Page 87 of Making It Burn
Scott returned before I could respond, but Caroline’s words echoed in my head for the rest of lunch.
* * *
I drove back to the office in a daze, my mind replaying the conversation over and over.
He’d surprise you.
Would he?Or was that just Caroline being optimistic, seeing what she wanted to see?
My father had never been outwardly homophobic.He’d never made comments about gay people or expressed disapproval.But he’d also never said anything supportive.Never mentioned acceptance or allyship or any of the things that might have made me feel safe enough to come out.
So, I’d stayed in the closet.Safe.Hidden.Alone.
Except I wasn’t alone anymore.I had Beau.
Beau, who deserved better than supply closets.Who deserved a boyfriend who wasn’t afraid to be seen with him.
Beau, who I was falling in love with.
Fuck.
I pulled into the parking garage and sat there, hands gripping the steering wheel, my heart pounding.
What if Caroline was right?What if my father did surprise me?
And more importantly—what if it was time to find out?
ChapterSeventeen
Beau- The Office Christmas Party
The Commonwealth Club looked like something out of a Victorian Christmas card—all dark wood paneling, crystal chandeliers, and enough garland to decorate half of Richmond.Someone had gone overboard with the decorations, draping every available surface in red velvet bows and gold ribbon, and a massive Christmas tree dominated the corner of the ballroom, its branches heavy with ornaments that probably cost more than my rent.
I stood near the bar, nursing a bourbon and trying not to look as uncomfortable as I felt.
“You clean up nicely, Thatcher.”Lisa appeared at my elbow, stunning in an emerald green dress with white gloves.“Very GQ.Mason’s going to lose his mind when he sees you.”
I’d worn my best suit—navy blue, tailored to perfection, with a crisp white shirt and a tie the exact shade of Mason’s eyes.Not that anyone here would know why I’d chosen that color.
“Mason probably won’t even notice,” I said, taking a sip of my drink.
“What?Why would you say that?”
I shrugged.“He’s been a little distant this week.Standoffish.I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it.”
“Distant how?”
“Just...not himself.When we’re together, he seems like he’s somewhere else in his head.Distracted.”I watched the entrance, waiting for Mason to arrive.“And when I try to ask him about it, he just says work is stressful.”
Lisa touched my arm.“It’s almost the holidays.Everyone’s stressed.”
“Yeah, maybe.”But it felt like more than that.Like Mason was pulling away, and I didn’t know why.“We haven’t really talked about anything real in days.It’s all just work stuff and logistics about whose place we’re staying at.”
“Have you asked him directly what’s going on?”
“Not really, but I’m trying not to push.”I took another sip of bourbon.“I don’t want to be that guy, you know?The needy one who’s always asking ‘what are you thinking?’and ‘where is this going?’”
Lisa’s expression softened.“Beau, you’re allowed to want to know where you stand.That’s not needy.That’s normal.”
