Man, I can’t believe Braden and Greg shoved my ass right back out the door when I showed up for Sammy’s and Shannon’s playdate. Honestly. A one year old and a two year old with just two adults present? Are they crazy? That age group isn’t for the faint of heart.”

“You need to quit bitching and just embrace the fact that your friends love you enough to want you to have an afternoon off. “ Scott chided me kindly as he held an arm out to indicate the room.

“When was the last time you had a child-free chance to come to Slow Grind for coffee with your awesome best friend? Now eat your scone, drink your coffee, and pretend like your enjoying yourself before I get my feelings hurt.”

After I took a drink of coffee, I looked over at Scott with chagrin. “Would it be wrong to talk about her birthday party though? I know this is supposed to be my time, but I really need to go over the details for the party while Sammy’s not here to distract me.”

Scott winked. “I’ll allow it. You know my pretty little niece is one of my favorite subjects, and I’m all about her party. I just want you to relax and not feel guilty because she’s not attached at your hip right now. So go ahead and pull up your notepad app, and let’s double check the details for the party. Saturday will be here before either of us knows it.”

We were just about finished going over everything to my satisfaction, when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I glanced over and sucked in a sharp breath when I saw who was headed my way. Grayson Knight himself, aka, Grazer. Fuck. Before I could gather my wits or warn Scott, he was standing in front of us.

“Luke, what a surprise.” He greeted me with a warm smile, completely ignoring Scott’s presence. “You’re looking good, although you still don’t look a day over twenty-three.”

I blinked at his casual flirtiness, even as I laughed weakly. “Yeah, me and this famous baby face of mine. Would you believe I turned thirty last month?”

Grazer smirked and shook his head, turning slightly to block Scott from our conversation, as if he weren’t sitting right there.

“I’d believe it, but only because you showed me your license when we first met and I didn’t buy you were really twenty-five. Shit, have we really known each other that long now?”

“Yeah, I guess time flies when you’re rarely around each other, huh?” I was ignoring Scott’s curious expression. He’d obviously recognized Grazer’s name and was likely trying to figure out the vibe between us. “Speaking of which, how long are you in town this time? I haven’t seen Cecil or Ian in a while, so I had no idea you’d be around.”

“I’ve been planning to look you up now that I’m back in town. I’m staying with Ian and Cecil while I figure out what’s next for me, actually. Imagine my surprise to find you weren’t with them anymore.”

Grazer finally turned and flashed a flat look at Scott before turning back to me. “I see I’m interrupting though, or I’d pull up a chair and catch up.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m forgetting my manners,” I held a hand out toward Scott. “This is my friend and neighbor, Scott Foxx. Scott, this is Grazer Knight.”

Grazer looked confused as he shook Scott’s now outstretched hand, while still mainly directing his focus on me. “Nice to meet you, Scott. But Luke, I thought I’d heard you were with someone named Sam now? I must have gotten the name wrong.”

Scott choked on his coffee, and began coughing. I felt my cheeks burning with that stupid blushing thing they always did to me.

“Ah, yeah... Scott and I are just friends. But yeah, Sam is definitely the most important person in my life now.”

Grazer visibly thawed toward Scott then, as he flashed him a smile and pulled a chair over from a nearby table without even asking if he could join us.

“Good, I’m glad I caught you out without Sam then. I want you to know that I’m quite concerned from the things I’ve been hearing about this overly intense relationship you’re having there.”

I looked at Grazer in disbelief. What the actual fuck? Was he seriously going to sit there and tell me that I was too attached to my own child? And this from a guy who didn’t even supposedly want kids? Before I could open my mouth to tell him off, he went on talking.

“Listen, I know it’s none of my business, but I still care about you as a person, Luke. Even if you’re with someone else now, and I’ve lost my shot, I can still worry about you. It’s a red flag for me when I hear that this Sam person is keeping you from having a personal life. You need to know that this isn’t okay. This is usually the first sign of an abuser, when they isolate you and block you from having other personal relationships. And with your family being gone now, you’re particularly vulnerable if this Sam closes you off from your friends.”

