Page 89 of Twice Shy

Chapter Twenty-three

Valentine’s Ball, Friday February14th

Ollie had never been a fan of Valentine’s. As far as he was concerned, it was possibly the least romantic day of the year. He’d have skipped this evening’s event if Jackie hadn’t been so adamant that she needed his help.

“We literally have nobody else to man the cupcake stand!” she’d wailed when he’d run into her outside school on Wednesday. “Alyssa and I can’t doeverything!”

Reluctantly, he’d agreed, even though the PTA committee had decided to move the venue from the school to the Majestic Hotel. Running into Luca would be awkward, sure, but Ollie wasn’t ashamed of who he was, and if Luca wanted to snub him that was his problem. He wasn’t afraid of seeing Luca Moretti again.

But he was terrified of seeing Joel.

Was terrified the right word? Not really. He could never be afraid of Joel, but hewasafraid of how seeing him would make him feel. Heartsick, lonely, regretful: all the above and more. The plain truth was that Joel had left a hole in his heart that Ollie couldn’t fill. They may only have been together romantically for a few weeks, but they’d become friends in the months before that, and only after it ended had Ollie realized how much he’d come to depend on their friendship. It turned out to be quite something to have a friend on your side and he missed the hell out of Joel.

But Joel hadn’t been on his side, had he? Ollie had to remind himself of that. He had to remember that Joel had never really trusted him, and how deeply it hurt to be accused of cheating and lying by a man he’d thought believed in him.

A man he’d been falling in love with...

Yes, seeing Joel again would be a challenge, but Ollie had never backed away from a challenge. Besides, he didn’t like the way they’d left things and, although it would hurt, he hoped they could at least shake hands—for Rory’s sake, if nothing –before leaving New Milton.

Leaving New Milton…

He’d made the decision before Christmas and his soul still sank whenever he thought about the reality. Logically, it made sense to let the Palmers help take care of the boys until he got his financial feet back under him. They could help with childcare and he’d be able to pay Alfie Carter back faster for the repairs to his car. Mrs. Palmer wanted Rory to go to a private school, of course, like Ellis had done, but Ollie was resisting that. How long he’d be able to hold out he didn’t know, but he’d have to choose his battles carefully. Countering the Palmers’ subtle homophobia was his priority; he wouldn’t let his boys grow up with that kind of poison in their minds.

And on that subject…

“Mateo says I have to kiss a girl,” Rory said morosely as he poked at his dinner.

Ollie paused in the middle of wiping Ollie’s sticky fingers. “What do you mean? At the party?”

Rory nodded. “He says he’s going to kiss Unsa.”

“And what does Unsa say about that?” He grabbed Luis’s other hand and began cleaning him up. “You can’t kiss someone unless they say it’s okay. You know that, right?”

“I don’t want to kissanyone,” Rory said with a dramatic sigh.

“Well you don’t have to, not tonight or any other time. You’re too young for all that, anyway. It’s for grownups.”

“Mateo says Ihaveto because it’s Valentine’s.”

Mateo, in Ollie’s opinion, should keep his opinions to himself. “It’s just a party, Rory. Like a birthday party. There’ll be music and games and stuff. And cupcakes.”

Rory grinned. “Cupcakes!”

“You can help me on the stand and choose one.”

“I want a chocolate one with strawberry frosting.”

Ollie pantomimed a thoughtful face. “I want vanilla with chocolate frosting.”

“Chocolate frosting’s gross!”

“What? No, it isn’t.”

“It is.”

“Since when?” Ollie said, tickling him. “You love chocolate frosting.”

Rory snorted and giggled, and Luis banged his cup on his highchair table to join in. When things had calmed down, Ollie set about clearing up the rest of the dishes while Rory—at his usual snail’s pace—kept working on his dinner. Ollie was on the way to the kitchen when Rory said, “Areyougoing to kiss a girl tonight?”

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