Still, he hoped Dom would do more than ignore this. The holidays didn’t seem the time for so much bitterness, and it did look like his brother was reaching out. Plus, Kiko was now beginning to feel slightly awkward that his sister and her kids were visiting for Christmas. Dom hadn’t acted like it was a big deal when he’d heard, but Kiko hoped it wouldn’t just make everything worse.
“Let’s swap a couple boxes,” he said into the awkward silence. “My side is getting breakfast-heavy.”
Dom shrugged and passed over some festive birds, body stiff.
“What, not going to ask?” he said, and Kiko held back a sigh at the hostility he heard in Dom’s voice. They were just flirting. Kiko had only minutes ago figured they’d be getting sex tonight. And now that seemed to have all gone to hell.
“I don’t want to pressure you,” he said, but that didn’t seem to help.
“But you still want to know,” said Dom. He was scowling.
Kiko shrugged, hung a bird wearing a scarf on the tree next to a shimmery fried egg. He didn’t want to get in an argument, and he didn’t like seeing Dom like this, but he didn’t know what to do about it. Clearly although Dom wanted to drop it he didn’t feel like he could.
“I don’t know your family,” said Kiko, trying to tread carefully. “So it sounds to me like your brother’s extending an olive branch of sorts.” He paused and Dom snorted. “A bit of a loaded one, assuming you’re lonely at Christmas.”
“They figure if I’m not with them I have no one,” said Dom.
“Well, they’re wrong,” said Kiko. As though the simple act of starting to talk about it helped, Dom returned to hanging ornaments. Kiko felt relieved; the sooner they could get through this, the sooner they could get home. Maybe with a little food and a beer Dom could relax again and the mood would return.
“Except they’re not. Not really. Most years I am.”
“There’s going to be a day when that won’t be true anymore,” said Kiko. Dom shook his head.
“My longest relationship was eight months,” he said.
Kiko shook the glitter from his hands, figuring he could sweep it up tomorrow morning when he came in, put away the boxes, too. He understood what Dom was saying and he didn’t care to accept it.
“How many of those did you solve a mystery with your partner? We’ve done three. Near-death experiences?” He paused. “Ever even tell anyone else you loved him?”
“This isn’t making me feel better,” said Dom. He glared at the glitter on his own hands and Kiko motioned him to the bathroom with him to wash up.
“Okay,” said Kiko as he waited his turn at the sink. “But if the holidays have you concerned, I have no intentions of leaving you. I’m happy. I like our life together.”
Dom smiled slightly and shook his hands off over the sink before reaching for a paper towel. Kiko tried not to cringe at the motions. Dom’s mood seemed to be improving a little; maybe the situation was salvageable after all.
“I considered dumping you for a moment when I realized I’d have to get you something for Christmas,” he said, and Kiko grinned at him from the mirror. Joking was good.
“I’m not that hard to shop for,” he said. Dom followed him out to Mother’s cage, keeping a safe distance from the goose. Mother was a kid favorite at Kiko’s store, but Dom despised the pet bird, even after he’d saved their lives once. Still, he seemed to be warming up to the goose. Sometimes he’d even feed Mother, although Kiko hadn’t yet convinced him that changing the bird’s diaper wasn’t difficult. He figured Dom would come around sometime.
“See you at home, then?” asked Dom as Kiko hefted the goose. Mother seemed plump as ever; he hoped it was just the time of year. At any rate, he was taking the goose into the veterinarian soon for a checkup.
“Drive safely.”
As Dom drove off Kiko locked up Yolks on You, turning the message over in his head. It was likely Dom’s brother was trying to manipulate him, get him to spend Christmas with the Grady family rather than anywhere else. Kiko didn’t like that. He’d been looking forward to waking up Christmas morning with Dom by his side, having a lazy day of food and gifts and merriment. Dom clearly didn’t want to spend the holidays with his family, but Kiko could see already that there would probably be problems if he didn’t at least acknowledge that he’d received his brother’s call and wasn’t interested. Kiko sighed as he pulled out of the store parking lot. He’d probably have to convince Dom to deal with his brother. So much for his odds for getting sex tonight.
