a real jerk ever since Dad moved out. And if you’d only stopped being so angry, and done what I did, you’d have come to the same conclusions.”
“Why, what did you do?”
Laura gave a superior smile. “I just started watching. Amazing the things you notice. Like the way Dad was looking at Finn. And I heard Aunt Megan and Dad talking. That kinda made it obvious.” She glanced at Carrie. “What?”
Carrie laughed. “Nothing, sweetheart. You never fail to amaze me, that’s all.”
Joel was past amazement and up to his eyeballs in dumbfounded.
Carrie cast longing glances at the coffee pot. “Now can I have some caffeine?”
Joel took pity on her. “Sit. I’ll pour. Juice for you, Laura? Nate, you want more coffee?” His head was still reeling, and dealing with practicalities was the only way he could function.
It wasn’t long before all of them were seated at the kitchen table. Carrie gave Joel a glance. “You want to go first?”
He wasn’t sure what she meant for a second, until it dawned on him Carrie might have a secret of her own. “Sure. Though it sounds like they know everything already.”
Laura widened her eyes. “What? But I wanna know how you and Finn met, when you’re getting married, do I get to be a bridesmaid—”
“Whoa there.” Joel’s heartbeat quickened. “First of all, about Finn… he’s…” What the hell was he? That word boyfriend had been a bolt from the blue. But is he? Finn was more than a friend, and definitely more than the carpenter who’d turned up to assess Joel’s busted deck.
He gazed into the faces of his children and his ex-wife. He had to be honest with them.
Joel took a deep breath. “Truth is, I don’t know where this will go.”
“You mean, you and Finn?” Nate asked. When Joel nodded, Nate cocked his head. “But you do hope it will go somewhere, right?”
The truth, remember? He gave another slow nod. “Yeah, I do.” He gazed at Nate and Laura’s faces. “And you’d be okay with that?”
Laura beamed. “Of course. I like Finn.”
“So do I,” Nate added. “Is he gonna come over later? Because I need to apologize.” Carrie gave him a quizzical glance, and he sighed. “I was a jerk yesterday.”
Carrie squeezed his shoulder. “I think he’ll forgive you.” She met Joel’s gaze. “Why not call him?”
“Dad says he’s taking us out for breakfast,” Nate said quickly. “We could ask Finn to come too. Couldn’t we?”
Joel liked the idea, even if the thought of Laura grilling Finn about his intentions gave Joel a severe case of butterflies. “I’ll ask.”
“Before you do that, there’s something I’d like to share.” Carrie took a couple of quick breaths, and Joel reached across the table for her hand, squeezing it.
“Just tell them.” He smiled. “Just be prepared for them to tell you they know already.” They had an awesome couple of kids.
She shuddered out a long breath. “The thing is… I’ve been seeing someone too.”
Nate and Laura stilled in an instant.
“Seriously? How long for?” Nate demanded.
“About a month.”
“And you’re only telling us now?” His voice rang with incredulity. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“What’s his name? Do we know him?” Laura demanded. “Do we get to meet him?
Carrie held up her hands, and they lapsed into silence. “His name’s Eric, I met him at the Tennis Association, and I wasn’t going to introduce him until I knew it was serious.”
“I’m guessing since you’re telling us, it is serious,” Nate concluded.
Carrie glanced at Joel before responding. “I think it’s definitely heading in that direction. That doesn’t mean things can’t change, okay? Right now, we’re both happy with the way it’s going. And yes, now I’ve told you, I’ll invite him over for dinner one weekend, so you can interrogate him—I mean, get to know him.”
Joel chuckled. “I think you nailed it with ‘interrogate’.”
“Dad?” Laura’s brow furrowed. “Do I tell my friends you’re gay, or bi?”
Carrie chuckled. “Over to you, Joel.”
Joel took a drink from his mug, but before he could speak, Nate got in first. “Dad’s gay. He’s always been gay, since he was your age. Actually, since he was younger than you.” Nate glanced at Joel, his eyes warm. “He just couldn’t live the way he wanted, but now he can.”
Joel’s throat tightened, and tears pricked the corners of his eyes. “You got that right.”
Carrie gave Joel a dazed stare. “That must have been some talk you two had last night.” Her eyes glistened, and she wiped them quickly with her hand.
Nate glanced at Joel.