GladYouCame (18 page)

Tony had just finished a customer’s transaction when a group
of people walked through the door. Mark made a beeline for the graphic novel
display while Cooper wandered over to the new release shelf with Scott. Allison
lagged behind, waiting while Tony rang up another customer’s purchase.

“Want your pull list, Al?”

“Sure. Think I forgot last week with Riley being sick.”

“She feeling any better?”

“Yeah, just a stomach bug going around the preschool. I’ve
learned that kids are pretty much miniature germ factories. Never thought I’d
be one of those people carrying around tissues and hand sanitizer everywhere.
Let alone think phrases like ‘Don’t pick your nose and eat it’. would become a
part of my everyday world.”

He chuckled as he handed her a bag filled with the selection
of comics he faithfully pulled for her week after week. He set Scott’s and
Mark’s bags on the counter as well, knowing they’d come over for them at some
point. Cooper always picked his selections himself because he was just that
anal. “Looks like a good batch this week. Marvel finally delivered on that alt
universe they’d been promising. I put a few issues of an up-and-coming indie
comic I thought you’d like. Something different than your usual superhero
selections.”

“Sweet. Thanks. Missed you during the game at Scott’s the
other night. And at Cooper’s dinner and movie night. Seems like you are
hellaciously busy all of a sudden.”

The thought of the reasons why he’d bailed on both events
caused his blood to run hot. He couldn’t very well tell Allison the exact
reason why he’d never shown up. She was probably the one person of all his
friends who would understand, but he wasn’t sure he was quite ready to share
the recent development in his life. “Sorry. Had some other stuff to take care
of that came up at the last minute. Turned out to be more consuming than I
thought.”

Her brows drew together. “Everything all right?”

“Just stuff. Nothing to worry about. I’ll make next week.”
Allison glanced over her shoulder, then reached out and grabbed Tony’s wrist.
“What the fu—”

“Just stuff, huh?” She brushed her thumb over the bruise on
his forearm, leaning closer. “I’d bet my stack of vintage comics you have more
stuff
in other places.”

She was right.

Wrists.

Thighs.

Shoulders.

All very visible reminders about a very enjoyable night
where he’d ended up feeling like a puddle of gelatinous goo thanks to Dade.
Genevieve had gone over to Elena’s house. And Dade had seen fit to take
advantage of the alone time. Tony had spent most of the night tied up to the
bed as Dade showed Tony just how much control, skill and precision he possessed
when it came to blow jobs.

Thankfully, fall allowed him to break out his long sleeve
shirts—which camouflaged most of the marks. But he’d rolled up his sleeves
earlier while working in the back. Had it been anyone else, he’d have thought
of some lie. Laughed it off as being klutzy. But Allison? He owed her more than
she realized. “I couldn’t make it because I was literally tied up.”

She blinked, a smile turning up the corner of her mouth. “So
the rumors are true.”

“What rumors?” Fear unfurled inside him. The three of them
had been so wrapped up in one another, he’d completely forgotten about the
Gatlin Falls express train to Gossipville.

“You subbing to Gen. I figured as much when you two got
married.”

Nice to know the gossips hadn’t come up with any new fodder.
None that he needed to worry. These people had no imagination. “Ah no. We tried
that route early on. Quite a disaster.”

“Oh. I thought—well, okay. I mean, I figured something
considering those bruises and all. Without going into a lot, I’ve had a few of
those same kinds of marks on me. But yeah.” Allison shrugged, shuffling through
her stack of comics. “Wait a second. If you—and she—and…” Her gaze fell to his
wrist again, recognition dawning. “Oh wow. So
that’s
the rumor that’s
true.”

“Don’t think I’ve ever been this hot of a topic before.”
Even when he’d run his mouth off to Patrick, he’d never been this popular.

“Occasionally they get it right. Just always hard to tell
sometimes even though I’ve made it a point not to pay attention.”

“I figured Patrick would have told you.”

“He’d been busy with construction and trying to run the
shop. Alex is heading back to help out and wow…Dade. I knew about the thing
with Genevieve. We talked about it at the picnic over the summer, but you and
him together. That is an interesting development. Good for you.”

