Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 5

have thought of that when we were at home," Aiden said with a nudge to Cade's shoulder. "Hell of a portage from here."
    "Aiden!" came a call from shore, and they all turned to see Mrs. St. John standing with her hands on her hips. "Uncle Warren's here! I know he doesn't live far away, but we never see him when we're in Chicago. Come say hello!"
    "I'll be right there," Aiden called, but he didn't move. Instead, he glanced over at Sarah before saying, "And there's one more… I don't know. One more thing I don't like."
    "Jesus, Aiden," Cade said. It felt good to finally acknowledge that he was feeling overwhelmed, but then immediately felt bad, because Aiden looked so guilty.
    "I know. I'm sorry. But you might actually be okay with it, given your generally prudish attitudes in this area." He made a face. "She wants us in separate rooms. I said it was stupid, obviously. I mean… she can't think I'm still a virgin, not after all the 'safe sex' talks we've had and all the condoms she's left lying around the house."
    "It's bullshit," Sarah said firmly. "Didn't you and—" She stopped awkwardly. Cade knew enough to fill in the blank, though. Will, Aiden's old boyfriend. Golden Will, so much like Aiden, so easygoing and popular and blessed by the gods of wealth and privilege. Apparently Will had been good enough to share a room under Mrs. St. John's roof.
    "Yeah," Aiden said. "It's bullshit. I'll have the fight with her, when there's time. But tonight, with all the people here, it won't really work. Not unless we want a big scene." He looked at Cade. "I'll talk to her tonight, if you want. I'm just trying to figure out what works best for you."
    Which was, itself, bullshit. What would have worked best for Cade was staying in Indiana, or maybe making the trek up to Chicago if he really needed a vacation. Instead, he'd let Aiden drag him to a foreign country, shove him into a forest of strangers, and then deny him the one thing he'd been looking forward to, the comfort of falling asleep in his lover's arms. "It's okay," he said. "It's not a big deal. Whatever works."
    Aiden looked like he knew Cade was lying and was trying to decide whether to call him on it, but then there was another voice from shore. "Aiden!" A man this time, loud and hearty. "Get over here, boy! It's been too long!"
    Aiden scrambled to his feet. "Uncle Warren!" he said, heading to shore. "Sorry, I was just on my way up."
    "Yeah, I could see that," the man said dryly, and he looked out toward Sarah and Cade. For one horrible, nauseating moment, his eyes locked on Cade's, recognition like a knife wound, and then he tore his gaze away. Nobody else had noticed, Cade was pretty sure, but his whole body was cold, his skin crawling with fear and self-disgust. The man was here, Cade's old life pushing into his new one with no regard for his fragile barriers, his treasured safety. The man was here, and Cade was trapped.
    CHAPTER TWO
    Cade knew he was supposed to go to shore and meet this new uncle, but he couldn't make himself move. Sarah looked at him, clearly picking up on something, and whispered, "Hit a wall? No more new people?"
    "Sorry," Cade choked out, and Sarah rested her hand gently on his.
    "Cade's helping me with something," she called toward the shore. "I need manly advice. We'll come up in a bit."
    Aiden raised his arm in bemused acknowledgement. Warren had already started walking, charging up the path like a moose in rut, and Aiden reluctantly followed.
    Cade wondered what would happen if he just pushed off and started swimming. It was a big lake. If he got lucky, he'd drown, but if that didn't work, maybe he could haul himself out somewhere on the other side and start everything over. Again.
    But that would mean being away from Aiden, leaving everything they'd managed to build together down in Indiana. He felt a wave of nausea, wondering whether that was all lost, already. Was Warren up there talking to Aiden right then? Was he talking to Aiden's parents, to his sweet, loving father and his cold, judging mother, giving her every damn reason for thinking her son was too good for his new boyfriend?
    "It bugs you that much?" Sarah said. "The bedrooms? Aiden can just sneak in for a booty-call, you know."
    It took Cade a moment to even be able to figure out what she was talking about, and a good bit longer to respond. "No," he managed. "It's not a big deal. I'm fine."
    "His mom really liked Will," Sarah said. "They were soul mates, practically. And she