I couldn’t begin to process what was happening right now, and how to correct Grazer’s misunderstanding. Scott was losing his shit over it though. He was doubled over laughing so hard, his face was red and tears were streaming down his cheeks. I discreetly kicked him under the table, but the fucker only laughed harder.

I sucked in a breath and attempted to right this mistaken impression. “No, Grazer. It’s not like that, really. I... should probably explain a few things to you that are a long time coming.”

“Explain what exactly, Luke? What could possibly make this Sam person shutting you off from the world be even remotely okay? I’m sorry to harp on this, but screw it. I’ve known you a lot longer, and I think I have the right to worry.”

My mind raced as I wondered how to even begin to explain. I glared at Scott who was wiping his eyes with a napkin, and still fighting the giggles. Maybe I should just invite Grazer to Sam’s party and go from there.

Fuck my life... This was going to be bad now matter how I did it. I was about to say... something... anything, when Scott spoke up.

“Stop justifying Sam’s behavior, Luke. It’s totally like what Grazer is saying, and you know it. Sam controls when you’re able to sleep, keeps you from enjoying a hot meal, and even interrupts your personal phone calls with that constant whining. Hell, Sam even needs you for butt wiping! Come on, man. Admit it. You and Sam are in an abusive relationship.”

I gave Scott the stink eye, but he just stared back at me with twinkling eyes, as if daring me to ‘fess up and end this charade.

“Stay out of it, Scott. Don’t you have somewhere to be anyway? We can do coffee another day.”

Scott shook his head with a smirk, then began to speak in a voice filled with fake concern.

“Nope. I’m completely free and wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m here for you, Luke. These are hard truths that you really need to hear, my friend. Now let’s talk about how Sam won’t even let you take a shower with the door closed, let alone take a piss in peace. This worries me, and now that we’re addressing the issue, I feel like I can finally be honest. Let’s get it all out there, buddy. Grazer and I are here for you.”

I looked over at Grazer’s pinched expression. A vein was actually throbbing near his temple, he was so completely incensed at my imagined abuse. Scott fluttered his eyelashes at me with an almost angelic smile, while his eyes flashed with devilish mirth. Fuck it.

I shoved my chair back and rose as Grazer started to speak again. Holding up a hand, I shook my head and cut off whatever he’d been about to say.

“Look. I know you mean well, but I’m fine. Trust me, Grazer, you don’t need to worry about me and Sam. It was good to see you, but now I need to get going before Sam misses me.”

I winced as soon as I realized how that sounded. Grazer stood as if to stop me from leaving, while Scott began a fresh round of laughter. I threw my napkin at Scott and flipped him my middle finger, but that only made him laugh harder. Gritting my teeth, I turned and stormed out of there, leaving the two of them to their own devices.

As I stomped my way through the back parking lot, I noticed an adorable white and brown bunny over in the bushes across from my car.

I forgot about my frustration for a moment as I walked over to check on it. It was so fluffy and well groomed, it almost had to be someone’s lost pet.

Right before I could reach it, the bunny took off. I shrugged and turned back to my car, when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.

I walked over to where the bunny had been sitting, and found a large, hand-painted egg. The painting was so detailed, it surely had to have been done by a skilled artist.

I picked it up, and almost lost my breath while I examined its beautifully painted scene of a beach sunset with two men holding hands, facing each other in silhouette.

It was simply too gorgeous for words. The sunset itself had been perfectly captured with shades ranging from coral to scarlet so that it was almost like looking at a photograph.

I decided I couldn’t leave such a beautiful piece of art laying there in the bushes, so I took it with me to my car.

Once I was seated, I started to set on the seat next to me, when I realized something was rattling around inside. I turned it over and saw there were two small holes on either end.

Using my key, I almost regretfully widened the bottom hole just enough to get at the object inside. I figured if I attacked it from the bottom, at least it wouldn’t be visible when I put it on display on home. A tightly wound scroll dropped into my hand a moment later.

I unrolled it, marveling at the high quality linen paper where someone had hand-written a fortune of sorts in calligraphy.

As Grazer immediately flashed into my mind, I set the damn thing on the passenger seat and started the car. Great, now I was getting life coaching from a damn egg too. Like I said… fuck my life.