Turkey in the Snow Read Free

Justin finished speaking.
    “If you like,” Justin said helpfully, “I can come get Josie on Saturday and bring her in with me. I just cleared it with Jackie and…”
    Hank took a deep breath, not wanting to be indebted to him anymore, especially because that thing, that drama thing, was still there, grating against Hank’s teeth. Justin must have seen his refusal because he just kept talking faster like that was going to get him his way.
    “…and don’t say no because you’re worried about her, because I’m totally certified in everything , and I’m getting a liberal studies degree and units in child development so I can do CPR and teach her the alphabet and—”
    It was time to inject some sanity.
    “Why?” Hank asked bluntly. “It’s nice of you. It really is, but why?”
    Justin shrugged and smiled, looking embarrassed and eager and everything. “Well, because I like kids, Silly! If I didn’t like kids, I’d be studying something that made me more money, like banking, right?”
    “I like kids!” Hank heard his voice pitch up embarrassingly. God. He should turn in his employee card as Loan Officer at Wells Fargo for that voice crack.
    “I know, I know,” Justin placated, holding his hands out. “But, you know, you have to be the responsible parent, and I get that and it’s really great! But I can be the fun Uncle Justin, and she can see Santa! Please?”
    Hank let out a sigh. He was the fun Uncle Justin right now. At the moment, he was Hank’s best ally.
    “Yeah,” Hank told him, getting his clothes situated. He stood up so he could get to the inside of his gym bag. “Here. I’ll get you my address—”
    “Oh, I can get that from the computer or find it on my phone…”
    Hank felt his eyes bulge out, and Justin backtracked at warp speed.
    “…and that would be totally illegal so of course I wouldn’t do that, so go ahead and write that down for me, ’kay?”
    “Thank you,” Hank said belatedly as he was writing down his info. Justin had his phone out and was punching the numbers into it briskly, and Hank envied him. He was pretty sure he didn’t have many friends at the moment because of his antiquated texting skills, and he kept losing people’s numbers. “She… we really appreciate this.”
    Justin grinned so widely his eyes almost squinched shut. “I’m happy to help.”
    There was a moment, then, an awkward one, and Hank felt compelled to be truthful.
    “I don’t ‘don’t like you’,” he said, putting his pea coat on over his workout clothes. His skin was still clammy from the sweat he’d built up and not been allowed to wash off.
    Justin had moved closer to get his address, and when Hank turned around from his locker, he saw that Justin was right in front of him, looking up at Hank’s six-foot-three-inch height from his own much shorter build. His eyes were open and blue, and Hank could see the places in his hair where his gel was starting to break down. Justin had apparently put in a long day too.
    “Sure you do,” Justin said. “You think I’m a big ol’ flaming ’mo, and you’re way too butch to have anything to do with me, and you don’t think I should be hanging out with your niece and generally you wish my entire people would fall off the face of the earth.” He did the rolling eyes, twitching hips, and limp-wristed thing all in conjunction, and, Hank had to admit, it was one hell of a show.
    He hated to put a stop to it.
    “I’m gay, moron.” He swung his duffel bag over his shoulder and paused for a moment to admire Justin’s sweet little heart shaped face, open jaw, bulging eyes and all. God, he was pretty. It was a shame about that whole other problem.
    “Wait a minute!” Justin said, reaching up to grab Hank’s arm and stop him. He must have remembered at the last moment that Hank had actually hurt himself, because his grip on Hank’s shoulder was surprisingly gentle.
    Hank turned around with a long-suffering sigh.
    “What?” he asked.