Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Holden said, “Yeah, I know he is, but old habits die hard. Anyway, you guys hungry now, or do you want to wait a bit?”
The four of them decided to hold off for a while. They got their drinks and went to the back porch, which Roe and Holden had recently screened in. The rain had slowed down, just a soft trickle against the roof, the smell strong in the air.
There were four chairs surrounding an outdoor heater that Roe kicked on. Deacon immediately moved his seat closer to Grady’s as they began to talk about everything—the store, the farm—and it wasn’t long before Deke reached over and put his hand on top of Grady’s, dancing his fingertips against Grady’s skin, up his wrist, forearm, and back down again.
Damned if the corners of Grady’s mouth didn’t turn up.
“What’s new in Harmony?” Deacon asked.
Roe said, “Not much, really. Mama’s taking this breakup with Colby and Lulu harder than she usually does—I can’t say what’s going on there. Vince is gonna be coming out for a visit soon. I’m not sure if you met him last time he was here.” Roe turned to Grady. “That’s Holden’s friend from Atlanta.”
“Bet it’ll be good to have him here,” Grady replied.
Suddenly it sounded like a herd of elephants was running through the house, and then two teenage boys burst through the door.
“Dad, we’re hungry. Can we eat?” Wyatt asked Roe.
“Aren’t you going to say hello to Deacon and Grady?”
The boys turned to them as if just noticing them. “Hey, Mr. Deacon and Mr. Grady,” they said in unison.
“You have the ice cream named after you,” Sean said.
“They’re boyfriends,” Wyatt told him.
“Yeah, well, so are Uncle Holden and Roe, but they didn’t name anything after each other,” Sean teased.
“We don’t do anything as cool as making ice cream,” Holden added. “If we did, I’d name every one Roe—Roe number fifty-six, Roe number twenty-seven.” He winked.
“Sure you would, baby,” Roe replied.
Deacon beamed at Grady. “I’m learning that I’m very good at this whole dating thing. Isn’t that right?”
“Oh shit, now it’s all going to go to his head. Thanks a lot, guys.”
The sound of six different laughs all mixed together, and all Grady could think was how perfect this was—that the kids didn’t blink an eye, didn’t question their relationship or that Deacon was with a man. None of it mattered to them. They just heard he and Deke were together, and that was that.
When Deacon turned to him, leaned over, and kissed his neck before making another joke about how good of a boyfriend he was, Grady sat back and soaked it in.
“Hey, now. I’m not so bad myself,” he said, just as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He nearly ignored it, couldn’t say why he didn’t, because he was having fun with them. But he leaned back, tugged it free, and checked who was calling. He frowned, his pulse taking off like he’d gunned it at the start of a race. He would recognize that phone number anywhere.
The rest of the group didn’t seem to notice his reaction, but Deacon said, “What is it?”
“It’s, um…it’s my sister.” His sister, whom he hadn’t spoken to in ten years.
His knees were weak when he stood, struggled to hold him up when he walked out the porch side door and into the drizzling rain. “Hello?”
“Grady?” she said, a soft panic to her voice. “Oh God, I’m sorry. It’s been so long, and…it’s Dad.”
He closed his eyes, let the rain wash over him, breathed when he felt strong arms wrap around him. “What happened to him?”
“There was an accident. He was hurt real bad.”
The happiness he’d felt just moments before washed away with her words.
“I know it’s… We haven’t… I know things are rough, but he’s asking for you. Daddy wants you to come home.”
The words nearly stuck in Grady’s mouth, a heavy weight expanding in his gut. “I’ll be right there.”
“Thank you, Grady. Shit. I know this is messed up, but—”
“I’ll be right there, Cat. Tell him I’m on my way.” He ended the call.
Jesus, could he do this? His family had turned their backs on him, had wanted nothing to do with him, all because of who he loved, and now, now his dad was hurt and might not survive and they wanted Grady home.
He couldn’t not go. He didn’t have it in him. He loved them too damn much. But he didn’t know how he was supposed to do that. Didn’t know if he was strong enough to carry it alone.
“I’ll call my family,” Deke said close to his ear. “Have them help take care of things at Sundae’s Best.” They were soaking wet now, standing there in the rain. The group had gone inside, clearly to give them their privacy.
“I can’t ask you to do that. You heard what she said?”