by Jerry Cole
“What the hell?” I asked, staring at her. I didn’t read people to play guessing games with their sexuality, but Taryn struck me as a woman that would date a bad boy. Or Matt, who was dorky. Nice guy. “Do you think she wants more than friendship?”
“I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. She fell asleep after doing it while I stared at the ceiling.” Rosa leaned against the railing, staring at the last rays of light. “I’ve never kissed a girl before.”
“I wonder if she has, or it was just being caught up in the emotions of it all.” I touched her shoulder. “Not that you’re not the prettiest girl in the world. I just don’t know where her head is.” I looked at Rosa for a moment. “Did you like it?”
“I kind of did. I never expected to, but it was kind of sweet. We didn’t do that for too long or anything else.” Rosa moved into my embrace. “Why did it have to happen with one of my best friends?”
“I don’t know.” I knew all too well how that could ruin everything. I did it in the past. “Talk to her tonight. You deserve to know where she was coming from.”
“Oh, God. Am I terrible for partly wanting to go home?” She whispered as I shook my head.
“No. This is hard for all of us.”
Amber insisted on staying in the living room with her husband, and we got them their meds before leaving them alone. I went to Owen’s room with him, seeing the girls talking by Taryn’s door. Rosa walked in to grab her bag, taking it to the guest room down the hall before we even moved.
“What’s going on?” Owen asked his sister as she gave us a shocked gaze. “Did you fight or something?”
“Not so much,” she replied, blinking slowly. “I need to talk to her.” Her eyes flashed to me, and I knew she needed to know if Rosa told me what happened. I nodded slightly, and she paled. “Oh, my God.”
I led Owen to his room as he stared at me. “What the fuck is that all about? Everything was fine, wasn’t it? Well, not fine with the stuff with the accident, but fine with them.”
“Okay. So, is Taryn straight?” I asked as he tilted his head.
“I know she’s dated a couple of girls. She’s bi. Why?” He asked as I frowned at him. “Oh, shit. Did she…did they-?”
“No, no. Taryn did kiss her last night in the midst of breaking down. She fell asleep, and they haven’t talked about it. I am assuming they did out there, or they are now. What do you think it means?” I pressed as he opened and closed his mouth.
“I know that my sister is a flirt. I also know that she doesn’t do things like that if she isn’t one hundred percent in. She’s had her drunk hookup here and there, but now, at this age…she’s settled down.” He shook his head. “Taryn would never want to ruin her friendship with Rosa. Ever.”
“I know. That’s what I thought.”
Owen sat down before meeting my eyes. “Let them handle this. Let them figure it out. We’ll keep this away from Mom and Dad, though Taryn will probably talk to her.” He rested his head in his hands. “I might kill her if this changes things.”
We went to bed, hoping for the best with the girls. This was turning into a mess, and I thought back to how casual things with Adam were. “I’m sorry. I know that you don’t want Rosa hurt.”
“It’s fine. Who could’ve guessed this would happen? I love you. Get some sleep, babe.”
Owen fell asleep before me and without any sex. I wasn’t mad at him at all, but I resented Taryn for doing this.
I rose early and went out to check on his parents. They were sleeping, and I looked into the kitchen, wondering if it would wake them up if I made coffee. “Morning, Peter. You can feel free to make some coffee. Bring me a cup if you’d be so kind.” I jumped at the sound of Amber’s soft voice. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I noticed you standing there.”
“Okay. I’ll make you some coffee.” I kept the lights dim, working as fast as I could. Someone joined me, and I looked up to see Owen. “Morning, babe.”
“Hey. I’m making them some coffee,” I told him as he leaned in to kiss me.
“I can see that,” he replied, taking some things from the fridge. “Dad likes a little cream, and Mom is into cream and sugar.”
“Did you see either of them?” I whispered as he shook his head.
“Nope. Let’s hope they worked it out.” We poured coffee for his parents, fixing it the way they liked before taking it to them. We poured ours, joining them in the room to sit on the couch. Dad was doing better today, though he was still stiff. Mom fussed over him as much as we would allow, but we ordered her that we’d do everything. I could tell that she hated that idea.
Taryn showed up before Rosa, hugging her parents before getting coffee. She looked content, making me hope that everything was okay. Rosa came into the room about fifteen minutes later, giving me a smile and a thumbs-up before sitting beside Taryn on the other couch.
We mapped out the next few days. Amber couldn’t cook much with a broken arm, particularly the right. Between the rest of us, we’d manage, and she told us that there was a lot to eat in the kitchen. She also insisted on takeout a few times to thank us for the help. When she asked how long we’d be staying, I looked at Owen. “I’m going to check-in and see how things are there. I’d like to stay as long as we can. How about your job, Rosa?” He asked as she shrugged.
“I’m a workaholic. I never take time off, so there’s a lot. I’ll call and check in myself.” She assured him as he nodded.
“Will you be okay working from here?” He asked me as I chuckled.
“Yeah, that view out back sucks. I’ll get nothing done,” I teased as everyone laughed. “This place would inspire me over anything else.”
