Page 19 of Finding Ash
“Oh, oh!” Ash’s wild gaze darted between us, or maybe it was through us. His mind was going a mile a minute if his unfocused eyes were any sign of that. “Do, do people really do that? How does that even work?”
“All great questions, Ash,” McClain took his hand and then mine. “What would your families say? I don’t want to make enemies of anyone, but I also don’t want to walk away from what might possibly be.”
“We’re both twenty-four,” I reminded him. “Our families will adapt as long as we’re happy.” Well, mine would. I’m not sure what Ash’s family would think. Then again, his younger brother has a daddy, so who knows.
“Can we really do this? Date each other? Do we do everything together or separate dates as couples? I just don’t want my naivety to mess anything up.”
“Sweet, sweet, Ash,” McClain brought Ash’s hand to his mouth and gently pressed his lips to the top. “We can do all of those things, though quite honestly it may feel strange to leave one of us out. Are you boys sure you’re really interested in me? My heart can’t take it if it got so far as to catch permanent feelings only to have you walk away.”
Love.That was the word McClain avoided saying. and I understood why. “I’m in. Ash?”
He nervously fidgeted while his teeth abused his bottom lip. Finally, he glanced up at us. “Yes, please. I’d like to, um, do the poly thing.”
McClain laughed. “The poly thing it is, my sweet boys. Thank you for breathing life back into this lonely old man.”
“No more of the old man stuff,” I leaned up on tiptoes and kissed him. “Our boyfriend isn’t old. He’s perfectly aged for us.”
Ash giggled and then kissed him too. “Yeah, no more bad words about him.”
“I must’ve done something right in another life to have been given a second chance at love. And not with one sweet boy, but with two.” McClain pulled us in for a hug and more shared kisses until we were left boneless andbreathless. “Come, let’s get our first date underway and our bellies filled.”
“Where to?” I asked.
“Might as well rip off the band-aid and start at Pints. Best to alert family of our decision before the rumor mill does.” McClain had a point, though Ash paled. “Is that okay with you, Ash?”
He sighed. “I know it’s right, and I want it too, but I may vomit.”
“It’ll be cool, you’ll see. Nate and Kit are in a Daddy-boy dynamic. I seriously doubt they’d be bothered by this,” I gestured between us, hoping my face conveyed the certainty I nowhere near felt.
And when my mom and sister got here this weekend, it would be my turn to panic.
“Alright boys, let’s do this.”
Hand in hand the three of us wandered down Main Street toward Pints ‘n Pool. Heads turned, whispers were loud. Yeah, these folks had no clue what the meaning of that word was. Glad McClain suggested we tackle Nate and Kit first. Heck, at this point the rumors may meet us at the door.
Well, hopefully how well I fit in didn’t come to a screeching halt. I really wanted Foggy to be my forever home. With Ash and now with McClain as well.
Chapter Nine
McClain
Imagine walking into a bar, you can hear the music and voices before you so much as open the door. ThenBAM!All heads turn your way, and the music stops, then the voices come to a screeching halt.
Yeah, well, shit.
“Gentlemen,” Nate greeted us. It was hard to tell if that man was ever truly happy unless you caught him watching his boy. “Why don’t you take the boothat the back.”
Not a good sign…
He handed the menus to Ash, then Remy and I followed him back to the booth. We hadn’t so much as sat down when Kit slid in beside me, the boys having shared the seat on the other side across from me.
“Spill it.”
“What? How? What?” Ash sputtered. “Spill what? We don’t even have drinks.”
Kit rolled his eyes. “You don’t think the bodies packed into here didn’t sprint the second the three of you walked out of Foggy Creamery holding hands?”
Good lord, these people needed to get a life. I nearly said that aloud when Remy gently shook his head at me. This was Ash’s family. I’d let him begin, but if Kit dared make him feel bad, I’d step in. Family or not, no one was allowed to hurt my boys.
