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He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze then dropped his hand. “Go watch that grill while I get your boyfriend a drink. You want anything?”

“A beer would be great.” One wouldn’t hurt.

On the patio, I dropped my arms over Ryan’s shoulders. “I’m sorry about that,” I said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“It’s okay.” He stood, rounding his chair and wrapping arms around my waist. “‘Genie in a Bottle?’”

“Shut up.”

“I like it.” Ryan started to smooth his hands over my belly, something he’d quickly learned would get him whatever he wanted. “It makes sense, really.”

“I told you to shut up,” I warned, face on fire.

“I guess I just had to rub you the right way, didn’t I?”

“Fuck you,” I whispered, looking over my shoulder to make sure we were still alone.

Ryan dropped his voice down to a low rumble. “You could if you wanted to.”

“Okay, I think I need to keep your mouth busy so you stop talking.”

Clenching my hand in his hair, I hauled him in for a kiss. I’d just decided to dive in for a deeper taste when Ryan pulled away. “Are you ever going to come out of the bottle? Officially?”

I hesitated. Coming out to Charlie and my dad had taken over so much of my head, I hadn’t thought about it. “Would it be a problem if I didn’t? Not… right away at least.”

Ryan shook his head. “Should you get to that point, I want you to come out for your sake, not mine. As long as we still get some ‘us’ time, I’m okay with that.”

I smiled, pressing my lips to his once more. I was so lost in the man next to me, that I didn’t hear the patio door open again.

“Whoa, am I interrupting?”

“Sorry, Dad.” Wiping my mouth, I took the bottle he handed me, surprised to see that it was the gluten-free option. “What is this?”

“That is what you drink right?” he asked.

I furrowed my brow. “Did Charlie tell you I was in town?”

“No—I keep it around just in case,” my dad said matter-of-factly.

Ryan spoke up from his spot under my arm. “My heart can’t take this.”

“I really appreciate that, Dad… I was expecting a night of pain ahead of me.”

“Maybe take it as a sign to come see your old man more often.” Dad punctuated his thought with a wink at me before he turned back to the grill.

“Oh, trust me, he will,” Ryan piped in.

Dad and Ryan fell into easy conversation. I was hardly able to get a word in, not that I minded. I was content to watch. Occasionally, Ryan would place a reassuring hand on my back or my knee. The moment he asked about my mom, Dad and I shared a look, each knowing the other’s heart had been reduced to a puddle on the ground.

Most people were too scared to ask about my mom. Since the town was so small, we didn’t need to tell people, but that didn’t stop them from tiptoeing around us—even six years later. It was a relief to be able to talk about her.

Dad led Ryan around the house, telling their love story through the photographs on the wall. From their first date, to when my dad proposed, and their wedding day. Most of my baby pictures were packed away in my attic but as luck would have it, Dad had the classic naked baby bath shot.

“He’s always had those killer blue eyes, hasn’t he?” Ryan commented.

My dad nodded. “Kim always cussed me out because she pushed out a ten-pound baby for him to come out looking like me.”

Ryan gave a teasing grin over his shoulder. “Well, I guess we know you’ll age well.”