LOGINMy dad greets him with such genuine joy and excitement that it makes my heart swell with joy. They talk for a few minutes about Dominic’s day before dad gives him a little nudge back towards the gate where Kent and I are waiting. Dominic gives dad a kiss before running ahead again. My dad waves to
“Papa!” Dominic shouts, startling me out of my reverie as he drops my hand and darts down the road. I look up, a huge smile breaking out on my face again as I see Kent on the sidewalk just ahead. His back is to us as he speaks companionably with the butcher, a heavy bag of his purchases already hung
As I walk down the street towards the little Italian kindergarten, the whispers start around me, as they always do. I listen to all of them, a big German Shepherd padding quietly at my heels. “Is that her?” “Yes, that’s the one – I heard she was her husband’s mistress before he married her – tha
Both Kent and I laugh, but Don Bianci – across the baptismal font from us – snaps his eyes up, perhaps not liking the joke as much as we do. But I just ignore it, because dad’s right, frankly – and it’s too happy a day to care. After the final blessing everyone applauds Dominic – he likes that, bl
“Well, it didn’t seem to affect your first very badly,” Ivan says with a shrug, peering around Kent to where Daniel is laughing with an arm around Jerome’s shoulders. “So…maybe keep it up.” I smirk, squeezing Ivan’s hand once more before standing and moving to Kent’s side, tucking myself against h
“Hey, gorgeous,” Ivan says, his mouth turned up in a smirk as I cross the churchyard, beaming at him. “Look who’s talking,” I say, laughing and reaching for him when I come close enough. Ivan wraps me in a hug, dropping a kiss to my cheek as I hold Dominic a bit to the side so he doesn’t get squis
As I do, Kent turns to glare at me, for just a moment, his expression clearly communicating you’re going to pay for that. I just blink up at him for a second, my fierce eyes saying I’d better. And then I turn back to Daniel, smiling at him and joining in on the laughter even though I have no id
I blush a little, embarrassed that it’s been that obvious. “You don’t get it, dad,” I say, tracing a finger along the wood of the bench before I look up into his eyes. “Daniel and I…we’re dedicated to one another.” “Dedication makes a better match than passion,” he says, considering. I blush a
“Flip me over,” I say, the words falling from my lips before I knew I was thinking them. A hungry little noise echoes in Kent’s chest as he moves the hand from my face and slips it beneath me, grabbing me from behind by my far hip and flipping me over in one quick movement, just as I asked. “Now wh
I quickly type out a reply: Hey, it’s Fay. Daniel and I went out for drinks to blow off steam. We’re safe. We just…don’t want to be around them right now. All right? I wait a few moments and am pleased when a text comes right back. All right. Come home tonight. I want both of you here, safe.







