“Maybe you should do some cleaning,” she said. “That might take your mind off of everything.” She closed the door behind her. Rory was alone.
He lay on the couch. Tears streamed down his face. Conflict battled in his mind. His mother had called Bernard a faggot. A horrible thing to call someone. Would she call him one too? Bernard called her a bitch, but it was in retaliation to what she’d said.
He curled up tighter. Mina jumped to his face and licked his tears.
“Thank you, baby girl.”
She curled up on his side as he cried himself to sleep, unsure of what to do.
Chapter Twenty-One
Bernard
Sunday, July 19
BERNARD STUMBLED THROUGHthe house, eyes burning from a restless night. He fed and watered Ginger, then sat at the kitchen table, unable to make food or coffee.
“What am I going to do? I’ve ruined everything.”
Fresh tears filled his eyes.
“I don’t deserve love because I ruin everything and push away everyone who tries to love me.”
He grabbed the bag from the liquor store. He’d bought five bottles of whiskey after Rory left. They remained unopened.
Bernard opened a bottle. He grabbed a glass, filled it with ice, and poured himself a whiskey. Ginger lay at his feet and watched as he drank his pain away.
He drank glass after glass. His vision blurred, and the pain intensified. The more he drank, the more he realized how he had ruined his relationship with Rory. Rory deserved better.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, or what time it was when there was a knock at the door.
Bernard stumbled to the door and opened it to see Sean. He squinted his eyes. He’d dressed in his Giants’ gear.
“Hey…” Sean stopped. “What happened?”
“Huh?”
“Did you drink all that?” He pointed to the whiskey.
Bernard looked down. A quarter of the bottle was gone.
“Yes.”
He tried to focus on Sean. Sean was sexy. A short, stocky, beefy bear of a man. He remembered that night and how great it felt to have Sean inside him. Would Sean ravage him again?
“It’s nine in the morning. Let’s get you inside.”
Sean led Bernard back to the table. Bernard sat down and stared at the whisky bottle. He was about to pour another glass when Sean took it.
“I think you’ve had enough of that.”
“Sean, I want you naked again,” Bernard said.
“Sit here. I’m going to make some coffee.”
Bernard registered Sean in his kitchen, and the smell of coffee warmed his senses.
“Did you hear me?”
