Page 18 of Dean (Unexpected #9)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DEAN

“I think I saw Ben with a shit ton of dildos,” I say, and Avery’s eyes widen, a laugh slipping from his lips.

“The fuck?”

“Yeah, I went over this morning to ask him to go to breakfast but he can’t until tomorrow. Anyway, I saw him shoving a bunch of dildos into a duffle bag.”

“Well, that must be traumatizing.”

“It was,” I say, running a hand across my face. “I need to bleach my eyeballs. Fuck. I don’t want to know what he’s doing with those.”

“Me either. Jesus.” Avery says just as his phone rings.

He glances down at it, and my fists clench when I think it could be Nick. But it’s not. His lips curl up and he taps his screen to answer.

“Hold that thought…Amanda!”

“Hey, loser,” she says and then giggles. He’s put her on speaker, and I feel happy to be included in the conversation.

“If I’m a loser, then what are you?”

“Your most favorite sister,” she replies, making me chuckle .

Avery grins at me, and Amanda gasps, “Oh, who are you with? Are you with someone?”

I arch an eyebrow at Avery, waiting to see what he’ll say. What does he think we are?

“Well, it’s my roommate…a guy I kind of like.”

“Kind of?” Amanda asks and then snorts.

“I mean…I guess I like him more than I’d rather admit.”

My cheeks flush and I pull him into me, making him squeak slightly.

“He likes me a hell of a lot,” I grumble, and Amanda squeals.

“Oh! Oh, are you boyfriends? Oh, do I get to meet him in San Diego? Avery, please bring him to San Diego.”

“Would you like to come to San Diego with me?” he asks, and I pull him in for a kiss.

“I would. I’d like to meet your sister.” I really want her approval.

“Oh yes, I can’t wait. Mom and Dad didn’t want me to go, but I’ve raised the money I need to go all by myself, so they can’t really stop me.”

“Good. Just don’t tell them you’re seeing me.”

“Oh, that’s top secret, bro. Don’t worry. I don’t want them to know anything about my life. I can’t wait until I’m eighteen so I can move out.”

“Well, you know you’re always welcome to stay with me.”

“Good to know. I may take you up on that. Oh shit, I have to go. Love you. Talk soon.” She makes a few kissing noises and then the phone goes silent.

I peer over at Avery and he’s blushing.

“Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I look forward to meeting her. My boyfriend’s sister.”

Avery’s eyes widen and he blinks rapidly. “Boyfriend? Do you mean it?”

“Yeah, I fucking do.”

“Even though I broke the law ages ago?”

“I don’t give a fuck about that.”

“And even though I have Nick after me?”

“We’ll manage. ”

“Promise?”

“Yeah, I fucking promise.”

I arch an eyebrow at my son, who is currently squirming in his seat in the small greasy spoon we’re grabbing breakfast in. “Thanks for coming. Really glad you could make it.”

“Yeah. Sorry I was late,” he says as he stares at the menu before him. “I was just…I slept in.”

“You okay?” I ask, concern moving through me. I know something is off. He’s not completely himself. “You feeling all right? You can’t stop squirming.”

He nods and peeks up. “Yeah, just tired and a little frazzled, but I’m glad I’m here.”

“I am too.”

Ben glances at Avery, who is currently looking sexy in a pink top and matching lipstick. I want to kiss those lips. I already kissed it off when I saw it this morning. It’s going to be a problem, I think. He’s going to have to keep reapplying it.

“You look really nice today, Avery.”

“So do you.”

Avery smirks at him, and Ben rolls his eyes. When I look a little closer, Ben seems a little off, his hair a little askew and his shirt is inside out.

Before I can ask, the waitress appears, bringing us all coffee and creamer and taking our orders. I swirl my spoon in the coffee mug, the clink of the metal against the ceramic filling the air.

“So, what are your plans today?” Ben asks, looking at both Avery and me. “Something wild and fun?”

I peer over at Avery, and he blushes.

“Yeah, Dean. We doing anything wild ?” The way Avery teases me makes my cheeks flush. Fucking hell.

“Yeah, you know me,” I say, clearing my throat. “Actually, I was going to take Avery to the farmer’s market and then go for a ride. Is that wild enough for you? ”

“Sounds about right,” Ben says with a smile.

“What about you? What do you have going on today?” I ask Ben.

He shifts in his seat and bites his lip.

“Probably just studying with some friends.”

The way he says that and the lilt of his voice makes me eye him a little too long. He glances away, his fingers fiddling with the salt and pepper shakers. He’s hiding something from me, but I don’t press him on it.

He’s always been very private about dating.

But fuck, I just want him to tell me.

“Yeah, makes sense. It’s your last semester in college. Fuck, where did the time go? Your mom would be so proud.”

Ben peers up at me. “Yeah. I think she would be.”

