Page 47 of High Notes & Hail Marys

Burt is sitting at the island with his back to you. There’s a steaming mug in his hand, and the morning news is playing on a small TV set in the corner of the kitchen counters. He’s munching on some toast spread with peanut butter.

“Morning,” you say.

“Hey there, young man.” Burt doesn’t unglue his eyes from the screen. “Coffee’s maybe ten minutes old. I normally make decaf, but I knew Ster would shit a brick. Should be plenty for the both of you. Cups are in that cabinet just above. Creamer’s in the fridge, sugar’s over here.”

You nod your thanks, and set about making your coffee, then you sit down next to Burt. A fewsips and the caffeine stretches warm tentacles into your bloodstream, making you more alert by the moment. You look around. The rest of the house is silent.

“Margo and Noemi still asleep?” you ask.

He rolls his eyes. “Crazy women went out to catch a few Black Friday deals. I think Marg’s after a new air fryer. Don’t ask me what the hell air frying is, but apparently it’s something we need.” That makes him shake his head. “And Noemi just likes to shop. They said they were making two stops and would be back for breakfast, but I wouldn’t bank on it. Sterling still conked out?”

“Mmm-hmm.” You will yourself not to blush. You are a whole-ass adult, and yet it still discomfits you for a parent to know you shared his son’s bed last night.

“Bet he’s worn out,” Burt comments neutrally into his mug.

“Excuse me?” Your eyebrows damn-near hit your hairline.

“From all the cooking, I mean. You…” That makes him look over at you and bark out a belly laugh loud enough to shake the ceiling beams. “Ha! You dog. I see what I did there. ‘Bout gave you a heart attack, didn’t I?”

Now youknowyou are beet red. “Yes, sir.”

“No need for all that,” he admonishes you. “I didn’t mean to razz you. But Ster hasn’t brought anyone home since he was a teenager. You think we don’t know what that means?”

You look down at your own coffee, made blonde by sweet coconut creamer. The mug isn’t puny by any means, but your hand is almost as tall. “I try not to make any assumptions, Mister Grayson. I’m just happy to meet y’all and for Sterling to have me over for the weekend.”

Burt purses his lip. Shakes his head again. “No. I don’t think so. I’m his dad, and, as far as I can tell, Sterling is pretty crazy about you. Like I said, he doesn’t just bring boys home to meet his family all willy-nilly. He doesn’t say much, of course…”

“Of course,” you echo.

“...But I can read the silence, can’t I? Sterling wears his heart on his sleeve. And he’s gone on you. Heart-eyes like Bugs Bunny and all that. You know Bugs Bunny, son?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you know what I mean.” He slurps his coffee and nods in the direction of his toast. There are crumbs from one end of the island to the other, and you are already low-key looking around for a dustpan to sweep them up so that Margo doesn’t come home to a mess. “I suppose this is the pointwhere I do my fatherly duty and tell you that you’d better not break my boy’s heart. He might be world-famous and richer than Midas, but that doesn’t mean he’s not still a kid in my eyes. You two be good to each other, Kaius.”

You are still shell-shocked from the full weight of everything Burt has said. It’s crashing over you like tidal waves, threatening to knock you on your ass. You are a good five seconds late in assuring Mister Grayson that, yes, you will be good.

Just then, the front door bursts open, admitting Margo, Noemi, and a flurry of shopping bags. None of them look they’re holding an air-fryer.

“Happy Makeup Thanksgiving, Kai!” Margo cries, setting her bounty down on the foyer floor. “Do you like Cinnabon? We brought home caramel pecan rolls. Can you help me bring in the rest of the stuff from the car?”

“What do you mean,the rest?” Burt groans.

When you get up, you spy Sterling through the sliding back doors. He’s making his way toward the house. Your eyes meet, and his face breaks into a huge smile.

You follow Margo out the door to the white SUV—turns out its hers—and there’s a giddy feeling in your chest. Must begratitude.

Chapter Twelve

@GRAYLINGGOSSIP:Ahhhhhh! Trainspotting alert! Kai and Ster are at Mantel tonight with GoGo Heller, Gabrielle Rose, and Sandy/Jamie Covelli! An eagle-eyed Grayling in South Beach spotted the couples being let in a back door at the $$$$$ resto. There’s a six-month wait for a ressie, but we’re hearing that Sterling bought the whole place out for the night! Wonder if it’s a special occasion???

***

“Gabi,” Sterling says slowly, “is that what I think it is?”

Gabi’s upturned blue-green eyes button in an expression of sheer joy. In the instant before she emits an excited shriek, you know exactly what Sterling noticed. There’s a diamond on her ring finger big enough to put someone’s eye out, set on a double infinity band of blinding platinum. It’s twinkling and sparkling in the candlelit dining room. You can’t believe you missed it when Gabi hugged you. The thing could be seen from space, probably.

“Eee!” she squeals, wiggling her tiny, pretty fingers, which are tipped in petal-pink varnish. “Surprise!”

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