Page 63 of More Than a Spark

“I wasn’t asking for that. You don’t have to invite me to dinner.” I scoffed. “I just wanted you to know that I moved back here.” Fuck, that was mean. Why did I say that?

Milo twined his fingers in my free hand and squeezed.

“Ryder, you’re still my son, even if you turned down the opportunities I could have given you.” She breathed through the phone. “Malcolm and I haven’t seen you in ages. Tell me when you’re free and we’ll have dinner.”

Malcolm, the snobby jerk. “Is it okay if I bring Milo to dinner?” My gaze cut to his and his eyes rounded. If I was going to do this, I’d need him there. He’d met her a few times, so it wouldn’t be too weird.

“Oh, you’re still going around with that gay boy?” she asked.

“Mom, he’s not a boy. He’s a man now and yes.” I tightened the grip on my phone. Through my teeth, I said, “Milo’s in college and about to graduate. He’s on his way to getting a coveted job with a big gaming company in a few months.”What do you think about that, Mom?My chest pinched. Maybe I was a loser to her, but my gay friend, fuck,my boyfriendwas not.

“Of course, Milo can come. I’d love to see him again,” She said. “You know Malcolm is on the board of one of those gaming companies. It’s big business.”

“Yeah? Which one?” I took deep breaths, attempting to calm myself. What had I just gotten myself into here? Was I ready to come out to her at dinner? Holy fuck.

“I think it’s like action something or something action, I don’t remember.” She freed a soft laugh. “Let me know when you’re free. Maybe next weekend?”

“Uh, sure.” I slumped my shoulders. I’d given in and there was nothing left to say. “See you soon, Mom.”

“See you. I’ll be in touch.” She ended the call.

SEVENTEEN

MILO

“Ryder, what the hell? Dinner with your Mom? Next weekend?” I stared at him, my heart thumping out of control. Did he have any idea what he’d just done? And telling her I was going to work for AllAction when all I’d done is agreed to go to their on-campus event with probably dozens of other students?

“I’m sorry? Should I tell her you can’t make it?” He swallowed thickly, fixating on me.

“No, but…” I dropped my gaze to our entwined hands, resting on the bed between us. It would be okay. We’d make this work. “Do you plan on coming out to her?” If he wasn’t, how were we going to hide what we had?

He squeezed my hand. “I uh, I wasn’t, but if you?—”

“I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for.” My gaze snapped to his. “I just don’t know how to hide this.” I held up our hands and kissed his knuckles, my heartbeat settling. It wasn’t his fault. He was always out of sorts after he talked to his mother.

He swallowed again. “Hazel said I should wait to tell her. She wasn’t sure how our mom would take it.” He pressed his lips together. “Fuck, she already thinks I’m a loser.”

“Stop it. You’re not a loser and it doesn’t matter what she thinks.” I hooked an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, then kissed the side of his head as he slumped into me and buried his face in my neck. Every time he’d been around his mother, he thought less of himself. Maybe he should have turned down her invitation to dinner. But fuck, she was his mother. “When was the last time you actuallysawyour mom?”

“I don’t even remember. Maybe two years ago?” He lifted his head and winced.

“Two years?” I gaped. I couldn’t imagine not seeing my dad for that long, even though he was a douche. But Ryder had made a mission out of finding ways to avoid his mom. “I guess it’s time you saw her.”

“Yeah, she caught me off guard and I didn’t have a reason to say no.” He tilted his head, his gaze searching my face. “I thought with you there, it wouldn’t be so bad.” He shrugged a shoulder. “Hell, maybe you and dick head Malcolm will have something in common to talk about.”

I let a smile tease my lips. “Yeah, like maybe he could put in a good word for me at AllAction?” I shook my head. As if that would happen.

“You never know.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “That place would be stupid not to hire you.”

An ache wound through my chest. “Ryder, I can’t work there. The company headquarters are in Seattle. I’d have to move.” I straightened and chewed my lower lip. Holy shit, was I admitting to him that I was committed enough to us to give up my dream job and stay with him?

“What do you mean?” He knitted his brows.

I turned and fell backward on the bed, then covered my face with my hands. Fuck, we hadn’t even said,I love youyet. How was I supposed to tell him I’d turn down this job for him? “Nothing.”

He lay down on his side and grabbed my hand, moving it from my face. “Milo, if you get that job, you have to take it.” He wrinkled his brows. “We’ll figure something out, okay?”

Were we really having this conversation right now? A pit formed in my stomach. I couldn’t lose him, no way, not now. “I haven’t been offered the job. I haven’t even had an interview. There’s no point in even discussing this.” Especially since I didn’t like the direction the discussion was going in. I chuckled through a sigh. “I’ll probably end up working at the place I’m at. Okay?”

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