Free One Bright Star by Kate Sherwood Page A

fine with you coming,” Chris insisted. “I want you there. I want you to meet them all.”
    Dan kept his eyes on the road and tried to ignore how tightly-wound Chris sounded. It was no wonder Ryan was having trouble believing the words, given the manner in which they were delivered. Chris had been tense for days, and it was so out of character that it was actually worrisome.
    “It’s a big family thing,” Ryan said. “Maybe it’d be easier if I met them at a smaller event, or something. You said your parents were planning to come out in the new year—should we just hold off until then?”
    “Are you trying to back out, now?” Chris asked. “Because I’m not. I want this to happen.”
    And Dan had been quiet long enough. This was Chris, after all. “I want it to happen, too. In case anyone cared. Ryan, I really, really want you to make out with him under the mistletoe. In front of Grandpa Travis.” He glanced toward Ryan’s spot in the backseat and grinned. “The old bastard used to have coughing fits whenever Justin even looked at me, or touched me on the shoulder or something. Now, his own grandson has gone to the Dark Side? Fuck, it’s going to be beautiful.”
    “There’ll be no making out in front of Grandpa Travis,” Chris instructed quickly. “It might kill him.” He pretended not to hear Dan’s quiet, gleeful agreement.
    “I don’t really plan to make out with you in front of any family members,” Ryan said firmly.
    “You’re still staying in a hotel, right? The whole ’the house is too full already,’ line worked?” Dan asked.
    “It’s a Christmas miracle,” Chris said, “but, yeah, so far, it’s working.”
    Best not to wonder about that too much. Would the Foster clan have been so willing to allow one of their members to self-banish if he was bringing home a female lover for the first time? And if Dan had thought of that question, then Chris had certainly thought of it, too. Had Ryan? Maybe not. The man was so laid back he was practically comatose, and there were times when it was a definite advantage. It must be nice to be able to turn his brain off like that.
    They pulled into the domestic departures area at the airport and Dan swivelled to face Ryan. “Last chance, man. Evan’s resurrected some crazy Polish tradition of setting an extra place for unexpected visitors at big meals… he’d love it if someone actually took him up on the offer.”
    Chris was already climbing out of the car, and Ryan smiled in his general direction. “Thanks, but I guess I’ll see this through.” He lowered his voice. “He has already told them, right? I mean, he’s acting weird…”
    “He told them. I wasn’t there, but there’s no way he’d lie about that.” It was Dan’s turn to look toward Chris, now pulling bags out of the trunk of the car. “I think maybe it’s just that it’ll be more real, if you’re actually there? I don’t know, but I guess telling your parents that you’re bisexual and involved with a man is a bit different than having them see you with a man?” Dan shook his head. “But I’m just guessing.”
    “And that’s the weirdest part.” Ryan pushed his door open as he said, “If you don’t know what Chris is thinking, who the hell does?”
    “Probably not Chris.”
    “Yeah, probably not.” Ryan climbed out of the car and leaned down to say, “It’ll be fine. But thanks for the offer.”
    “Good luck.”
    Then Chris’s head appeared at the open passenger-side window. “Four fifteen on Friday, Danny. Got it?”
    “I’ll be here.”
    “Did you write it down somewhere?”
    “Nope.”
    “So how’re you going to remember?”
    “When you text me seventeen times to remind me, I’ll save one of those messages.”
    “That’ll work.” Chris started to straighten, but stopped and bent down again when Dan said his name.
    “Chris, you’re okay, right? And you’re going to look out for Ryan? I know he’s not someone you usually have to worry