Lie With Me (Stonewall Investigations Miami 2)

“You must be the famous Beckham! So great to meet you. I’m Emma.”

Out of courtesy I offered a hand to shake, but she swatted it away and gave me the same hug she’d given Oliver.

Behind her was Oliver’s dad, his face much more set and stern than Emma’s. His forehead wrinkled before he smiled, his lips tight. He had Oliver’s sky-blue eyes, but his features were darker, his hair almost jet-black.

Emma stepped to the side. Oliver introduced us.

“Nice to meet you, Beckham. I’m Eduardo.”

“It’s a pleasure, Eduardo.” I shook hands with him. He didn’t go in for a hug like Emma. I felt him sizing me up through the handshake.

“Come, get inside, you two. It’s so hot out there,” Emma said. I stepped into the air-conditioned home, scared of slipping on the thick ice that would hopefully soon be broken.

“This is a stunning home,” I said as Emma walked us through the foyer. Everything was white leather and clean glass and shining crystals. The vaulted ceiling added an almost cavernous effect to the already large foyer and even bigger living room. There were stunning paintings hanging on the walls, all perfectly curated and yet still feeling like spontaneous purchases. Everything about the house felt natural and expensive, but still approachable. The tan couches in the living room were worn by constant use, and no one was checking shoes at the door.

The kitchen took my breath away. It was something out of a television show, a beautiful dark blue-and-white backsplash above the light gray marble counter, with brushed copper hardware and all-white cabinetry. A wide window looked out to the picturesque backyard, a sliver of setting sunlight breaking through the window and shining on the large marble island.

“This is… wow.” I looked around, my jaw dropped.

“Thank you,” Emma said, beaming as she looked around the kitchen, her hands to her chest. “You should have seen it before the renovation. Are you into design shows? Oh, I love the House Hunters stuff. How about Dance Moms, you watch that?”

I heard Oliver laugh as he and his dad walked past us holding barbeque tools.

* * *

Turned out, Emma and I had a lot more in common than an appreciation for great kitchen design. She also loved watching Love Island, the UK version, which I had an affinity for as far as trashy reality TV shows went. We chatted about the islanders on the most current season as I helped Emma get ready in the kitchen. She tried swatting away my help at first but soon gave up when she realized how persistent I could be.

We were laughing up a storm as we carried out the salad bowls to the dinner table.

Eduardo stood by the table, talking to Oliver. He spotted me and stopped his conversation. I didn’t stop talking to Emma, but I could see Eduardo walking toward me, an extra beer in his hand.

“Hey, Beckham.”

I turned. Eduardo and I were about the same height, his eyes locked on mine. “Wanna chat?” He lifted the beer to me. A peace offering of sorts. I accepted it and smiled.

“Of course.”

Emma excused herself to go grab the salad dressings. Eduardo walked us over to the pool. I could feel Oliver’s eyes pinned to us like a hawk watching its next meal. The sun had completely set, so the yard was illuminated by the soft warm glow of the outdoor lights set up around the yard. The pool was illuminated, too, from lights that kept changing colors, slowly turning from blue to red to purple.

“Oliver’s a good kid.” Eduardo looked out to the yard. “He’s made me so proud. As a father, that’s really all you can ask for. I did my best, and he took the baton and ran with it. Just ran with it.” He took a drink of his beer. I mirrored him. “One thing about Oliver is that he always chased what would make him happy. And he always had impeccable judgment. So we let him run.”

Eduardo looked to me. “He’s found you, and I can see you’re exactly who he’s been chasing after for all those years. He’s genuinely happy with you. I can hear it in his voice.”

“And I’ve never been happier. Everything changed for me when he stepped into my life.”

Eduardo studied me. I could feel the scrutiny. I started to feel a defensive wall come up.

I didn’t exactly have a great history with dads.

“Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Love him?”

“More than I love the air I breathe.”

“Would you ever hurt him?”

“I’d hurt myself before I’d ever even think of hurting him, sir.”

I don’t know what had me saying sir. An awkward energy filled the air.

“I believe that.” He looked back out to the yard.

I drank the cold beer. A warm wind rustled through the air, shaking some of the thick leaves in a nearby palm tree. “I know our relationship may seem more unconventional than most. I can see what others see from the outside. But I promise you, Eduardo, we’re in love. Deep. I want to live my life for your son, and I won’t let anything ever hurt him. He’s safe with me.”