and nodded. I love you, he told him with his eyes. I love you, Taylor and it’s going to be okay. We’re going to be together and it’s going to be okay.
He wanted to tell Taylor so badly, but he didn’t want to overwhelm him. One step at a time. “It’s good,” he told Taylor, cupping his jaw. He leaned down and pressed a very quick, chaste kiss to his lips. He didn’t want to accidentally give Gretchen another show. “Everything’s okay, Taylor.”
“It’s good.”
“So, good, baby.” He brought Taylor’s hand to his lips and kissed it.
Taylor smiled at him and nodded again. “So good, Fletcher.”