Together in Cedarwood

by Megan Slayer

  “Watching educational television?” Bobby asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. “I remember this show.” He didn’t, not really, but sometimes getting Chris to talk was harder than complex taxes.

  “I like their style,” Chris replied. “She’s asleep if you want to carry her upstairs.”

  Crap. He’d planned on getting home before she conked out. “Sorry I was late.” He tossed his keys onto the table, then rounded the couch. He scooped Darcy into his arms. Although she was twelve and strong from hundreds of thousands of laps in the pool, the girl was tiny. He carried her up to her bedroom and left her under the covers.

  “Thanks, Dad,” she murmured, then rolled over.

  Bobby kissed her head. “Night, Peanut.” He left her door open a crack, then went back downstairs.

  “She wanted to swim. I know you said no, but it helped her blow off steam.” Chris turned off the television. “She’s angry about the move.”

  “I know.” He’d expected this. He’d waited until after school let out before he’d had them transferred. Both kids would be starting in new buildings—Chris as a sophomore and Darcy in the seventh grade. He felt for Chris, but the kid could make friends anywhere and had a knack for getting his sister to open up about almost everything. Bobby sat opposite his son on the couch. “What upset her?”

  Chris grabbed a handful of popcorn from the bowl. “There’s a kid on the swim team who said she didn’t belong. She made fun of Darcy’s suit, then her cap because it wasn’t the same as the other kids’.” He rolled his eyes. “She wants her old friends and her old room back.”

  For being fifteen, the kid could be incredibly mature. Bobby picked up the bowl of popcorn. “We can’t go back to the old house. It sold within hours of putting it on the market. I’ve told her however she wants to decorate her room, we’ll do it.” As for the young man on the team, he’d have to pay attention at practice in the morning. He wouldn’t involve the parents, but he’d listen in and see if he could give his daughter better advice in dealing with the little shit.

  “She’s worried you’ll replace Mom.” Chris shrugged. “I’m not.” The muscle in his jaw twitched and, if Bobby wasn’t mistaken, the kid had a thin growth of hair on his cheeks.

  “Still mad at Mom?” He didn’t blame Chris. Helene’s leaving had been difficult all the way around. “Part of that was my fault.”

  “Dad, you’re gay. So what? Mom didn’t have to abandon us because she hated you.” Chris shook his head and stuffed the popcorn into his mouth.

  Bobby admired his son’s ability to be frank but still act his age. He grabbed a handful of popcorn but didn’t say anything. If Chris wanted to talk, then he’d listen.

  “She acts like she hates us. She won’t come to the swim meets or my meets. I don’t understand.” Chris flipped his hair out of his eyes. Normally, he had his tresses back in a ponytail. When he wore his hair loose, most of the strands ended up in front of his face. “We’re not bad kids.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “It fucking sucks.” Chris’ voice cracked and he averted his gaze when he swore. “Sorry, Dad, but it does. She’s our mom and doesn’t want us, but she’s pregnant with Glenn’s baby.”

  Bobby bristled. He knew Helene had moved on, but he’d thought she was with a guy named Trent, not Glenn. He’d also never expected her to get pregnant—not after the way she’d pitched a fit post-pregnancy with Darcy.

  “Yeah, she’s gonna marry Glenn and have a perfect life.” Chris hopped up from the couch. “She sent me an email.” He retrieved his phone from the table, then handed the device over to Bobby. “Congratulations. We’re expanding.”

  Bobby sighed as he read the words. Sure enough, his ex had announced via email she was going to change her last name again and have a baby. “Good for her.” He only half meant it. “If this makes her happy, then we should be happy.” Kind of. “You’ve got me and we’re a team. If Mom doesn’t want to be around, then don’t force it.”

  “You’re taking it well,” Chris said. He plopped onto the couch. “When are you going to get a boyfriend? No one cares if you do. Darce would love it.”

  He paused and measured his words carefully. “I’m waiting for the right one to come along. Nothing drastic or quick. I’ve got you two to worry about, and that’s what’s important.”

