Page 44 of Fanboy in the Falls (Devon Falls #3)

“It’s just not right,” he finally says. He’s not yelling.

In fact, his voice is quiet, almost resigned.

“This isn’t how things are supposed to be, you know?

Men are men, and they’re supposed to be a certain way.

Women are women, and they’re supposed to be a certain way.

And women are meant for men, and that’s it. ”

I do my best not to snort-laugh as I imagine all the ways Claire would make this asshole pay if she heard him talking like this. She’s got one hell of a right hook, as several drunk assholes in clubs and bars have learned the hard way.

But Gabe’s still calm, still staring down Dave with something between fire and sadness in his eyes.

“You know,” he finally says, “I used to want to be just like you. When you and Mom got married. I thought you were the coolest guy in the world. You could cook and throw a fastball, and you made her so happy. You made us both so happy.” He shakes his head.

“Then she got sick. And I remember going to doctor’s appointments by myself with her because you weren’t there.

I was just a kid, Dave. And I was the one going to the oncologist’s office with my mother because suddenly you couldn’t do anything but play video games all the time. ”

“Hey!” Dave points a finger and takes a step forward, and Tom has to put a hand on my chest to hold me back.

“My wife, the woman I loved, was sick, okay?” He shakes his head.

“I never fit in up here in Vermont, or anywhere I lived. I never had anybody who supported me like your mom did. Then she was gone, and I was on my own again. I needed some damn support somewhere, and it was my gamer buddies who gave me that support!”

Gabe nods, slowly. “Yeah, I get that. Everyone needs a place where they belong, Dave. I really, really get that. And Mom was never mad that you looked for some time and space with your friends after she got sick.” He frowns.

“The problem was that you started spending all your time with them. You were sad and upset and pissed off, and all you did after that was play those games with your boys. It was like the only thing that mattered to you was how you felt about her getting sick. Your feelings came first, everyone else came after that. Even Mom.”

“How fucking dare you—” Dave starts to growl the words, but Gabe interrupts him. He shakes his head.

“I didn’t realize, until a little while ago, that you’re doing the same thing with Lou.

It’s all about you, Dave. When Lou wears a dress or picks out an Elsa toy at the store, you don’t think first about the fact that he’s your son and you love him for who he is.

Nope. You think about how you don’t understand it, and how that dress makes you feel or look.

” He shakes his head. “Just like you didn’t understand me, back then in Connecticut, so you just left me behind.

Because your feelings had to come first.”

His voice breaks completely then, and I can’t do it anymore.

I can’t stand off to the side where he lays his heart out for Dave like this.

Tom and I both move to place ourselves at either of his sides, a moat around the castle he’s made himself into in this moment, and he draws in a long, deep breath before he starts speaking again.

“I had to accept that you put yourself first and me last back then,” Gabe finally says.

“It hurt like hell, but I had no choice. I wasn’t your kid.

But for the longest time after that, Dave, I was so convinced there was something wrong with me.

Something broken in how I was that made you stop loving me.

” He shakes his head. “And I don’t care how long or how far I have to fight you.

I am never, ever letting you do that same thing to Lou.

” He sniffs and blinks hard, but then he draws himself up on his crutches again and keeps going.

“Lou is kind, and sweet, and loving, and he likes beautiful things in the world. There’s nothing wrong with him, and you shouldn’t have to understand or appreciate all the things he loves to know that you have the best son in the whole world.

He’s your son . That’s the only reason you should need to love him.

That’s the kind of love he deserves. And I’m going to make sure that’s the love he gets. ”

And that’s when Gabe turns on his crutches and starts to walk away, back toward the inn and the music floating out across the lawn from the party taking place there. Dave stands there, looking furious and sad and shocked.

Tom clears his throat. “Well, then,” he says. “I hope you heard the message you needed to hear just now, Dave.”

I nod. “And if you didn’t,” I add quietly, “just remember something else if you do end up staying in Lou and Gabe’s life.

Tom and I care a lot about their happiness.

And I’ve got at least two MMA fighters as close, personal connections.

So I hope you’ll decide to make some better choices about your family moving forward. ”

His eyes go slightly wide, and I revel in the victory.

Then Tom takes my hand, and we follow our badass, beautiful boyfriend over to the celebration of the inn and event space that the three of us helped save. Together.