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In two steps, I grabbed him again and kissed him wildly, heedless of everything around us. “Please be careful,” I murmured against his lips. “Text me later. Okay?”
He nodded and walked unsteadily out the door.
When I turned back to the table, the three girls were grinning—Mia had clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle—and even Liza watched me intently, a little frown between her eyes.
I wanted to talk to her, but there was no time. The girls hungrily demanded pancakes and bacon, and after I’d cleaned up, Liza and Cleo were already pulling out supplies for robot cookies. By the time the oddly shaped robot cookies were cooling on wire racks, several hours had passed… and so had the bulk of my anger. When the girls moved out to the backyard so Mia could show off her soccer skills, Liza and I sat companionably on the patio to watch them.
“They look happy,” Liza said with a wistful smile. “Really happy.”
“They are,” I agreed with a surge of pride. “They love their new school. Jacey has already gotten a role in the fall play, which is her dream come true. Cleo was bored to tears at the old school and would have placed out of their math offerings by eighth grade. Mia probably would have been fine staying behind, but it’s easier with them all in the same place.”
“You don’t have to sell me on it, babe,” she said with a chuckle. “I trust you to make decisions like that. It’s clear you’ve done a great job with them.”
“I couldn’t have done it alone,” I reminded her. “Not without sacrificing my dedication to my patients. Gwen helped out at first, and then Brody came into our lives…”
“Ah, yes.Brody,” she said wryly.
“Our girls are thriving, thanks to him,” I said sharply. “I’m not sure why you’re being so antagonistic towards him—”
“Don’t you?” After a moment, she shook her head. “No, I suppose you don’t. I forgot who I was dealing with for a second there.”
I frowned, and Liza sighed. “I came back because I had a health scare,” she said. When I leaned forward in my chair, she held up a restraining hand. “Calm down. I’m fine. They thought I had a heart defect, but after a re-scan, they determined it was just a bad scan and assured me I was okay. And before you say anything, I’m already booked in for a checkup here with Dr. Iver.” She lifted a knowing eyebrow at me and let out a laugh when I exhaled and nodded my approval.
Liza reached over to squeeze my arm. “It just made me realize I don’t want to be far away from the girls anymore. When I first left, I was convinced there was something bigger and better out there for me. But after that scare, I began to realize that I was missing precious time with the people I love. The girls.You.”
“Liza,” I began, shaking my head.
She continued. “Look, I’m not saying I’m sticking around town permanently, but at least if I found some projects to work on in California or even in the States, I’d be able to be in your lives regularly.”
“That would be good. Especially for the girls.” Although I would have a hard time sharing time with them now that I’d gotten used to only sharing them with her a few weeks a year. “But you and I… you remember I’m gay, right?”
Liza nodded. “Of course. I wasn’t expecting that we’d get remarried or share a bed, for heaven’s sake. But I did think maybe I could stay here for a while, with all of us under one roof.” She sat back in her chair, crossed her legs, and gave me a sardonic smile. “I wasn’t expecting that you’d have had a midlife crisis and marry the nanny since the last time we spoke.”
“He’s a full-time childcare specialist,” I muttered. “At least, hewas.”
“Not the point, Grant. How the heck did that happen? Has work beenthatstressful?”
I looked out at the girls and debated my answer. I didn’t want to tell Liza the truth about my arrangement with Brody, but I’d known her a long time, and I wasn’t used to keeping secrets from her. And more than that, I wanted a gut check. Last night had been so wonderful—so unexpectedly, almost impossibly wonderful—that now, hours later, I found myself questioning it. Was I missing a crucial emotional…something? Had I, for once in my life, been too impulsive? Wasn’t it all a bit too good to be true?
You couldn’t really find your life partner by accidentally convincing them to marry you as part of a business deal…could you?
“I really like him,” I admitted, twisting my wedding band with my thumb. “I’ve had feelings for him for a long time—”
“Lust,” she said knowingly. “Physical attraction.”
“No! I mean, yes, but not just that. I…” I swallowed hard. “I love him.”
“But… how?” she asked, mystified. “What could you possibly have in common? He’s a college kid, Grant. Practically a newborn baby.”
“Shush. Brody’s hardworking, smart, and successful,” I said, peeved at her for being so dismissive and equally peeved at my own rush to defend him. “More than that, he’s loving and kind. He’s helped me to be a better parent. A better doctor. A better person. And he loves the girls like they’re his own.”
“But they’re not. Yes, he’s an excellentnanny,” she allowed, “but you can’t ignore the fact that he’s still at the very beginning of his adult life. He’s not their father. And no matter how magical he is with the children, that doesn’t make him the right person to be your lifelong partner, either. Surely you see how ridiculous that would be. And aside from all that, as your friend, I have to wonder what his angle is. What’s he hoping to get from you?”
I sighed. “Liza, you’re coming at this the wrong way. It’s not like that—”
“Are you sure?” She gave me a sympathetic grimace. “Because anyone can see the two of you have a passion. Hell, in ten years together, you never kissed me the way you kissed him back there—” She hooked a thumb toward the kitchen. “—or acted all possessive and protective like you do with him. And if you think I’m feeling petty and jealous about that, even though you’re gay as fuck and our relationship has been over for years, you’re damn right. But maybe Brody’s using that. You wouldn’t be the first man to be seduced by a good-looking younger guy who—”
“He didn’t seduce me!” I darted a glance at the girls to make sure they hadn’t heard my outburst, then scrubbed a frustrated hand through my hair and lowered my voice. “If anything, I seduced him. It started out as a necessity, to keep the girls at Mountbatten…”
