Page 86 of The Key Holder

Last year?

“Huh” was all Ford had to say. He still had his arms crossed, but like me, he didn’t seem upset. Maybe a little surprised? It was hard to tell.

“Any comments?” my mom asked. “From either of you?”

“With you two both being up here, we thought it was a perfect time,” Brian added.

Well, shit.

“Well, we don’t have to stand on the porch all day,” Ford said, gesturing inside. “Come on in, make yourselves at home.” I brought up the rear, and wondered how long they planned on staying here. “Beer, Bri?”

Brian nodded, snagging the offered bottle from Ford. "Thanks, man."

"Melissa, how about you? Beer or something else?" Ford offered, turning to her.

"Iced tea or lemonade, if you have it, please," my mom replied.

"Coming right up."

While Ford rummaged in the fridge, I reached for something stronger. "Margarita, anyone?"

"It's barely past noon."

I ignored the playful disapproval in her tone and shrugged. “I’m on vacation time, Mom. There are no rules.”

We moved to the living room and my mom settled onto the couch that I had been bent over only a few minutes before. That’s not awkward at all. I hoped to God I hadn’t dripped all over it.

“Is this where you were doing your naked yoga?” my mom asked.

“Yeah, right here.”

“And does Ford participate as well?” Brian asked.

I almost spit my drink out, but managed to choke down the sip.

“No,” Ford answered for me. “Dylan gives me a heads up. I like watching sports, and yoga, while interesting, doesn’t quite peak my interest.”

Oh, this was going nowhere fast. I caught Ford’s eye and nodded to the kitchen. “We’ll go grab some cheese and crackers…or something,” I said, standing up. “Wanna give me a hand, Ford?”

“Oh sure, I can help.”

I practically pushed my mom back down onto the couch. “We got it. Be right back.”

As soon as we were out of earshot, I dropped the light-hearted tone. “You were just balls deep inside of me, banging me all the way to dicktopia, right where my mom is currently sitting!”

“Dicktopia?”

I slapped his arm. “The couch, Ford!”

“I also noticed that. What do you want me to do about it? Tell her?”

“No.” But his joke gave me an idea. “But maybe now is a good time to tell them about us?”

“Really?” Ford did his usual lean-against-the-counter-arms-crossed-I’m-thinking pose. “Just rip the Band-Aid off?”

“No point in making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. We’re not doing anything wrong,” I said. “Plus they just dropped their secret relationship on us.”

“I can agree with that.” Ford smiled, then said, “Plus, I think you and I are both serious about this. We haven’t talked about it, but I…I want to keep seeing you after the summer’s over.”