We decided that the girls would cook breakfast. They went into the kitchen, talking, and setting things up. They made eggs, sausage, and waffles and served it in the living room so we could all eat together. It was less stressful than the night before. Mel and Amber were on the mend, and he had an appointment with a chiropractor the following day.
I disappeared to the back porch to check my workload, setting my coffee down before retrieving my laptop from my luggage. I was working on three individual projects at the moment, and it was a great distraction from everything going on.
I was halfway through the second one when I heard the door opening. I glanced back to see Rosa walking out, urging her to sit down with me. “What happened?” I asked as she took the seat beside me with a look back at the house.
“We talked about it. She has been into women in the past, though it’s not that public. She admits feeling vulnerable in the moment that she kissed me, but also that there are feelings there.” I widened my eyes at her. “Is that good or bad?”
“You’re good as friends, right?” I asked, and she nodded.
“We’re not taking this lightly. It’s all new to me, so I want to move slowly. She doesn’t even live in New York, and without Matt, there’s not a chance anytime soon. Particularly after this accident, I might add. She’s still a little nervous about everything.” Rosa smiled and looked at me with wonder. “Is this how you felt when you kissed a man for the first time? It’s amazing.”
“I felt great doing that, but it means a lot more when it’s someone that you care about.” I reached an arm around her to pull her against me for a hug. “I’m glad that you talked.”
“Me, too. This situation is stressful enough. How are you doing?” She asked, peering at my monitor. “You working through this okay?”
“I just don’t know what to do. I want to be helpful but not invasive.” I shrugged, and she nodded as I reached for my coffee.
“We’ve only got each other through shit, and we have our way. It’s tried and true. This parent thing is so new.” Rosa looked over the railing and at the beautiful lake. “It’s gorgeous here.”
“It is.” I agreed, smiling at the water. “Did you call work?”
“I did. I’m clear for the next two weeks for now. I got a lot done before this all happened.” I nodded, wonde
ring if we’d be needed that long. “Tar is going to work part-time since she’s such a critical part of the store. It’s close, though. She’ll figure out what happens once we’re not here anymore.”
“Will you keep staying here or with her?” I questioned, and she shrugged.
“It’s up to her. I could also stay by myself here. It might be a good thing because the girl can kiss.” Rosa blushed as I looked at her. “God, this is weird. My ex-boyfriends would be shocked.”
“Just be you, Rosa. I avoided my personal choice for a while, and it hurt. I’m much happier being wholly myself for everyone to see. I’m happy with Owen and the life we have together.” I smiled. “Even though this is hard, I’d rather be here with him. Adam and I would have never dealt with something like this.”
“Jake obviously couldn’t deal with anything at all. This would be it for him.” She snorted, and I laughed.
“We’re both in a better place, and we’re there together. It’s the only way to do it.” We clasped our hands together with a smile.
Taryn came out to talk about dinner. Her mom had everything a chef could want in the kitchen, so we decided on a roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. I offered to help Owen in the kitchen this time, and she smiled at Rosa before heading back in.
Owen walked out, sitting on the other chair. “The team is going to handle the camp for the next week for me. I’ll miss games, but they’ll survive that. You good here, babe?”
“I’m great. I’m relieved to be able to work from anywhere.”
“Me, too. It makes this a lot smoother.” He pecked my lips, and I closed my eyes. “Ready to air fry a chicken tonight?”
“I’ll give it a go.” I smiled, and our eyes locked. Rosa got called inside, and he looked back at the closed door.
“I talked to my sister and told her not to be an ass. Rosa is important to all of us.” I nodded with a laugh.
“They’re working through it. That’s good.” He nodded and kissed me again.
“This is already so hard. I just want to see them better-specifically Dad-and back to their life together. I can’t have issues with Tar, too.”
I finished the third project by the time we were ready for dinner. Maybe this place did inspire me. We went inside and made our way through the process of cooking the chicken, fixing the sides when we had time. It turned out well, and we decided to buy one of these for our kitchen once we looked over the finished bird.
Everyone enjoyed it. Amber beamed with pride that her son did this, and I pretended that I was hurt. We hung out in the living room until Mel grew tired, and we all went to our respective rooms. “It was a better day. They’re going to bounce back.” Owen seemed pleased as I watched him strip for bed.
“They are.” I smiled, feeling like a weight lifted from my shoulders.
“I still want to stay for the two weeks, if that’s okay. They’ll need help.” He slipped under the covers, pulling me close.
“That’s fine. Nobody needs to go back right now.”
He slipped a hand down my boxers, which led to grateful sex. It was also quiet sex, and I missed being home for a fleeting second. We fell asleep together, and I felt good the next morning.
Chapter Fifteen
Owen
The first week passed with a lot of improvement on the part of my parents. I took Dad to regular appointments involving adjustments and massages, something he enjoyed. Mom was a trooper and helping in the kitchen as much as we’d let her, but she would be in a cast for a few weeks.
I watched the girls grow closer as they worked through their new relationship. It was sweet, reminding me of my first relationship with a man when I was just going into college.
Mom caught on, asking me about it as we sat alone, drinking coffee. “Is there something between the girls?”
“I don’t know. What do you mean?” I asked, knowing that it wasn’t my place to say anything.
