Page 148 of The Penalty

Colin grins. “Yes, really. You left it up to me.”

“And you didn’t share? Rude.” Owen playfully glares at his husband.

“I’d prefer to not be a part of this conversation, so if we can move along to the next part of the day so I can escape this hellhole, that would be preferable.” Oliver cuts in, herding us into the elevator and outside.

“Next part?” I ask.

“Yes, I have a surprise for you and Teddy, which is why I arranged for this all to go smoother.”

“What do you mean?” I’m still lost, and Oliver doesn’t seem to want to help me out.

“Exactly what I said. I have a surprise for you and your boyfriend. Don’t get used to it, but I wanted to show my appreciation for your support and for Teddy’s moral support.”

“My morals are pretty good.” Teddy nods, self-assured.

Oliver ignores him, gesturing to a car that just pulled up. “Shall we?”

“Where are we going?” I ask as we all get into the SUV.

“Was the wordsurpriseunclear?” Oliver asks. “I worry your boyfriend is rubbing off on you.”

“I am rubbing off on him. Sex is great.” Teddy grins like he’s not even trying to annoy Oliver.

“Down boy,” Oliver mutters, sitting as far away from Teddy as possible. “We’ve heard extensively about your relations and I can assure you we are all good.”

Colin slides in, squishing way closer to Oliver than he needs to be. “I don’t think that’s the case. We love hearing about you, Teddy.”

Owen sinks down in his seat, like he would melt into it if possible.

It’s a short drive to the West Village, where we stop in front of a lovely brick building.

Oliver throws open the door, clearly ready to get away from Colin. He steps out and slips on sunglasses that somehow make him look even more pretentious.

“What are we doing here?” I ask as I’ve been to both their homes, and this wasn’t one of them.

“I thought I’d buy you a condo as a thank you to both of you. Give you your own space for next year. I didn’t want to sign any contracts until you approve, but I do think you will like this place. It’s close to campus, and in a great location. There is a rooftop garden for your use.” Oliver takes out a key as we walk into the building.

“How do you have the key if you haven’t bought it yet?”

“My broker trusts me and I’ve already put the full amount in an escrow account, so we can close quickly if you like it.”

I blink, not sure what to say. “Uh, wow, thank you.”

“Let’s go view the condo before you thank me.” Oliver laughs.

It’s a two-bedroom, one-bath on a street that’s quieter with mature trees. It almost feels like we’ve escaped the bustle of the West Village for a moment.

I follow him into the stairway in a daze, and the place is truly lovely. He has great taste. It’s a walk up, but I think I prefer it to an elevator. The bones of the building hold on to the original charm but it’s been updated enough that it doesn’t need any major work. The floors are original hardwood, and the kitchen and living room have exposed brick. It’s small but the perfect size for us.

I turn on Oliver, still speechless.

“Do you like it?” he asks.

On a whim I give him a hug and we are quickly joined by Teddy who wraps up around us both, squeezing a little too hard.

When he releases us, Oliver shudders and smooths a hand down his shirt. “Please call off your himbo. While I understand hugs are normal for a family, I’d prefer not to be popped like a grape by the hulk.”

“I wouldn’t pop you. Mom is a science person, and she said it’s really hard to pop people.”

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