  “Couldn’t find a hookup at the support group?” Chris crooked his eyebrows. “Maybe next week?”

  “You want me married off, huh?” He hugged his son and laughed. The last thing he needed to worry about was a relationship, yet his kids wanted him to be happy and thought that was what he wanted. Fuck. He had no idea what he needed.

  “Dad, you’re depressed. Darcy might not understand, but I see it.” Chris shrugged. “You and Terry were pretty happy.”

  “I guess.” He clapped Chris on the shoulder. “You’d better get to bed and stop worrying about my love life. Worry about your own and that cute girl at practice. She seemed nice. Nicole? Or was her name Nichelle?”

  From his hairline to the neckline of his shirt, Chris blushed. “Her name is Carrie.”

  “She’s cute.” He grabbed the popcorn bowl and carried it to the kitchen. “Get some rest so you’re fresh for practice.”

  “Got it.” Chris dipped his head and scrambled up the stairs.

  Bobby returned to the kitchen and scrubbed both hands over his face. Well, fuck. His kids were worried about his relationship status. It wasn’t their problem, and besides, he’d thought he’d been doing a decent job raising them alone. He groaned. He should call his parents, if for no other reason than to find out what they knew. He loved his mother and father, but with the problems they’d had in the past, he wasn’t sure he wanted them to know his kids were upset about him being alone. He grabbed another handful of popcorn. Being a single parent wasn’t his idea of fun.

  He’d never dated a man who could understand him. He’d thought he found the right man in Terry, but Terry never could accept the kids—not totally. Neil had never been a good choice and couldn’t care emotionally for anyone but himself.

  He finished the popcorn, then ruffled through the stack of mail. He recognized the names on the envelopes. Two were bills, one was a check, and the fourth… He wished he had his glasses. He held the envelope closer and reread the return address.

  The Coalition for Order in Cedarwood

  Good God. He checked the name on the front once more. “Dear occupant,” he mumbled. They hadn’t necessarily zeroed in on him. No, they were blanketing the community. He shook his head and opened the envelope.

  He scanned the letter and bit back a gag. The Coalition made it sound like they welcomed everyone to town and looked forward to the festival. They wanted unity within the community. Sure, they do. He tossed the letter into the garbage. He didn’t want his kids seeing that crap.

  He locked the back and front doors and turned the lights off along the way upstairs. A dull ache started behind his eyes. He glanced over at the clock. Shit. Almost eleven already? He stripped out of his clothes and put on sleep shorts, then collapsed onto his bed. Maybe things would work out in the morning.

  * * * *

  The next morning, Bobby drove the kids to the metro park. He parked by the wooden fence. If he came back to the car, he could see the cross-country team and the pools.

  “Thanks, Dad.” Chris climbed out of the vehicle first. “Meet you here at noon?”

  “Practice is that long?” he asked.

  “The high school practice lasts longer than the junior high, but they’re having a meeting too.” Chris pointed to the pond. “You’ll be able to see us when you’re done with your run. If we get done early, I’ll come over to the pools.”

  “Good deal.” He waited for Chris to join the knot of runners before he turned his attention to Darcy. “I hear there’s a kid giving you trouble.”

  “I knew Chris would tell.” She folded her arms. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “No?” He turned around
as best he could in the seat and met her gaze. “Peanut, no one has the right to make fun of you, but what have I told you?”

  “If they make fun, they’re doing it because they’re not feeling good about themselves,” she answered, her tone flat.

  At least she’d heard him. “Okay, then don’t let her get to you.”

  “Dad, you don’t understand.” Darcy grabbed the back of the seat and scooted forward. “I want to go home. I hate it here. We were good in Chagrin. My room is there and so are my friends. We can visit Grandma and Grandpa without being in the same town.”

  “Sweetheart, I can’t change what happened.” But now he felt helpless.

  “You said not to let people make fun of me, but when Neil made fun of you, we moved.”

