A Daddy for Benito by Joe Satoria

20. HARRY

I wasn’t sure how Benito was going to react to having both Alexi and Warren over. I knew he said he didn’t mind, but I knew somewhere, it was going to be a struggle for him. And I didn’t help matters by coming home drunk as a skunk, and then basically needing to be thrown into a shower so I could become a real human.

Warren seemed the same way, letting out a deep breath in the kitchen. He stood by the doorway, an eye on Alexi. I knew he was worried, but I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t trust Benito, or he was trying to plan an escape if Benito was the big angry brat he’d once been made out to be.

“We were expecting you later on,” I said, cutting the block of mild cheddar cheese into small slices. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re both here. Benito has been wanting to extend the olive branch, and I’m glad you’re putting the past behind you.”

With one final glance into the living room, he approached me. “I know, I didn’t say much last night when you told me, but he actually doesn’t seem too bad. Did you pick that out for him?”

“No,” I chuckled, “but that sweater is mine.”

“Yeah, he used to wear my clothes too,” Warren said. “I mean, it never bothered me. Ugh. I’m just all over the place. And the proposal last night. I was going to wait for a dinner next weekend and do it.”

“We actually have a no talking about exes’ policy,” I said, fanning out the sliced cheese on a wooden board.

“Gotcha,” he said, “I told myself I’d separated him from what he did, and he’s different, but there’s always that thought that I can’t let go.”

I placed my hand on Warren’s shoulder, focusing his eyes on mine. “Trust me,” I said, “if there was anything for you to worry about, I would’ve already said it. I’m blunt. And so if he. I think that’s why we mesh so well.”

“Hi,” Benito said, his voice, softer as he stood in the doorway. “Can I—can I speak to you?”

I pointed at Warren, and then myself. “Oh, what about?” I asked.

Benito grabbed my hand and pulled me with him into the bedroom. He closed the door and pushed me against it. Both of his hands against my chest.

“Whoa,” I said. “We have people over.”

“I was talking to Alexi, and he said some things that made sense, and I wanted to say them to you,” he let out in a single breath, taking in another, he sucked deep. “So, here goes.”

“Wait,” I said, I grabbed his hands and pulled him into a hug. “If this is all too much, I can ask them to leave.”

“No, no, I’m glad they’re here, and I’m happy,” he said, pulling from the hug. “Alexi said, something about how time is limited and how we need to be honest with our feelings, and I can’t let another day pass without expressing them.”

“Ok.”

“I really like you,” he said. “And this week, you’ve made me feel wanted, welcome, and—”

“Wet?” I posed, immediately coming up with a word starting with W.

“Definitely that,” he chuckled, he pulled my hand to his chest. His heart was racing through it. “This isn’t some grand moment or gesture, but I want you to know that you’re special to me, and not just because you’ve given me a place to stay, but also because—”

“I make you feel whole?”

“Definitely something to my hole,” he chuckled, “but yeah.”

“Because you make me feel whole too.”

He kissed me, across my cheeks and lips, just as I’d done to him earlier.

“Is this where I ask—” I began, he kissed me quiet. “Because I can ask, and we can do a double wedd—”

“Don’t ruin it,” he said, pulling away. “Right, well, we should get back out before they think I called you in here so we could fuck.”

“We could fuck?” I posed back.

He shook his head. “Oh no,” he said, “you still have a lot of making up to do from when you climbed into bed drunk and tried spooning me.”

Heat rushed up my face. “Maybe your ass—”

He placed a finger on my lips, hushing me.

Alexi and Warren were both in the living room, having their own discussion, probably talking about what was going on. I didn’t blame them, I know I’d be curious too, but it was too quick to have been anything. Even if I might have been concealing an erection, nothing more than kissing happened.

Back in the kitchen with my ham and cheese board on the dining table, Alexi was seated on the floor, playing with his two kittens. Benito was on the floor too, watching, but he didn’t look like we’d be getting a kitten anytime soon. I considered that a win, the last thing the furniture needed was for a cat to use it as a scratching post.

“Have you thought about when you’ll get married?” I asked, a nice group conversation topic.

Alexi’s ears pricked, looking up at me and Warren.

“Whenever Alexi wants,” he said, “maybe by that point we’ll have more cats, and they can be ring bearers.” He chuckled, but I could see Alexi was more about taking notes and taking the situation seriously.

“That would be fun,” Benito added. “And the honeymoon, I think that would be the only reason to get married.”

Alexi seemed even more interested. “I haven’t—I haven’t been out of the country,” he said.

“So, a world tour?” I suggested.

Warren laughed. “I’m not made of money, but, whatever he wants.”

Alexi shook his head. “I’d only want something small, but I think the cats could be ring bearers. And we could just go to the beach, or something after, and eat ice cream.”

That didn’t sound like a half bad plan. “No family?” I asked. And that was a conversation ender. I knew the familial situation of Warren, but the way Alexi looked, followed by the way Benito looked. I knew I’d said something I shouldn’t, but it was on my mind.

Tomorrow I was supposed to be meeting with my own family, my mother, and for the life of me, and the future of my relationship with Benito, I wasn’t sure what I would do. Perhaps if it were to come between a choice of her or him, I couldn’t with my happiness at stake choose her.

“Well, the cats are family,” Warren said, “so, we could even make use of Grant’s new little playroom he’s opening.” He chuckled at the comment. “He’s even painted it in the same colours as the shop. It’s a bit garish, but that’s Grant for you.”

“And does Marcella know?” I asked. Marcella was Grant’s sister, and the owner of the café, or co-owner, at least.

“Nope,” Alexi spoke up. “Grant’s been careful that nobody tells her. He told me, if she asks, he’s making that room into his office. And she can’t go in there, but she doesn’t have a key anyway.”

“Sneaky, sneaky,” I chuckled back.

“Typical Grant,” Warren added.

“Grant should employ me,” Benito said. “I know how to keep a secret. Plus, I could probably drive business.”

Alexi turned to Benito; his brows raised. “From the forum? You have loads of followers there. I bet they would if you said something.”

“You do?” I asked. For supposedly doing my research, I hadn’t noticed his potential reach when I pitched the forum to Grant. “Well, he might actually go for that as an idea.”

Warren nodded, engaging with Benito for the first time. “He’s desperate to make it work too.” Or, perhaps not quite, feeling a little uneasy with him making it sound like Benito was also desperate, but he was, at least he was for work.

While it wasn’t the perfect arrangement of an afternoon, at least everyone was getting along, and without any arguments either. It was probably the power of the charcuterie board, or possibly the small tipple of wine I needed so I wouldn’t want to be scrubbing the floor where the kittens had been.