He should have known Allison was someone who would have
accepted the truth without question. As far as he knew she hadn’t spilled the
news to anyone about the day years ago when she’d walked in on him with a gay
fetish magazine in hand. “We’re not exactly advertising it.”

“Oh I won’t say anything. Other than to give Patrick a
ration of shit if he knew and didn’t tell me. I assume Beth and Ryan know considering
Ryan’s his best friend.”

“I haven’t asked. But Beth…she’s known about Dade’s feelings
on the matter for a while.”

“Sounds like I need to call a girl’s night. Then, I can poke
on Gen some.”

“You just had one.” He shook his wrist when she looked confused.

“Oh that’s when—frak, man. You are something else.”

Tony crossed his arms and smirked. “Says the woman who had
sex with her boyfriend in my store how many years ago?”

“How did you know?” She glanced over her shoulder to see the
rest of their friends were standing on the far side of the store.

“Please. I know it was going to happen when you two walked
through the door. Had to run interference a few times. Which was fine until a
few of my regulars pulled up on their bikes. I yelled, but wasn’t sure if it’d
worked. That’s why I stuck my head in and asked if I’d stuck that special
edition Black Widow comic in your stack.”

“Smooth. Never even considered for a second that you knew
what was going on. God, I haven’t thought about that day in a while. Seems like
so long ago.” Her eyes glazed over as she stared at nothing in particular.
“Don’t get too many chances like that anymore. Not with Riley running about and
the warehouse gone.”

Nice to know Patrick and Allison had gotten so caught up in
their busy lives, they’d let the play they enjoyed fall by the wayside. And he
knew just how to help fix it. Tony leaned forward. “You know we’d be more than
happy to babysit the kiddo for a weekend. I’m sure Genevieve and Dade would
love it. Give you two some…time.”

“Really? That would be so fraking wonderful. I’ll mention it
to Patrick and see what he says.”

Talking of the past reminded Tony of something that still
gnawed at him. “I owe you an apology.”

“Bah. You apologized years ago.” She slipped her comics back
into the paper bag and handed it to him. “Stacks look good this week. Ring me
up.”

He keyed in her name, pulled up her account and added the
amount to the bill he would send her at the end of the month. As he slid the
bag toward her, he offered her a smile. “To Patrick, sure. But not to you.”

“You reacted. Anyone would have.”

And he’d reacted poorly. “I was trying to deal with a lot of
crap then. And I didn’t always choose the greatest outlet. Genevieve helped me
figure out a lot of things. Including this.”

She wrapped her hand around his. “Sounds like you have it
all figured it out then.”

“Nowhere close. But we try.” Sometimes it felt as though
they were stumbling along without a clear path laid out before them. Maybe he
and Genevieve hadn’t taken the most direct route to get to this point, but
sometimes the journey was just as important as the destination.

“I’m really happy for you two. Three,” she corrected with a
grin.

“Fitz, you have the new Green Lantern?” Scott leaned against
the counter, waiting.

“Sure. Hang on a sec and I’ll get it for you.” He squeezed
Allison’s hand. “We’ll talk later. How about getting together one night at
Brogans? Tomorrow night maybe? Get some drinks. Just a few of us where we can
talk a bit more freely.” Which meant no Cooper, Mark or Scott. No one to worry
about overhearing their conversation so they could speak freely about things.

“Sounds like fun.” Scott adjusted his glasses, tapping his
fingers against the case. “We can all meet up there for a bit, have a few brews
and then head over to my house for a gaming night.”

“Uh, sure.” That hadn’t been Tony’s intent, but he’d been
skipping out a lot on his friends and their meet-ups. It was the least he could
do to try to make it up to them.

* * * * *

“Are you and Tony coming home for Thanksgiving this year?”

Barely out of September and her mother had already starting
with her nagging. Wonderful. “We haven’t talked about it yet.” Genevieve hadn’t
done much talking to Tony at all. About anything. They were all too busy
jumping each other at every opportunity. Not that it was necessarily a bad
thing. But it didn’t leave much time for anything else. Such as making the trip
to Massachusetts for the holidays.

“Your sisters are coming. They’ll have the kids. Be nice to
have the whole family together.”

Genevieve sighed as she set down the bowl she’d been mixing
icing in. Her mother’s voice sounded heavy with disappointment. She’d been on
the receiving end of that tone enough times, she was surprised it wasn’t etched
into her brain. “Mom, we were all together last Christmas. And right before
summer break started. You act as though we ever see you.”