Avery reaches out and threads his fingers with mine, and I watch as Ben stares at our connected bodies.

“So um…you guys together? Like officially?” he asks softly, and Avery wets his lips, looking at me before responding.

“We’re seeing where this goes,” I say after a long pause.

Avery rolls his lips between his teeth, nudging me softly. “I’d say we’re serious about one another. That’s what he meant to say.” I clear my throat, and Avery rolls his eyes at me. “He knows what he wants. He just doesn’t want to admit it.”

Ben stares at me. “Dad, you can admit it. I don’t mind. I’m really happy for you two.”

It’s silent for a long minute, and then I sigh. “Yeah. Okay. Avery’s right. He’s it for me, Ben. I…it took me a while to come to terms with it, but he’s who I want.”

Ben grins happily, looking almost giddy. “Good. I’m glad. You deserve it.”

Avery smirks at me and says, “Told you so.”

“Yeah, whatever. I know. You’re usually right. It’s a problem.”

I can’t help but lean over and place a kiss on Avery’s temple.

Ben’s eyes start to water, and I get a sinking feeling in my gut.

“You okay?” I ask, and Ben nods, gulping roughly.

“Just…I had a thought. I’m fine.” He must catch me staring a little to o long because he waves his hand around his face. “Just thought about Mom. You know…”

“Yeah,” I reply, and Avery puts his arm around me, sensing the way my heart clenches at the thought.

“It’s fine. Just…thought about my wedding day.”

Those words make me freeze, and I ask calmly, “You thinking about getting married?”

He shakes his head and then nods. “One day. I’d like to.”

“I’d like that too,” I reply, feeling suddenly emotional, swiping at my eyes. “I’d like to walk you down the aisle. You know, if you have someone you’re seeing…or someones…but enough of this silly crying, tell me about the old ladies in the home you work at. What have they been up to?”

Ben looks relieved at the change of subject because he smiles softly. “Oh, just the usual mischief. They’re driving Lex crazy. I swear he’s going to have a heart attack soon. Oh, and by the way, Lex told me he’s going to be stopping by as a favor to install some cameras. He said you’d be a priority.”

“Yeah, thanks for the referral. We’ve had some issues lately,” I say, not wanting to say too much and stress Ben out. I don’t need him worrying about my issues. Or Avery’s. I don’t want him to get involved.

He wiggles in his seat and fiddles with his coffee mug.

“Is everything okay?” Ben asks.

“Yeah, of course,” Avery chimes in and then asks, “But also, guess what? Your dad told me this morning that he’s going to hire some guys to come plant some trees in the yard. Do you have any special requests?”

“Oh, um, no? I guess I’ve never really thought about trees much.”

“Really? So, you’ve not thought about thick trunks?” Avery says, waggling his eyebrows and making Ben blush.

“Well, I have,” Avery interjects before Ben can answer. “I cannot wait to see some colorful leaves in the fall and some blooms in the spring.” Avery’s face turns dreamy, and it makes my heart skip a beat. I’ll make sure he has all the trees and flowers. I even ordered some pots to be delivered today. He’ll be able to plant to his heart’s content. Maybe it will even make him want to stay. I know we like one another, and that I want him intensely, but we haven’t talked about permanent living arrangements yet. I need to fucking talk to him about that.

“I can’t wait to see what they look like,” Ben says, and I take a sip of my drink as the food is placed down before us. “So what are you two going to do at the farmer’s market?”

“Oh, well, I want to get some fresh produce. God, what I wouldn’t give for a garden box.”

I eye him, and he wiggles in his seat. Guess I’ll have to make him some…you know, since he’s going to be staying with me.

“But I mean, I’ll have to wait until I have my own place.”

My mouth turns down. “Why do you have to wait?”

“Because…well, that’s your house.”

I arch an eyebrow as Ben’s gaze pings between us.

“Yeah, and it’s yours too.”

“But I’m just a roommate.”

“You’re more than a fucking roommate. You just said so earlier. Boyfriends, remember?”

Avery lowers his voice and his eyes. “I know, but I don’t want you pressured. I can move out and we can continue to date and?—”

“Fuck no,” I murmur and then let my hand fall onto his thigh. I squeeze it softly and he sighs into me. “We’ll discuss this when we get home.”

I put an emphasis on that last word and he nods, moving his gaze back to Ben. He’s on his phone, glancing down at it over and over.

“You okay? I’ve gotten some vibes. Are you seeing—” I ask, and Ben’s cheeks darken again. His eyelids flutter and he looks like he’s going to pass out.

“Oh, look at this cute picture!” Avery interrupts suddenly, moving my gaze to the wall. It’s not remarkable—just a chicken holding a pitchfork with its wing.

I stare at Avery and he gives me an imperceptible shake of his head. Shouldn’t have tried to ask that then, not yet. Should have just gone with my gut.