  “He didn’t make fun of me.” There was so much more to the change than just Neil’s attitude and he knew damn well she’d never understand. How should he put some of this into a way to explain? “We moved from Chagrin because I wanted to have my own accounting business. I could get the building and our new house for the best deal. If I’d opened the same business in Chagrin, I still would’ve had to sell the house. Yes, Neil acted like a jerk, but that’s his problem.”

  “Oh.” She toyed with her swim cap. “Sorry, Dad.”

  “I know this is tough. Moving isn’t fun for any of us.”

  “Chris isn’t having a bad time,” she replied.

  “He handles things differently than you do. I’m sure he’s having some problems, but he found friends.” He pointed over his shoulder at the pool. “Other than the girl who is jealous of your suit, aren’t there other kids who are nice?”

  “Yes.” She half-smiled. “Some of them.”

  “Be yourself, Peanut. Until you do that, you won’t be happy.” He turned and climbed out of the car. He opened the door for his daughter. He knew all too well now about being honest with himself. Things were different for Darcy, but it all boiled down to her being happy with who she was.

  Darcy flung her arms around his waist. “Thanks, Dad.” She held on another moment. “At least you bought the house with the pool.”

  “For a certain swimmer. Grab your bag and get moving so you’re not late. I’ll be on the trails, then I’ll meet you when you’re done. I might even watch during practice.” He winked as she slung her duffel bag onto her shoulder. “Okay?”

  “Thanks.” She nodded and her smile widened. “Have fun on your run.”

  He sagged against the side of the car and watched her join the other kids at the pool. Things weren’t settled with her and she’d have more questions, but he’d bought himself some time.

  Bobby clipped the lanyard onto his keys, then draped the lanyard around his neck. He picked up his water bottle and downed half the cool liquid. He ran through his battery of stretches while he also mentally worked through his schedule for the day. Once the kids were done with practice, he had to drop them off with his parents so he could get a solid six hours in at the office. Thank God tax season was over and he’d waited until after April to move the family. He’d never have been able to finish taxes for his various clients and box up his belongings at the same time.

  “Dad.” Darcy bounded back up to him, without her bag. “They’re moving practice to the indoor pool so they can open the outside pool up to everyone else.”

  “Okay. I’ll catch you there.” He waited once again until she disappeared into the building with the other kids on her swim team before he set out on his run. He glanced over at the cross-country team. Christopher, plus two boys and three girls, were off to the side going through their stretches.

  At least he knew where his kids were. He adjusted his fitness band and rolled his shoulders. He hadn’t done enough pre-run stretching, but he needed to get moving. The stress of the day—which hadn’t even really started yet—washed over him. He had too much on his plate. He checked his laces and finished loosening up.

  Bobby headed off in the direction of the trails. He liked to start at the north end and work his way back around the serpentine track. The sound of the crushed limestone under his shoes lulled him. He could get lost in his thoughts during his runs and preferred things that way. As he rounded through the woods, he noticed a pair of runners coming toward him.

  A woman and a man. He didn’t mind sharing the track with others, but liked the solitary qualities. He wasn’t one for talking while he worked out.

  The pair hustled up to him, and he made eye contact with the guy. A shiver ran the length of his spine and he could’ve sworn he’d been hit by lightning. He’d never felt so off balance in his life.

  The man smiled and nodded but didn’t stop running. The woman seemed to look right through him.

  He kept going and tried to shake the prickly feeling. He had no idea if the handsome shirtless man was even gay. This was his problem. The men he was attracted to weren’t attracted to him. He flexed his fingers and kept running. He wasn’t an ugly man—was he? He kept himself in shape and wasn’t covered in body hair. He wasn’t tattooed up or pierced in strange places.

  Maybe that was his problem. He wasn’t original enough. He blended in everywhere he went. He’d been told he was handsome but distant. He had kids! He had to make sure things were on the level before he introduced the new person into his family equation. He and Terry hadn’t been able to make the distance thing work, and he was okay with that. He hated not having his lover there to hold at night. Better to be without than with and not getting any. He chuckled. Only he could come to that conclusion.

