Free Settling Down by Nicole Forcine Page B

okay?”
    “Miss your boyfriend, huh?”
    Okay, that was one way to put it. Safe. Parental approved. “Yeah. Don’t get me wrong, Poppa, I love that you’re here, but damn, I need him.”
    “Need him?” Poppa came to the desk and pulled out the opposite chair. “That sounds pretty serious.”
    “It’s pretty serious. Or it was before we both had to play host at the same time.”
    One bushy eyebrow rose. “So it ain’t serious now?”
    Tim opened his mouth, then closed it. Finding the words to talk around the real issue was going to be rough. “Not at the level I need. And since I don’t have that, I’ve not been at my best. Stress gets to me more. I can’t relax.”
    “I’ve been trying to get you to go see someone ’bout that….”
    “…and I keep telling you that a shrink ain’t gonna make me not wanna be spanked!”
    “Boy, you better lower your damn voice. I’m right here. Ain’t gotta yell.”
    Dad’s tone, stern, was just what Tim needed to calm just a little. “Sorry, Poppa.”
    “Now hear me out. I’ve been doing a little reading up since you moved away, trying to understand about this thing that makes you tick. And I get it. The whips and chains thing is a part of you. Ain’t no fixing that. But the other stuff, this twitching, this too much focusin’ on stuff, losing your shit when things are off, that might need some looking at. We never understood it when you was little, hell, it was cute sometimes, but now, you know….”
    Tim was ready to, at an appropriate volume, tell his father to fuck off with his concerns. But then he kept listening. His biggest worry was that therapy would be recommended to fix his submission, but the twitch? The twitch was part of him. If he lost that, then what other reason would he have to kneel?
    But Poppa was right. He couldn’t live this way forever.
    “I’ll think about it.”
    “Like how I’ll think about seeing the doc more than once a year?”
    Tim glared. “You better be seeing her more than once a damn year. I’m not there no more to make those appointments for you, Poppa. You gotta take care of yourself.”
    “Look at you, so concerned about everything else but you. Business looks good, you hired one more person, and you’re with someone. You’ve been here damn long enough to mind your own business for once.”
    Tim rubbed his bare arm. The shakes were just a tremor now.
    “You’re right, you know.” Tim looked up at his father. “I’m sorry for being a brat.”
    “Don’t apologize to me. Go out there and clean up the mess. I’m gonna take my purchases and head back to my room for my own business time.”
    “Gross, Poppa.”
    “Look, boy, I had to read about the docs pulling ginger out of your asshole while worrying whether you’d live or die. You can live with knowing I’m a healthy man who likes to yank it once in a while.”
    Again the man was right. No matter how shudderworthy the truth was.
    “Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    It took a few more moments alone in the office before he felt steady enough to go back to the sales floor. Gloria was behind the counter, and the mess was still there. He quietly started to pick the bottles up, letting the action of setting things to rights try to calm him.
    Gloria, for her part, let him continue in silence, looking down at her hand, probably fooling with her phone since they were at a lull.
    Okay, that worked.
    By the time the bottles were back on the display, he spoke. “I’m sorry, Gloria.”
    She looked up, crossing her arms and shaking her head at him. “I’ll take an extra-long lunch with that apology.”
    “Of course,” Tim added, and the silence after that was deafening. Gloria wasn’t ribbing him. She looked less hurt, sadder. Fucking hell.
    Then she sighed. “Look, Tim, I love you to pieces, and I know this week’s been hard on you….”
    “I shouldn’t take it out on you, Poppa, or the stock, I know.”
    “I’ll be alright, your poppa looked fine, and if