Page 77 of Comforting the Grump

“I wish I could say the same,” Hadley said with a pointed look, then enveloped Ennio in a warm hug that made me go all soft inside. “But it’s so lovely to meet you. I’m Hadley, Sebastian’s husband.”

His instant acceptance meant a lot to me but even more to Ennio, who was beaming as if he’d won the lottery. “Thank you. I’m so honored to be here.”

“God, you look amazing,” Hadley said. “That outfit is absolutely fabulous, and that color looks perfect on you.”

Okay, now I couldn’t dislike him anymore, not even when he was on my ass about something. But it made me so happy to see him accept Ennio with such ease and affirm him in his outfit. Not that I had expected anything less, but still. It meant the world to Ennio. That much was obvious.

Hadley put his arm through Ennio’s. “Let me introduce you to some people, and in between, you can tell me how you’re able to put up with Mr. Grumpy there.”

Ennio didn’t miss a beat. “The sex makes up for a lot.”

Hadley laughed so hard that everyone around us looked his way, though he ignored it. “You and I are gonna be great friends.”

Before I knew it, he’d whisked Ennio away.

“Those two are gonna be trouble,” Sebastian said, but he didn’t look like he minded.

“Ennio was insecure about how he’d be received here,” I said softly.

“Because of his style?”

That was a surprisingly sensitive word for Sebastian, who wasn’t known for mincing words—one of the reasons he and I got along so well. “Yeah. He’s flamboyant and glittery, and not everyone can appreciate that.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Fuck the haters. Who cares? Life’s too short to worry about other people’s opinions.”

“True, but that’s not always easy. I’m grateful Hadley took him under his wing.”

Sebastian’s expression softened. “Hadley is sensitive to other people’s emotions. His childhood wasn’t easy, and he’s been through a lot. It’s made him very observant…unlike me. He often has to tell me stuff about people because I don’t see it.”

“You guys make a good team, then.”

“The best. I’ll be eternally grateful that he chose me. I know everyone thinks I’m the catch, what with my wealth and all, but the truth is he married down. He’s my sun, and I’m lucky to be in his orbit.”

Surprisingly poetic words for a geek, yet I sensed the sincerity behind them. And even more shocking was that I recognized the sentiment as well. “I never thought I’d find someone who would like me the way I am. I’m not exactly easy nor low maintenance.”

Sebastian let out a dry chuckle. “You’re preaching to the choir here. I was an asshole before Hadley came into my life—or so I’ve been told repeatedly. He changed me. I guess that’s what love does, cheesy as it may sound.”

Love. There was a word that would’ve sent me running in the other direction mere weeks ago, and while it still terrified me, it was now for a whole different reason. “I’m scared I’m gonna fuck it up with Ennio,” I said softly.

Sebastian didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, you will. Trust me on this. You’ll fuck up repeatedly.”

“But then how?—”

“—and he’ll forgive you, and you’ll both learn from it. No relationship is perfect, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to be. That’s love for ya.”

Sheriff Frant’s words at his birthday party came to mind.Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

I was certain I’d omitted some of it, but I’d never been much for Bible verses. But this one had hit me hard…and it did all over again.

My parents had never shown me love like that. I had no clue if the woman who’d given birth to me was even still alive—not that I cared, to be clear—but she’d walked out on me when I was two. Definitely not eligible for a Mother of the Year award. My father had been a miserable, drunk, abusive bastard his entire life. He hadn’t ever given me any affection.

But Auden’s parents had. They’d shown me what unconditional love looked like. They’d opened their house and hearts to me…and Sheriff Frant had called me a bonus son, goddammit. The man loved me as he did his own kids, and how was that not a miracle?

I’d told Ennio I’d never had an example of what love looked like, of what a good relationship looked like, but that was a lie. Auden’s parents had shown me, and his dad proved it again with Cora.

Auden himself had demonstrated it with Tricia and now with Keaton. His marriage with Tricia might not have lasted, but they were still close friends and had set a high standard for what an amicable divorce and co-parenting should look like. And his marriage to Keaton was sheer perfection, even though it was nauseating to watch at times.

I did know what love looked like because I had people in my life who loved me the way I was. Auden, first and foremost, butalso Tiago and Tomás, and now even York and Fir. None of them had ever tried to change me despite me being a grumpy asshole.

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