“I knew that you were gay early on, Owen. I also knew that Taryn went both ways, even when she tried to hide it from me. Mothers just know. I think Rosa is wonderful, and she’d be good for my daughter. I couldn’t care less about your preferences.” She shrugged as I stared silently at her.
“Okay.” I sipped my drink, surprised by this. “You knew all of that?”
“I did. I just left it up to you to talk to me, which I’ll do with your sister. No worries.” She lowered her voice, and I smiled
“Good. I prefer it that way.” I let the quiet of the house settle back around us, knowing that the morning would only get louder.
It indeed did. Everyone was up within the hour, and I cooked breakfast with Peter. We were trying to switch things up and give Mom and Dad some variety, but our skills were not that of my mother.
While we were eating, I looked around the living room. Rosa and Taryn seemed happy. Talking a lot as they laughed with my family. I looked at Peter, knowing that he felt more at ease about Rosa’s happiness.
I had no idea how long we were going to stay here, but it looked like another week. Mom had friends waiting to step in as soon as we returned home, and I knew that they would be fed well and taken care of. Taryn would see to that.
After breakfast, we got away for a small hike by the lake. Summer was turning into Fall soon, and with that came the crisp weather. It also featured gorgeous scenery and color, and I wanted to bring them here to see all of it. The air was crisp, and the wind strong as we walked down the trail.
Peter leaned his head back as I checked out his loose bun. He looked hot like this, making me happy that he was mine. I watched him walk, turning my eyes to the girls in front of us. They walked side-by-side, talking closely, and I recognized that Taryn felt something for Rosa. I knew my sister. It took me by surprise that it was Rosa she fancied as she’d been with men for a while now.
She couldn’t make a better choice, though Rosa was new at all of this. Taryn needed to take it easy. We stopped at the edge of the lake, taking it all in. Peter slipped an arm around my waist, kissing my hair as I smiled. “I love you. I love this place.”
“It’s stunning. I will always love that I grew up here.” I grinned, remembering swimming with my sister and the absurd number of picnics we enjoyed down here. That was a thought for the future, something romantic for Peter. I wanted to do so many things like that for him.
This would be a great place to propose, come to think of it.
Holy shit.
When we got back, Mom insisted on going out to dinner. They’d been cooped up in the house short of appointments, and we all needed a fun night. Dad was getting around better, and Mom was starting to buzz around the house as she liked to do.
We dressed for something casual, heading to a steak house just in town. It was Dad’s favorite. We drove two cars, parking as close as we could to make our way inside. We reserved a table this afternoon, and I was relieved when the hostess took us right to the large round table. We asked for water while we decided on drinks and food, studying the menu carefully.
I think all of us were excited about real food. We struggled cooking when I typically went home to eat Mom’s cooking. I ordered a large platter of steak and seafood along with Peter, followed by everyone else around the table.
I drank water along with Peter, wanting to drive everyone home. The girls seemed to be in a silly mood, ordering wine and letting go a bit. I knew that they were sleeping in the same room, but nothing had been mentioned beyond that. We weren’t prying in their lives, knowing they needed to work this out themselves. I saw Mom watching them curiously as she sipped her glass of wine. Mom and Dad were keeping drinking to a minimum since they were still on painkillers.
The dinner lasted a couple of hours. I think we were all happy to be out of the house, and the food was incredible, as always. I never felt disappointed in this restaurant, and the smile on my father’s face made it so worth it to come here for dinner. He loved good food, particularly Mom’s cooking. This particular place held a specia
l place in his heart when she wasn’t cooking.
We finally called it a night close to eight o’clock, drifting back out to the cars to head home. Mom and Dad rode with me while the girls accompanied Peter. Mom brought up the idea of us returning home since she had friends willing to help.
“I want to stay another week, maybe two. The guys are handling camp, and I need to make sure you both are all right.” I held firm in my response and felt my mom staring at me.
“We’re fine. We made it to dinner without any issues, Owen. Your sister will be here to help out as needed.” Her voice hinted at her irritation as I held in my sigh.
“Give me another week, Mom. I still have a job teaching kids when I get home,” I reminded her as the thought of moving back crossed my mind once again. I’d considered it a handful of times over the last few days, but where would that leave Peter? I loved him. I didn’t want to lose him, but my parent's accident scared the shit out of me. I couldn’t ask him to leave New York behind when his best friend lived there. Rosa had a job that she loved and couldn’t up and move on a dime.
I wondered for a moment if Taryn discussed any of this with her. It might help to know that.
“Fine. I’ll give you all a week, but the three of you have lives at the end of the day. We have plenty of help here.” Mom smiled as I glanced at her at a stoplight.
We pulled in first. We headed into the house to change into comfortable clothes, planning on finishing the night off on the couch in front of a movie. I felt like I’d won my case for the evening, and could settle down.
Peter and the girls walked into the house, laughing together. I glanced up from the fridge, where I planned to grab us both beers, seeing his arm around Rosa. She was clearly under the influence of alcohol and feeling good.
My sister looked the same way. She dropped her purse on the table, sitting on the couch next to Rosa once Peter helped her there. “What now?” She asked as she glanced at me.
