Maggie Moves On(97)

Michael looked over his shoulder to make sure the topic of conversation hadn’t wandered in behind them. An interesting problem Silas had never considered about being gay. Restrooms were no longer safe havens to discuss love lives.

“Yeah?” Michael said. “You’re the one who’s doing a shitty job of hiding his whole ‘woe is me’ thing.”

“Fuck,” Silas grumbled, turning his attention back to the urinal. “Fine. But you go first.”

“I don’t know how to do this,” Michael said, zipping back up. “Okay?”

“Do what?” Silas asked over the flush of the urinal.

“Be into a guy. Talk about being into a guy.”

Silas zipped, flushed, and met his brother at the sinks. “Pretty sure it’s the same. You flirt. You ask him out. Dazzle him with your color-coordinated closet and then get married.”

“I don’t think I’m ready to dazzle anyone with my closet,” Michael said, reaching for a paper towel. “That’s pretty much what I told him at the cookout. I think I just need more time before I get into a relationship. I barely know who I am, let alone who I am with someone else.”

“Mikey,” Silas said, turning the water off and splashing his brother with his wet hands, “you’re thinking it to death. Do you like the guy? Are you attracted to the guy?”

Again his brother looked toward the door first. “Yeah.”

“Then don’t waste your time trying to get comfortable first. There isn’t much comfortable about relationships, not if it’s a good one at least. Ask. Him. Out.”

Michael puffed out his cheeks and slowly exhaled. “What if he says yes?”

Silas furrowed his brow. “Then you go out?”

“I mean, this is small-town Idaho. Not San Francisco or New York. What’s everyone in town going to say about two guys on a date?”

Silas dried his hands before putting them on his brother’s shoulders. “It’s scary as fuck. I get it. But you can’t wait for everyone to be comfortable when it comes to you living your life. You’re the only one who gets to live it. So you might as well do what you want. And if anyone, and I mean anyone, gives you a hard time, you either deal with it or you come get me and I will deal with it for you. You deserve to be happy, Mikey. And anyone who doesn’t want that for you is a fucking asshole who doesn’t deserve to have a say in your life.”

Damn. His motivational speeches were on point today.

Michael cracked a smile as he pushed his glasses up his nose. “You don’t suck as a brother.”

“Good. You can buy me an ice cream,” Silas said, starting for the door.

“Nice try. Now it’s your turn. What happened with you and Maggie?”

Deciding it wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion, Silas filled him in as they walked back out to the top of their section.

“Ouch,” Michael said when he was done. “Did you ask Dean about it? He’d probably know.”

Silas took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair before settling it back on his head. “Nah. I want it to come from her.”

“Understandable. So you’re scared, then.” He said it like it was fact.

“No. I’m not scared. I’m annoyed. Pissed. Justifiably angry.”

“Hurt,” Michael revised. “You’ve been opening yourself up to her. You introduced her to your family. Welcomed her into your life. And you’ve been up front about wanting her to stay when she’s done.”

“Yeah?” Silas said carefully, sensing there was a trap being laid.

“She’s been up front about having no intention of staying.”

“So? That doesn’t give her the right to lie to me. To our family about being an only child and not having a father.”

“Hey, man. I’m on your side,” Michael said, holding up his hands. “I’m just saying that if she really believes that she’s going to walk away from you and everything here in a few months, maybe she didn’t feel safe opening up. And maybe you’re realizing how much it’s going to hurt if she does walk away.”

Silas grunted. His brother had a point.

“Are we being stupid here?” Michael asked. “Isn’t this just like all those summer flings in high school and college? All hot and heavy for the season, and then everyone goes back to real life?”

“Not if we convince them to stay,” Silas said grimly.

“What if we can’t?”

“Maybe I’ve been feeling a little overconfident in my ability to make her want to stay,” he admitted. Maybe that was the root of it. He’d been certain she was meant to be his and hadn’t actually considered the idea that Maggie didn’t know it. Or worse, would decide to ignore it.

“You’re expecting her to give up everything to stay here with you. She’s built her entire career around wanderlust. New adventures. Your life, your career—they’re both built on roots. Literally.” Michael took a breath and glanced at him. “Sy, maybe you don’t want to hear this. But you already had one woman hang around town for you for five years, and that didn’t pan out. If you’re serious about this one, maybe you should be thinking more about what she wants and a little less about what you want.”