Ian almost ran her over when he stepped out of the kitchen door. “Ella, I didn’t see you.”
“Sorry, Ian. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“Me, either. We haven’t had the chance to chat. Are you enjoying yourself?” He asked.
“Oh, yes, having a wonderful time.” She smiled.
“I haven’t had a chance to meet your boyfriend. You did bring him?”
“Yes. He came late, but you’ve met him already.”
“I have.”
“Yes, Blue Richards.”
“Blue?” Ian thought a moment. “Oh, bartender at Open Fields?”
“That would be the one.”
“I never got the chance to thank him. He got me out of a really bad situation.”
“Can I ask you something personal? I mean we are technically off the clock, right?”
“Of course.”
“Actually it’s more of a favor.”
“I’ll do what I can.”
Ella looked Ian in the eyes. “Look, I know that every once and a while Blue likes to play with the boys.”
“Play with the…?”
“I figure what the heck, just be a man about it and wear a condom.”
Realizing, finally, what she was talking about Ian managed to get out. “That’s very…uh…contemporary of you.”
“He’s got the hots for you. I mean big time.”
“Ella, I have no desire…”
“Ian, drag the man off in the bushes and put him out of his misery. It’s really getting pathetic.”
“I’m so sorry, Ella. I really am, but that is never going to happen.”
“I keep telling him that, but…oh heck, I really liked him, too.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Me, either.” She said and walked off into the crowd.
“I’ve got the next number. Is it my turn?” Came the familiar Aussie lilt.
“I thought I left all the appointments for private audiences when I left the office.”
“Well, mate, when your the most popular kid in school everyone wants to dance when you throw the prom.” Jeremy took a swig from his cup.
“Never thought I’d hear that term lobbed in my direction. I wanted to speak with you anyway.”
“Here I am, at your service.”
“Stop.” Ian smiled. “Ronnie said the boys have invited him for a sleepover tonight?”
“Yes. We thought it just might be easier in the long run. Is that alright with you?”
“Easier?”
“We’re going fishing tomorrow, remember?”
Ian felt stupid because of what he had been thinking. “At the crack of dawn. I remember.”
“We hoped you’d change your mind and go with us.”
“Actually,” Ian said, “I’d love to go…”
“Great!”
“But, Billy’s visit was a surprise and he leaves on Monday morning. This will give me a day to spend some time with him and not have to feel guilty about ignoring Ronnie.”
“Invite him to go along.”
“You know, I think Ronnie’s kind of enjoying the thought of having his first sleep over. It’s a big step for him. As much as he’d enjoy having me along, I think it would make him feel more grown up if I let him do it on his own.”
“Susan and I kind of felt that way, too but wanted to let you know that you had an option.”
“Jeremy, I need to thank the two of you for being so great about Ronnie. I was a little hesitant because of the age differences when Tippy first suggested it.”
“The boys love him, and he’s a great kid. A good influence, it’s good for them to be around a kid from a normal background. We don’t want them to grow up not knowing how lucky they have it any more than we want them to grow up thinking they’re privileged.”
“I know this comes out of the blue, but have you and Susan given any thought to where you’re going to send J.J. to school?”
“We keep going back and forth, public, private, charter? It’s a big decision and ultimately we have to make a decision based on what we think is best in the long run for J.J.”
“I’m struggling with the same decisions for Ronnie. This time last year there was only one choice for him, now besides the best education possible there are other factors to determine in.”
“In other words, how best will he fit in?” Jeremy understood. “He’s a good kid, but no matter what decision we make about our kid’s education, there’s always the square peg in the round hole.”
“I don’t think Ronnie’s a square peg.” Ian said, “But will the other kids, no matter where I put him, feel the same way?”
“If Susan and I can be of any help, you know we’d love to be there for you.”
Ian smiled. “Thank you, Jeremy. I may very well take you up on that. I better go track the little guy down and get him ready.”
Jeremy nodded his head and watched Ian off to find his social butterfly. He couldn’t help but notice Ian, as he was stopped or stopped himself among the crowd. If you watched close enough, you could see that one second when the color changed.
What was it about that man, he wondered. Why was it when someone entered his space, it looked as though the chameleon changed colors? Was there one person in the world who could walk in a room and Ian Justyn just remained Ian Justyn?
“So how do you think he’s doing?” Came the voice at Jeremy’s ear.
“He’s thrown a great gathering.” Jeremy turned at smiled. “You expected anything less?”
“I didn’t mean about the party.” Colton said, lifting that one trademark eyebrow.
“Colt, I don’t know him that well. Susan and I both adore him, but he holds us at a distance.”
“He holds almost everyone at a distance.” Colton said softly. “I can’t shake the feeling that he’s not being honest.”
Jeremy turned to his friend. “Colton, if you are thinking there’s something sinister going on.”
“Nothing that melodramatic. I just get the feeling that there’s so much going on in that poor man’s head that he’s not letting on. He’s been through so much, especially lately and I’m not sure he’s come to terms with it all.”
“I don’t know that much about his past, Colton, but I know he stepped into a tornado, but he seems to be holding on.”
“There’s a lot going on with that young man. I can feel it.” The man watched Ian throwing back his head and laughing with Billy. “Something’s not quite right.”
Jeremy turned to Colton, half joking. “You don’t think he’s dangerous.”
“Only to himself.”
They stood and watched Ian scoop up Ronnie and swing him around in the air, both laughing and carefree. Jeremy saw a man he was hoping would let him be a true friend, despite a mistake they both made, but hopefully could put in the back of their minds.
Colton Shores on the other hand saw something else, felt something else. He didn’t know why, but he saw a man in danger. He saw a man trying hard to put everyone around him at ease, not realizing that he himself was just as important. It was as though Ian Justyn was some long lost part of him, and there was this instinctual need to fix whatever was wrong.
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