Page 38

A Very Long Night

Daniel

Harrison quickly follows Charlie into the house, but I hang back to enjoy the change in scenery. The air smells fresher and cleaner this far away from the city. That is, until a gust of wind blows the scent of cow manure my way.

Scrunching my nose and trying not to gag, I set to work hauling our luggage out of the trunk. By the time everything is inside, I’m drenched with sweat and in dire need of something cool to drink.

I follow the sound of Charlie’s booming voice through the living room and into the kitchen at the back of the house. Esther, Charlie’s mom, is in the process of pulling a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies from the oven. She’s still as petite and short as I remember her being.

The second her kind, brown eyes land on me, her face breaks out into a warm smile. “Daniel!” She rushes over and wraps me in a tight hug. “It’s great to see you again, honey.”

I melt into her embrace, love and acceptance radiating from her in waves. When she pulls back, she takes my face in her hands and studies me with a maternal gaze.

“You’re looking well. A bit thin, though,” she adds with a slight frown. With a snap of her fingers, she smiles once again. “We’ll have to fatten you up while you’re here.”

I don’t have the heart to tell her that I’ve gained fifteen pounds since she last saw me—mostly in my ass and thighs.

Robert, Charlie’s dad, walks in through the back door and yanks off a set of gloves caked in dirt with his teeth. He’s a tall man with a sunburnt face, and his hands are larger than my head. He smiles widely at Charlie and me.

“Good to see you boys,” he says in a deep, rumbling voice. “How was the drive from Manhattan?”

Before I can respond, Charlie launches into a dramatic retelling of our journey.

“Oh man, Dad, you wouldn’t believe it! The traffic was insane, like apocalyptic levels of gridlock.

I swear, at one point, I think I saw a guy get out of his car and cook a full meal on the hood.

But don’t worry; Daniel used his superior driving skills to navigate us through the chaos. And?—”

Robert holds up a hand to stop Charlie’s rambling. “You boys must be starving after that harrowing journey. Esther, why don’t you get them settled in the living room while I fire up the grill? I’ve got some steaks in the freezer, and they’re not going to cook themselves.”

Nodding, Esther ushers us out of the kitchen. “You heard the man. You three make yourselves at home. I’ll bring out some snacks to tide you over until dinner. And Harrison, again, it’s lovely to meet you. I hope you enjoy your time here.”

“Thank you, Mrs. McManus,” Harrison says politely.

“Oh, nonsense. Call me Esther, and my husband, Robert.”

We sprawl out across a couple of plush couches in the cozy living room. Harrison takes in everything with wide eyes.

Family pictures line the wood-paneled walls.

A towering gooseneck lamp stands upright in the corner, waiting to be turned on.

A huge set of antlers hangs above the fireplace—probably Robert’s idea of rustic decor.

An old-fashioned TV set perches precariously on the edge of a tray table, giving the place an entirely old-school vibe .

A contented sigh escapes my lips as I lean back, shuck off my flip-flops, and place my bare feet on the coffee table. Charlie does the same, and Harrison soon follows after a bit of coaxing.

“This…is nice,” Charlie says, eyes closed and a dopey smile on his face.

“Very,” I agree, wiggling my toes for added measure.

“I think I’m going to enjoy Bomont,” Harrison says, kicking mine and Charlie’s feet playfully. “Thank you for the invite, McManus.”

“Yeah, man. Thanks.” I echo.

Charlie gives us two thumbs-up, unwilling to open his eyes. And then, the three of us fall asleep to the ticking of a grandfather clock nearby.

Harrison groans with delight as he takes his second bite of a steak that’s been seasoned to perfection. I nod, inclined to agree. It’s tender and juicy, and I’m already reaching for another slice before I’ve even finished my first one.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had a steak this good,” Harrison says, smacking his lips.

Robert beams. “That’s because it’s been raised with love.”

Harrison gazes out at the farm, a sprawling landscape that stretches for miles from the backyard of the McManus home.

A red barn is situated nearby, where the horses, cows, and other farm animals live.

The chicken coop is closer to the house, providing an interesting soundtrack of clucking to go with the sizzling steaks.

“Tell me about your farm, Charlie,” Harrison says.

Charlie, always eager to talk about his hometown, jumps in. “Oh, H, we’ve got it all. Cows, pigs, corn. It’s our livelihood.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of responsibility. How do you manage it all?”

“With a lot of hard work and dedication,” Esther says proudly. “Robert and the boys have put their heart and soul into this farm. It’s not an easy life, but it’s a rewarding one.”

