Page 20 of Tangled Up In You
I could see why. There wasn’t anywhere quite like it.
Chapter 7
Hunter
“Such a shame about Bill,” my mom said as she gave me a hug. “He was such a kindhearted man. The world is a sadder place without him in it. When did Corbin get in town?”
“Wednesday.” I stepped back and fixed my tie. “I was with him when he made the arrangements for today, but I haven’t talked to him much since then.”
Mom watched me with concerned eyes. “Not sure what happened to put you boys so at odds all those years ago, but y’all were always so close. You can—”
“Mom, please not now,” I interrupted, shaking my head. “I told you it’s complicated. And now’s not the time.”
I had come out to my parents during my first year in college, but I had never told them about me and Corbin. It wasn’t my place toouthim to anyone. So, I’d come out on my own, and they’d been weird about it at first. It hadn’t taken them long to come to terms with it, though. The reason I gave them for mine and Corbin’s falling out had sort of been the truth, just minus a few details. I’d told them we’d had a huge fight about him going to USC, and we’d agreed it best we not talk anymore.
“Okay,” she said, rubbing my arm. “I’m glad he’s back in town. Even if it’s for a not so good reason.”
Dad got out of the car and approached us. His eyes were puffy, and I patted his back. I definitely got my sensitive side from him. He cried at everything; happy or sad. Over the years, he’d talked to Bill too, so I knew it was more than just an overly sensitive heart.
The service was being held in a funeral home downtown called Ocker’s. It was a nice brick building with a lot of greenery surrounding it, I guess in an attempt to give off a feeling of tranquility for the grieving families. But to me, it just kind of made it more sad. Not sure why, but it did.
An older man held the door open for us as we entered the building. He handed us a pamphlet for the service and on the front of it was a photo of Bill. It still seemed like a bad dream that he was actually gone.
There’d be no more days of me going over to his house after work and having dinner with him. No more of us sitting on his back porch and talking about life and how proud he was of Corbin—which he loved to do.
As I felt myself start to tear up, I took a deep breath and blinked them back.
“Hunter,” a husky, familiar voice said from behind me. I turned to see Corbin, and my breath caught in my throat. He was in a black suit that somehow looked different on him than it did on the rest of us. “Thank you for being here.”
“Of course,” I said, hugging him. I might’ve lingered in his arms a little longer than necessary, which I knew was a bad idea, but I couldn’t help myself. I missed him so much it hurt. “You know he was like my grandpa too.”
“I know.” He continued holding me before slowly pulling away. “Thanks for being there for him when I wasn’t.”
That one statement had so much guilt within it, and the look in his eyes mirrored that emotion. I knew him so well and no amount of time could change that.
“Don’t do this to yourself, Cor,” I said, refraining from reaching out to him again like I wanted. “Bill was so damn proud of you, and he understood why you weren’t around much. Your happiness is all he ever wanted.”
It’s all I ever wanted too, which is why I let you go.
“The service is about to start,” Corbin said, looking into the main room before turning back to me. His dark blond hair had that controlled messy look, and his gray eyes were big and vulnerable. “Will you sit with me?”
What he was really saying: I need you.
I nodded. “I’ll be with you the whole time.”
His eyes watered. “Thank you.”
We walked through the doors and took a seat in the front pew. Corbin had ensured Bill had the most beautiful service. The black casket was surrounded by gorgeous flower arrangements and topped with a burial wreath that looked to include an assortment of carnations, hydrangeas, and Stargazer lilies encased in aspidistra and ivy vines.
When the preacher began the introduction, talking about how great of a man Bill was and discussing parts of his life, Corbin reached over and grabbed my hand. He continued to stare straight ahead, but his fingers squeezed mine, as if I was his anchor.
Right then, I didn’t think of all the reasons I should keep him at a distance. All I thought about was how much he needed me, and how I wouldn’t let him down. I’d figure out everything else later, but for the moment, I was going to be there for my friend.
The seven years apart might’ve changed a lot, but that wasn’t one of them.
***
After one hell of an emotional day, Corbin asked me to come over to his grandpa’s house. Well, it was technically his house now, since Bill had left everything to him in his will, but to us, it’d always be Bill’s place.
