Page 73 of Protecting the Nerd

After catching up, I broached the subject on my mind. “Do you think I’d be good at being a parent?”

“God, yes. Any child would be lucky to have you in their corner.”

“Quillon raised the topic of becoming foster parents down the line.”

Fir slowly nodded. “I can totally see that, and I think you’d do an amazing job. He’s so solid and calm, and you’re so good with teens.”

“That’s what he said too. About me being good with teens.”

“Gabe and Josiah both love you to pieces. They’re always excited when I tell them you’re coming over.”

I scratched my beard. “I never saw that as something special until Quillon pointed it out, but he said it’s not all that normal for teens to bond with a nonparent.”

“Yes and no. Teens are notoriously allergic to bullshit, so they tend to stay away from adults who they perceive as fake. But when someone makes an effort to be real with them and meet them where they are, they can be so wonderfully affectionate and close with you. And I see them do that with you. They know you’re not pretending, that you call it as it is, and they respect the hell out of that.”

How about that? I’d never realized that my inability to pretend would have its benefits. “It’s a little surreal to talk about being foster parents when my relationship with Quillon is still so new, yet it feels very right.”

Fir chuckled. “I bet that’s not something you thought you’d ever say, both the foster parent part and you going by feeling rather than fact.”

“Yeah, no kidding. He’s awakened parts of me I never knew I had.”

Fir took my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Love will do that to you.”

“Even the second time, like with you?”

“Hmm, good question. Tomás is very different from who Samuel was, so he brings out another side of me. We travel more, for example, which is something Samuel and I rarely did. That’s also because we were at a different stage in our lives. Samuel and I had young kids, which made doing stuff with just the two of us a lot harder.”

“And Tomás has money. Money always changes things,” I said.

“Very true. I’ve tried persuading Tomás to stop spending money on me, but I lost that battle. It’s one of the ways in which he shows his love, so I’ve learned to accept it.”

I grinned. “I’m sure it’s a real hardship to get used to having your rich boyfriend want to spend money on you.”

Fir laughed too. “It’s true suffering, I assure you.”

“I’m still in shock that I even have a boyfriend, so anything else is a bonus.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” Fir said, as always loyal to a fault.

For the first time, I agreed with him and meant it. Quillon had changed that in me as well. He’d made me realize I was a good man, someone worthy of being loved and finding happiness. Mere months ago, I would’ve denied this, would’ve argued with Fir that I should be grateful someone even wanted me. But now, I truly felt differently.

“He is…and I’m the luckiest man in the world to have him.”

24

QUILLON

Ileaned against the kitchen counter as York paced the length of the living room like a caged animal. He had that look again, the one where his genius mind tangled with an unseen adversary, his focus as sharp as a blade’s edge. Something had been bothering him all day.

“What’s going on, nerdy?” I asked. “What’s got you all wound up?”

He halted mid-pace. Had he heard me? As he turned around, the frustration was evident not just in the tight set of his jaw but also in the way his hands sought refuge in his pants pockets.

“It’s this damned fine-tuning I’ve been working at for the last weeks,” York said, his rich baritone laced with exasperation. “The mathematical model I’ve been developing is refusing to yield, and I can’t figure out where the problem is.”

His eyes, usually so warm and inviting, were now clouded. The brown irises that, under the right light, reminded me of aged whiskey seemed duller, robbed of their usual spark. He looked tired. Was it more than the stress of whatever mathematical problem was plaguing him? It wouldn’t surprise me.

“Sounds like you’re hitting a wall.” I pushed off from the counter and closed the distance between us.

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