Page 468 of Seasons of Love
“What?”
“Oh, come on, don’t pretend it’s not happening. I know you’re together.”
“What? Ho…how?”
“It’s not hard to guess. You never came home that night after Griff left the hospital. I thought you just crashed there because you were too tired to drive, but then you kept staying there every night. At first, I thought you were seeing someone, but you never talked about anything else but them.”
“Christ, was I that obvious?”
“Only to me. I don’t think threesomes are on Dad’s radar.”
I sighed. “They are now.”
“What do you mean?”
“John outed us. The whole meeting was a shit storm.”
I sat on the edge of the bathtub and rested my elbows on my knees. “Uncle Frank looked so disappointed.”
Gabe kneeled in front of me. “I don’t know what went on in there, but I know Dad. He loves you so much. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me.”
“Don’t be silly. Of course he doesn’t. You’re his son.”
What made him think his dad loved me more than he loved him?
“Come on, you’re so perfect all the time. You’ve always known what you wanted. I…I just feel like I’ll never meet his expectations, and I’m terrified I’ll fail if I try.”
“Oh, Gabe.” I pulled him into my arms. He wrapped his around my waist.
“So…two guys, huh?” he asked.
I shrugged. “I didn’t expect it, but yeah, I guess the heart wants what it wants, but I may have to let them go.”
“Why? Dad will accept it, you know?”
“I know…I think I know. But there’s more to it. This isn’t just about us.”
Gabe sat back on his heels and messed up my hair. “Don’t be afraid to fight for what you want. You never have, so don’t start now.”
I smiled at him. When did my little brother become so wise?
“Okay. I have to go back in there. Did you know there are two insanely hot men in the living room?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I laughed. “And I guess I have to go face the music.”
Gabe squeezed my shoulder and gave me an encouraging smile before leaving me by the office door.
I turned the handle and walked in, but what I found wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.
Mal and Griff were still on the couch. Griff sat forward with his head resting in his hands, and Mal seemed to be comforting him.
“Where’s my uncle?”
“Jake.” Griff ran to me and held me tight. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have met you for lunch, and I shouldn’t have come on to you so strong.”
“Griff,” Mal said.
“No, it’s true. You don’t know. I was basically fucking him with my eyes. No wonder that Brian guy noticed us.”
