My desk phone rings at that moment, and I know-without looking at it-who's going to be on the other end.

As soon as I put my phone to my ear, a husky male voice greets me. "Hey, baby. Whatcha wearin'?"

With a snort of laughter, I swivel my chair around to face the windows. "Are you spying on me again?"

He gasps. "What would make you say that?" There's a pause. "Tell Sarah I really like that color of blue on her, by the way."

"Ry says he likes that color of blue on you." I nod to her simple, sleeveless blue dress.

Her eyes immediately narrow as she glances toward the window, her lips quirking upward. "Tell him to lay off the Peeping Tom bit."

"She said-"

"I heard." He laughs. "You two beauties headed somewhere?"

"Actually," I move back to finish cleaning up my desk, "we were wondering if you'd like to join us for dinner."

There's a beat of silence. "Just the three of us?"

"Unless you want to invite J-"

"Nope. I'm good with it being the three of us," he offers quickly.

As we plan to meet across the street at Druthers, I can't help but wonder why Ry didn't want to include Jack in our plans.

And if part of the reason was because of me.

Chapter Eighteen.

Ry "So you're going out to eat without me? Oh, the betrayal! It tastes so bitter!"

Rolling my eyes at Jack's melodramatic response coming through the speakerphone, I clean up my office. "Pretty sure you'll get over it."

He sniffles. "I might not. But I guess I should try to get over your abandonment with someone new."

"You sound tore up about it."

"I really am." There's a brief pause. "And what do you know? I'm over it."

"That took long," I remark dryly.

"Getting over you is easier now that I've met someone."

"Ah, yet you're the one who spoke of betrayal earlier," I joke before sobering. "Who is she?"

"Someone I met in Boston while I was there last month. She actually seems ... normal." The last word has a tinge of wonder to it. "Anyway, I'm considering heading up there over Easter weekend since I actually have some downtime."

"That's cool, man. I'm excited for you." Then, coming to a realization, I let out a small groan. "Easter. Can't say that I'm looking forward to that."

I had promised my mother I'd drive up for a visit. A visit I'd been putting off for quite some time.

"Your dad's still trying to get you to follow in his footsteps, huh?"

"Yep."

My father has run his own construction company for years. His grand plan includes me taking over when he decides to retire. There's only one flaw in that plan.

I have zero interest-or desire-in doing so.

I swear that if you ask him what his son does all day at work, he'll say something about me playing video games or something. It's not as if I've never told the guy what kind of job I have-quite the opposite-but he just doesn't care to know what I do. It doesn't fit his particular mold.

And my poor mother has been in the crosshairs for years.

"Maybe you should bring Maggie home with you," Jack suggests. "She'd be a great buffer."

"Until she mentions something about you and me being together." I laugh quietly.

Jack falls silent for a moment. "It's just a thought."

After we hang up and I leave my office to head down to meet the ladies at the restaurant, I find myself mulling over Jack's thought.

"Seriously, Mags." Sarah is laughing so hard, her eyes are glistening with tears. "It's physically impossible for you to drink anything without your pinky sticking out."

Maggie, who's laughing nearly as hard, shrugs. "I can't help it. It's like maybe," she works one pinky finger up and down with a concentrated expression, "the tendons are too short or something?"

"No." Sarah immediately dismisses this theory.

Maggie offers another shrug. "I don't know what to tell you. It's just one of those things." She laughs. "Beer? Pinky out. Wine? Pinky out. Water? Pinky out. Tea? Pinky definitely out."

"What about a juice box?" I ask.

Maggie glances at Sarah before they both turn back to me and answer in unison, "Pinky out."

We all laugh, and just as it begins to fade, Sarah changes the subject. "So give us the scoop." Her eyebrows raise expectantly. "How are things with you and Sean? Have you slept with him yet?"

Of course, this would be the moment I'm chewing my loaded grilled cheese sandwich, and part of it gets lodged in my throat. Coughing violently, Sarah starts pounding on my back while Maggie looks on worriedly. Once I finally get myself under control by taking a sip of my water, I don't get much of a reprieve because Sarah starts right back up.

"Fill us in, Maggie."

With a sigh, Maggie leans in. "Things are going well. He mentioned something about bringing me home to meet his family the long weekend leading up to Eas-"

"That reminds me," I interrupt with what I hope is an easy smile. "Feel like putting on your superhero cape and rescuing me Easter weekend? I have to make a trip up to see my parents."