“Yeah, Roy and I practically grew up in those fields.” Charlie’s eyes take on a dreamy shimmer. “We’d spend hours working and playing hide-and-seek. And on really hot summer nights, we’d climb up to the loft in the barn, open the skylight my dad installed, and sleep under the stars.”

The sound of the back door interrupts Charlie’s trip down memory lane. I turn my head to see Roy stumble toward us with a bandage wrapped around his head.

“Roy!” Charlie leaps up from his seat and rushes over to his brother, panic written all over his features.“What happened to you? Are you okay?”

Roy blinks slowly, his gaze shifting to Charlie. “Hey, little brother,” he mumbles, his words slightly slurred. “I’m fine. Just a bump on the head.”

Charlie reaches out to steady Roy. “A bump? Roy, you look like you’ve been through the wringer. Seriously, what happened?”

“He took a tumble down the stairs at work,” Esther explains. I don’t miss the way she wrings the napkin draped over her lap.

Robert nods curtly. “Gave us a right scare, he did. The doctor said he has a concussion, but should be as good as new after a few days of rest.”

Charlie helps Roy to his seat at the table and glances between his parents and brother. “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve come home right away.”

Roy waves a hand dismissively. “You’re busy with baseball. We can’t pull you away from that.”

“None of that matters,” Charlie says firmly. “You’re my brother, Roy. Nothing is more important than family.”

Esther clears her throat. “Well, what’s done is done. The important thing is that he’s going to be okay.”

Charlie takes his seat and peers over at Harrison. “H, this is my older brother, Roy. Roy, meet Harrison, my boyfriend. ”

Roy’s eyes flick to Harrison. He flashes him a small, friendly smile. “Nice to meet you, Harrison.”

Harrison returns the gesture with a wave, though I can see a hint of nervousness in his eyes. Meeting the family is always a big deal, and with Roy’s unexpected entrance, the pressure is on. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Roy. I’ve heard many stories about you from Charlie.”

Roy chuckles, though it turns into a slight grimace as he adjusts the bandage on his head. “Oh, I bet you have. Charlie’s always been a talker. Probably told you all about the time we tried to build a treehouse, and he fell into the pigpen.”

Charlie’s face reddens. “Hey, that treehouse would’ve been epic if the branch hadn’t snapped!”

The brothers launch into a playful back-and-forth, recounting childhood misadventures. Robert breaks up their bickering by planting a juicy piece of steak on Roy’s plate.

“And, of course, you remember Daniel, who’s now my other boyfriend,” Charlie says, patting my arm.

Roy’s gaze shifts to me, and the warmth in his obsidian eyes vanishes, replaced by a chilling coldness. It’s so abrupt, so oppressive, that I shiver despite the balmy evening air.

“Daniel,” he says gruffly, giving me a brief nod before turning his attention to his steak. He cuts into it with more force than necessary, the knife scraping viciously against the plate.

I grunt, my appetite suddenly gone. While Roy’s never been my biggest fan, this frigid reception is a new level of hostility I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

I try to catch Charlie’s eye and silently ask what I’ve done to offend his brother, but he’s suddenly engrossed in a conversation with his parents, oblivious to the tension.

As Roy eats, I surreptitiously study him.

He’s still in his work clothes—a brown T-shirt and jeans that have seen better days.

His hands are rough and layered with nicks that he no doubt got at the hardware store.

A day’s worth of stubble darkens his jaw, and his dark hair is mussed from the bandage .

There’s no denying he’s a handsome man. If only the inside matched the outside.

Now that the sun has gone down, the air is more tolerable. Still warm, but I’m not suffocating. Fireflies dance around us, as do a few mosquitoes, making it a quintessential evening in rural Pennsylvania.

Charlie and Harrison are off to the side, attempting to catch some of the lightning bugs in a mason jar. Charlie’s laugh rings out as he misses one, his large hand grasping at empty air. Harrison, ever the competitive one, manages to snag a few.

Roy, on the other hand, sits back in one of the rocking chairs with a bottle of beer dangling from his fingers. His ankle is draped over his leg, and he watches Charlie and Harrison with a mixture of amusement and something else I can’t quite put my finger on. Envy, perhaps? Longing?

I settle into the chair next to him, the wood creaking under my weight. The silence between us is heavy and weighed down with unspoken words and lingering questions.

I clear my throat, searching for something to say. “How’s work been?”

It’s a lame attempt at small talk, but it’s better than nothing.