Page 67 of Peach Tree Family

Chapter 17

So now Theo knew that he was right. Seth was leaving because he didn't want to be pulled into being gay by living with him.

He almost wished he didn't know, didn't feel this bitter anger boiling up inside him. But no matter how mad Theo was, he hated to think of Seth out there all alone. He already had loneliness written in his eyes. There would only be more of that out there for him unless his family suddenly embraced him.

Why the hell was he worrying about Seth? If he found himself alone, it would be his own damn fault.

At breakfast, Theo stayed tightlipped so he wouldn't tell Seth to go to hell. Just thinking of Seth abandoning them made him want to ram his fist into something. But seeing Theo so silent and grim made Ace uneasy. He would need to fix that, make sure Ace knew that everything would be OK.

Seth was still picking up Ace from school today. He texted Theo that he was on his way to the school and then again, but this time he was asking if he could bring Ace to the inn for a visit.

Theo didn't want to deny him, so he said OK.

When they arrived, Seth hung back and Ace ran over to the reception desk. "Sammy said I could come here to see you and the baby."

"I don't think the baby is here today," Theo told him.

"Just you then," Ace said.

Next to him Helen laughed. "Hi there. I'm Helen."

"I'm Ace," he said then he spotted Leo and Andy. "Theo, I see people we know."

"My bosses," Theo said as Acv waved to them.

"Mr. Atkins. Mr. Atkins." Leo nodded to Theo and Ace as he approached.

"Ace is here just to say hello," Theo said and hoped that wasn't a problem.

"I see Seth is here too," Andy said then he turned to Leo. "The sooner we replace McNeil, the better." McNeil was one of the waiters who worked in the tearoom, and if he was being replaced...

Andy called Seth over, and Theo couldn't help getting his hopes up. He gave Ace permission to have a look around in the gift shop as long as he didn't touch anything.

"There's an opening for a server in the tearoom," Leo said to Seth.

"I thought there weren't any openings," Theo said.

"This morning Ms Silver let us know that one of the wait staff wasn't up to snuff," Leo said.

"Poor guy kept messing up orders," Helen said. "All those different kinds of tea."

"I don't think he took the job seriously. McNeil is barely out of high school," Andy said, except that Seth wasn't that much older. Theo had to wonder if Ms Silver would give him a chance, and Seth looked like he was thinking the same thing.

Noticing Seth's worry, Andy said, "I don't think a lack of seriousness will be an issue where you are concerned."

"I don't have much experience or a lot of references," Seth said and now Theo was thinking that maybe he didn't want to work there.

"You have experience as a server at the Peach Tree Café, don't you?" Leo said. "Around here there isn't a more valuable reference than Mrs. Del Rio."

"You'll be interviewing with Ms Silver. She'll be making the final decision," Andy said to Seth who still looked unsure.

"As far as she's concerned, the tearoom isn't just an eatery, it's an experience." Leo looked like he might roll his eyes at his own words, but he didn't. Whatever he might think of the tearoom experience, the place did good business. But would Seth go after a job there.

"I'll be happy to apply for it. Thank you," Seth said and Theo's heart started to race. He was getting too excited about a job that Seth might not get.

Leo sent him to fill out an application and then he went in for the interview with Ms Silver. The whole time, Theo's stomach was in knots and he didn't dare tell Ace about the possible job. He was too afraid to get his hopes up. Seth just didn't seem like the right type to work in the tearoom, and he was dressed too casually for a job interview. Theo wasn't sure Ms Silver would be able to see past that.

Leo arranged for Ace to sit in the lobby and get served some cookies, and Theo gave him his phone to play games on. Feeling on edge as he waited, Theo was glad when a guest stopped by to complain that the room service she forgot to order never arrived. Theo handled it smoothly, apologizing for their failure to be psychic.

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