Page 62 of Beau Pair
Beau
“And what are you goin’ to do there?”
“I don’t know, Mama. What do people do in national parks? Relax, explore, eat,” I tell Mama Hadlee on the phone, and I can sense Gordon’s gaze on me as he drives Scarlet along the highway.
“And the baby is going to be there with her mama and Zoe?” she asks as if we haven’t been over this a hundred times.
“Yes, Mama. We’re spending the day together. All of us,” I say, and I try to sound casual. I don’t want Gordon thinking Mama doesn’t like him.
“You kids better be careful. You don’t know what you’re getting yourselves into.”
“We’re not getting into anything,” I say.
“‘Course you are. You’re getting in the way of a family,” she says.
“Mama, we’ve been over this.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. They’re both gay and not a couple. That’s not what I mean. They’re a family regardless of their sexualities. They’re a unit. They have a daughter together. They’re older than you. I don’t know about Zoe, but you’re their babysitter, Beaumont.”
“I know that.”
I’m not exactly sure what she’s getting at, but I know she thinks it’s weird I’m dating my boss. After our first chat about it, she’d told me her true feelings about it. Of course, I know it all comes from a place of love, but I wish she could see it from my point of view. No one else can. Yes, I’d probably think the same as her if I were in her shoes, but… I can’t explain it. I just know Gordon loves me, and I love him too. And yes, it should be weird, but it isn’t.
There’s a lot of weird things in the world, but loving someone, no matter who, isn’t one of them.
“I just don’t want you getting hurt. Either of you. Zoe and you deserve a good life. Just… don’t rush into anything, get too invested and get your hearts broken in the process,” she says when I don’t speak for a few moments.
“Yes, Mama,” I tell her, more to reassure her than anything else.
It’s already a little too late not to get invested. For both of us.
“Speak later, Mama.” There’s no point continuing this conversation, in Gordon’s presence nonetheless, because it’s going around in circles.
“Love you, sweetpie. Be careful,” she replies, and hangs up.
“Everything okay?” Gordon asks next to me.
I set my phone down next to me and turn to smile at him.
“All good,” I reply.
“You know I could hear all that, right?”
My eyes shoot wide open, and I freeze. Crap. Why didn’t I turn the volume down? Now he thinks Mama hates him, but I also don’t want him to think that I’m having my doubts.
“She’s just—” I start, but he chuckles.
“Being a protective mama-bear? Well, yeah. Wouldn’t expect any less from her,” he says. “Don’t worry. I’ve got every intention of proving her wrong. While making her fall in love with me at the same time.”
“You’ve got high hopes,” I tease.
“I madeyoufall for me, didn’t I?”
“Mama Hadlee isn’t easy like me,” I reply, and he laughs.
“I’m sure I’ll find a way to charm her, anyway.”
He will. I know he will. Who could ever resist Gordon? I certainly can’t. And I’ve seen how my classmates look at him. Those who aren’t terrified of him—he is quite strict, which may or may not be a turn-on—look at him like a fucking appetizer. Especially the girls. For a gay man, he has quite a few girls thirsting after him. And it takes all my willpower not to tell them he’s taken and tongue him in the middle of class.
