door.’
‘Wow,’ Cathy said.
‘Not in the same league as your traumas,’ Kez said. ‘Like comparing a little jolt with an earthquake, I guess, but I was seven years old and like I said, it did a good job of
messing with my head.’
‘I can imagine. How come—?’ Cathy stopped.
‘How come I was watching?’ Kez said. ‘It was a weekend, and my dad thought I was at a friend’s house across the street, but we had a disagreement and I came back early,
heard some weird sounds and took a look.’
‘And your dad—’
‘I don’t like thinking about that,’ Kez said quickly.
‘Sure,’ Cathy said. ‘I can understand that.’
‘I guess you can.’ Kez shrugged. ‘I’ve often wondered – even if our sexual identity does come pre-packaged with our genes – if that afternoon didn’t
help put me off men.’
Cathy had heard it rumoured on the Trent grapevine that Kez was gay, but she didn’t think it had really occurred to her until this instant that Kez might possibly be attracted to her.
Of course she wasn’t, she told herself swiftly, why should she be? There certainly hadn’t been too many guys lusting after her over the years – though then again, Nick aside,
she hadn’t particularly wanted them either.
Slow down.
That wasn’t the point anyway, was not what was really startling her. What was throwing Cathy for a loop right now was her own reaction.
Excitement.
‘You OK?’
Kez’s voice sliced through the mess of Cathy’s thoughts, reminded her that the only reason they were here talking was that she had turned her ankle during a run, and Kez was just
being kind to her.
‘Fine,’ she said quickly, taking off the ice pack and lowering her foot to the floor.
It wasn’t as if Kez Flanagan was some shrinking violet, shy about coming to the point. She was an independent woman with her own apartment in Coconut Grove; a talented runner with a string
of wins under her belt who had just simply and casually confirmed her sexuality while expressing no interest in Cathy’s preferences.
‘Ready to try walking out of here?’ Kez asked.
‘Sure.’ Cathy stood up and tried out the foot.
‘How does it feel?’
Kindness, nothing more.
‘Good.’ Cathy took a step. ‘It’s nothing.’
‘You should still ice it again when you get home, and elevate it. And no running for the rest of the week, OK?’
Definitely kindness.
Though the hazel eyes were still steady on her face, unwavering.
Interested.
Maybe
, Cathy thought – and that frisson of excitement hit her again.
She was not entirely sure how she felt about that.
Chapter Eight
With Terri working that evening and David at a friend’s house playing cards, Saul stayed home in Golden Beach, sanding down the edges of the new desk he’d been
making for his room, thinking about how much he loved working with wood and how much he looked forward to having his own place someday – with Terri, if she’d have him – with a
spare room or maybe a garage he could turn into a workshop.
‘Take any room you like,’ David had told him more than once.
No shortage of space here at home, they both knew that, two men rattling around in a house that had comfortably held four; but Saul didn’t want to build his workshop in his father’s
house because it would feel too much like giving up hope of moving out.
Which was no insult to his dad because Saul loved him with all his heart, found him the easiest man in the world to live with. But wanting his own place was natural, and David had made it plain
that he understood that, was happy to have his company for as long as it lasted, but would encourage his leaving when the time came.
‘You know I could afford to help,’ he’d offered not long ago, aware of his son’s restlessness, but Saul had said he didn’t want that either, and his father
respected that.
It was Saul’s own self-respect that was a little lacking these days – or maybe it was simple disappointment in himself. He
‘Wow,’ Cathy said.
‘Not in the same league as your traumas,’ Kez said. ‘Like comparing a little jolt with an earthquake, I guess, but I was seven years old and like I said, it did a good job of
messing with my head.’
‘I can imagine. How come—?’ Cathy stopped.
‘How come I was watching?’ Kez said. ‘It was a weekend, and my dad thought I was at a friend’s house across the street, but we had a disagreement and I came back early,
heard some weird sounds and took a look.’
‘And your dad—’
‘I don’t like thinking about that,’ Kez said quickly.
‘Sure,’ Cathy said. ‘I can understand that.’
‘I guess you can.’ Kez shrugged. ‘I’ve often wondered – even if our sexual identity does come pre-packaged with our genes – if that afternoon didn’t
help put me off men.’
Cathy had heard it rumoured on the Trent grapevine that Kez was gay, but she didn’t think it had really occurred to her until this instant that Kez might possibly be attracted to her.
Of course she wasn’t, she told herself swiftly, why should she be? There certainly hadn’t been too many guys lusting after her over the years – though then again, Nick aside,
she hadn’t particularly wanted them either.
Slow down.
That wasn’t the point anyway, was not what was really startling her. What was throwing Cathy for a loop right now was her own reaction.
Excitement.
‘You OK?’
Kez’s voice sliced through the mess of Cathy’s thoughts, reminded her that the only reason they were here talking was that she had turned her ankle during a run, and Kez was just
being kind to her.
‘Fine,’ she said quickly, taking off the ice pack and lowering her foot to the floor.
It wasn’t as if Kez Flanagan was some shrinking violet, shy about coming to the point. She was an independent woman with her own apartment in Coconut Grove; a talented runner with a string
of wins under her belt who had just simply and casually confirmed her sexuality while expressing no interest in Cathy’s preferences.
‘Ready to try walking out of here?’ Kez asked.
‘Sure.’ Cathy stood up and tried out the foot.
‘How does it feel?’
Kindness, nothing more.
‘Good.’ Cathy took a step. ‘It’s nothing.’
‘You should still ice it again when you get home, and elevate it. And no running for the rest of the week, OK?’
Definitely kindness.
Though the hazel eyes were still steady on her face, unwavering.
Interested.
Maybe
, Cathy thought – and that frisson of excitement hit her again.
She was not entirely sure how she felt about that.
Chapter Eight
With Terri working that evening and David at a friend’s house playing cards, Saul stayed home in Golden Beach, sanding down the edges of the new desk he’d been
making for his room, thinking about how much he loved working with wood and how much he looked forward to having his own place someday – with Terri, if she’d have him – with a
spare room or maybe a garage he could turn into a workshop.
‘Take any room you like,’ David had told him more than once.
No shortage of space here at home, they both knew that, two men rattling around in a house that had comfortably held four; but Saul didn’t want to build his workshop in his father’s
house because it would feel too much like giving up hope of moving out.
Which was no insult to his dad because Saul loved him with all his heart, found him the easiest man in the world to live with. But wanting his own place was natural, and David had made it plain
that he understood that, was happy to have his company for as long as it lasted, but would encourage his leaving when the time came.
‘You know I could afford to help,’ he’d offered not long ago, aware of his son’s restlessness, but Saul had said he didn’t want that either, and his father
respected that.
It was Saul’s own self-respect that was a little lacking these days – or maybe it was simple disappointment in himself. He
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