* * * *
Dom had pulled out most of the salad ingredients by the time Kiko’s truck pulled into the driveway. He felt on edge, irritated. He knew at some point he’d have to confront everything, probably confess some family-related shit to Kiko, and he hated it. Why it always had to be around the holidays when his family bothered him, he didn’t know.
“There,” said Kiko when he set Mother on the floor. “Can’t tell whether you’re getting heavier or I’m just tired.” He turned to lock the door behind him, a habit he’d gotten into months ago even though most people in Mount Angus didn’t bother.
“Got out everything,” said Dom. “Want me to wash the spinach?”
“Thanks,” said Kiko as he went through the process of changing Mother’s diaper.
Dom hated the tension. He gritted his teeth. “I’ll deal with it,” he said after Kiko had released the goose to wander off.
“I hope by that you don’t mean you’re going to ignore it,” said Kiko. He got out a pan for the bacon as Dom washed the spinach. “Your brother probably won’t like not getting a reply from you.”
“You don’t have to worry about it,” said Dom, and Kiko sighed, turned to him.
“Yes, I do, Dom. I care about you, so something like this concerns me.”
Dom couldn’t meet the emotion in Kiko’s eyes.
“Look,” said Dom, moving the spinach to two separate plates. “My family’s not nice. I don’t want to see them. I don’t want to talk to them. And they don’t want to have anything to do with me, either.”
“Then be the better person,” said Kiko. When Dom glanced over at him Kiko shot him a little devilish grin. “You can be smug about it. Call your brother back. Thank him for his concern but tell him you’re very happy with where you’ll be spending Christmas.”
“He’d hate that,” said Dom, liking the idea of it. Devin had always been better off than him. Older, better job, longer relationship—with a woman, of course. Much like the rest of the family. Telling him Dom was happy without them did sound good, especially since there was almost no Christmas he could ever do that.
“If you’d like, invite him to spend it with us,” said Kiko, taking the bacon out of the pan and draining it. He began cutting the chicken breast into strips he could fry up in the bacon grease. “My sister’s coming. It’s really only fair.”
“Spend Christmas with his evil gay brother and boyfriend?” asked Dom, almost laughing now. He was beginning to like this idea more and more. After all the times his family had been cruel to him, why not give them his own happiness to chew on? “Devin would really hate that.”
“Don’t sound so pleased,” said Kiko, but Dom laughed.
“No, serves them right. They should hear I can be happy. I’ll do it tomorrow, on lunch break.” He paused. “Thanks, Kiko.”
“Good,” said Kiko, cutting open the avocado as the chicken cooked. “Now, about that interrupted flirting…”
“Aren’t you hungry?” asked Dom, feigning disinterest. He moved to the refrigerator and opened the door. “Death and Taxidermy or Amber Submarine?”
“Death and Taxidermy,” said Kiko. “Don’t change the subject.”
“Or you’ll do what?” asked Dom, snagging two bottles of Mount Angus Brewing Company beer from the fridge. Buddy Miller, the owner and brewmeister, had a way of naming his creations that often caused Dom to roll his eyes. But the beer was good, and local, and that was enough. He opened them and set th
em down in the breakfast nook where he and Kiko normally ate.
“Make you shut up,” said Kiko as he assembled the salads and drizzled balsamic over them. “I can think of a much better way to keep your mouth occupied.”
“Right,” said Dom as Kiko brought the salads over and sat across from him. “Wouldn’t want your salad to go to waste.”
Kiko kicked him under the table and took a drink from his beer. He poked at his food.
“You up for it?” he asked, and Dom knew he wanted to know if the call from his brother had completely ruined his drive for the night. Dom grinned and leaned across the table.
“Want to feel for yourself?”
Kiko cocked a curious brow as he ate, meeting Dom’s hungry gaze with one of his own. No, Devin hadn’t completely ruined Dom’s desires. At least, not considering Kiko’s great plan to shove it all back on him. That itself was enough of a turn on. Dom figured the least he could do to thank him was start the week out right. Sex on a Sunday night would leave them satisfied enough to tackle Monday morning.
