Evan didn’t even make it as far as the second floor before his phone went off. The atrium of Cray Reliable was full of golden morning sunlight playing off the granite walls. He’d never noticed how pretty it was before. But his phone was insistent.

It was Maura. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said, “but I’ve got to ask you a favor.”

His stomach sank, and his breath came a little quicker. She never called this early.

“Is everything okay?” he asked. “Reg doing all right?”

“Reg is fine, but he’s why I’m calling. God, Evan, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but could you babysit him? The sitter called out, and I have got to get to work, I have a new boss and he’s a tyrant, and I never would ask you in a million years—”

“You never have asked in a million years,” Evan said. His heart swelled with something like pride. She’d called him! “I can totally babysit.”

Oh, wait. He was at work. He looked around at the people bustling to get onto the elevators. Wasn’t he one of them now, people with important responsibilities? Archie would be mad if he found out.

There isn’t a more important responsibility than your son.

“You’re sure?” she said. “I know you’ve got that fake job going on.”

For some reason, that made him feel prickly. It wasn’t a fake job. It might have been meant as a punishment, but it certainly had real consequences.

“I’m dying to see Reg. I’ll do it. Let me just talk to my new boss.”

He rode to the second floor, then looked around the office. No sign of Simon yet. It was a little early…but Evan hadn’t slept well last night, thinking about Simon, and so had risen bright and early, patting himself on the back for getting here half an hour before time.

He dialed Simon’s cell, and it rang for a minute.

“Hey, it’s me,” said Evan. “I guess you’re not at work yet?”

“Evan!” said Simon. He sounded surprised, but did he sound happy to hear from him? How did he feel about Evan, after their awkward encounter yesterday? You’ve got to talk to him at some point, he told himself. But not today. Today you’ve got to take care of Reg.

“That’s me,” Evan said.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Simon said, “downstairs. I was about to go for my morning swim before work.”

“Did you find a mysterious glowing puddle in the subbasement to swim in? Watch out for trolls and goblins.”

Simon laughed. “No, one level up from the subbasement, at the pool that we all hope won’t collapse while I’m in it.”

Evan started to tell him that he would have to leave work today…but found he couldn’t. Not over the phone. He felt a strange hesitation there, like he wouldn’t be able to explain it correctly. Or maybe he just wanted to see Simon again. “I’m coming down,” he said. “See you in a second.”

The elevator to the basement opened, and he was surprised by how modern everything looked, compared to the ancient darkness just one level down. A sign pointed him to the Recreation Area, which turned out to be a bright, well-equipped gym, locker rooms, and there beyond, a deep-blue pool.

Simon was already in the water. His arms plunged forward, making his body slip ahead like a dolphin, sleek and powerful. His broad, muscular back was plainly visible, lithe rather than bulky, and the strength of his shoulders became obvious with each stroke. Evan’s gaze trailed down to Simon’s thighs, and that ass…

He should just strip down right now. He should jump in the water, catch up with Simon, and just fuck him. God, to be wrapped in those arms, to feel those legs around him, to switch places and be pounded by Simon’s cock…

These thoughts were almost too much for him to bear, especially after last night’s lonely jack-off session, his eyes squeezed shut, imagining Simon over him. Why can’t I just talk to him about this? Why can’t we forget all this talk of ground rules and boundaries?

Because he had a secret, and that secret meant he couldn’t get close to anyone. That simple.

Simon had turned at the other end of the pool, and was gliding back towards Evan. Suddenly he looked up and realized Evan was standing there, and lifted a hand in greeting. He sped to the side of the pool, and lifted himself out, water pouring off him, the play of light and shadow showing off every ridge of his body, making Evan tingle.

Simon grabbed his towel, and rubbed his face. He smiled at Evan, shyly, hesitantly. “You should come down here and swim with me some times,” he said. “It’s a great way to start the morning.”

“I’ve never been much of a swimmer,” said Evan. “My experience with water is mostly sitting in a boat with a drink in my hand.”

Did Simon notice anything strange in Evan’s tone? To Evan, his own voice seemed strange and nervous. He meant to plan how to tell Simon this, but had gotten too lost in staring at him.

“Listen,” Evan said.

Simon cocked his head to the side, and it was beautiful.

“I have to…I have to leave for the day.”

That bright, shy smile flickered. “But you just got here.”

“I know. Something came up, and I have to leave. The thing is…if Archie asks, can you tell him I was here?”

“Are you okay? Are you sick?”

Evan shook his head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I just have something I have to do. A favor for someone.”

“I mean, can’t it wait until lunch or something?”

“It really can’t. I need to help someone out.”

“One of your friends?”

Evan said, “Yes, a friend. I can’t really talk about it. And I’d never ask, except I just heard about it coming in this morning, and I really need to help them. So, will you cover for me?”

I wish I could tell him. He looks so crestfallen now, like I’ve disappointed him somehow.

“Look, are you sure you just don’t want to be here?” asked Simon.

“What?”

“I mean, I know that this isn’t what you wanted. You didn’t expect to suddenly be tied down with a job.”

“But you said last night that you got all caught up, and it was going to be easy today—”

“Yeah, I know,” said Simon. “My objection isn’t that we’re so busy you have to be here. But suddenly leaving, for secret reasons? Asking me to cover for you? I worry that you’re going to blow this opportunity, Evan. What if Archie finds out anyway? You’re going to be in so much trouble, if it turns out you’re just going for a day trip to a spa or something.”

Was that what Simon thought of him? That he’d just drop all his responsibilities for a few hours in a mud bath?

I mean, he’s not entirely wrong, Evan admitted. I’ve done it before.