“It’s been quite a while.”

“As opposed to Tony who is lucky to see his family once
every few years because they’re so far away.” She wondered if her mother would
ever get tired of this particular argument. Tessa held up a tasting spoon to
Genevieve’s mouth. She swallowed the beef stew carefully, searching for the
familiar flavors. “Needs a bit more salt. Just a touch. Too much and you’ll
ruin it.”

“Genevieve are you even listening to me?”

“Yes, I am.” Well, half listening. She’d learned a long time
ago how to tune out most of the things her mother said and still manage to
carry on the conversation. “You want to know what we’re doing for Christmas.”

“And I asked if that meant you’re going to Ireland for the
holidays.”

“I didn’t say that.” Genevieve rolled her eyes as she set
the bowl down. “I simply said Tony doesn’t get to see his family much.”

“I can’t help that we’re not the Fitzgeralds.” They
certainly weren’t. “Nor can I do anything about the fact they moved out of the
country.” Her mother had never really warmed up to Tony. Never welcomed him
into the family like she had with Alaina and Rachelle’s husbands. And look how
those marriages had turned out. One had dissolved before it truly began. The
other was on the rocks at last report. All her mother cared about was the fact
there were no little Fitzgeralds bouncing on her knee. Emmanuelle embraced her
status as the matriarchal head of the Lamberts and thought she needed the
pitter patter of little feet to carry on her lineage.

Like she was Henry the VIII or something.

“Mom, we haven’t discussed what we’re doing for the holidays
yet because we’ve been busy. I promise when I know more, I will let you know
our plans.” As she hung up, she realized there was one extra person to take
into consideration. It wouldn’t be a simple matter of what she and Tony wanted
to do, but Dade as well.

Now wouldn’t that just spice up the Lambert’s Christmas
goose?

Mom, I’d like to introduce you to Dade Ellingson. He’s my
lover. And Tony’s too. I let them both dominate me when we have sex. Would you
like more pâté and wine?

“Genevieve, you have a visitor,” Greyson announced.

“Tessa, can you put this in the fridge for me? It needs to set
up a little bit before it can be served.”

“You got it, boss.”

She caught up with the man who had been a part of her staff
from day one. Fresh out of business school, Greyson Dent had thought he’d known
it all. She’d knocked him down a peg or two by purposefully giving him more
than he could handle. Now they were a well-oiled machine she felt confident
counting on. “Greyson, who is it?”

“Dade.” His deep chocolate eyes were alight with amusement
as he handed her a basket full of bread and a bottle of the house wine. “Asked
for the soup special. Or did you forget it was Friday night?”

She had. A dangerous position since she was the one
responsible for picking out the menus. Her mother had frazzled her nerves more
than she thought. Something Genevieve had promised herself she wouldn’t allow
to happen anymore.

Those nerves settled as she drew near Dade’s table. “That
looks delicious.”

“You must have been working hard if crusty bread looks
appetizing to you.”

Dade grabbed her hand. “I wasn’t talking about the bread.”
She felt her cheeks flush as he kissed her knuckles. “Don’t get me wrong, I
haven’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning, but I also haven’t eaten
you for a few days.”

Her cheeks heated even further. “We’ll just have to see what
we can do to break those fasts of yours. For right now, you’ll have to settle
for my food as I can’t offer up myself. I think most of the customers would
protest.”

“Believe me, Genie, there is never any settling when it
comes to your food.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Not when you’re sitting
there looking at me that way.”

She swallowed, her mouth as dry as the Sahara. “What way?”

“Like I’m a special on your menu.” Another tender kiss
against her knuckles. “Don’t worry. I understand completely because right now,
you smell like cake. And all I want to do is devour you.”

She spent the next few hours sheparding the regular herd of
customers in and out of the restaurant while doing her best not to think about
the hot ball of need sitting inside her. Dade had waited patiently though the
chaos of Friday night. His regular seating preference meant she was near his
table every time she’d stepped into the serving area. Those hot and hungry
looks he’d repeatedly fired her way certainly didn’t help matters. She didn’t
need to know the inner workings of his mind to know what each and every one of
those delicious smiles meant.