Page 21 of Margins

“Including me?” Elena interrupts.

“Including you, yes. And we’re—we’ve been reading together, so we talk a lot about that too.”

“Ooooh, what’re you reading?”

He stops short of wherever else he needs to go, all too aware that he walked right into that one. “It’s kinda hard to explain, bug.”

“You can try,” Elena argues. “That’s what you and mommy make me do.”

“Mmmm, we do, but what Elijah and I are reading is sort of a complicated and private adult love story.”

“Is there sex in it?” she whispers loudly, somewhere between intrigued and scandalized.

Alex chuckles when he probably shouldn’t, Elena’s expression hilarious even when nothing about a decades-old gay romance is funny to him, and he nudges his daughter out of one aisle and toward another.

“No sex, and it’s a little bit sad, but Elijah and I are hoping there’s a very happy ending.”

They finish their shopping—sour cream, a couple of avocados, and a boxed cornbread mix added to the basket before they check out—and they hurry home from there so Alex can get the chili started before he catches up on the work he missed while he was out. Elena, while more interested in dinner than usual, takes her backpack upstairs without a word, and it gives Alex space he hadn’t asked for but probably needs. And then it’s not much longer before Elijah is at the front door with a six-pack of the same IPA Alex had offered a week ago, his other hand clutching a bottle of fruit punch.

“Wasn’t really sure what Elena might like, but my niece and nephew lose their minds over this stuff,” he says, handing everything over.

“It’s perfect, but you really didn’t have to bring anything.”

Elijah shrugs and they make small talk on their way to the kitchen to put most of the drinks away, two beers open for them to drink while Alex finishes cooking dinner, Elena still upstairs with her homework. The conversation is good, but Alex is pretty sure he holds his breath until his daughter makes her way back down, the introductions easy when there’s really not much to say.

Friend, daughter. Daughter, friend.

Done.

The chili turns out great, but the laughter is even better, the typical dinnertime conversation improved by having another person there. And maybe it’s only because Alex and Elena are both still used to that dynamic and haven’t totally adjusted to being a pair, or maybe it’s because Elijah fits well here, but all three of them are engrossed in conversation without seeming to work hard at it at all, any friendly interrogation by Elena countered by all the questions Elijah fires right back.

They all move to the living room after they’re done eating and play a couple of games of Clue, Alex and Elijah next to each other on the couch while Elena kneels on the other side of the coffee table. And when it’s time for her to go to bed, Alex asks him to stay where he is while he follows his daughter upstairs and tucks her in, returning to fall at Elijah’s side a few minutes later, the two of them sipping at their second beers as they lean back against the cushions.

“She’s awesome, but I assume you already know that,” Elijah says.

“I do, yeah. I love that kid. And she thought you were pretty awesome, too.”

“Really?”

“Oh, shut up,” Alex laughs, bumping his knee against Elijah’s without bothering to pull it back again. “Pretty sure you’re the same guy who was bragging about his charm when we’d barely met. That was you, right? I’m not confused?”

Elijah’s bottle rests against his thigh and his head rolls sideways to look at Alex. “Didn’t know you were out there meeting so many different guys.”

And Alex blushes—completely fucking blushes—but when he meets Elijah’s eyes, there’s something there, beyond the obvious teasing and all the dull edges that come from a couple of drinks and a big meal. He’s searching for a reassurance Alex didn’t think he’d need and doesn’t really know how to give.

“Never really had to make friends on my own before,” he admits. “I’m not sure I know what I’m doing.”

Elijah nods, then finishes the last of his beer. “Well, like I told you last night, you’re better at it than you think you are.”

He leans forward to slide the empty bottle onto the table, and only glances back at Alex for a second before he pushes up from the couch to leave, Alex’s hand closing around Elijah’s wrist before he can take more than a step. Alex thinks he blushes again, and it’s getting harder to mind.

“I forgot to tell you, I—we have this work retreat thing in Big Bear next week. Enlightenment or empowerment or enrichment or something.”

“Okay,” Elijah breathes, staring down at Alex’s hand.

Alex slowly pulls it away and hurries to stand, picking up Elijah’s bottle so he has something to hold on to when he walks Elijah to the door. “It’s Monday to Wednesday, so I know it’s been a while and we’re supposed to get back to the books, but we might have to wait until the weekend after that. Maybe another lunch?”

It feels far away, the week and a half they’ll have to wait after seeing each other three times in the past six days, but Elijah nods. “Yeah, that would be good. Just text me after you get back.”

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