  Then there was the second long-term boyfriend, Neil. The guy had sworn he loved Bobby, but when the truth came out, that hadn’t been the case. Neil hadn’t wanted to be a father. He’d wanted someone in his life who could take care of him, but God forbid he’d have to care for other human beings. He should’ve known the moment he and Neil got together that they weren’t going to work. He’d pushed his better judgment aside in favor of a hot man. That was his problem. He’d lowered his standards.

  He was crazy. He glanced over his shoulder, but the man and woman weren’t on the track. Probably good. He needed to get his head out of his ass and stop thinking about sex and hot men.

  He kept going down the trail. Sooner or later he’d run his problems out of his mind or he’d simply work off his breakfast. Something like that. Running helped him clear his brain. He noticed the cross-country team through the trees. He’d pass them soon. He’d promised Chris he wouldn’t embarrass him. He picked up the pace and smiled at the runners as he went by. He waved at Chris, but didn’t say a word.

  “That’s Dad,” Chris said. He turned his attention to Bobby. “Hi, Dad.”

  “Hey, kid.” He focused on the path ahead, but could’ve sworn he heard one of the girls speak.

  “That’s your dad? He looks so…not like a dad.”

  Bobby smothered a smile behind his hand and continued running. He wasn’t invisible to everyone, and now he didn’t look like a dad. Maybe next he could look like a hot guy and get a date. Maybe.

  Chapter Two

  Remy stopped at the end of the trail and gasped for breath. The run hadn’t worn him out, but looking at the guy on the path sure had. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees. He couldn’t believe what he’d seen. He knew the men in town. Hell, he knew pretty much everyone in Cedarwood. This guy was new. Different. Goddamn, he made Remy feel alive and with nothing more than a look.

  “You’re not going to keel over, are you?” Julia, his best friend, collapsed on the nearby picnic table. “I said we ran that too hard.”

  “It wasn’t the run.” He managed to stagger over to the table and sat beside her. “Did you see that guy?”

  “Everyone saw him.” She gulped her water. “He’s handsome.”

  “Handsome? He’s a freaking god. Where has he been all my life?” Remy threaded his fingers into his hair. He needed to get a grip.

  “Okay, so he’s hot. I’ve got a wild idea…talk to him. Introduce yourself.” She stood
and stretched her back out. She rested her hands on her hips. “Or are you too chicken?”

  “I’m not…” He was. He’d lied to himself plenty of times. He could be forward when he wanted to, but not in front of good-looking men.

  “You are too.” She kept her back to him. “What’s the deal? When Leonard came around, you were all chatty and couldn’t wait to jump the guy. I barely got out of the room before you were fucking. The running god might be the same way.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “But now you’re all shy and shit. Rem, I can’t introduce you to everyone. People already think I’m married to you or I’m the one who is scared to get into bed with a guy. For Christ’s sake, if you like him, say hi. See if he’d like a running buddy. I don’t want to run with you any longer. My knees can’t take it, and I can’t keep up with you and your crazy long legs.”

  “I’ll give it a shot.” Tomorrow. Or at the festival. Maybe at the coffee shop. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

  Remy walked Julia to the car and stopped on the passenger side as she plopped onto the seat. The handsome runner was over at the pool with a kid who had to be high school age. Remy’s heart sank. He wanted a boyfriend, not someone’s dad. The thought of kids or being with a father churned his stomach. He hated the idea of cleaning the kid’s snotty nose or having grabby, dirty hands on him. He’d been told he talked down to children. His own childhood hadn’t been terribly eventful or fun, and he didn’t know how to associate with children. Growing up, he’d been expected to act like a miniature adult. The kids at school had made fun of his maturity, then of him being gay. He wasn’t sure he wanted to accept the responsibility of kids. They were too much work.

  “Hey, it looks like your guy.” Julia closed the car door. “Talk to him.”

  “Nah. If he’s got kids, that’s a deal-breaker.” He rounded the hood and opened the driver’s side door. “You know me and anyone under eighteen. I steer clear.”

  “No one said you have to date the kid. If that guy is the father, he’s a DILF for sure.”