They ate fast, neither of them wanting to put off getting naked together any longer than was necessary. They rushed through tidying up the kitchen, too, Dom pawing at Kiko’s clothes, trying to undress him as he rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher. By the time they were on their way over to the couch Kiko had yanked off his tie and was kissing Dom long and deep. Dom worked on the buttons on Kiko’s shirt as he was pushed down to the couch cushions.
Kiko had Dom’s pants open and cock halfway to his lips when his phone rang.
“Leave it,” said Dom, but Kiko moved to check who it was anyway.
“It’s Chad,” he said. “Could be something’s wrong.”
“Kiko,” said Dom, thrusting upward, but Kiko was already answering.
* * * *
Dom glared at him, pupils huge with desire, eyebrows pulled down over them with irritation. Kiko turned away. Dom thought it was ridiculous how protective Kiko was about his employees, but Kiko couldn’t seem to help himself. And since Chad had injured himself three times in less than a year, mostly while at work or while Kiko was around, Kiko felt more responsible for him than he should. If Chad was in trouble, he wanted to be there for him. He certainly seemed to need it.
“Chad? Something wrong?”
“Hi, boss. Uh…kinda, boss?”
“What do you mean, ‘kind of’?” asked Kiko, standing and trying to ignore how tight and uncomfortable his pants were. Wherever Chad was, there was silence behind him on the phone, so Kiko assumed he was safe. He hoped the teen wasn’t calling to say he couldn’t make his shift later in the week when he could call sometime other than late on a Sunday.
Chad hesitated on the other end of the line.
“You didn’t crash somewhere, did you?” asked Kiko. Chad commuted to the tech school a few towns away, but he was still young. Kiko knew he sometimes drank. “Do you need me to pick you up somewhere?”
“Kiko, come on,” said Dom in a groan. When Kiko glanced over he was touching himself, keeping himself ready. “If the kid went into a ditch let him handle it. He’s got a phone if he can call you.”
Kiko wanted to argue with Dom about how it was December and cold, but Chad spoke first.
“No, I, like…need advice.”
“What?” asked Kiko, shocked. “Advice with what?”
“Why now?” asked Dom from the couch. Kiko turned to face his orderly bookshelves.
“I just got this email, right?” said Chad, sounding more awkward than usual. “I applied to transfer to the tech school in Madison. They, like, just told me I’m in. Next semester, the spring one, you know.”
“Congratulations,” said Kiko. “Isn’t that a longer drive?”
“It’s worth it,” said Chad. “No big deal, literally. I like it there more. They got classes I’m into.”
“Okay,” said Kiko, resisting the impulse to rub his forehead. If Dom saw the motion he might decide to come over and try something. “If you’re in, what do you need advice about?”
“For fuck’s sake,” said Dom from the couch. “Just tell him you’ll give him advice at work.”
“It’s my mom,” said Chad, and Kiko held back a groan. Evelyn was no longer on good terms with him, having lost her patience with him right around when Chad had gone to the hospital for the second time. “I figure you’ll, like, know what I should do about telling her.”
“Is there some reason why she wouldn’t be happy you transferred schools?” asked Kiko.
“I just, well, didn’t want to mention it unless I got in, right? Now I got in. She’s gonna wanna know, like, why?”
“Well, tell her why,” said Kiko, thinking he could figure it out. Chad had gotten close to the nurse who kept treating him at the hospital. It wouldn’t surprise Kiko if Chad wanted to go to the tech school in Madison simply to be there more often. They’d already met up a few times from what he understood, and Chad certainly wouldn’t be the first person to make a move to be nearer a specific person.
“Oh, no, boss, there’s not a good reason or anything.”
“Okay,” said Kiko. “Then tell her they offer more courses. It’s not a lie.”
