Free Actually by Mia Watts Page B

reluctantly. He ran a hand through his dark curls. “Yeah,” he breathed dejectedly, “I guess there’s that possibility.”
“I’ll look into this for you, Mr. Hedlund. I’ve got your number. Here’s my card if you think of anything else, or you just need to collect information. I’m writing the case number on the back so the attendant will be able to pull the file up faster for you.”
The officer flipped the card back over when he was done writing, clicked his pen and put it away. He held the card to Aaron, who took it.
“Thank you, Officer Blake.”
“We’ll bring him home. He’s probably still mad and confused. There’s an APB out for him, and you’ve given us several good leads to start looking.” The man smiled reassuringly.
Ian held the door for him and the officer left. When he swung the door closed again, Ian inhaled deeply. “Now we wait.”
“Now I wait,” Aaron said numbly. His eyes flicked to Ian. They seemed flat.
“I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“Really? Because I can see how you might wait with me through Sunday, but you have a job on Monday. You can’t hang around here all day waiting for my miscreant brother to show up.”
“You have a job too. We’ll figure it out. For now, I’ll stay through Sunday, and hopefully he’ll come back before we have to think about the rest of the week,” Ian assured him.
Aaron nodded, silent for a moment. “Is this thing between us—is it because you’re helping me pass time and forget my problems with Mike?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be,” Ian countered quickly.
“What about what Mike said? About making a choice between men or women? Are you into both?”
“I’m only into you. I’m not interested in woman.”
“But you let Leanne kiss you. Did you tell her you’re gay?” Aaron pressed.
“I’m not out to the staff. I’m out to you, or haven’t I proved that already?”
“Maybe I’m a mercy fuck, Ian. Maybe you feel bad for the poor orphaned kids whose parents died. Maybe you’re bi-curious and between me and Leanne, you get to fuck out your demons,” Aaron snapped.
“Goddamn it! I like you,” Ian argued.
He whirled. “And pussy, too, according to Mike. Want to tell me more about that?”
“She kissed me .” Ian poked his own chest for emphasis.
“Make up your mind because most of us don’t want to be jerked around,” Aaron yelled.
“You’re right, okay? You’re braver than I am. Not all of us are like you. Not all of us live life unafraid of the consequences of coming out.”
They stared at each other for several seconds. Aaron was scared. He was angry and confused, and he reason to be, Ian realized. He swallowed his pride and backed down.
“He’ll come back,” Ian murmured, switching gears. “He’s just mad. All his stuff is here, and it’s not like he has money to run with.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be attacking you for that. I’m just—I’m worried,” Aaron confessed.
“I know. You’re doing everything you can, but you still need help.”
“I’ve screwed up one thing or another since I came back. Why should he trust me to keep it together now? We’re hardly a family. We’re half a family, maybe.”
“A family is what you make it. Think about it. There are second marriages with kids. There are children raised by grandparents. There are adopted families. Why should the two of you be any different than any of those?” Ian questioned.
“Those families have it together. They have a solid foundation of blood or an agreement to stick together. They committed to it.”
“Don’t you and Mike have blood ties?” Ian stressed. “Don’t you think those other types of families have their share of problems? My dad was a jackass. He was verbally abusive toward my mom, and he went to counseling, but we were a family. So are you and Mike.”
“I just never thought of the two of us as being that connected. We’re years apart in age, and our parents are dead. The only thing