More than Friends

Chapter Four

“You still haven’t … done it?” Grant Henshaw asked Gina Santoni in a corner of the law firm’s staff kitchen where they were both getting their morning cups of coffee. “He’s your brother. How hard could it be?”

“Should I just blurt it out?” she countered with wide dark brown eyes before stirring her decaffeinated coffee. “I can see it now. ‘Hey, Jay, I just wanted to tell you that I got knocked up while you were away this semester. Sorry! My bad!’”

“You might want to work on your delivery,” he smiled sheepishly. “And when are you going to tell him, anyway? In the delivery room?”

“I’m thinking I might be a little busy that day, Grant,” she chuckled, patting her growing tummy. “I just don’t know how he’ll take it. I feel like …” she paused, trying to put her thoughts into words.

“Like you’re telling your son?” he supplied helpfully.

She looked at him in surprise then realized he probably understood completely. “Yeah.”

“You know, when I was grappling over how to tell Matt about Cody, I just kept putting it off,” he shook his head ruefully. “And I found out I didn’t need to. In fact, putting it off may well have cost Matt in the long run. He may not have been so determined to hide his own feelings behind what he did to kids like Brian. And Cody might have had the chance to get to know him sooner.”

Gina smiled at him, remembering the first days at the firm when she and Grant, who she now regarded as a good friend, had met. He’d been very helpful in getting her settled in and he’d also been surprisingly open about his own background. Grant’s relief that Matt had readily accepted Cody when they’d met had been evident to everyone who knew him.

“I’m a big believer in fate,” she shrugged and sipped her coffee. “Things were meant to happen that way. Matt may never have discovered Brian’s problem if he didn’t talk to him. And you and I both know that he got to him in the knick of time.”

Grant visibly shuddered and nodded. He knew Matt had quite literally saved the small blonde boy he now considered his second son.

“And isn’t it great that we’re family,” Grant laughed.

“Who? You and me ‘we’?” she asked confused.

“Yep! Brian’s like my son and Kevin’s like your son …”

Gina gave a deep laugh at that. “I guess we are then.”

“So,” his grin widened, “as your slightly older, yet devilishly good looking brother, I think it’s my place to tell you that the longer you put off telling Jason, the harder it’s going to be in the long run.”

“I suppose,” she sighed. “But I don’t know if Tanner can handle two very domineering brothers yet.”

“Two?”

She looked shocked again. How the hell had Kevin been able to keep his devious side a secret from Grant and Cody after all this time? “You really don’t know Kevin at all, do you?” she laughed.

“He can’t be that bad! He’s what? Five foot three, and maybe a hundred and twelve pounds?”

“Oh! I dare you to tell him that!” she grinned.

“I’ll let Cody do it.”

“Chicken.”

“Back at you.”

“Damn straight!”

-------------------------

Ryan got out of the car nervously and followed Lee up to the door of the bookstore. For some reason he felt just as nervous now as the day he’d come out to his own family last week. Lee looked a little timid, too. But then, these were his parents and he hadn’t told them yet that he was gay. He was also an only child and had grown up in a sheltered environment … a fact he freely admitted to Ryan himself.

“Well, here we go,” Lee said resolutely.

“You don’t have to, you know,” Ryan said before they went inside. “You can wait until you’re more comfortable.”

“And when will that be?” Lee smiled.

He grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open with purpose. “Mom! Dad! I’m home!”

“Lee?” asked a short woman with chestnut hair and brown eyes. “You’re back!” she exclaimed. She dashed out from behind the counter and hugged her son fiercely.

“Did I hear who I think I heard?” asked a tall man with graying light brown hair and turquoise eyes as he emerged from a backroom.

Ryan smiled as he watched the reunion.

“You never come home!” the woman complained.

“You barely call,” the man added.

Lee laughed and stood back. “Well, I’m here now,” he said then looked over at Ryan. “And I brought someone for you to meet.”

“Oh?” they said together. “Is this your roommate?” Lee’s mom asked speculatively.