“Thanks,” said Chad, tone brightening considerably. Kiko thought he should feel a bit guiltier, but then, he figured the variety in courses would be good for Chad anyway. “And I got another question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Like, what do I tell her about Christmas? She keeps asking if I’m bringing anyone home, and what her favorite foods are and shit and I don’t even know, boss. How do I, you know, let her down and all?”
Kiko really did not want to touch this one.
“If you’re not in a relationship, Chad, tell her it’s just you this year. She’ll have to accept the truth.”
Chad made a noise that was nearly a nervous laugh, but before he could say anything more Kiko heard a thump from the kitchen. Kiko nearly jumped and his heart raced. He wouldn’t be able to not check on it.
“I’ll talk with you at work, Chad. All right?”
“Yeah, whatever,” said Chad, sounding immensely disappointed, but he hung up.
“What was that?” asked Dom, angrily following Kiko into the kitchen. Kiko was about to respond when he caught sight of the source of the noise.
Mother was on the kitchen counter, somehow having leapt-flapped up to it, and had his beak full of Mount Angus Bakery bread. Someone—likely Dom—had not shut the bread box and now it was a mess, plastic shredded, crumbs strewn about, and a very plump goose in the middle of it all, happily gobbling down chunks of bread.
“No,” said Kiko firmly, scooping up the goose and depositing him on the floor. He glared at the mess, a headache forming.
“Well, shit,” said Dom from behind him. “Didn’t realize he could do that.”
Kiko sighed.
* * * *
Chapter 3
Making it to lunch break at work on Monday was brutal. Dom didn’t want to admit at least one of the interruptions the night before was his fault, but then, he didn’t think he was supposed to know that geese could get onto places like a cat. Still, after cleaning everything up, he and Kiko both decided sleep was the better option, so now here he was, well-rested, grumpy, and dissatisfied, and standing outside the building in the freezing cold, trying to muster the ability to make the call to his brother.
Devin probably wouldn’t bother answering anyway, Dom figured, but the cold prompted him to get it over with. He tried to channel some of the smug feeling he’d had the night before as he pressed his phone to his ear and heard it ringing.
“Dom?” asked Devin when he picked up, like he couldn’t believe Dom was actually calling back. Dom held back a groan. He’d been hoping he could leave a message.
“Yeah,” said Dom, closing his eyes and leaning back against the brick of the building. Shit, winter was cold. He should have brought a hat. He tried to focus. “You left me a message.”
“But I
figured you’d ignore it like you always do. Ready to come home for Christmas this year?”
“No, actually,” said Dom, and he could picture Devin frowning on the other end of the line.
“Look, Mom’s being generous this year. She’s talking about your favorite foods and an adult gift exchange, a real tree, everything,” said Devin. He clearly didn’t give a shit about whatever it was Dom had going on in his life that would cause him to turn down the invitation. In fact, knowing Dev, he probably didn’t suspect Dom was doing anything other than eating frozen food at home alone.
“Sounds like you’ll all have a good time.”
“Did you not hear what I said? Mom wants you there. She misses you.”
Dom clenched his teeth. The terms of his involvement with his family had always been conditional.
“I’m still gay, Dev,” he said, and his brother paused on the other end. “What, is she sick? Why is she suddenly reaching out?”
“You still need everything spelled out for you, don’t you? She loves you. She misses you.” Devin sounded irritated Dom was not just going along with him. Typical for a member of Dom’s family. “We all do. There’s no suddenly. You know one of us calls now and then. We don’t give up on family.”
Dom bit back all the things he wanted to swear at Devin. As though all this was Dom’s fault. He remembered the plan from the night before and focused instead on getting back that feeling of smug contentment. He had Kiko. They were good together. He didn’t need all the stress and judgment.
“Well, I still have to decline. I have Christmas plans already.”
“Really?” asked Devin, nearly laughing. “Box of cookies from the store and a frozen pizza?”
“Family Christmas with my boyfriend,” said Dom, liking how good it felt to say. His veins warmed at the thought of Kiko; he hadn’t felt this certain about anyone. Christmas would be all right.
Egg the Halls Page 2
