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tell Christopher how he felt, Gage pulled away and crossed the
room to open the door. Both Bowden and Chad looked a little
older with a few more lines around their eyes, but otherwise, they
were exactly as Gage remembered. Bowden s brown hair was
cropped short, his mustache and beard neatly trimmed. Chad was
thinning on top, the remaining stands of hair bleached blond by the
sun. Gage was about their height, but they always seemed so much
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taller than him. Or maybe they just made him feel small.
Come on in. There s pizza if you re hungry.
Bowden led the way, but stopped as Christopher approached.
Their eyes met, and Gage braced for the same cold reaction
Christopher had gotten earlier at the hospital.
Then, Bowden smiled and lifted his hand. You must be
Christopher. It s good to meet you.
Christopher s surprise lasted only for a moment. Gage didn t
think Bowden or Chad even saw it, but he did. He saw everything
about Christopher.
It s my pleasure, Christopher said. After shaking Chad s
hand, too, he stepped back to Gage s side.
He felt the first hint of relief blossom in his chest, but Gage
ignored it. Just because they knew how to be civil didn t mean they
were out of the woods yet. When did you talk to Ben?
He called me after you left the hospital, Bowden said. He
didn t want to go back to the house with Mom, so Chad picked him
up and brought him over to my office. He filled us in on what
happened.
Chad opened the pizza box and peered inside. Did you get
pull-a-parts, too? I haven t had those in ages. The kids always beat
me to them.
We didn t come here to eat, Bowden said.
Why did you come here? Christopher asked. Not that I
mean to be rude, but, well, Gage has had a pretty rough day.
Bowden nodded. I know. Ben told us. He glanced at Gage.
You should ve just walked away. You always let Brett get to
you.
Gage snorted. Yeah, he knows how to push my buttons. But
it s not just Brett, is it?
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He s been under a lot of stress lately, Chad offered, his
attention still on the pizza box. He plucked a loose pineapple from
the cardboard and popped it in his mouth. The wedding is in just a
few weeks, and Dad insists they shouldn t postpone it even though
he wants to.
But that s not an excuse, Bowden said.
Well, it doesn t matter now. We re going home tomorrow.
Bowden frowned. What? Why?
Are you seriously asking me why I want to get the hell out of
here? Ben did tell you what happened today, right?
Yeah, but since when have you let Brett off that easy? Plus,
he s being an asshole. You take off, and he wins.
Chad plopped down in one of the armchairs. It s not like
Brett s your only brother, you know. You didn t even tell us you
were coming. We had to hear it from Ben.
Gage felt his eyebrows come together in a frown. Just so
we re clear, Ben told you everything, right? Why I went to LA in
the first place, who Christopher is, all that stuff?
Bowden and Chad exchanged a quick look before Bowden
spoke. You re gay, and Christopher s your boyfriend. Yeah, he
told us.
If you re waiting for one of us to start calling you a sinner,
you ll be waiting a while, Chad added. We don t care. Not as
long as you re happy.
Bowden glanced at Christopher. And he treats you right.
Christopher slid an arm around Gage s waist, pulling him
closer. Gage s happiness is all I care about.
Then, no harm, no foul. He turned back to Gage, everything
about him seemingly sincere. Seriously, Gage, just because Brett,
Mom, and Dad overreacted, doesn t mean we all would have. I
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mean, I understand why you didn t want to say anything, but we re
not here to judge you.
Gage thought the three of them went a little beyond
overreaction, considering how they probably would have been less
horrified if he d been guilty of murder. I m sorry I didn t call you.
Today or, you know, before when I left. I just thought& you were
too busy with your own stuff.
We ll forgive you today since you were so stressed, Bowden
said in all seriousness, then grinned widely. But we reserve the
right to give you hell about not calling us from LA for at least a
few years.
Unless you try excluding us again, Chad chimed in. In
which case, we ll come out to LA and knock some sense into you.
What about Joseph? Where s he been in all this? Mom and
Dad didn t even mention him today.
Chad and Bowden exchanged a look before Bowden said,
He s pulled his own vanishing act. He knows about Dad and the
prognosis. We keep in touch mostly through Facebook now. He ll
probably come back sooner or later.
Did it have something to do with Mom and Dad?
No, not that I know of.
Christopher s hand tightened at his waist, squeezing gently
before letting go. Did you want anything to drink? I can order
something from room service.
No, no, we re good.
Chad snorted. Speak for yourself. If Gage s boyfriend wants
to buy a round, I say we let him.
Gage s mouth fell open. Since when do you drink?
Since I had kids.
Bowden laughed. Gage, we re not perfect. Brett is the only
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one of us who s interested in that title.
Gage blinked. It made sense, but it never occurred to him that
his older brothers did any less than follow the gospel to the letter.
Somehow, that small act of defiance made him feel better than any
other reassurances they could have offered.
Bowden s right about Brett, though, Chad said. If it s too
hard being around Mom and Dad, come to my house. Or
Bowden s. Just don t leave. Family should stick together. And
you re family. No matter what.
Gage looked to Christopher, trying to read his face before
answering. Family should stick together. That s why I even
agreed to come back. Apparently some of our family has forgotten
that, though.
Then it s up to us to remind them.
At Bowden s words, Christopher shook his head. You weren t
there today. Gage shouldn t have to deal with that if he doesn t
want to.
That s Gage s decision to make, isn t it?
And he did. Why should he change his mind?
Chad sighed. Because he made that choice when he thought
he was alone.
He s never been alone, Christopher said. That s why I m
here.
Gage wasn t sure how Bowden and Chad took that declaration,
but warm certainty flooded him. Christopher meant every word, he
was sure of it. I m not sure if seeing them again is a good idea.
Dad is really sick and my presence this morning didn t exactly
make him feel better. Maybe it s best if I just leave him alone.
Dad s been too scared about the cancer to think of anything
else, Bowden countered. You saw him. Did he actually say
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anything to you about it, or was it all Mom and Brett?
He told me flying out was a waste of money. Gage shrugged.
I know he s been scared. I know he s had a lot on his mind
but& it s not just Mom. Dad s had his say, too.
Chad sat forward. Then don t stay for him. Stay for yourself.
Because if something happened to Dad, and you weren t here, you
know you d never forgive yourself.
There was another reason not to stay. If he went back to LA,
he d be able to keep his gig at the Roxy. But the Roxy wasn t
going anywhere, and no matter how desperately he wanted to play
there, it wasn t more important than his father s health.
I ll stay until Sunday.
Bowden smiled. That s the spirit. And seriously, Gage, it s not
like you have to interact with them 24/7. Dad wouldn t want us all
hovering anyway. Take Christopher out. Show him the town.
Catch up with your friends. And when it s time for us to be there
for Dad s surgery, you won t just have Christopher as an ally this
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