The Love Series Complete Box Set (65 page)

Shifting abruptly, he twists toward me. He seems conflicted, but I can’t tell over what. It’s not his life that’s in upheaval. “Look, I don’t know if it’ll work out, but the place where I work, The Bridge, well, I might be able to see if I can get you in there. It’s right outside of Elmira, so location-wise it should work out. We work with local school districts to set up Gay Straight Alliances and we do work in the community to help change the climate for acceptance.” He registers the look of shock on my face and quickly begins speaking before I can even get a word out. “I’ve been there for a few years. I’m not sure, but I might be able to pull some strings to see if there’s an internship opening. Hell, if things work out, you could end up there fulltime.”

“Are you serious? That would be fucking amazing.” My mind is racing with a million thoughts and I know my voice just conveyed how excited I am for the chance at this position. Living with Maddy and getting to keep my hopes for my dream job that would be perfect.

“Yeah, I’ll see what I can do and give you a call this week.” He smiles happily at me and I catch a glimpse of the real Dylan—not the fearful one who is scared to be seen in public.

I want to spend more time with him, so I venture a question. “Would you want to come back to the house with me for a bit? I know Maddy would love to meet you. Joe and Katie will be there too. I think there’s another game on later too.” He signs the bill that the bartender just slid in front of us and says, “Sure. I’d like to meet them too.”

As Dylan and I pull into Joe’s driveway, in separate cars, I notice another car parked across the street. I’m not too familiar with the neighbors or anything like that, I’ve only been here a few days, but I know that I haven’t seen this car before.

As I close my door, Dylan approaches me and notices the quizzical look on my face. Just as I’m about to say something, I notice someone getting out of the unfamiliar gray sedan. My fists clench at my side; my jaw tightens so tightly that cracking a tooth is a very real possibility.

As the man approaches us, my pulse quickens and my mind races.

It’s my father.

Dylan recognizes him and stands by my side. My father eyes us and a look of disgust contorts his angry and overweight face. “What the fuck are you doing back here?” His voice is laced with fury and hatred. His words make bile rise in my throat.

Stepping forward and into his space, I tower over him by a few inches. “I could ask you the same thing.” Folding my arms across my chest, I notice that he suddenly recognizes I’m no longer the thinly muscled teenager that I used to be.

He just huffs a dismissive laugh in my face. “I thought that was you I saw driving through town the other day, but when I heard that your mother finally died, I knew it. So I came by today to pay my respects.” His words drip sarcasm and nastiness. In that instant, all of the years of her abuse come crashing down around me.

With visions of Shane’s lifeless body floating in a bloody bath tub and my mom’s weak, frail body lying in the coffin, I step towards him with clenched fists. “You’re a fucking piece of shit!” I scream in his face.

Maddy must have heard me pull in and is now frozen on the spot as I stand face-to-face with my father. We look similar enough in features and build that she can figure out who he is.

Maddy races down towards me, screaming. Her words fall on deaf ears, though. I will not back down from this piece of shit that destroyed my family. There is no way in hell I’m letting him take me down like he did to Shane and Mom.

Dylan catches Maddy before she gets too close. I hear Dylan say, “No, Maddy. Stay here with me. The baby.”

With my hand clenched in a tight fist, I feel someone grab me from behind. Joe quickly steps in between my father and me. He pushes me far enough out of the way as Thomas Connely, the coward of a man who is my father, steps back unsteadily.

My father looks at Joe arrogantly. “So I supposed you’re the prick she married after leaving me. Don’t think I haven’t kept tabs on you.”

Joe doesn’t even respond to him. He just stands in between the two of us. When my father realizes that Joe isn’t going to say anything, he scoffs a laugh at him. “Whatever, she was just a useless bitch anyway. And you,” he eyes me and I step to Joe’s side, “are you a fag now too? Hanging out with this one,” he tips his chin in Dylan’s direction, “you’d have to be.”

Rage boils and I push Joe out of the way and punch my father with a nasty right hook.

“Reid!” Joe’s arms wrap around mine tightly and he pulls me back again. “He’s not worth it. Just leave him alone.”

With a nasty look on his face, my father says to Joe, “Leave this between me and my
son.
” He wipes the blood from his nose and spits to the ground.

Joe has to restrain me yet again as the word “son” comes out of my father’s mouth. Taking a deep breath, I gather all the hateful, angry feelings I’ve kept pent up all these years and spew them right into my father’s arrogant face.

“I am not your
son!
You are
dead
to me. You have been for years, but this little scene, you and your fucking bullshit, seal it for me. Get the fuck out of here and leave me and my
real
family alone. You’re just a scared little piece of shit who bullied his own wife and kids. I’m not taking it anymore.” My throat hurts from the yelling and I can feel the veins bulging in my neck and face, which I’m sure is bright red.

I step into his space one last time. Menacingly close to his face, I venomously whisper, “If I ever see you again, I swear, you won’t be able to walk away from me. So turn around and walk away now, while you still can.”

When he doesn’t start walking immediately, I jerk my body forward, threatening to hit him again and I absolutely love that he flinches. Huffing at me, he says, “Fine. Go be one of
them.
” He indicates Dylan and my rage bubbles at the surface at his stupidity and blind hatred.

