BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Chapter One
  5. Chapter Two
  6. Chapter Three
  7. Chapter Four
  8. Chapter Five
  9. Chapter Six
  10. Chapter Seven
  11. Chapter Eight
  12. Chapter Nine
  13. Chapter Ten
  14. Chapter Eleven
  15. Chapter Twelve
  16. Chapter Thirteen
  17. Chapter Fourteen
  18. Chapter Fifteen
  19. Chapter Sixteen
  20. Chapter Seventeen
  21. Chapter Eighteen
  22. Chapter Nineteen
  23. Chapter Twenty
  24. Chapter Twenty-One
  25. Chapter Twenty-Two
  26. Chapter Twenty-Three
  27. Chapter Twenty-Four
  28. Chapter Twenty-Five
  29. Chapter Twenty-Six
  30. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  31. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  32. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  33. Chapter Thirty
  34. Chapter Thirty-One
  35. Chapter Thirty-Two
  36. Chapter Thirty-Three
  37. Chapter Thirty-Four
  38. Chapter Thirty-Five
  39. Chapter Thirty-Six
  40. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  41. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  42. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  43. Chapter Forty
  44. Chapter Forty-One
  45. Chapter Forty-Two
  46. Chapter Forty-Three
  47. Chapter Forty-Four
  48. Chapter Forty-Five
  49. Chapter Forty-Six
  50. Chapter Forty-Seven
  51. Chapter Forty-Eight
  52. Chapter Forty-Nine
  53. Chapter Fifty
  54. Chapter Fifty-One
  55. Chapter Fifty-Two
  56. Chapter Fifty-Three
  57. Chapter Fifty-Four
  58. Chapter Fifty-Five
  59. Chapter Fifty-Six
  60. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  61. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  62. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  63. Chapter Sixty
  64. Chapter Sixty-One
  65. Chapter Sixty-Two
  66. Acknowledgments

In our sea of first times, this was a last time. The last time Griffin and I would ever have sex in this house. The last time we would ever have sex together. It was a house, but it was our home. It was the place that kept us moored to something and to each other. We came together because we wanted each other the way we had in San Francisco. It felt urgent, but it brought tenderness and laughter and sweet sleep. Much later, I turned to Griffin, and we began again, slowly and kindly committing to memory this last-time-in-this-place-we-call-home sex. Our tears were safe with each other.

On the way to the airport, Griffin and I were prisoners of our own thoughts. So much had happened over the course of the last three weeks. I had not talked to or thought of Elliott much.

“Do you mind taking a look at a place I’m thinking about buying? Hank needs his own room now, if for nothing else than for all the toys Henry buys him. I think it’s past time to close up shop on two men and a baby.”

I laughed. We pulled into the driveway, and before us stood a beautiful but small condo with a For Sale sign in front of it. Griffin fished the keys out and we walked to the front door. “Are you sure you don’t already own the place?” I asked.

“Maybe. Take a look around,” he said.

I loved the high ceilings. The natural light. I especially loved the old dentil molding throughout. It had a great layout and a wonderful living space with sturdy built-in cabinets. A small bedroom and bath stood off on one side, and the master bedroom and master bath stood on the other. He could have easily afforded something grander. This fit his frugal but very discerning taste. It perfectly suited him. We ended up in the kitchen. Naturally.

“What do you think?” he asked me. “I want you to give me your honest opinion. I’ve shown it to you before anyone else.”

“I always do,” I said. Once again, deep in my thoughts. There were so many things to like about it and I told him so.

“Will you decorate it for me, Bae?” I just looked at him for a minute. And then a minute more.

“Are you serious? You know I don’t do this kind of thing.” But then, I studied the kitchen a little more. “You could put a banquette in that corner over there like in Daddy’s kitchen,” I threw out.