"Oh, Ry." Maggie's lips turn down. "You're really going?"

Lowering my gaze to the beer in front of me, I nod. "Yep."

"What's ..." Sarah hesitates "...wrong with going home for a visit?"

"Oh, you know," I wave a hand dismissively, "just the fact that my father completely dismisses my job and the hard work it took to get where I am. He wants me to take over his construction business and stop," I use finger quotes, "'messing around with video games all day long.'"

Sarah draws back with a frown. "What? You don't even have anything to do with video games for your job."

I point at myself. "I know that." I point at Sarah. "You know that and," I point at Maggie, "she knows that, but somehow, he never got the memo."

"I'll go with you, Ry." My head jerks up in surprise at Maggie's quick response.

"But I thought you'd go with S-" Sarah starts.

Maggie holds up a hand. "There'll be plenty of time to meet his family. They live in Albany, not across the country. But," she gazes at me with kindness shining in her beautiful eyes, "Ry needs me more."

"I'll bet he does." Sarah's soft muttering gets my attention, and I turn to catch her eyeing me with a calculated look.

Shit. I knew it was only a matter of time. Although, never in a million years would I have expected to be upset about someone not believing I was gay. Clearly, I've sunk to new levels of low.

"Really, Ry." Maggie-thankfully oblivious to Sarah's muttering-pats my hand affectionately. "I'll go with you."

Relief pours through me. "Thanks, Mags. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

Standing from the table, she excuses herself to use the restroom, which isn't surprising since it's no secret that Maggie has the bladder of a field mouse.

As soon as she's far enough away from the table, Sarah leans in, eyes narrowed on me. And I know it's all over.

"Ryland James."

I feel my balls shrivel up hearing my full name spoken in that way-strict, no-nonsense, and stern-like.

"Ma'am."

Out comes the pointy index finger. In my direction, of course.

"You need to quit screwing around." She wags her finger at me. "You need to figure your shit out quick, or you're going to lose her forever."

Cautiously, I lean in closer. "Figure my shit out?"

Her eyes grow squinty. "You know what I mean."

We stare at one another for a long moment-with me refusing to budge. Finally, she casually leans back in her chair.

"So, tell me, Ry. How does it feel to take it up the ass?"

I choke on ... air. That's how off-guard she catches me. Staring accusingly, I hiss, "What the hell, Sarah?"

Her expression is one of feigned innocence. "What? Is that not a normal question to ask?" Tipping her head to the side, she asks, "Specifically a man who has, allegedly, been in a sexual relationship with another man?"

I start to answer before my brain clicks, and it's like I mentally hear a ding, ding, ding. Because it trips over one word.

Allegedly.

My panic must be apparent because Sarah shakes her head with a little laugh. Not the kind of laugh that's easy, with humor behind it. No way. It's one of those laughs that have a bit of an edge to it. And then she says one word. One word that explains everything.

"Jack."

Fuck. Apparently, my lover had loose lips and threw me under the damn bus.

Taking it one step further, Sarah points two fingers at me before pointing them back toward her eyes. "I've got my eyes on you, buddy. Don't hurt her."

And so the charade of me pretending to be a gay man begins to crumble.

Chapter Nineteen.

Maggie April "It's so beautiful up here."

I'm looking out the window of Ry's car as we wind along the curving roads leading to Lake Placid, where his parents live.

"It's definitely beautiful when it snows." Tossing a quick glance my way before returning his attention to the road, Ry smiles over my childlike wonder at the scenery around us.

He looks unbelievably handsome in his khaki pants and simple, short-sleeved polo shirt, displaying his strong forearms. His hair is tousled, and I fight the urge to run my fingers through it; wondering how it would feel to tug on it when- Stop it, Maggie. I feel like I need a swat from the wooden ruler on my knuckles from the nuns in Catholic school.

Repeat after me. Sean. I like Sean.

Once I chant this a few times, like a freaking mental patient, I feel like I have myself under control.

"Isn't the North Pole nearby?"

"Now, Mags. If you want to sit on a guy's lap and tell him what a good girl you are, you don't have to go far."

"Ry." I laugh, swatting his shoulder playfully.

"To answer your question, yes. Santa's Workshop in the North Pole, New York, is only about twenty minutes away from my parents' place." He tosses me a look. "You want me to take you there?"

"Can we?" There's no mistaking the excitement in my voice.

"Of course. We can do whatever you want this weekend."