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Barrett tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “I know, and I’m sorry. But I just had to say that, because you cannot get mixed up in this, no matter how pissed you are. Promise me one more thing.”
“Bear.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.” He heard her inhale shakily.
“You see Ken, you call the cops and you call me. Because he might be mixed up in this sabotage shit in the parks and he’s about to get a call from the police here.”
“Motherfucker -”
“Val. Don’t. I know. But let them handle it. You see him, you call the police.”
“Okay.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Okay. I hear you.”
“No, I need a promise.”
“I promise. You know I hate his guts and with him giving up custody, I don’t have any issue calling the police. He’s not supposed to be around us anyways, he has no legal ties to us anymore.”
Barrett hadn’t really thought about it that way. But she was right. By law, Ken was a stranger to them. Giving up his parental rights meant Val also lost child support, but between her job and the money Barrett sent every month, they were okay. Stable but never rolling in it. Val said it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to ensure Forrest was safe and away from Ken’s influence.
He took the final turn leading home and felt the fog from his mind begin to clear. There was his house up ahead, the roof and siding dappled with late afternoon sun. The lake beyond, sparkling and still. And Ambrose’s house next to his, separated only by a large yard now bright with green grass and the tiny yellow puffs of dandelions.
Home. The thing he’d wanted for so long. Buying a house was a legal transaction and a massive goddamn headache. But only in the last few years had it started to carry the warm apple pie feeling ofhome. And with Ambrose in his life, the final pieces were clicking into place. Warmth and safety and stability and four walls that meant more than shelter and a place to sleep.
“Okay. I’m gonna hold you to that promise,” he said softly. “I don’t think you’re in any danger. I just think Ken’s somehow wrapped up in all this and I don’t know why. Focus on you two, and you call me whenever.”
“I will.” The shakiness was gone from Val’s voice, replaced with a steely resolve. He could see her once again, jaw set, fingers unclenched, her gaze fixed on Forrest. “I love you, Bear. Please be careful.”
“I will.”
“I’m sending you dates for our picnic, too. I want to move forward. Forrest feels a little bit better every day, and he’s stubborn.”
He had to laugh. “Shocking.”
“Shut up.” But he could hear the smile in her voice. “And he’ll be okay to get out of the house for a nice afternoon. Bring Ambrose, bring Dandi, and be with us for a weekend. Together, as a family.”
That’s all he wanted. “Absolutely.”
He hung up with Val just as he pulled up. Ambrose was outside with Dandi and Barrett felt instant relief seeing his boyfriend’s pink cheeks and bright smile as his dog bounced around the yard. Barrett was out of the truck in an instant, striding over to Ambrose and gathering him up in a hug.
“Well, hello,” Ambrose said into Barrett’s shoulder. “Bad day?”
“Fucking sucks. Fucking Ken. Shit.” He sighed hard and pressed his temple to Ambrose’s. “Sorry. It’s all just bullshit. I don’t know what the fuck is going on and now the cops are involved.”
“Hey. Hey.” Ambrose’s voice was soothing, his touch calming. He pulled back to nestle Barrett’s face between his hands. “What do you need?”
Barrett kissed him, hard and fast and it made Ambrose go pliant against him. He spun them so he could press Ambrose up against the door of his truck and lean into that warm, lithe body. “Just this. Just a minute.”
Ambrose shivered against him and looped his arms around Barrett’s neck. The scent of him, his warmth, the gentle way he rubbed Barrett’s back all pulled him into focus. Slowly Barrett’s mind cleared and he was able to smile down at Ambrose. “Yeah?” Ambrose asked.
“Yeah.”
Beginning of May, the weekend of Ambrose’s birthday
Friday afternoon
It made no sense to be nervous. He’d known Raf for almost fifteen years. And Barrett, bloody stupendous man, had taken a week off work timed so conveniently around Ambrose’s birthday. He’d protested and waved Barrett off, but Barrett swore up and down he was owed almost a full year of vacation, so a week wouldn’t hurt. And whatever time Ambrose and Raf spent off doing their catch-up, Barrett could work on his never-ending list of chores around the house. “I’m also going to fix that shutter on your eastern side,” Barrett said as they watched Dandi muck about in the shallow end of the lake.
