Page 17 of In the Name of the Father

Malcolm noted with concern that Seth’s leg has started jiggling again, the way he’d seen him do when he began to get upset.

“I don’t have anywhere to go.” He gazed up at Malcolm and licked his lips. Malcolm attempted to stop staring at Seth’s kissable mouth with little success. “Why would I be uncomfortable with the place you were going to invite me too?”

Malcolm blinked several times to bring himself back to the present. “Uh, I…”What was I talking about? “Oh, right. I never told you what business I have. I own a vineyard and need to head out there today. It’s a nice drive and I thought you might enjoy it.”

“I can go with you.” Seth’s words had tumbled out before Malcolm had barely finished speaking. “I mean, if I didn’t make you mad because of what I said about the wine.”

“Seth?” He kept his tone as even and gentle as he could. “There’s nothing for me to be mad about. Having an opinion, sharing how you feel about any subject, is not only acceptable to me, but essential. Iwantto know what’s going on in your mind. And even if I don’t agree with you, that’s not something to get angry about. Not if it’s from a place of personal truth.”

Seth worried his hands and his leg began to jiggle again. “But…you seemed angry at your friend a little while ago.”

Busted. “True. And I was wrong. He had an opinion that I didn’t agree with and I got mad. But I apologized and that’s the end of it.”

“And you’ll still stay good friends? He won’t want to get another friend instead?”

“No, sweetheart. Not when a friendship is real.”

Seth’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. Malcolm ran what he’d just said through his mind.

Fuck me.

“What I mean is… Uh, well we’re friends, right?”

Damage control.

Seth still held his hands clasped tightly together in his lap and his gaze remained fixed on Malcolm’s. “I think so. I consider you a friend.”

Malcolm smiled. “Good. Then if I’m a real friend, even if I was what mad at you—and I’m not—I’d still want to stay friends with you.” Malcolm rubbed the back of his neck as he pondered how to move them on to something new. “Hey, while I cook the omelet, can you help slice up the strawberries?”

Seth exhaled as if he was also glad for the change in subject. “Sure. Kitchen duty was mostly mine when growing up.” He wiped his palms on his jeans as if they’d been sweaty then stood. “I’m sure you’re much better at it than me, but I’ve made omelets before. Then you could, you know, sit and relax with your coffee.”

Malcolm resisted the urge to reprimand Seth over the hint of self-deprecation. There were nuances to Seth and his unique upbringing that Malcolm had never encountered before. A lighter touch was needed than he was typically used to.

“Well, that would be very nice. I can’t remember the last time someone has cooked for me.”

The grin that lit up Seth’s features told him he’d made the right call.

“Awesome. So, you go ahead and have a seat. I’ll poor you a fresh cup of coffee,” Seth grabbed his mug before he’d had the chance to drain the last drops. “You take it black, right?” Seth glanced over his shoulder when he reached the coffeemaker.

“I do. See? You also remembered.”

Seth’s grin remained on his lips as he went about pouring Malcolm’s coffee. “You know, I used to drink coffee black all the time, but that changed when I got here.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“My father felt it was too decadent to add milk and sugar, that a real man only drank it black.”

“But once you left, you could have it however you wanted.”I’d like to kick his father square in the—

Seth picked up the newly poured cup of coffee. “Oh no, not at all. I just started doing it because Icould, because he was no longer around telling me how I could drink it.” Seth brought the mug back to the table, his steps careful as he made his way across the kitchen. “Then I got used to it that way.” He gave a light laugh then even more carefully set the cup down in front of Malcolm.

“Thank you, Seth.”

“You’re welcome. I saw you already had cheese and ham out. Is there anything else you’d like to add to the omelet?”

“Not unless you do. I have mushrooms, onion and bell peppers.”

“I’m fine with just ham and cheese.”

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