Page 20 of One Chance to Stay
Okay, put my less-than-rigid sexuality aside. This all started because of my fascination with Seamus. Why? He might have a prickly exterior, but why did I insist on pushing that boundary? I could lie and say it had something to do with him saving me, but truth be told, something about his kindness and delivery didn’t align.
I got out of bed searching for my underwear, thinking Seamus wanted nothing to do with me. This wasn’t how I typically consoled the patrons at the bar.
Then I found confirmation. Whatever happened to us had been well received. My clothes sat neatly folded on the corner of the bed. Downstairs, I could smell a fresh pot of coffee, and a single cup sat on the table where I had sat days before. I helped myself, returning to the living room, where the night had taken a sudden turn.
I sipped the dark, bitter brew as I studied the faces in the pictures. The young girl in the photos provided a timeline. At her youngest, Seamus had a smile as he lifted her into the air.By the time she reached graduation, the luster had been robbed from his eyes. Something had happened, and I suspect it had something to do with the lack of mom. I had questions, ones far too private to ask without pushing Seamus away.
Once I washed the mug, setting it next to the other on the drying rack, I returned to town. Before I entered the library, I had seen his truck parked in front of the hardware store. Part of me wanted to go in and dial the charm to an eleven, but I needed to figure out my issues.
“Ahem.”
Lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t seen Firefly’s resident librarian sneak from his desk to the sitting area. I had seen him naked on the calendar, seated behind a desk, but I couldn’t recall if I had ever seen him at the bar. He fell into the bear category, and I’d call him handsome.
“Mind if I have a seat? If I stare at invoices any longer, my brain might explode.”
I gestured to the empty chair. “By all means.”
He took a seat while I studied him. Handsome, but even as I tried to imagine myself naked with him, my brain confirmed that not all men were created equal. Good looking, yes, but there was no need to see more than I already had.
“Patrick, right?” I saluted with my coffee. “You’re staying at my boyfriend’s sister’s bed-and-breakfast. How’s that for small-town interconnectedness?”
“That’s it? I would have assumed?—”
“It’s my boyfriend’s late grandmother’s house.”
I cracked a smile. “That’s the small town I expected, right there.”
“Hey, say what you will, but you’d be surprised how fast it ropes you in.”
“I’m a guest star on this sitcom.”
Tyler crossed his legs, revealing a pair of knitted, multi-color socks. Along with his jeans and oversized sweater, it completed the look. I’d call the expression smug, as if he had a secret he knew would prove me wrong.
“You know Mabel?”
“Syrup? Yeah, she performs at Spectrum.”
“And she hosts our Drag Reading Hour with the kids.” His arms went wide, as if he had proved his point. “First line of connection. If you want, I’m sure I could figure out how you’re related to?—”
“I get it,” I said with a smirk. “Maine is just a big small town.”
“How are you liking Firefly?”
In another state, the question might have come across as innocent. Small talk always had an underlying question. I knew Jon wasn’t from here, but his boyfriend had been born and raised in Firefly. Anything said aloud risked becoming fodder for idle gossip.
“It’s familiar.” I made it sound like a negative. “It’s like every other small town in Maine. It has all the same storefronts and businesses. There are a dozen like it. It feels like I’ve been here before.”
“And then you meet the people.” He laughed. “You’re family by heritage.”
“Yes!” He had hit it on the head. “Were they like this when Jon moved here?”
“I can’t tell you how many pies they baked him.” He poked his belly. “Ten pounds, I tell you.”
Tyler, much like Gladys, embodied small-town charm. They were proud to live in this close-knit community. For better or worse, they were family by geography. It’s also what made me hesitate with my next question.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
