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“Yup. David is a really nice man.”
Giles nodded as he snagged some dip on a tortilla chip. “This is really good, and yes, he is. David is the best. When Teddy and I were trying to adopt, he helped us through the entire process so we could get Archie. He’s always there for both of us, and I’m glad that someone is going to be there for him. He deserves that.”
Noel nodded. “Yes, he does.” He was coming to understand that helping others was David’s forte. There was no hidden agenda. He did it because it was part of the man he was, and Noel was lucky to know him. “I met his father, though….”
“David is nothing like that old piece of….” He looked at Archie as he stopped himself, but Noel got the idea. It seemed David’s father and stepmother weren’t well thought of in general. “Sorry, I have to watch what I say. Young ears and all.”
Noel understood. “Do you want some cheese or maybe some grapes?” he asked Archie, who nodded, and when Noel got him some grapes, he started stuffing them in his mouth. Giles slowed him down. Even so, the kid looked like a chipmunk. “I worry that I’m not good enough for him.”
Giles rolled his eyes. “Teddy grew up in Wauwatosa, and my family came from Bayview. Teddy worked his way through college, while I was lucky enough to have a grandmother who started a fund to help pay for mine. Clive is a trust-fund baby, but he worked through college as well. We all understand that you do what you have to in order to reach your goals.” He helped Archie again, and Noel couldn’t help liking him. Giles was not at all what Noel would have expected.
“So you think him dating me…?”
Giles took away the bowl and waited until Archie swallowed before putting him down. “Go on over to Papa and see what he’s doing,” Giles told him, and Archie raced to Teddy, jumping onto his lap. “Let me ask you… do you care for David?”
“Yeah, I do,” he admitted, but wasn’t willing to go any further than that. Whatever his feelings were, David deserved to be the first to hear them.
“And you don’t intend to hurt him or use him?” Giles narrowed his gaze as Noel shook his head. “Then all I ask is that you be as good to him as he will be to you. I can already tell how David feels about you. That guy wears his heart on his sleeve, and guys have taken advantage before. As long as you aren’t one of them, all of us are going to get along great.” He tapped the counter and went over to join the others.
“I have all the snacks laid out,” Noel said before sitting next to David.
“The onion dip is really good,” Giles said, and then patted Teddy’s leg. “So what is the plan for tonight besides eating and drinking?”
David looked to him, and Noel shrugged. “What? Do I look like I’m the cruise director?” He grinned, and David rolled his eyes.
“Actually, I thought we’d have a movie marathon. I haveEncanto, Frozen,orRobin Hood.”
“Frozen,” Archie sang out, and then started singing “Let It Go,” or at least the three-year-old version, with plenty of made-up words. It also apparently came with a dance that involved lots of jumping and butt-shaking.
“Okay, you got it,” David said, and brought up the movie in his huge screen, kicking in the surround sound, which was amazing. Noel leaned against David, who put an arm around him. They dimmed the lights, and everyone got comfortable. Wiggles and Oscar made an appearance. Oscar sat in Clive’s lap, while Wiggles camped out on David’s, both of them soaking up attention.
“Am Iinterrupting some kind of sausage fest?” The gruff voice, filled with derision, could only be David’s father. Archie whined, and the cats jumped down, hurrying out of the room as David paused the end of the movie.
“Let’s get you something to drink,” Giles said, lifting Archie and taking him out of the room. The other guys stood as David approached his father. Teddy, Clive, and Jake all lined up behind David like a row of soldiers.
“Jackson, you’re a real pig, you know that?” Teddy snapped.
“What do you want now? I did what you asked and went to your event, and you promised that was the end.” David was clearly at the end of his rope. Noel took his hand, watching as David’s father’s gaze followed the movement.
“I see you haven’t given up your dalliance.”
“Oh, knock it off,” Teddy told him before David could answer.
“What do you see in him? Is he that good a lay?” God, his tone meant he was cruder than the guys at the club, and that was saying something.
Noel turned to David, whose jaw was set and eyes blazed with anger. “It’s okay,” Noel said, just wanting to calm him.
“No, it’s not.” David turned on his father, closing the distance between them, the other guys staying behind him. David had good friends. “I’ve had it with all of this. Your demands and God knows what else you want. I’ve done my best to support you and be a good son. But you’re a terrible father and an even worse person. I used to think that the meanness and pettiness came from Rachel, but the two of you are just alike.”
Nothing seemed to faze Jackson, and for a second, Noel wondered if they were going to come to blows. “Why?” he demanded. “Why a guy like him?”
“Not that you’d understand, but Noel is kind and thoughtful. He’s working hard to put himself through school. Something you’d never understand.” David separated their hands and put an arm around Noel, drawing him closer. “He’s feisty and interesting, and unlike you, he doesn’t put demands on me any more than I do. He has a good heart, and I’m falling in love with him. So if you can’t understand or accept that, then I expect you to leave my home and not come back.” David released Noel and stepped forward. “And if you so much as try to cause trouble, I’ll come out for your opponent and turn you into a complete laughing stock. Do you understand? I’m done with your games and your campaign, and if you can’t be nice to the people I care about, then you aren’t welcome here. And the next time you show up uninvited, the police will be called, and you can explain your arrest at the hands of your son to your campaign donors… and the media. That will make quite a story.” David huffed, but his father glared, clearly not believing what he was hearing.
“It really is time for you to go,” Noel said levelly as tension washed off David in waves.
“Not as long as you’re here.”
David broke away from him and took his father by the arm, propelling him toward the door. “I’ve tried to do what you wanted because you’re my father. But I’m through. You just aren’t worth it.” He opened the door and pointed. “Now leave. I really am done with you.” He closed the door, threw the locks, and turned off the outside lights. Then he whirled around and left his father peering through the window of the door before leaving.
