KDBookOnline
Share Us
“I thought you didn’t want Sean to find out.”
“Different uncle.”
“How many uncles do you have?”
“Irish Catholic family on both sides. I have a crap ton of uncles. If you really want me to blow your mind, ask me how many cousins I’ve got just in a twenty-mile radius.” Still not a damn hint of a smile.
Derek couldn’t imagine having that much family so close. The only two cousins he’d met on his dad’s side lived in Taiwan. His mom’s family wasn’t nearby either. They lived in New Jersey near the Korean Presbyterian church Derek’s great-grandfather had once been the pastor of. His mom always talked about never being able to get away with anything as a teenager because of the number of aunties nearby watching her every move. Guess that was what Dylan grew up with too.
“I thought you didn’t want any of your family to know about the kitchen flood?”
“This uncle was the lesser of the several evils.” Gallagher’s lips pursed together as he squinted up at Derek. His shaggy curls covered the parts of his face usually obscured by thick black frames.
“When are you going to get glasses?”
“Ordered. Mind if I get a few hours of sleep in the bed when we’re done with the plumber? I had to catch up on a few things overnight.” Impassive.
“Look, I’m sorry I assumed that you—”
“Assume whatever you want. It really doesn’t matter.”
Derek hated to admit he loathed the shift in energy between them. That playful sarcasm that had been a bit like Olive’s had blunted into a mechanical monotone. Derek did not like this at all.
Dylan stared expectantly. “So…”
“So?”
“Do you need the bed this morning?”
“Oh. Uh… No, I don’t.” Derek shook his head and bent to unpack the duffel of Gus’s things. “Where’d—”
“The leash is by the door. I took him out overnight. Guess since I was up, he figured it was a good time for a walk.” Gallagher pointed at the duffel. “If that’s all just Gus’s stuff, where’s yours?”
Derek shifted the oversized bag to reveal a second, smaller one beneath. “Just this.” His attempt at a chuckle might have sounded more like a grumble. “Not looking to move in with you, Gallagher.”
“Kay.” Gallagher gritted his teeth so hard Derek was almost sure the guy’s jaw popped. “Yeah. The quicker we’re done with this the better.”
The silence was stiff enough you could hang wet jeans on it.
Derek’s shrill alarm jolted both men out of their silent standoff. “Sorry. Parakeet Karen Schedule alarm.”
“What is… you know what, never mind.” Dylan grabbed his hat. “I’m going down to wait for my uncle. Can I use your keys?”
“Sure.” Derek tossed Gallagher the keys with more force than he meant to use, but Dylan caught them easily. “Good catch, slugger.”
Dylan’s bemused expression was the same as the one he’d worn while analyzing rotten floor joists.
“Because the hat.”
“Right,” Dylan said as he opened the door and left.
And Derek was suddenly wishing that he had been crushed to death by the floor collapse, so he never had to experience uttering the words “good catch, slugger” at a man who clearly thought he was a vapid brainless meathead.
Derek grabbed a respirator from the box at the door. He had to hand it to Gallagher. He could be tidy about some things. All of Derek’s salvageable stuff was in neat stacks in the living room with labels. Everything had been easy to find last night, but he hadn’t been in a mood to appreciate it. Something caught his eye. A broken picture frame with a Post-it on top.
This was under the couch in the living room. It looked like it had been broken a while ago. All glass cleaned up.
The photo used to be one of Michelle’s favorites. Her first recital where she was a flower in some ballet he didn’t remember. Both of his sisters wore matching pink lacy costumes and held their arms above their heads. Amy’s smile was wry in that almost-preteen way, but Michelle had taken dance seriously from her first class. Had she broken the frame and just left it there?