Page 10 of Saving You

Oz couldn’t help a laugh, and he realized it was the first moment of actual, genuine joy, even if he was in pain. He scratched Cheese between his ears, and he could feel hisbody rumbling with a purr. ‘I don’t mind. It’s nice after what happened today.’

Ridge’s brows dipped into a concerned frown, and he leaned over his knees. ‘What’s wrong?’

Oz’s hands all but ached to spill his guts, but he didn’t want to dump his bullshit trauma all over Ridge. He had enough going on raising a kid by himself.

‘Family,’ he signed with a shrug.

Ridge smiled. ‘I understand. I don’t talk to my family a lot, but I’ve been there. You okay?’

He was. And he wasn’t. The answer was too complicated to explain in any of the languages he knew. ‘Fine,’ he answered. He glanced away, but a beat later, he saw Ridge waving in his periphery, and he looked back over at him.

‘I have a question. A favor,’ he clarified, then waved his hands uncertainly. ‘I don’t know what to call it.’

‘Ask,’ Oz urged him.

‘Your brother-IN LAW,’ he spelled the last bit, ‘invited me over to your parents’ house.’

Oz was startled for a second before he remembered that Ridge and Grady worked together. Hell, they were probably friends. ‘Birthday party?’

Ridge nodded. ‘He said there will be kids and adults. I thought it could be fun for Ina since she doesn’t have a lot of friends in the neighborhood. His sign isn’t terrible, so I assume his kids can use it?’

Oz felt his stomach cramp with tension. Hadn’t Grady told him? Oz was typically tight-lipped about his family when it came to Ridge. He’d become close with Frey and had told him most of the gory details of what growing up in a non-signing family was like, but he couldn’t bring himself to sully what little time he had in Ridge’s company with being such a fucking downer.

Plus, getting to know him on a deeper level would only make his crush worse, and he was suffering enough, damn it. But if Ridge was going to bring Ina to the party, it would be very obvious very fast the kind of family Oz had grown up in.

‘I won’t go if it’s weird,’ Ridge started quickly, but Oz made a soft noise of protest and shook his head to stop him.

‘My family.’ His hands hesitated. God, he hated telling this part. ‘They don’t sign.’

Ridge blinked at him. ‘Nothing?’

‘My sister knows a little. Not much. My parents—none. My nieces know a few words. Their dad uses it with me. He learned before he married my sister.’

Ridge sat back, looking a little stunned. He formed a Y with his hand and waved it gently in front of his face, thumb almost touching his nose. ‘Wow.’ He dropped his arm for a second and met Oz’s gaze. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know.’

‘I don’t like talking about it,’ Oz told him. ‘It’s…difficult. I usually wear my processors when I visit them just so I don’t have to deal with missing out on everything.’

Ridge bit his lip. ‘I could ask Ina to wear hers…’

‘No,’ Oz signed quickly. ‘No. She doesn’t need to accommodate them. If you want to bring her, let her go as she wants. I’ll be there. I can help.’

Ridge looked torn. ‘I don’t know if I want her to see that.’

Oz frowned. ‘See what?’

‘A family who won’t sign for their Deaf son,’ Ridge admitted. The signs were hard—blunt on his hands. Then he looked immediately apologetic. ‘I’m sorry. I don’t mean to insult your family.’

Oz shook his head. ‘It’s okay. But she will learn soon that most families aren’t like yours. She’ll meet kids at school who eventually tell her that they go home and their parents won’t communicate to them in their language.’

Ridge swallowed heavily. ‘I know. I wanted to preserve the fantasy a little longer. But I can tell her.’

Oz hesitated, then said, ‘Have one of the guys babysit, and you go. You deserve an afternoon out, and Grady is an amazing cook. There will be drinks and music. It’ll be fun.’

Ridge looked unsure. ‘Will you be there?’

‘I love my niece. I’ll be there. And of course, Ina is welcome,’ Oz signed quickly, not wanting Ridge to think he didn’t want Ina around. ‘She’s my favorite.’

Ridge smiled at him, his face lighting up, and Oz’s heart beat a little faster. God, he’d never felt this way about a man before. Well, maybe Pedro Pascal, but he was pretty sure most human beings felt that way about him. This was different.

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