Page 54 of Cedarwood Manny

“Funny, that information about my dating the manny—which I’m not saying is truth or lie—wasn’t made public. How do you know what you’re talking about?” Adrien asked. “Or were you the one who called the training center?” He inched closer to her. “I know the Coalition isn’t happy with me. I’m gay—so what? If it bothers you so much, then too bad. I’m staying put in Cedarwood with my family and I’m moving on with my life—like I had planned to all along. If that grinds your gears, then I don’t care. I’m not hurting anyone. My son is progressing according to the growth chart, my life is stable and my being gay doesn’t matter to anyone except you.”

“He’ll be an abomination just like you,” she snapped. “Kids don’t turn out well if they’re reared in a gay household.”

“That’s bullshit.” He needed to remember his standing in society, but she’d struck a nerve. “Don’t you have something better to do than argue with me? Than to run the LGBTQ community out of town? Put that energy to good use and take up a hobby. Try painting. Singing? Scrapbooking? Maybe you’re a closet carpenter. Try that.” Adrien tipped his head. “No one is telling you to change who you are or to leave town because you’re straight. You’re accepted. Why can’t I be accepted, too?”

“Because it’s not right.” She shook her head. “It’s against the church and everything I believe in.”

“Aren’t you supposed to love everyone? Open hearts, open minds…”

“Not with gays. You should be reprogrammed.”

Christ.The idea someone could change their sexuality through programming was ridiculous. “That’s not how this works,” Adrien said. “You were born straight. I wasn’t. That doesn’t mean I’m not wired properly. It means I’m not you. Let’s celebrate our differences.” He’d explained this to many people throughout his lifetime, but this woman was the most persistent. When she frowned and snorted, he abandoned the fight. He wasn’t going to change her way of thinking. “I can’t make you open your mind, but I can ask you to leave me alone. You go your way and I’ll go mine—in town. This is my hometown, too.”

“You won’t be stopped.” She turned on her heel. “One day you’ll understand and you’ll wish you’d changed your actions.”

“I doubt it,” Adrien mumbled. “Are you threatening me?”

“Not yet.”

He watched her climb behind the wheel of her car and drive away.Good—fucking—God.He’d had enough. When he turned to the playground, he spotted Kyle, Nathan and Gerry. Kyle darted away from Gerry and hid behind Nathan. Without thinking, Adrien strode across the park to his son and boyfriend. “What’s going on?” He trusted Nathan had everything under control, but Nathan didn’t know Gerry. “What are you doing?”

“He won’t talk to me.” Gerry shoved his hands into his hair. “It’s like I’m a stranger. I diapered him. I bathed him.”

“You left us.” Adrien stepped toe-to-toe with his ex. “You quit. You wanted someone else. What is he supposed to think? What was I supposed to think? We weren’t important to you.”

“I cheated because you’re boring,” Gerry snapped. “He’ll find out.” He pointed to Nathan. “He’ll get tired of sitting around the house and cleaning up puke.”

Nathan directed Kyle away from the playground in the direction of the car.

“Where’s he going?” Gerry spat. “Come back here. My time isn’t up.”

“Yeah, it is.” Adrien held on to his frustration by a tiny thread. “Don’t insult my son this way. You gave up. You couldn’t handle not being the center of attention and walked. That’s not our problem. We’ve moved on and don’t need you. Kyle’s a smart little boy and he’s got stability. This was your one shot to see him. Don’t try again. You signed away your rights and gave up custody. He’s not a pawn and you’re not the one in charge.”

“You used to love me.” Gerry reached for Adrien. “You used to want me around.”

Not again.“Don’t.”

“I can’t do this without you.” Gerry scrunched up his face and cried out, but no tears streamed down his face. “I can’t.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” He didn’t have time for the argument. “I don’t know if you brought the woman from the Coalition or if you clued her in to what was going on at my house, but I’m done with you. I’m done with us.”

“You’re really leaving, aren’t you?” Gerry asked.

“I am.” He shook his head. “You showed me what love could be, but you also proved there’s a dark side to everyone. You risked my life and Kyle’s so you could do what you wanted. That’s unforgiveable. I don’t want that for my family or for me. I don’t need a flashy life, but I need to know my partner isn’t going to cheat on me. I need to know Kyle and I are the center of his world. That was never going to be you.”

“And he will be?” Gerry blurted. “He’s a kid.”

“And you’re old enough to know better than to act like this.” Adrien scrubbed his hand across his mouth. “I need to go. You wasted your time and it’s getting late.”

“Adrien.” Gerry jogged up to him. “This is how it ends?”

“Yes.” He kept going and refused to look back. He had his future in the car—why give that up over something that would never work? He pulled his keys from his pocket and joined Kyle and Nathan in the vehicle.

“Daddy?” Kyle left his seat. He held on to the headrest. “Daddy Gerry said I was a bad kid.”

“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s not coming around again,” Adrien said. “And you’re not a bad kid. You’re a good boy. Buckle up.”

Nathan affixed the seatbelt around Nathan’s car seat, then rounded the vehicle. He settled next to Adrien. “Everything okay?”

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