Page 86 of Filtration Play
“They/them,” they said, their gaze softening. “Thanks for asking, babe.”
Ollie knocked Fin in the shoulder. “Nuh-uh, with the ‘babe’ and smooth-talking. Hands off my sister.”
“Maybe I’ll come out as queer at the next family gathering and get myself a hot partner,” Ames said with a sniff.
Fin’s expression was pure mischief. “See, she thinks I’m hot.”
“Because you are.” Ollie nudged them in the side. “But you’ve already got an overinflated ego, which doesn’t need more expanding.”
“Come on into the kitchen before the dip’s gone.” Luke clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave a forceful nudge. “Plus, Izzy’s arguing with her boyfriend, and I’m pretty sure they’re going to break up tonight, which is all sorts of awks.”
“Want me to add fuel to the fire?” Fin asked. “I could pretend to be a long-lost lover.”
“That’d be a no.” He grabbed their hand and dragged them toward the kitchen. “You’ve only met Izzy once, but if she’s fired up, she gets stabby.”
True to what Luke had said, the moment they stepped into the kitchen, they caught Izzy in a whisper-hiss argument with her boyfriend. The energy between them was hostile at minimum. Dad bustled around at the stove, ignoring what was going on.
“What’re you making?” Ollie asked.
“Potato soup,” Dad said. “Jules brought a bunch of other sides as well, but this is almost done.” He set the stirring spoon down, wiped his hands on his beat-up jeans, and faced him. “C’mere.”
Ollie crushed his dad into a bear hug. He’d never known the father pre-Mom’s death, the one who wasn’t always a little weary or frayed around the edges, but he saw more of him now. Raising five kids while working around the clock couldn’t have been easy, but Julian and Izzy had stepped up to help as best they could. His heart thrummed a little faster as Dad’s gaze switched to Fin.
“This is my partner, Fin,” he said.
Dad’s eyes crinkled at the edges. “You’re the one who wore down Ollie? Good job.”
Fin’s eyes widened, and a small smile emerged on their face.
Dad stepped away from him and opened his arms. “This is a family of huggers, if you’re comfortable.”
Fin walked in, and Dad crushed them in another of his fierce hugs. Fin’s lower lip wobbled for a second, and Ollie’s heart thumped hard. This had to be difficult for them.
“Let’s go throw our jackets into the living room before we get mobbed by the rest of the family.” Ollie wrapped an arm around Fin’s shoulder and swept them in that direction.
They made it to the other room, which was blessedly free from siblings. At least for the next few seconds.
“You okay?” he asked.
Fin nodded and speared fingers through their hair. “Dunno what I was bracing for. Maybe a few more plates thrown? Some slurs tossed around? Shit, no one’s even been sucker-punched.”
Ollie wanted to pull them in his arms, their pain rife in the air, but he waited.
They glanced up at him and rested a hand on his hip. “Thanks for bringing me here. I thought family was this terrifying thing, and I’d been bracing myself ever since you brought it up. But the energy here? It’s familiar.”
Ollie grinned. “It’s what you have with the crew at Whipped.”
“Damn right.” They sucked in a shaky breath. “Now, let’s go back so I can hit on your dad next.”
“You’re such a shit.” He smiled so hard his cheeks hurt.
“True, but you love me.” They winked and walked back to the kitchen.
Ollie had never heard a truer statement in his life.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The day of the photography exhibition at Whipped had arrived, and Fin was going to shit a brick. Or shit themself. They weren’t sure, but either way, their stomach was in knots.
