Chapter 2

“Excuse me,” she said, speaking in a sharp tone. “But just who are you?”

“I’m a mourner like everyone else, ma’am.”

“Well, I am Caroline Fields, Jacob’s sister, and I can assure you that I do not know who you are.”

He nodded again and kept moving toward the mourners…toward Jake. He was aware Caroline Fields was blustering behind him, but he paid her no attention. He was only a few feet from Jake now.

Just then, Jake stopped mid-sentence and turned to look at him. The piercing crystal blue eyes blinked rapidly. Damian remembered those damn eyes so well. They were the most gorgeous set of peepers he’d ever seen. And the same long, thick lashes framed them. Jake’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and then he muttered something to the person he’d been talking to and walked toward Damian.

“Damian?” He said the name as though asking a question, yet Damian guessed Jake already knew it was him.

“Jake, do you know this man?” Caroline Fields asked behind him. Her voice was frosty like the wind in a snowstorm.

“Yes, Aunt Caroline. Why don’t you go back to speak to the minister?” The slight Southern accent was still noticeable in Jake’s voice. Back when they’d been together Jake had wanted to get rid of it entirely, but Damian had always found it appealing. Jake kept his gaze focused intently on Damian. He crossed the remaining distance between them.

“Hello, Jake,” Damian managed to say.

To his surprise, Jake grabbed his hands and drew him farther away from the prying eyes of Aunt Caroline and the other guests. Jake looked back over his broad shoulders, but he did not release his grasp of Damian’s hands.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Jake said. “When did you…how?”

“I read the obituary for your father,” Damian explained. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

Jake nodded. “Thank you. He’d been ill for a while.” Jake shrugged, causing the suit coat to stretch across his broad shoulders. “The minister’s about to have the graveside service. Would you—can you stay and come over to the house afterward? I’d really like to talk to you.”

“Of course.” Damian followed him over to the group, aware of the stares he received. Some were just curious, others more hostile. He took it in stride. Being a big, former professional football player he was used to stares.

The minister started the service and Damian stood nearby, remaining silent and respectful, his eyes downcast, even though he wanted to look at Jake.

“Jacob’s son will now say a few words,” the minister said.

Damian watched Jake move forward to stand in front of the gathered mourners.

“As most of you know my father and I had our differences. Growing up, my mom often played peacemaker between us. It was a dark day indeed for both of us when she passed. But even though we didn’t always see eye to eye on things, my father loved me and I loved him. In these last few years while he’d been ill we got a little closer.” Jake paused. “There were a lot of things left unsaid still. But I think my father was happy he would be joining my mother in rest now. They’ll be reunited in Heaven.”

Damian knew very well some of the things Jake had left unsaid with his father. Like the fact that he was gay. Thirty-eight years old and Damian was pretty sure Jake’s father went to his grave thinking his son was straight.

After the mourners threw dirt on the coffin, Jake gave him a slip of paper with his house’s address on it and then he walked off with his Aunt Caroline toward a big dark car.

* * * *

Jake’s house was a rather average ranch-style house in a rather average looking Southern neighborhood. As Damian recalled, Jake had grown up in this town and he rather suspected this was probably the house he’d grown up in.

It was painted a faded yellow with white trim and there were swarms of cars parked up and down the narrow street. Probably everyone in town was there.

Damian headed up the stone walkway pretty much figuring he would be the lone black man there. The front door was open, leaving only a screen door closed. Within the house he could see several folks from the funeral milling about.

The screen door popped open and Jake stood there. “Hi, come in.”

Swallowing back his hesitation, Damian entered the house. All conversation seemed to stop. Or was that his imagination?

“Um,” Jake said, licking his lips. “Why don’t we go out to the back porch?”

Based on the sheepish expression on Jake’s face, Damian decided he hadn’t imagined the sudden silence after all. Man, he was too old for this shit, wasn’t he?

He followed Jake to the back door of the house and back outside. There was a slight breeze which cut some of the humidity Alabama had been experiencing.