AllFreeNovel
Share Us
[Noah: 11:45 a.m. I’m heading out to get himat 10:30.]
[Prof: Annie told me she saw you in the grocery store today, and she wants to know what you need us to bring tomorrow for dinner.]
[Noah: Drinks for the kids. I picked up adult beverages but forgot soft drinks for them. Do you know what their favorite flavor of icecream is?]
He’d somehow managed to forget not only child-friendly beverages, but he’d lost the opportunity to ask their mother what dessert they liked best. Apparently, he couldn’t multi-task in the supermarket, and dealing with nosy neighbors while filling his cart had been more of a distraction than he’d thought.
[Prof: I’ll ask Annie and we’ll bring it tomorrow. That’s it? Anything else?]
Why did Jax sound like he was hoping for more? What more could he want? Cheeks heating as he considered what else Jax might want from him, Noah sensibly endedthe chat.
[Noah: Nothing else. Well, I’d better go. I have some last-minute things to do.]
Jax didn’t have to know he was lying like the rug in the living room.
[Noah: I’ll see you tomorrow at six.]
[Prof: Night, Noah.]
Any chance of dreamless sleep just went out the window. Talking to Jax, whether in the flesh or remotely, seemed to be all he needed to chub up a little in his shorts. Good thing he hadn’t called, or Noah would have been fighting off the boner from hell instead. Turning onto his side, he valiantly ignored the feel of the silk against his half-hard flesh.Sleep, Noah, not sex.
The next morning, an accident on the highway delayed him long enough that when he finally got to the airport, his dad was already out and waiting for him. Noah took in the man who had been his whole world for his entire life. Alvaro Santiago was heavyset and shorter than Noah, but his hair had not a streak of gray and his eyes were clear and bright.
He was a handsome man, even if Noah did say so himself. Not for the first time, he wondered why he’d never married again. He had seen more than one woman eyeing up the older man, but his dad never gave any of them the time of day. He hurried over to hug him and let himself sink into the arms his father wrapped him in as they gently squeezed each other and exchanged kisses on each cheek. Nothing felt better than hugs from his dad. Well, except maybe hugs from Jax, but he wasn’t going there.
“It is good to see you again,mijo.”
Despite having lived in the States for more than half his life, Alvaro’s speech was still lightly accented, and he peppered it with Spanish words and phrases more often than not. Noah had grown up bilingual, which had come in handy in high school and college.
“Good to see you too,Papi. You look well. I’ll bet you left one or two unhappy ladies back inSt. Pete.”
Alvaro grinned and winked at his son, but only shrugged instead of answering that obvious fishing comment. Noah laughed. That was always his father’s way. He gave nothing away that he didn’t want to, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that. He took the suitcases that his dad was pulling and led the way back to the truck, loading them quickly before getting in next to his father.
“I have a surprise for you,” he began, once they were on their way back. Better to get it out now and hopefully he could put off the harder conversation a little longer.
“Oh?” He felt his dad’s eyes on him for a moment. “If it is a good surprise, then let’shave it.”
Noah wasn’t sure what he’d think about having Jax over for dinner since they’d not spoken of him since he’d graduated ten years ago, but he knew it would be better than the news about his career being down the toilet. He swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought and concentrated on the hereand now.
“Remember my college professor that you met and liked a lot? The one you always used to askme about?”
Noah glanced over as he asked the question. Hs father thought for a second before he replied.
“Yes. Professor Knox was his name, no? Very handsome gentleman and so talented. What about him?”
Noah did his best to hide his shock at his father’s description of Jax. How had he not known that his dad would notice Jax’s good looks? He’d never once thought those kinds of observations crossed his father’s mind. What the hell did it mean? Did it even matter? Those were questions for another day.
“He’s here visiting with friends, and I’ve invited them over for dinner tonight, as a kind of welcome homefor you.”
He could hear the smile in his father’s voice. “It will be good to see him again,mijo. He was very kind to you, and it was clear to me that he liked you.”
Noah’s skin heated at the same time that his heart stuttered. Say what now? What did his father know? Or was he just making a general kind of statement? He had never told Alvaro about his relationship with Jax, because it hadn’t lasted long enough for him to broach the subject. Would he have been okay with his son dating a man so many years older than he was? Noah didn’t know, and since it didn’t matter now, he’d letit slide.
Making a noncommittal sound, he changed the subject, asking about his dad’s family and friends in Florida. Alvaro’s anecdotes and the news about Jax changing jobs kept the conversation off unwelcome topics for the remainder of the ride back home, where Klinger was overjoyed to see Alvaro.
Noah watched his father and his dog reunite with affection. His life had been one filled with the privilege of a loving parent who nurtured his soul and spirit as much as he cared for his mind and body, and Klinger had been one of the ways his dad had shown him love. He was an only child, and the dog had become his faithfulcompanion.
“What would you like for lunch,Papi?”
