Page 4 of Like the Season
Caleb had wanted to avoid that topic at all costs. “I’m…not close to them. They wanted to be too close in the wrong ways. They thought being related to me gave them the automatic right to dictate my life. Even my little sisters. Especially my mom. Getting this job was the best thing that ever happened to me for a variety of reasons.”
“Including me?” Boyd smiled.
“Definitelyincluding you. You’re the best reason of all.”
Boyd directed him where to park and Caleb walked inside the main terminal with him, waiting with him in line while he went through check-in. Then they picked a restaurant in the main terminal to grab a bite to eat before Boyd headed through security.
“Stay at my house while I’m gone,” Boyd said. “Consider it an order, if you’d like.”
“You might come home to find me completely moved in, Sir.”
“Wouldn’t hurt my feelings. In fact, I’m kind of hoping that’s what you do.” He reached across the table and held Caleb’s hand, lightly squeezing. “I meant it when I said I’m marrying you. This might seem crazy and fast to anyone else, but it’s not like we just met. We’ve known each other for a while.”
“You know my family won’t be happy about this, right? Please don’t think they’re going to magically accept this, or us. They won’t.” Caleb tried not to feel self-conscious at the fact they were holding hands in public. They weren’t in Sarasota. They didn’t have to worry about someone from work seeing them together.
Or his family.
“Doesn’t matter to me what they think,” Boyd insisted. “They’re not here, they’re in Virginia. Even if they were here, still wouldn’t matter to me what they think. You’re mine, and I love you.”
“I just don’t want you thinking they might have some Hallmark-movie kind of adjustment in their mindset and we can be one big happy family. They’re the die-hard kind of Fox News demographic who think Obama was a secret Nigerian terrorist or something.”
“We’ll make our own family. Me, you, and Ella. As much as we can with her living in Oregon.” The wistful shadows in Boyd’s expression highlighted the dark blue flecks in his eyes. “We’re the only family she has.” He squeezed Caleb’s hand again. “And the two of you are the only family I have, but like hell will I let either of you go.”
