DreamSpinner Press

“Mom is thrilled beyond belief at being a grandma. Abey is talking a little more now, even if sometimes he doesn’t speak English. I’m waiting for the first time he calls her Grandma. At that point he’s going to be able to take over the world, and my mom is going to smile and let him do it. My dad is another story. He doesn’t understand how a son of his can be gay, especially one who played sports in high school and college. He’s met Abey, and I know it isn’t going to take too long and my dad isn’t going to care that Abey isn’t his biological grandson or that I adopted him from overseas and didn’t ask my dad’s opinion. All he’s going to see is that smile and those big eyes and that little boy asking Grampy to read him a story, and that is going to be it.” Alan rolled his eyes. “Dad and I don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things. But he’ll forget all that for Abey.”

“Yeah, I bet he will.” Tyler’s father was a pillar of his church and a local bigwig in the Republican Party. He was one of the people who organized rallies and got signatures on petitions. He was even a delegate to conventions. Alan had locked horns with him a few times. He respected him but didn’t agree with him.

The burgers came, and their conversation died a little. “When do you start at the station?”

“Monday. I wanted to stop in to see the chief, but I just didn’t have any time at all. And I figured that weekends are usually more thinly staffed because of time-off requests, so I didn’t want to bother him.”

“I can introduce you if you’d like,” Alan said. “He’s right over there.” He shifted his gaze and narrowed it. The man sat at a table with three other men, in his uniform, and as Alan watched, downed a gulp of beer. Alan groaned and made a note to mention to the mayor to check the schedule to make sure he wasn’t drinking on the job. Not that he was going to make it that easy on anyone to fire him, but if Alan could find something inappropriate on Chief Coburn, he’d love to bring it to the board’s attention, along with a resolution of termination.

“Drinking in uniform?” Tyler said, shaking his head. “Is that normal?”

“Let’s just say that he skirts what’s appropriate and has just enough backing on the council to keep himself secure.” Alan glanced over once again. “Come on. Let’s go introduce you.” He stood. “It will just take a minute.” That was about all he could stand to actually be in his presence.

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Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.