Sixteen
Good to know.The implication behind those three little words suggested a multitude of possibilities that Graham was anxious to explore. But not today. Too many emotions and unspoken feelings had passed between the two men in such a short period of time. They both needed some time apart to absorb it all and justbreathe.
Yet, when they left the diner and Graham walked Micah to his car, he didn’t feel at all ready to let him go—even for a day.
Micah unlocked the driver door but didn’t open it, as reluctant as Graham to say goodbye.
“I want to thank you again for meeting with me and…listening,” Graham murmured.
“Thankyoufor taking the time to fly out here to meet me.” Micah held his eyes. “I needed to know that Sal had reconciled with you. With all of you. It breaks my heart that we lost him, but I believe his heart and mind was at peace when he went.”
Graham leaned against the car and lowered his eyes to the ground. “He passed on in great peace,” he whispered. “He had such a serene…evenhappy…look on his face. I can’t help but wonder…” He looked at Micah. “…if in that final moment before he crossed over…if he caught a glimpse of heaven.” He swallowed thickly. “I would like to believe so.”
“I think a lot of people are given that glimpse right there at the end,” Micah said softly. “So they won’t be so frightened, and to assure them that they’re going to a good place.”
A lump formed in Graham’s throat and his eyes misted. “I guess you would know.” He smiled, his throat working. “You being an angel from heaven and all.”
Micah pursed his lips in a smile and glanced away.
You must be an angel,Graham thought with his heart in his throat.It isn’t possible for a mortal man to be as beautiful and wonderful as you.
“If tomorrow wasn’t Christmas Eve…” Graham gazed at him longingly, his smile holding on his lips. “…I would ask you for a date.”
Micah licked his lips and laughed quietly. “Is there some holiday rule I’m not aware of that forbids dating on Christmas Eve?”
Graham chuckled low. “No. But you are here to spend the holidays with your friends. I don’t want to take you away from your visit.”
Micah absently rubbed a hand over his smiling mouth. “For almost five years now,” he said with a glimmer of amusement, “Nick and Wendy have been trying to find me the perfect man. Trust me, they won’t be upset if we go out on a date.”
“The perfect man, huh?” Graham nodded slowly, suppressing a smile. “Will I do, instead?”
“Instead?” The look that came into Micah’s eyes caused Graham to go weak in the knees. “Notinstead.”
Graham shivered pleasantly. “All right, then,” he murmured. “How about six tomorrow evening? I’ll pick you up?”
“All right.”
Graham stood up off the car, hesitated a moment, then leaned toward Micah. The man was ready for his kiss—it was written all over his face—but Graham merely grazed the corner of his mouth and left the kiss on his cheek…and a whisper in his ear. “Our first kiss isn’t going to be in the parking lot of a diner.”
When he drew back, the glow in Micah’s eyes engulfed him.
Graham smiled softly and brushed his thumb down Micah’s cheek. “Until tomorrow.”
He left Micah staring after him in a slight daze and walked back around to the front of the diner to his own rental car while his legs were still working. By the time he climbed in the car, they were barely holding him up—and his heart was a quivering mess in his chest.
Upon arriving at the motel, he entered the room to Seth’s self-satisfied smirk. When Graham offered no details, Seth began to prod.
“So, uh…how did it go?” His smirk morphed into a grin. “What did you think ofMicah?”
Graham removed his overcoat and laid it across the end of his bed then cast a narrow, sidelong glance at his little brother. “I should kick your ass.”
Seth continued to grin even as his face radiated his deep, heartfelt joy for Graham. It was thatsinceritythat saved him from a big-brother whupping.
∞∞∞
Mark was waiting at the top of the porch steps when Micah returned home. The man could hardly contain his excitement for Micah as he arched his brow inquisitively. “Well?”
“It was…very emotional,” Micah admitted. “The things he told me about his childhood, his struggles with forgiving his father…it wrecked me.” He smiled softly. “But it helped that his story had a happy ending.”
