Pretend

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A nursing home. It’s not something he ever really thought about before his dad got sick. As weak as it made him, it was something he wished he didn’t have to see.
“I’m your wife, remember?” His mom’s hand shook as she held a picture of the two of them together. “We’ve been married nearly fifty years.”
Gavin’s parents hadn’t had him until they were in their forties. It used to embarrass him when he was younger—the fact that his parents were so much older than everyone else’s.
“And who is this?” Gavin’s gut twisted into knots when his dad pointed at him. His father didn’t know him. He’d stayed away for too long, and now it was too late.
“He’s Gavin, our son.”
His father stared at him, no recollection on his face. “I have a son?” His voice now even softer. Gavin rubbed his finger across the seam of his jeans, pretending it was the strings on his guitar.
“Hey, Dad. How are you doing?”
His father didn’t answer, turning to look at his mom again. He opened and closed his mouth but nothing came out.
“He’s a good boy, Edward. He’s a teacher like we were. He works at a real good school. We’re very proud of him.”
Only they weren’t, were they? Not if those reasons she just mentioned were what they had to be proud of. Gavin worked at a bar now. He’d lost his job for trying to help a gay kid that his parents would think was going to Hell like their son.
His mom reached for his dad but the man shook his head. He got fidgety, obviously unsure and frustrated. She reached for him again but his father shoved her hand away. He never would have done that before.
“Is there any other family I have that I don’t know about? More kids? Grandchildren? Are you hiding my family from me?” He faced Gavin, anger sparking off his words. “Do you have a wife and kids I should know about? Why are you hiding my family from me?” And then he was silent a beat before, “We always wanted a big family, didn’t we? I think I remember that. Did Gavin give us that? Grandkids?” That was his father, not the angry man he’d seen a second ago, and he still wanted the things he’d always wanted.
A heavy weight landed in Gavin’s chest, as though someone stood on it. His mom’s face paled. He raised a hand to her mouth, the limb shaking. So now he not only had parents who feared for his soul, he had to feel guilty for not giving his father the family he wanted while the man was slowly losing his mind.
“No, no family yet, Dad.” Likely not ever, and not just because he was gay. Gavin just wasn’t sure he ever wanted kids. Maybe, maybe not. A husband, yes. Sharing his life with someone he loved the way Braden did with Wes, he wanted that. He hadn’t decided on the rest of it, though.
That’s where his mom jumped in. “I have no doubt it will happen soon. He’s such a handsome, responsible man. Any woman would feel honored to be married to Gavin.”
Fire burned through his veins at his mom’s words. He spent most of his life, not completely in the closet, but keeping who he was under wraps. He’d just decided he wasn’t doing that any longer, and now with that one statement she asked him to do it again. “Mom.”
Her eyes got glassy, a plea inside them, lassoing Gavin, pulling him in. Shit. He opened his mouth to break her heart, the way he’d done so much in the past, when his father started speaking again. “That’s good. I’m so proud of you, son. Now tell me about the school you teach at.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Mason groaned when he heard the familiar creak of the front door and looked up to see Isaac walk in. They were busy for a Wednesday night, and Gavin had texted to let Mason know he would be a little late. The last thing he needed to deal with tonight was his ex.
Isaac’s voice rose above the crowd. “You need to get that door fixed! I can do it for you.” He sat in the only empty bar stool. What the hell was it with tonight? They shouldn’t be this busy.
“I can fix it myself. I just haven’t had the time. What the hell are you doing here?” Mason cleared some of the glasses off the bar.
“I’m coming to see my oldest friend at his bar.”
Shit. Isaac was right about that. They’d been friends their whole life, and then lovers. Still… “The friend you lied to?”
Isaac cursed. “I didn’t lie. It wasn’t my place to tell you, Mase.” He had a sincerity in his eyes that Mason didn’t want to see there. He wanted to be angry.
“This was a good investment. You’ll have to hire someone who really knows what they’re doing when you come back to Denver.”