Daniel had opened up about his family, too—his privileged childhood where he struggled to please his parents, his time living on his own, the way his parents had welcomed him back into the fold once he was successful, and how it seemed like they’d turned away from him just like everyone else when shit went bad. But he’d also been honest about the fact that he’d never tried to change the patterns of behavior they’d falleninto.
It was a lesson I needed to learn,too.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or did I see Jules Ross strolling arm in arm with his man just a minute ago?” I whipped my head around to see Parker jogging up behind me, bundled in a plaid jacket. “Did you cowboy up and have a conversation, or did you punk out and plan to ignore itforever?”
I sighed and turned back around. Parker kept pace beside me. “There’s nothing more annoying that someone who gives good advice and rubs your face init.”
“Sure there are. Like, people who giveshittyadvice and rub your face in it,” he said cheerfully. “So?Update?”
I sighed again, more loudly this time, but I couldn’t help the smug grin that tipped my lips. “I talked tohim.”
“And?”
“And he talkedback.”
“Revolutionary!”
“Uh huh. And now things are good.” I felt my smile widen involuntarily. “Great,actually.”
“Yeah? I’m glad, Jules.” Parker stuffed his hands in hispockets.
“And how about you?” I turned to look at him. “Things with youand—”
I broke off when the sound of laughter further down the street distracted me. A familiar-looking guy was standing outside the bakery talking to Jamie, whose coppery hair glinted in the sunlight. As we watched, the guy stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to Jamie’s cheek, then linked his arm with Jamie’s and towed him down the street away fromus.
Brian, I realized. Jamie’s former and apparentlycurrentboyfriend.
“Don’t you just love a visual illustration?” Parker said wryly. “There’s no meand… It’s just me. And I’m fine. I’m focusing on my business. My family’s coming back to O’Leary for the holidays to see the new place, which’ll beinteresting. ”
“But have you talked to Jamie? Have you gotten past whatever your issues were? Because if you followed your own advice and toldhim—”
“Nothing to tell, Jules,” he said with false cheer. His smile slipped for a second. “Listen, when you care about someone, when you love them, you want them to be happy, right? Even if it kills you in the short term? Self-sacrifice and all that shit? Sometimes it just makes sense to keep your mouth shut. But I appreciate your concern. You ever need another burger and advice session, you know where to find me, yeah?” He hooked his thumb towardHoff’s.
I nodded slowly. “Yeah.Okay.”
“And congrats, man. It’s good to see someone figure their shit out.” He clapped me on the shoulder and walked off towards hisbar.
The diner was packed with the typical Saturday morning crowd, and so hot I was already roasting by the time I found a table in the back and waved to let Diane know I was going to takeit.
Kelly Dwyer called out a greeting and her daughter waved at me cheerily. Old Abe Connor nodded hello. Moira Keller, who was sitting with a guy I’d never met before—I would have remembered that gorgeous mocha skin, high cheekbones, and green eyes—winked and grinned as I passed her table. I couldn’t remember why I’d ever gotten impatient with my overly-friendlytown.
“Hey, Jules!” Si Sloane said as I took off my coat and slid onto the padded bench that ran behind the line oftables.
Everett Maior, his boyfriend, turned to smile atme.
“Morning! God, I’m starving. What’s the special today?” I asked. “Something holiday-ish?”
“Would you call piña colada pancakes holiday-ish?” Everett asked. “Because if so, thenyes.”
“Piña colada?” I blinked. “I was thinking somethingcinnamon.”
Si laughed. “That’s because you hadn’t realized that Diane is running the show this morning and she’s trying to make apoint.”
“About…pineapple?”
“About the fact that Christmas is only a couple days away,” Ev corrected. “Which is just enough time for my grandfather to book her that Caribbean vacation she’s been hinting at forweeks.”
“Ohhhh.” I grimaced. “Well, I hope itworks.”
