I scoffed. “I’ll have you know, I now havea degree in accounting.”
Stuart’s grin widened. “Really?”
I nodded, finally feeling a bit sheepish.“I had to follow my hero, didn’t I?”
That got me another hug and anunderstanding smile. As he held me tight, he whispered quietly. “It’s so goodto see you. I was so worried when your family disappeared.”
I squeezed his arms as he pulled away,wanting to acknowledge what he’d said but not willing to open up in front ofstrangers. Stuart understood that, though. He dropped the topic and turned tohis friends. “This is Asa. This little troublemaker used to drive me crazy. Hewas constantly running through the yard of my first house, and he would driveme crazy.”
I rolled my eyes. “Once. And then you cameout on your porch like a grumpy old man and scared the hell out of me.”
Stuart scoffed, but the way his friendslaughed and nodded said they could picture it too. Waving them off, he turnedback to me. “What are you doing here?”
My expression must have told him that was aridiculous question because he just kept going. “There is no way I’m old enoughfor you to be able to be a member.”
My eyes were going to be the most muscularpart of my body if I kept rolling them so much.
“I turned twenty-one yesterday. So yes, youare old. And as for what I’m doing here, I think that should be obvious. Mysexuality was probably clear even back then, I just didn’t understand it.” Orwhy I’d been so drawn to the grumpy man down the street.
Stuart looked like he wanted to protest,but he finally shrugged. “Yeah, not going to lie, it doesn’t surprise me.”
Another one of the reasons I’d liked him asa kid.
When the adults around me were all insaneand I’d been terribly alone, he’d always told the truth.
“I just can’t believe how grown up youare.” Then he grinned and rested his elbow on my shoulder. “Or should I saymature since I’m not sure you got much taller?”
I shrugged off his arm. “One of us hasgotten more mature, but it’s certainly not you.”
He laughed, but his friends were wearingpolite smiles and watching us like we were zoo animals. Ben wasn’t much bettereither. Stuart must have realized it because he sent them all looks thatclearly told them to behave.
That helped somewhat, especially whenStuart began making introductions. He started with the man who’d been sittingnext to him. “This is my friend Porter.”
Then he gestured to the sub who waskneeling quietly and was, surprisingly, dressed. “And his boy Landon.” As hewent around, introducing me to the men he obviously considered his friends, oneactually looked familiar, so I realized he’d probably known most of them for along time.
When the niceties were taken care of, heturned back to me. “This is your first time at the club?”
He gestured to Ben who was still standingthere trying to look like he knew what was going on. “Is Ben showing youaround? I thought I saw you with Conner.”
I winced, which had Ben coughing to coverhis laughter.
Stuart grinned. “Still making friends thehard way, I see.”
Shrugging, because he might have beenright, I focused on the first part of his questions. “Ben will show me aroundif he has to, but he was hoping to find someone to pawn me off on. Conner and Isee things very differently, so him showing me around wasn’t the best idea.”
Stuart’s friends were trying not to laugh,but Ben was just gaping.
Had he expected me to lie?
Stuart nodded. “I rub him the wrong waytoo.”
Glancing between us, he looked at me. “Iwould be happy to show you around, if you don’t think that would be awkward.”
“Why would it be?” I shrugged. “Unlessyou’ve changed significantly since we last met?”
The man I was sure I’d seen before shookhis head. “He hasn’t.”
That was good to know.
