AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So? You gonna tell me who it is?”
Normally he would. He had a good relationship with his father, more of a friendship dynamic than a father/son one at this point, and it was rare for him to keep things from him. But with the conversation with Colin fresh in his mind, he hesitated.
“You don’t have to,” Eddie said when the silence stretched out, his voice losing its teasing quality. “Why don’t you go print up some more of those coupons for the Christmas sale? I want to make sure we hand them out to every customer, and we’re running low.”
He wasn’t going to push, Evan realized. And that was why he could tell him.
“It’s Colin,” he blurted out.
Eddie blinked. “Colin Howard?”
Evan nodded, a little bewildered to realize he was nervous. He could read surprise on his father’s face, but not much else. “Yeah.”
Eddie nodded, surprise shifting to satisfaction. “Well, it’s about damn time.”
Evan blinked. “Huh?”
“I said, it’s about damn time,” Eddie repeated, and lifted an eyebrow. “Did you think I don’t know you’ve been in love with that boy since college?”
Evan let out a half laugh and scraped a hand through his hair. “Does everybody know that?”
“Pretty much,” Eddie said cheerfully and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I assume since you’re doing the walk of shame in yesterday’s clothes—”
“I object to that term,” Evan said with a scowl. “It’s sex-negative and degrading.”
“Okay,” his father said agreeably. “What’s the opposite of shame? Pride, right? So since you’re doing the walk of pride—”
Evan just sighed.
“—and wearing yesterday’s clothes, I assume it was a good date.”
“It was,” Evan admitted. “We went to the hockey game. Jude got me a suite.”
His father let out a low whistle. “Fancy.”
Evan fought the urge to hunch his shoulders. “Colin’s not great with crowds sometimes, so I just thought…”
Eddie nodded. “Good call. You seeing him again?”
“Friday night.”
“Why wait?” his father wanted to know. “You should ask him to come to dinner tonight.”
“I did,” Evan admitted, and shrugged. “He wasn’t comfortable.”
Eddie frowned. “He’s been to our house dozens of times. Hundreds, probably.”
“I know. But things are different now, and…” Evan let out a slow breath. “He needs some time to settle, is all.”
Eddie nodded. “Understandable. But when he’s ready, he’s welcome. You know that, right?”
Grateful, Evan nodded. “Yeah, I know that.”
“Okay, then. One question.”
“What’s that?”
“Are you happy?”
