Page 88 of Shades of Henry
He imagined Galen’s lean, pretty face with a wicked tilt to his lips. “Oh my God, I really do. Just like I’m going to enjoy dressing you like a Ken doll and paying your salary for it. I’ve always wanted to be a sugar daddy.”
“I am unimpressed with your attempt at lechery,” Henry said, doing his best Galen impersonation. “If I have learned nothing else in the past few months, it’s that you and John and my brother and his husband are really good people.”
“That is disappointing,” Galen murmured. “However shall we spend our time if we’re not antagonizing each other?”
Henry smirked. “Nice suit, Galen. Do I need to bring you a mimosa when you’re seated at your chaise?”
Galen made a sound that was almost a purr. “Oh my boy, only men in bow ties and Andrew Christian underwear can bring memymimosas. We’ll have to find something else for you to do.”
Yeah. Henry suspected he and Galen would find a way to deal. He just didn’t think it would be on the day of Ellery and Jackson’s party.
“WOW,” LANCEsaid, his feet dangling in the water. “That’s a lot of people.”
The house itself was pretty full. Ellery had done the job of a good host, introducing everybody to everybody, and Henry had gotten to say hello to Jade as he’d made sure Galen got seated. He’d driven at John’s request, and Henry had gotten the feeling John and Galen were up to something. There had been a lot of murmuring as Lance had remarked on the beauty of the homes by American River.
Once they’d arrived, John had kissed his boyfriend on the cheek, told him to play nice, and then had come outside with Lance and Henry.
Ellery’s sizable pool wasn’t full—but it was busy. Jade’s twin brother had brought his wife and kids out there, and Davy and Kane had brought Frances. The older kids, River, Diamond, and an adopted son named Anthony, had made themselves Frances’s personal playmates, and the competition to see who delighted the little girl more was fierce and awesome. Bobby, Reg, and John were taking advantage of the deep end, tossing a ball back and forth and talking idly, while Davy and Kane sat on steps in the shallow end, watching Frances like twin buff hawks.
“I remember when Kane was paying for Frances’s cancer treatment,” Lance said softly. “His sister wouldn’t even let him in the house, and he was doing three scenes a month. Look at them—they’re going to be miserable when she hits dating age.”
“They’ll be wonderful,” Henry said with a faint smile. “They’ll respect her decisions and tell her the truth as they know it and be kind when her heart’s broken. It’s really all she can ask for.”
“Wow.” Lance leaned on him a little. “My heart’s all full now. Let’s adopt tomorrow!”
Henry snorted. “Maybe we can wait until I can afford rent on half an apartment—”
“You’re being stubborn.” Lance sniffed. “I’m a doctor. Likea doctor.I know residents don’t make much, but I’ve been saving for almost three years. I could furnish an apartment and pay rent and even buy a new car and have enough savings for a rainy day.”
Henry rolled his eyes. “And I’d be what? Your kept man? Jesus, Lance, don’t you want to respect me?”
“Idorespect you!” Lance protested. “I’d just really like a chance to respect you more, in private!”
Kane turned toward the two of them and smirked. “He being stubborn?” he asked Lance.
“He’s afraid of not being able to make rent.” Lance’s frustration was obvious, as was Kane’s horror.
“Dexter, have I ever paid rent?” he asked.
“Not once,” Davy replied dryly. “It wasn’t a requirement. I had a place to stay—you needed one.”
Kane stared at Henry in exasperation. “You’re making things difficult on purpose,” he announced. “Get over yourself.” And then he turned back to Frances, who could now swim from kid to kid to kid all by herself.
“See?” Lance said pointedly.
“No,” Henry muttered. He couldn’t stop staring at the back of Carlos’s head. Davy turned to him after a moment and gave a half smile.
“A real partnership means money is the least of your worries,” he said.
Henry rolled his eyes. “You’re smitten. I get it. He’s cute, he came with a kid and a snake and some turtles. But I’m not going to agree that it’s okay that I don’t have a real job.”
All three of them—Davy, Lance, Kane—groaned and covered their eyes with their hands. And that’s where they were when Jackson emerged from the door to the patio. He looked better today than he had the last time they’d been there, but Henry could spot the telltale red crescents in his pale cheeks. He’d taken his medication like a good boy, but that surgery in a week was no less necessary than it had been when he’d collapsed in the middle of stopping a murderer. Nobody was talking about that now, though. He was being social and charming, and because he was Jackson, apparently, that was enough.
He visited his sister-in-law first and said hi to the kids, who seemed to adore him.
“Jump into the pool, Uncle Jackson!” the oldest, the girl named River, begged.
“Sweetheart, Ellery actually bought me an outfit to wear to this shindig.” He held his hands to the lapels of his ocean-green dress shirt and gave a showy tug. Henry noticed his shorts—slick bajas in dark brown—were also not threadbare or tattered. Ellery had apparently gotten his way with this, as he did with so many other things, but probably because Jackson had trouble giving with the big stuff.