“Yeah,” Ryan said quietly.

“And boyfriend,” Lee added firmly.

The couple looked at their son then at each other, frowning. Ryan suddenly felt his stomach bottom out and he gave Lee a reassuring glance before turning his eyes back to the couple and waiting for their reaction.

“Um,” Lee’s mother began. “I see.”

“You see what?” Lee scowled.

“Nothing … son,” his father replied. “It’s just … we’d thought you’d grown out of that.”

“Grown out of what? I never told you before.”

“It’s just … well,” his mother said. “I saw you with Danny once in the basement.”

“What?!”

“I never said anything, and then you and he had that row and you stopped talking to him …”

“And?!” Lee demanded.

“Well, we just thought Danny had coerced you,” his father explained. “And that once you got to college things would change.”

“Things did change, Dad! I found Ryan, who actually loves me. Danny was only using me.”

“You mean you went after Danny?” his mother asked in shock.

“No, he came to me after he was dumped by this airhead,” Lee seethed. “I was stupid enough to believe him. But when she decided she wanted him back, he dumped me!”

“Oh,” his father took on a contrite expression. “Well, then, I guess we had that all wrong.”

“I’m gay, guys,” Lee added in exasperation. “But I can see that you’re less than thrilled, so maybe Ryan and I should just go.”

“No!” his mother exclaimed. “No, you’re not going!” She gave Ryan a cursory glance then pinned her son with her sharp gaze again. “We haven’t seen you in a very long time. Anyway, you’re in college and … from what I understand … you kids experiment with these things.”

“It’s not an experiment,” Lee hissed through gnashed teeth. “He loves me, and I love him!”

“Okay,” she said using a placating tone. “Okay. But we want you to stay like you planned.”

“Spending a week and subjecting Ryan to … this?” Lee gestured to his parents. “I don’t think so.”

“Please,” his father asked softly. “Really. We’re sorry we were so … shocked. But we really do miss you and want to spend time with you.”

Lee looked back and forth between the two, guiltily. Either choice he made would result in one or more of his loved ones feeling hurt. But was it too much to ask of Ryan to deal with their less-than-receptive attitude to his relationship? He looked over at Ryan for help.

“Hey. It’s no big deal,” the dark haired boy murmured. “I can stay at the hotel up the street while you visit.”

“You stay there, and I’ll be there with you,” Lee frowned. He would not abide by his parents driving his lover away.

“No, no,” his mom quickly interrupted. “We have three bedrooms … Ryan. You’re most welcome to stay with us.”

Ryan stood back and sighed. He knew if he refused their offer Lee would most definitely follow through on his threat and come with him. And his parents looked so eager to have their son stay with them for a while. He couldn’t allow the boy to deny them this. Besides, he could endure a little discomfort temporarily for his lover. Lee had done it for him in Cali.

“In that case, I accept,” he said giving Lee’s mother a small smile. “Thanks.”

“Our pleasure,” she said smiling back nervously.

“Well, you two must be tired from the drive,” Lee’s dad said to change the awkward subject. “Did you say you came down from Boston?”

“Yeah,” Ryan nodded. “I loaned a buddy my car to move some things up there and then we flew in from California after visiting my parents.”

“You’re from California?” the older man asked curiously.

“Yep,” Ryan shrugged. “Born and raised.”

“Lovely,” Lee’s mother said with a timid smile of her own.

Just then the door opened behind him and Ryan turned to see a hot guy with short golden blonde hair strut in.

“I’m here for my shift …” the guy paused, noticing them, particularly zeroing in on Lee. “Hey, bud,” he said as he walked right past Ryan, ignoring him. “How you been?”

“Danny?” Lee scowled then turned back to his parents. “You hired him?”

Danny? Ryan thought as a black cloud settled over his mood. So this was the guy who broke his Lee Lee’s heart, hmm? His own frown found its place on his face as he glared a hole right through the back of the tall blonde’s head.