It would be so easy just to admit why he had to go. It would clear up everything. No, I’m not the irresponsible gadabout the entire world thinks I am. I have someone who depends on me, so it’s really twice as much responsibility as you have.

But Maura had sworn him to secrecy. He chafed against it, he fought it, but honestly, she was right. What would Archie say, if it turned out Evan had fathered a child? The lawyers would descend like an army. All Archie cared about was protecting the family fortune. Maura and Reg would be cast out. Evan would never see them again.

Simon, you don’t know what this is like, he thought. If I tell you, it’s only a matter of time until everybody knows, and the one good thing I’ve ever done, helping bring a new life into the world, will be taken away from me.

He swallowed. “I’m not going to a spa. Don’t worry. I promise you, this is a favor, not a jaunt. And it’s important.”

Simon shrugged, but the look of disappointment on his face was clear. “I guess I can’t stop you. You’re a grown-up. Sort of.”

* * *

“You are a lifesaver,” said Maura, giving him a hug. “Never thought I’d say those words, honestly.”

Evan laughed. Reg was still in his pajamas, carrying a piece of buttered toast around Maura’s small living room. “It’s fine,” he said. “I hope you have a good day at work.”

“It’s going to be awful,” she said, slipping on her shoes. “Why can’t I have a nice, understanding boss like yours?”

“Well, I’m not sure he really understood. But it’ll be fine.”

Wouldn’t it? Simon had looked troubled.

When Simon had first seen Evan this morning, his happiness had been so evident. Evan wondered if he’d hurt Simon’s feelings, leaving like this. Was he looking forward to seeing me that much?

There wasn’t much time to think about it right now, though; Maura kissed Reg goodbye, and then Evan was in Full Babysitting Mode.

“What have you been doing with your life, small person? Are you doing anything fun?”

Reg showed Evan his breakfast. “I eating toast!”

“I see that!”

It was impossible to stay troubled with Reg around. He had to show Evan all his toys, one at a time. “This is a elephant!” “This is a moose!”

Evan cleaned up the breakfast dishes, while Reg chattered to him, then he got Reg dressed.

“One of these days, I’m gonna need jeans with an elastic waist, just like yours,” he told the boy.

“Can you tell me stories?” asked Reg.

“Of course,” said Evan, picking him up and putting him on the couch. “Do you like stories about monsters? Terrifying monsters?”

Reg laughed like a pealing bell. “No! No monsters!”

“What about beautiful princesses? Do you like them?”

“Prince! A boy!”

“A child after my own heart,” said Evan. “Okay, let’s see. Once upon a time—that’s a good intro, don’t you think?—once upon a time there was a handsome, brave young prince.”

“Was his name Reg?”

“His name was, indeed, Prince Reg. And he had almost everything he ever wanted. Almost. People had lavished him with money and jewels and fine clothes, his entire life. He had a stable of horses that could outrun anything else in the kingdom, and an army of knights who would defend him from any danger. But Prince Reg was missing something. He was lonely.”

“Is it a sad story?”

Evan looked down at Reg. “No, not at all. Not by the end. See, one day the King died—”

Reg’s brow furrowed. “It is a sad!”

“No, no. The kingdom was taken over by the prince’s evil uncle, Archduke Archibald The Third. And a more evil, selfish man had never been seen on this earth. They said he could squeeze a coin so hard all the gold would drip out of it. If there was one person in the whole kingdom the evil Duke hated the most, it was our prince. He was jealous of how handsome the prince was, jealous of how everyone loved him, so he had him locked in a prison cell!”

“Locked up tight!”

“Exactly. And every day the prince would look out his window, down at the kingdom that had once been his for the taking, wondering what he’d done wrong to deserve this. But then, one day, looking down, he saw a boy about his own age. Hello, he said, do you want to be my friend? And the boy looked up in surprise, and he said Yes, I will be your friend. The prince said, It will have to be a secret, because my evil uncle must never find out.

“Every day, the boy would come to play with the prince. He’d stand outside the window, and they’d talk, or make up games, or sing songs.”

“I like singing.”

“What nobody knew a the time, was that the Duke was very ill. As he lay on his embroidered bed, his councilors told him about this friend of the prince, and he demanded the prince be brought before him. Prince Reg, he said, I am not long for this world. Soon my reign will end. I offer you a choice: You may have all of this—all the wealth of the entire kingdom, all that your father had meant for you to have. Or, you may have your friend. You must choose.

“The prince was taken aback. How could he choose? His friend was the only person who had been any comfort to him in his prison, while all his rich friends from his former life had abandoned him. And yet, if he chose the friend, then all the wealth that had been promised him would pass into the hands of his evil cousins, Ash and Callum, and it wasn’t fair that they should get the kingdom, when it had never been promised to them to begin with.”

“Then there was a dragon!” said Reg.

“Oh, was there?”

Reg’s eyes were wide, and he stretched his arms to show the size of the thing. “It was so big. And fire! And it said ROAR, and it ate the bad uncle!”

“Is that what happened?” asked Evan.

“It ate the uncle and the cousins and the prince and the castle and the horses and the sun!”

“That must have been one fat dragon.”

“Fat dragon! Fat dragon!” Reg slipped off the couch and started running in circles, his sing-song voice making a melody out of Fat dragon, until he collapsed into a giggling heap on the floor.

Evan smiled and laughed, but inside, sadness threatened to break through. What kind of choice was this? He wanted Simon. As his friend. As his boyfriend. As whatever life allowed them to be. But he couldn’t have Simon, if he had to keep Reg a secret, and he couldn’t have Reg if the world knew about him.

But Reg was a good distraction. They played and sang and napped and ate, and Evan tried to think as little as he possibly could.