Kris was a writer Dean had met online on a gay men’s forum, only to be astounded to discover they lived in the same village. The first time Dean had invited him over for drinks with the girls, it became obvious he belonged there.
Thank God for the third Sunday of every month. Not that they stuck to that. Impromptu meetings occurred when the need arose, at least twice in each semester.
“Fag hags,” Kris muttered. “You’d better not be including me in that category.” He adjusted his scarlet bow tie a fraction.
Kate laughed. “Sweetie, you’re in a category all of your own, like Dean here.”
“And Dean, you know we all adore you because you’re fabulous.” Suze raised her glass to Dean. “To Dean’s fabulousness.” She glanced at Diane’s lap. “And his cats.”
Dean was certain he wasn’t remotely fabulous, but he let it slide.
Kris peered across the room at the kitten. “Does it have a name yet?”
Dean brought his hand to his chest in a gasp of mock horror. “It?” The sight of Kate, Suze and Diane glaring at Kris amused him no end. It was easy to spot the cat people in the room. Now that everyone had a drink, Dean picked up his own Long Island iced tea and joined Kate on the large sofa. “I’ve narrowed it down to three. I was going to ask you to help me choose.”
“Let’s hear them.” Kate gazed adoringly at the little bundle of Bengal kitty. “He looks so cute.”
Dean snorted. “You wouldn’t have said that if you’d caught him trying to climb your drapes.”
“Ooh, an adventurous kitty.” Suze put down her drink, got up off the sofa and went over to where Kate sat. “He is adorable though.” She knelt on the floor, tracing the line of his ears with a finger. The kitten twitched, but didn’t awaken.
“What are the options?” Diane stroked Lady, who half-opened her eyes, glanced around the room, then closed them again.
“Mischief, Loki, and Tigger,” Dean announced.
“I sense a theme with the first two,” Kris declared. “You’ll give it—him—a complex.”
“He looks like a Tigger,” Kate mused.
“Tigger gets my vote too,” Diane said.
“And mine.” Suze stroked the kitten gently. “Does Lady get along with him?”
Dean laughed. “She knows who’s senior kitty around here. I don’t think he’ll ruffle her fur much.” He hadn’t planned on getting another cat, until a friend had sent him the photo of the Bengal.
His heart had been lost the second Dean laid eyes on the little ball of stripes and spots, with those cute ears and gorgeous blue eyes. Then the kitten had sealed the deal by trying to climb the bars of its enclosure to get to Dean, yowling the whole time and not taking those blue eyes off him for an instant.
Kate cleared her throat. “Gang? I think it’s time.” She gave Diane a meaningful stare.
Diane nodded. “Dean? We need to talk.” Suze and Kris nodded too.
Dean arched his eyebrows. “Should I be concerned here? Because this feels like you’re all staging an intervention.”
“That’s because we are,” Diane confirmed. “They’ve let me be spokesperson because—”
“She’s the oldest one of us, and it sounds better coming from her,” Suze interjected.
Diane narrowed her gaze. “Enough with the ageist remarks, thank you. Kris is only lagging behind me by one year, I’ll have you know. I was going to say, I’m spokesperson because I have more… experience in these matters.”
“What matters?” Dean’s throat tightened. What in the hell?
“Well, seeing as we’re discussing Tigger here…” She met Dean’s gaze. “There’s a real danger that if we don’t put a stop to this, you’re going to turn into a crazy cat lady. It was okay when it was just Lady, but then you went and got another.”
“So we’re on a mission,” Suze added.
“We’re going to find you a man,” Kate declared.
Dean blinked. “A man…” Give me strength.
The three women nodded.
Kris coughed. “Can I say something here? First of all, if Dean wants twenty cats, that’s his business. Second, maybe Dean is happy as he is.” He gave the women a hard stare. “Not every guy wants a partner, you know. Some of us are perfectly happy being bachelors.”
Diane gave him a flinty look. “Traitor. You weren’t saying all this last night when we discussed it.”
“A girl can change her mind, all right?” Kris returned her stare. “So I changed it. Bite me.”
“Are you?” Kate demanded of Dean. “Happy, I mean.”
“I hate to burst this bubble, but I like my life. I get to live here, I have a house that finally feels like a home, I have my skiing, canoeing, ice skating…” Dean was content. Happy though? Meh.
“But what about your love life?” Diane asked. “You’ve been coming to my pet store ever since you moved here, and I don’t think you’ve had a boyfriend in all that time.”
“Okay, so I don’t have a boyfriend. That doesn’t mean I go… without, if you get my meaning.” The last four winters had provided plenty of interesting tourists who hadn’t minded helping him keep warm at night. Dean had only to don his ski gear for some really cute gay guy to approach him. And as for when he went out on the lake… “I like to keep things casual, that’s all.”
In Lake Placid, there was nothing else to do but keep it casual.
Dean took a drink. “I suppose I should be grateful you’re not taking a leaf out of my mom’s book, and suggesting Kris and I get together.”
Kris almost choked. “Say what?” He wiped his lips, then glared at Dean. “Give a guy some notice before you come out with stuff like that.”
Kate gaped at Dean. “But… you and Kris… you’re not remotely suited.” She pointed at Kris. “Dog person.” Then at Dean. “Cat person. Not to mention… seriously?”
Dean gave a wry chuckle. “As soon as my mom learned one of my friends was gay, she instantly assumed—like a lot of straight people, I should add—that meant we were destined to date, marry, and live happily ever after.”
Kris erupted into a peal of laughter. “Dean, honey, I love you, but… hell no.” The others joined in.
Tigger chose that moment to wake up. He stretched, then proceeded to climb over Kate’s legs, hooking tiny claws into her jeans as he pulled himself higher until he was at her chin. He butted his head under it, and Kate was a goner.
“Oh my God, he’s gorgeous.” She petted him, stroking his soft fur.
“Are you telling me you don’t want a little romance in your life?” Diane studied Dean, the firelight catching in her dark eyes.
Dean considered the question. “If a little romance found its way into my life, I wouldn’t complain.” He’d had a couple of short-term relationships in Chicago when he was a substitute teacher, but nothing serious. Ever since the move to Lake Placid, he’d had no time for a relationship. He’d found the house, spent a few years getting it exactly how he wanted it, settled into his job…