Page 37 of Twice Shy

“It’s okay.”

Tears pricked Ollie’s eyes, and to hide them he leaned over the bath and kissed Rory’s hair. “I love you,” he said, feeling water seep through his t-shirt where he was pressed against the side of the tub. “I love you more than anything on earth, Rory. Even when I get cross.”

“I love you more than anything on Mars,” Rory said.

Ollie laughed, wiping at his eyes. “Really? Wow. Well, I love you more than anything on Jupiter.”

“I love you more than anything on Mars and JupiterandNeptune.”

Luis toddled in then, eyes lighting up at the sight of the bath, and Ollie had to keep him from climbing in with all his clothes on—which made Rory laugh, and his laughter lifted Ollie’s battered spirits higher than anything in the world.

The boys splashed about in the bath together for a few minutes, while Ollie tried to clean them up, and then from outside the bathroom door he heard footsteps and Joel’s voice. “Hey—I’m gonna run out to the grocery store. Okay if I take your keys?”

Ollie winced. He didn’t have a lot in the refrigerator and had been meaning to hit the grocery store tomorrow, but now he had no car… “Yeah, but you really don’t need to—”

“You like bacon? No allergies to anything?”

“Uh, no allergies. And I love bacon. But—”

“Back in a few minutes,” Joel called, and Ollie heard his footsteps run down the stairs to the front door.

“Ollie, why’s Mr. Morgan here?” Rory said.

“He’s, uh— Well, we’re friends. Is that okay?”

“But why are you friends?”

Good question. “Because— Because I like him. Why are you friends with Mateo?”

“Because we playStar Warstogether.”

“Okay, well. It’s kind of the same.”

“Do you playStar Warswith Mr. Morgan?”

Ollie laughed. “No. Come on, out you get. Time for bed.”

Once he had Rory wrapped in a towel, he pulled Luis out of the tub, wrapped him up, and took them both into the bedroom to get into their PJs. Then it was milk (none for Rory tonight), teeth brushed, and into bed for a story.

Luis still slept in his crib, although he was getting big for it now and Ollie would need to get him a bed soon. How he’d manage that now he had to find money to fix his car… Anxiety flared in his chest and he tried to push it aside. He couldn’t deal with it now. One thing at a time. Sitting on the floor between Rory’s bed and Luis’s crib, his back against the wall and legs stretched out, he began to read them a story each. Luis likedTen Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, which Ollie read twice through, and then he moved on to the next chapter ofKnights and Bikesfor Rory.

Halfway through the second telling ofTen Little Fingers and Ten Little Toeshe’d heard Joel come back in, and by the time he finished chapter four ofKnights and Bikeshe could smell something delicious and savory cooking in the kitchen. His stomach growled. He’d intended to grab lunch after his visit to see Luca Moretti, but of course that hadn’t happened. He’d ended up stuck for a couple hours by the road, talking to the police and waiting for the tow truck.

Part of him, a superstitious irrational part that he tried his best to ignore, suggested that the accident was one almighty sign to back the hell away from Luca. Blocked from even reaching the hotel? That felt like an omen.

Which was ridiculous. In what universe was he so important that God or fate would take direct action to keep him from making an ass of himself? But as irrational as he knew it was, he couldn’t help trying to read the signs. And this sign was bright flashing neon.

Danger. Do not pass. Stop.

Luis was already asleep when Ollie finally put the book down, but Rory was still awake, watching him through heavy-lidded eyes. Ollie kneeled next to his bed and kissed his forehead, brushing back his soft hair. “Sleep tight, sweetheart,” he whispered. “I love you. Mommy loves you. Daddy loves you. And Grandma and Grandpa love you, too.”

“I love you, Ollie,” Rory murmured, and Ollie’s heart filled as it always did when he heard those words. And promptly sank at the memory of his failure at school today. Repressing a sigh, he turned off the bedside lamp and quietly left the room, leaving the door ajar and taking one final look at the boys—his boys—before he emerged, blinking into the bright light coming from the kitchen.

Blinking, too, at the sight of Joel Morgan standing at his stove, stirring something in a frying pan. Two grocery bags sat on the dining table, a packet of Tylenol had been set out with a glass of water next to them. “Hey,” Ollie said quietly, keeping his voice low.

Joel glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Hey, they asleep?”

“Nearly.” He gestured at the bags and the cooking food. “You didn’t need to do all this.”

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