Page 72 of Wrap Around
“Lily made me realize I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but I don’t want to be afraid of whatever comes next. I just want to know we’re both in this, that whatever does come, we’ll handle it together.”
“Together,” I agree, sleepy and sated.
“Or whatever.”
Going back to real life after a week of being entirely wrapped up in each other is both hard and happy. Life feels so loud and fast outside the bubble we built in that cabin. Clothes feel heavier, and reminding ourselves that we can’t just touch or fondle each other at every moment of the day takes a day to get used to. Luckily, we’re just at home, because neither of us can help the light touches or caresses every time we pass each other in the kitchen or hallway. Wherever we sit, whether it be in bed or on the couch during family time, we don’t just sit together, we wrap ourselves around each other. Lily couldn’t be happier for us, she keeps repeating how happy she is to see us this way.
There are still a few days left of our break, which we spend as a family. We shove warmers in our pockets and wrap ourselves in multiple layers and take Addy to the zoo one day, otherwise we mostly explore inside attractions. We spend a night at a luxury hotel where we send Lily off for a massage while we spend the day splashing in the indoor pool with Addy.
Somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten to worry about what others think or might guess about our relationship with each other. It follows us to work when we show up for practice on the Friday that marks the end of our break. We don’t even notice the stares when we show up all but holding hands, until we realizehow closely we’re standing together in the locker room while catching up with the rest of our teammates.
“How come we didn’t see you over the break?” Tim Landon asks Gideon. “You always join us for a drink or workouts during breaks.”
“Yeah, sorry. I was busy. Went out of town for a bit.”
“Oh yeah? Where’d ya go?” Landon isn’t digging, he’s just being friendly. Everyone’s asking what each other was up to. But Gideon’s eyes flick up to mine, unsure of what to say. I’m surprised that he isn’t more worried, it’s more like he’s asking for permission. I shrug, because I’m not really sure what to say, either. I know that at least a few of our teammates won’t have any issues with us.
As Gideon is telling Landon half-truths, skipping the cabin and focusing on our family trip to the zoo, I notice Casey Ives watching me. I smile and ask about his break, but he’s quiet. When he glances around us to make sure no one is paying attention, I realize he’s caught on. I’m surprised about his serious tone, though.
“Really?”
I rear back, not sure if I’m more confused or offended by his judgement. “What are you talking about?”
“You and Gideon?”
One of my shoulders rises, and I dip my chin. My shy smile isn’t avoidable, even if he doesn’t seem to approve for whatever reason. I kind of love that someone knows. It makes it feel more real.
Ives sighs, and I focus on his expression. “What is the issue here exactly?”
He cuts his eyes away, weighing his words. Blowing out a breath, he turns his concerned blue gaze on me. “It’s just… Lily is such a nice person. And he’s her brother. I don’t want to see anyone hurt, but especially not her. And baby Adaline,” he says, his accent curls around her name, making it sound like she’s some kind of princess. Which she kind of is, to us, at least.
I sigh a breath of relief when I realize that Ives’ issue isn’t with us, it’s that he thinks we’re cheating on my wife. Which is what everyone is going to think. I bite my lip and make plans to tell Gideon we have to be more careful. When it was just about our relationship together, I don’t think I really cared if it got out. But having people think I’m running around on the most amazing woman in the world doesn’t sit right. We need to come up with a plan.
“Lily knows,” I tell him quietly. “It’s okay. She and I… We’re married, but it’s not real.”
His brow furrows for a moment, but then his eyes widen. “Ah!” He says, sounding very French. “A lavender marriage, then?”
“A what?”
Thomas Valdez chooses that moment to walk in on our conversation. Plopping his bag down on the bench between us. He grins happily, completely oblivious that he’s interjecting into a very private conversation.
“It’s when a straight person and a gay person get married, right? Like a beard?”
Ives and I both freeze. His eyes try to convey an apology, but I shake my head slightly, hoping that Valdez will move on to the next topic.
But Valdez, as happy-go-lucky as he is, is more observant than I thought he was. Because he looks back and forth at me, then Ives, then me again, then behind me. I look over my shoulder to find Gideon watching. He smiles when I catchhis eye.
I look away quickly, trying to hide the automatic smile that wants to stretch across my face. My cheeks heat.
We’re so screwed.
Tentatively cutting my eyes over to Valdez, I watch his face cycle through a myriad of expressions as he processes what he thinks he heard and what he definitely saw. He settles on a wide-eyed, open-mouthed grin.
“No shit!”
Ives and I hurry to shush him.
“Sorry, sorry. We’re all good. I’m not about to out your shit, man.”
