Page 90 of A Simple Mistake
“What?”
“Didn’t I tell you?My mother called me while we still had the police crawling over the hall and garden and asked me when I was going to put the house up for sale.She said our home was compromised.Tainted.That Nico and Daniel needed a place without negative associations to feel safe.”
“So that’s what drove you to Purple Line,” Jack exhaled frustrations he hadn’t known bothered him.“Your mother’s suggestion and Daniel preferring to be away from home.And then I made you take the boys to Aidan.”
“You didn’t make me do anything.You were repairing the backdoor.”
“Semantics.You had to take the boys out of our home because they no longer felt safe there, and it bugged you.”
“Granted.”
Jack leaned, let Gareth take his weight in a move that soothed them both.“We’re idiots, aren’t we?”
“Not.We’re making a family with nothing more than heart and stupid determination.Worrying is normal.”
“If you say so.”He felt Gareth’s fingers twine into his hair, felt him rub gently at his nape, soothing and grounding.It helped.“We need a plan,” he said.“For asking, I mean.”
“I know what you meant and… how about breakfast?”
Given the ridiculously early hour, they returned to their room to shower first, and Gareth did his best to help Jack relax.The sight of his hands on Jack, of Jack leaning into him, and giving in to pleasure would never get any less arousing.Or stop feeling like the greatest gift he’d ever received.
“If you hadn’t picked Nancarrow Mining to work for,” he mused, running a towel over Jack’s damp hair, “where would you have gone?”
“I had a shortlist of five.”
“And Nancarrow was fifth on your list?”
“First,” Jack disagreed.“I always start from the top.Fewer compromises that way.”
“Logic, thy name is Horwood.”
“Efficiency, surely.”Jack stepped out of Gareth’s hold and went to dress—and Gareth let him go.
By the time he heard Jack’s slippers scuffling the tiles, Gareth had a massive bowl of pancake batter ready and two pans heating on the stove.Whatever their individual comfort food preferences, pancakes and pizza were their family treats.He remembered epic pancake feasts when nightmares had kept Nico and Daniel awake or when the four of them had wanted to cement their bond.It was only fitting to have this morning’s discussion over pancakes, too.
Gareth wasn’t the only one with a good memory, either.
“Why are you cooking a pancake feast?”Nico queried as soon as he stepped into the kitchen.
Gareth bit back a sigh.Of course, Nico wouldn’t just sit down and eat.“Because we need to ask you something, and I thought doing it over food was easiest.”
“You said that the last time.”He didn’t specify which ‘last time’ he referred to.
“I’ll say it every time, Nico.I can’t think of a problem that can’t be discussed over food.So… are you eating with us?”
“Of course I’m eating with you.Would I turn down pancakes?”He settled in his usual seat, lifted the first pancake off the stack onto his plate, and reached for the chocolate spread.
Daniel wasn’t noticeably slower, though he covered his pancake in a thick layer of fruit compote and heaped cream on top.“Go ahead and ask,” he said once he’d taken his first bite.“What’s the problem?”
“This house,” Gareth said, wanting to spare Jack.“We’re wondering if you’re still feeling safe here, or whether we should move.”
“You’re joking, right?You fell in love with this house, and Jack didn’t mind buying it, despite being held hostage there.”
“That’s true, but Daniel… You’re not Jack, and you’re not me.If you don’t feel safe here, we’re moving—never mind how much we love this kitchen and what plans we have.”
“Is that because we went to Aidan the day after the attack?”Nico doctored another pancake.“If it is… tell him, Daniel!”
Daniel’s gaze moved between them.“We were afraid when Pavel broke in.But we had a way out, and we had backup.We helped.”
