“Stop stalling, Oak.” Felix sipped at his coffee and gave me a mock-stern look.
I waited until his mouth was empty and said, “Law kissed me.”
He still choked on air and put his mug down in a way that almost sloshed the coffee on the counter. “Hewhat?”
Widening my eyes, I drank my own coffee and tried not to let the caffeine—or the nerves—vibrate me out of my skin.
“How did this happen?” Felix asked once he had gathered his faculties a bit.
“So you know when there’s a hot twink and a single dad and they like each other very, very—”
“I will fucking throw you out.”
I grinned, then let my expression fall off my face and settled into perturbed confusion. “I guess the vibe I’ve been getting a couple of times before wasn’t all in my head, you know.”
“Now I definitely see why you couldn’t go to Teague or Charlie about this. Jesus, Oak.” He mused on my words for a bit, then smiled slightly. “Congrats, I suppose. He’s hot as hell if you like dad types.”
Shrugging, I said, “I haven’t really had any big thoughts on my type, other than likely older and someone who feels safe and whoa boy….”
“He’s definitely both of those things.” Felix nodded. “Your uncle will have a conniption though.”
I shook my head. “I mean, he will freak out for two seconds but he’ll be fine. I’m more worried about Charlie.”
“Wait, is Law even queer?”
I widened my eyes again and gave him a “duh” look.
“I know, I know, but like, is he out?” he asked.
“Not that I know of and it’s not like I can ask anyone. Well, I could askhimbut right now I’m letting us both have some distance after how much we both might’ve freaked out.”
“You freaked out?Hefreaked out? Explain,” he commanded, gesturing with an éclair.
I explained to him about hearing the conversation between him and Marlie, then how he’d grabbed my arm and I’d freakedout for a second, just to be pushed into a secluded corner and… yeah.
“For one, sounds kind of hot,” Felix mused. “But also, give the man the benefit of a doubt. Maybe he didn’t freak out as much as he realized he practically mauled you with his kids so close?”
I thought about it for a moment. “Could be. Tristan interrupted us before I could decipher whether he looked like he wanted to run or fuck.”
Felix snorted. “Those are the two options?”
I giggled. “Well, with how wild he looked….”
He shook his head and finished his treats, then leveled me with a look. “What doyouwant to happen here? Best case scenario?”
This time I didn’t have to widen my eyes on purpose. I hadn’t even thought of that. “I didn’t even think of that yet.”
A teenager popped into the store then, and asked Felix about some books, and I pondered on his question while they did their thing.
Once we were alone again, I sighed. “I don’t know. Genuinely. Would I love to have a man like that? Absolutely. He’s hot as sin in that safe way that’s like catnip to me. But there’s the kids. The fact thatmygrandparents are now grandparenting his kids.” I kind of gigglesnorted at the absurdity. “I just don’t want to fuck anything up between me and him or me and the kids or hell, anyone in our circle, you know?”
Felix hummed. “I don’t really know what to say, other than maybe talk to the man? See if this was a one off mauling and what he might want. Tell him what you’re ready for.”
I pouted. “So you’re saying I need to be an adult about this and use my words?”
He chuckled. “Welcome to adulthood, buddy.”
I managed to dodge Law—very adultlike of me, I know—for the next day. Then the weekend was there, and Charlie dropped off Salem for me to watch over the weekend when he’d take Uncle Teague on their little getaway to Lake Placid.