I don’t waste my energy on another word. I just wait patiently for him to walk away.

As my father returns to his car and pulls off down the road, I turn and face Joe. “I’m proud of you, son.” As he says the words I have longed to hear my entire life, I know that, even though my mom is dead, Joe will continue to be a part of my life. As we walk towards everyone else, Joe claps his hand proudly on my shoulder. I can’t help but beam with pride. I don’t think that my father will ever come back into my life, but if he does, he better be ready for a few punches.

When I get to Maddy, there are tears streaking down her cheeks, but she races into my arms and hugs me tightly.

Banding my arms around her, I kiss her on top of her head and whisper, “I’m sorry you had to see that, sweetheart.”

Wiping her face on my jacket, she looks up at me with red and puffy eyes. “You don’t
ever
have to apologize for standing up for your family. I love you.”

“I love you too, Maddy.”

I pull her to my side and walk towards the door. Dylan, Katie and Joe follow behind and we all retreat into the small, cozy place that I now consider a home.

Chapter 20

Four Months Later

Friday April 19, 2013

“Hey, man. You ready to leave? The guys are probably starting without us.” Dylan asks peering over the top of my cubicle. “Yeah. Give me five more minutes.” I nod at him and begin shutting down my computer and organizing the files that I’ll need for Monday morning.

I shake my head remembering the first fight Maddy and I had after we moved in back in January. I didn’t text her when I went out after work with some of the guys. I don’t need that shit again.

“Where the hell have you been? You were supposed to be home over three hours ago? Have you even checked your phone? I’ve been texting and calling you non-stop!” Okay, so I guess the pregnancy hormones have kicked in.

I pull my phone out of my pocket and realize, obviously a little too late, that the battery is dead. “My battery died, Maddy. I’m . . .” Before I can even get the word “sorry” out she’s back at it again with the yelling.

“You could have called. I made dinner and everything, and now it’s ruined.” She storms off into the kitchen of our small apartment—the one that we moved into immediately after I was placed at The Bridge, a chapter of the Gay Straight Alliance where Dylan works. Watching her full hips sway as she stomps off in front of me, makes me smile. If not for Dylan coming to my mom’s funeral and offering me that opportunity, then I wouldn’t be living here to have this little fight with Maddy.

“Wait a second. Did I hear you correctly? You cooked?” Yes, there’s shock in my voice. Maddy does not cook—well, she tries, but it never turns out all that great.

Hands on hips, she’s in full on tantrum mode. Turning to face me, she taps her foot on the floor in front of her and rolls her eyes at me. I can feel the mood lightening just a little bit. “Yes, I cooked. Jerk.” She huffs at me and then turns back to the stove upon which sits one pot.

Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around her expanding waist. She’s only about three months pregnant and while her slightly rounded belly still fits within the circle of my arms, it’s starting to show and I love it. Nuzzling into her neck and inhaling the sweet smell of her hair, I kiss the spot on her neck that’s a guaranteed goose bump starter. “I’m sorry, baby. I should have called.” Peering into the pot to check out what’s for dinner, I laugh as I say, “If I would have known that mac and cheese was on the menu, I would have left work early even.”

She twirls around within my arms and sighs at me. “Okay, fine. I never said it was a gourmet, five course meal, but you just got done with your first week at work, and I just thought you would come right home.”

She’s so fucking adorable, making me mac and cheese—the blue box kind with the cheese powder and all—just because I completed my first week of my internship. “I’m sorry. Dylan and a few of the other guys just wanted to take me out for a quick beer to celebrate. I didn’t even realize that I was that late.” Kissing her softly, I feel her body melt up against mine as she squeezes me back.

We stand leaning up against the counter for a few more minutes, and as I look around the small, but modern kitchen, I’m still in awe at the fact that somehow everything worked out. Her head is tucked under my chin and she’s nuzzling into my chest. “Baby, I can’t promise we’ll never fight again, and I’m not saying this as an excuse, but I’ve never had to answer to anyone. This is all so new to me. We’ve only been living together for what, like two weeks?” She pulls back and looks up at me. Her eyes are softer; her early aggravation is dissipating. After a simple nod of recognition from her, I continue my train of thought.

“I will most definitely screw up again. I can guarantee that much, but I promise you this—I will try my hardest to at least call you before I do.” I hope the dorky lopsided grin I flash her conveys just how much I love her.

She smiles back at me—a bit less dorky, but still pretty damn cute. “I’m sorry too, Reid. It’s all new to me too. I promise I’ll at least try not to freak out so much next time you screw up. Deal?”

I kiss her firmly and say, “Deal” agreeing to her terms.

We didn’t have to live apart from each other like we had originally thought. Even though there have been challenges, and I’m sure there will be more fights—much worse than this one, I don’t care. I get to sleep next to her every night. We get to share this apartment together, now rather than later. And I still get to do the job I’ve always wanted to do. Life is pretty damn perfect, if you ask me.

Shaking the memories of our first, let’s call it a ‘misunderstanding,’ from my mind, I fire off the text.

Me:
Hey baby. Going out to grab a few drinks with Dylan. See you around 9 xoxo

Maddy:
Have fun. Say hi to Dylan for me. I’ll be waiting for you ;) xoxo