Fuck, I messed up. I turn my gaze back to Ben, who is stuffing his face while Avery chats about summer plans. Thank hell for Avery.

He’s amazing. He knows how to read this situation better than me .

When it’s time to leave, Ben gives me a hug and presses a kiss to Avery’s cheek before nearly running off.

I feel my shoulders sag, and Avery gently touches my cheek.

“It’s fine. He knows you’re just worried about him.”

“He’s acting weird. I don’t like that he feels he needs to hide stuff from me.”

“Yeah, I know, but he’ll tell you when he’s ready. You know what? Come on. Let’s go to the farmer’s market. I want to get some fresh produce and then make you the most delicious dinner ever.”

The way he looks giddy has my mood shifting slightly. I’ll worry about Ben later.

“Who the fuck is that going into the house?”

Avery leans further into my back, throwing his gaze over my shoulder, and laughs. “Oh, that’s just Lex. Have you met him before? He must have let himself in. He does that.”

“The fuck?” I murmur when I shut the motorcycle off and Avery hops off.

“That’s just how he is, Dean.”

“He can’t just break and enter,” I murmur as I move to the open front door.

“I think you’ll realize he can,” Avery says with a laugh as I march up the front steps and see Lex moving around the house. His eyes flit this way and that, scoping my place out. I swear, he may be a recommendation from Ben, but he’s shady as fuck.

“Hey, what the hell?” I murmur, and Lex turns toward us with a grin.

“Hello, sexy men. How are you? You have a lovely home.”

“You just let yourself in?” I grumble, and Lex shrugs.

“Yes. You were late.”

“We never set a time. Ben just said you’d make us a priority.”

“Well, in my head I had a time set because I need to get over to the ladies’ home to spend time with them, so I’m on a time crunch. ”

My eyebrows rise in surprise. He’s so suave, so effortlessly charming, that I find myself relaxing slightly.

“Now, where do you want these cameras?” Lex asks, and I know that pressing the matter of him entering my house without permission is a moot point.

He does what he wants, and he is doing me a favor…

“Yeah, I want them outside,” I say. “Front and back.”

“We have to catch the bad guy,” Avery says, and Lex bobs his head.

“We’ll definitely do that with these babies.” He pulls the bag of cameras up and presses a kiss on it. “And listen, I’ll throw in a few extra, just for fun.”

I don’t know what that means, but I don’t have time to ask because a moment later, I hear the beeping of a truck moving down my driveway. The trees I ordered without Avery knowing are here. A surprise of sorts. For my boyfriend.

“Fuck,” I murmur, and Avery moves to the window, clapping his hands and looking delighted.

“Oh my god. Are the trees here already? Those are my trees!”

“Yeah,” I say, and he looks so fucking happy that everything with Lex is forgotten. That man can break into my house anytime, it seems. Avery pulls the front door open and rushes outside. “Oh my god! They’re gorgeous. Look at them!”

I glance at the red cherry and white-trunk birch in the back of the truck and then turn back to Avery, watching as he beams. Yeah, it’s fucking gorgeous.

He is.

“What?” he asks, and I move toward him, pulling him in for a long kiss. He sags into me, and I hear Lex whistle lewdly. But he goes ignored as I sweep my tongue into his mouth. He tastes like maple syrup, like cinnamon and sugar.

Everything sweet and good in this world.

I only pull away from him when a man walks up to us with a question about where we want the trees to go.

“This one is going to decide,” I say, and Avery rolls his eyes, his lips pink and wet .

“I mean, yes, if you were serious about me staying. But I don’t want to overstep.”

I pull him into me once more, ignoring the impatient man next to me.

“I mean it. I don’t want you to leave. I want you to step all over my life.”

“Okay, I mean, I already painted your wall and you know, hung some pictures…”

“You have, and I want more. So plant the fucking trees where you want them.”

I hear the crunch of footsteps and see another man approach, a dolly in his hand. “Where do you want these?” Avery’s eyes move to the stacked pots, and he gasps.

“For the flowers,” I explain, and Avery’s hands move to his mouth, his eyes watering.

“Oh god, you want to marry me, don’t you? This is a proposal. I knew it. I fucking knew it.”

I know he’s joking, but fuck, I mean…yeah? I meant it when I said I want him to stay. I meant that as in forever .

“Oh, oh, put the pots here. I’m going to make this place pop. I’m thinking blue exterior paint and a yellow door. Oh god, they’re beautiful, so gorgeous. Oh yes, right, now the trees…” Avery is off, directing the men to the front and back yard, already knowing where he wants them. He’s thought of this.

He’s had plans and fuck if I’m not grateful.

I turn my gaze to the sky and swear I can feel Elaine smiling down at me. She’d be happy, I think.

She’d be so fucking happy that I met him.