Page 50 of The Long Game

Jack turned back to the table, disconcerted to find everyone grinning at them. He considered, for approximately one hundredth of a second, letting go of Grady’s hand.

Nope.

Instead, he made a mental note to explain how this was just a friend thing and encourage his wonderful friends tochill the fuck out.

He looked at Callum and Rupert. “I don’t know how much you know about what’s going on with Colton.”

Christian glanced at his fathers guiltily.

“Christian has told us some of it,” Callum hedged.

“It’s okay,” Grady said. “I’m not going to be upset if he told you the whole sordid story.” He gestured across the table. “Barnaby and Travis know.”

Christian let out the breath he’d been holding. “I didn’t want to betray anyone’s confidences, but Colt told me about your family. About why he’s been living on the streets.”

Jack’s heart ached at the confirmation of what Colton’s living situation had been for at least some of the past couple of years.

“He told me you asked him to come live with you,” Christian continued, “which I think is awesome.” Christian’s smile faded to something sadder. “But he also said he didn’t know if it was a good idea. He’s really stressed about it.”

“Can you tell uswhyhe’s stressed?” Grady asked.

Christian shook his head. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” His tone said it wasn’t that he didn’t know, it was that he’d promised notto betray Colton’s confidence. Christian looked to his fathers, seeking guidance on what to do.

Jack had never in his lifelooked to either of his parents like that, and he wondered what it would be like if someone—ifColton—were to look at him with that level of trust, to seek him out for love and support.

It was a startling thought. Even more startling, though, was that Jack liked the idea. Wanted it, even.

“I told him I thought living with you would be great,” Christian said. “And I talk up Moncton and how we could hang out and stuff, but maybe that stresses him out more.”

Grady smiled. “Thanks for encouraging him to think about it. That…that means a lot to us.”

Callum mouthedusand Rupert wore a bemused expression as he studied Jack.

“Colton won’t talk to us about what’s on his mind,” Jack said, focusing on Christian instead of his weirdo parents. “I was thinking maybe…”

“I’d know?” Christian ventured.

“Yes, but we respect that you have to keep your promises,” Jack assured him. “We just thought your dads might be able to give us advice on how to fix this.”

Callum’s eyebrows rose. “Why us?”

“Because you’re, like, super-dads,” Jack said, theduhclear in his voice.

Callum crowed, “We’ve got ’em all fooled!”

He and Rupert high-fived.

Eleanor, who had always struck Jack as a very sensible baby, objected with a loud squawk. Callum offered her a hunk of bagel, which apparently made an acceptable peace offering.

“Okay, being serious,” Rupert said. “I’m not sure we know Colton well enough to be much help.”

“Can I ask what these two did to make you decide this was an okay place to live?” Grady asked Christian.

Christian smiled. “They accepted me.”

“Me, too,” Barnaby said with a self-conscious shrug.

Oliver’s head popped up over the back of the couch. “And they made me feel safe.”

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