Page 44 of Cedarwood Manny

“She wanted to get married.” Adrien paused. “You liked her, didn’t you?”

“Yes, and she left.” Kyle turned the water off. Without drying his hands, he faced his father. Water dripped onto the rug and his shirt. “I wanted her to stay.”

“I know, kid.” He sat on the closed toilet seat and hugged Kyle. “I don’t think Nathan’s going to get married, so I doubt he’s planning on leaving us.”

“Are you going to marry him?”

He hadn’t expected Kyle to say that.How am I supposed to answer?“Do you want me to marry him?”

Kyle shrugged. “You married Gerry.”

“I did.” He dried Kyle’s hands, then replaced the towel on the railing. “Be honest with me. Do you want me to get married again?”

“I don’t know.”

He’d asked the child a hard question.Jesus.When he’d been four, he wouldn’t have answered, either. Then again, his mother would’ve had a fit until he gave some reason. “Don’t worry about it.” He hugged Kyle again. “If you want me to keep Nathan, then we will.”

Kyle crawled onto Adrien’s lap. He threw his arms around Adrien. “I want you to be happy, Daddy. I like when you smile.”

“Nathan makes me smile.” Made him feel like a human being again, as well.

“Then marry him.” Kyle flopped against Adrien. “I’ll marry him, too.”

“You can’t do that.”

Kyle shrugged. “Okay.” He toyed with the buttons on Adrien’s shirt. “Can we have dinner now?”

“Yes.” He sighed as Kyle skipped out of the room. Adrien had too much to think about. He’d fallen for Nathan and wanted him around, but would he really tie the knot again? His divorce had been too painful and he never wanted to go through that kind of hell again. He headed into the kitchen and tried to clear his mind.

Nathan placed Adrien’s phone on the counter and caught Adrien’s gaze. “Kyle? Do you want to eat in the playroom? I made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and crackers.”

“Yay.” Kyle bounded over to him and accepted a plate. “Can we watch a cartoon, too?”

“Sure.” Adrien opened the package of crackers. “Pick out a DVD and we’ll watch it.” He doubted Nathan would be there for the viewing, but Kyle didn’t need to know that.

Nathan stood against the counter and waited for Kyle to leave before he spoke. “Damn.”

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked. “You’re pale.”

“He threatened to kill himself.” Pain resonated in Nathan’s eyes. “I thought he was okay. He’s been overly emotional since the first day I met him, but it wasn’t this extreme. I’m scared.”

“Take tonight off.” He embraced Nathan. “Go check on him.”

Tears slipped down Nathan’s cheeks. “My job is here.”

“It is, but Rhett needs you right now.” He cupped Nathan’s cheeks and wiped away the tears. “Go. We’ll be here when you return home.”

“Home?” Nathan’s age showed in his face. The lines weren’t so deep, but the circles under his eyes darkened. He appeared young, but weathered.

“Yes. Our home.” He kissed Nathan. “Be a friend.”

Nathan nodded, but didn’t pull away.

“Don’t take forever.” Adrien held his boyfriend. “He needs you and so do we.”

“Thanks.” Nathan lingered another moment as he dried his face. “I’ll be back.”

“I’m sure.” Adrien stayed rooted to the spot until Nathan left the house.

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