Scrap, p.26
Scrap, page 26
“Now! Can we go now?”
Dare took a sip from his coffee, and Grant wondered how he’d handle Charlie. So far he’d shown a great deal of patience and good humour with both his girls, which was proving essential in Izzy’s case, at any rate. Charlie had loved Dare from the start, but his older girl was a much tougher nut to crack.
Still, they’d only been introduced for the first time just over a month ago. Maybe going away together for the weekend was too big a step, too soon, but they’d wanted to make the most of the glorious July weather. That was one of the bonuses about Dare owning so many camper vans—they could always head off for a weekend whenever the weather was good. Or at least, he could now Dare had convinced himself that Jase and Rain weren’t about to relapse the moment his back was turned. Grant had to admire his dedication, though. This was the first time he’d miss a Sunday lunch with his brother in years, apparently.
And okay, so camping out in Cornwall was a step down from Grant’s previous life when he could flit abroad whenever the fancy took him, but he found he didn’t mind the little economies he was having to make as he got his new business established.
Somehow, now he was working for himself, he got enough satisfaction from that and no longer felt the burning need to head abroad and de-stress on the beach, cocktail in hand.
He could do it here instead, drinking coffee in a vintage camper van, the three most important people in his life keeping him company.
Izzy strode back across the field, ignoring both Dare and Charlie and heading straight for the camper van.
“Dad,” she said, her tone wheedling. Uh-oh. “I saw a surf shop on the way in. Do you think we could learn to surf this weekend? All the girls at school will be well jel.”
“Erm...” Just how dangerous would surfing be on this North Cornish coast? The surfers they’d spotted from their cliff-top drive looked an awful long way out. “I’m not sure. I’d have to look into how safe it was.”
“Da-ad. I’m not going to do anything stupid.”
“I said I’d look into it.”
Izzy huffed and flounced out of the camper. Grant followed her to the door and watched, bemused, as Izzy visibly appraised Dare and Charlie, who were now involved in a paper-scissors-stone tournament.
“Dare,” Izzy began. “Do you know anything about surfing? Because my dad’s being a boring old fuddy-duddy, and I really want to have a go.”
Dare looked up from Charlie gleefully cutting into his “paper” with her “scissors.” He met Izzy’s gaze and smiled mildly. “I’ve not been surfing before, but I’ve been boogie boarding, and that’s pretty similar. It’s a really good way to get started learning the basics, and it’s safe because you don’t go out too far. We could maybe see about buying or hiring some boards and wet suits, and then I could give you a few lessons. If your dad says that’s okay, of course.” He flicked his gaze to Grant’s, questioning him without words.
Warmth suffused Grant. How had he ever doubted this man would be good with his kids? “If you think it’s safe, I’m happy with that.”
“Yes!” Izzy threw her arms around Dare and planted a kiss on the top of his head. “You’re the best.”
Dare’s eyes twinkled. “I think your dad’s the best, really. He’s the one who’s putting up with roughing it so you two can have a lovely holiday, and he’s going to have to join in with the lessons too.”
“Oh no,” Grant countered. “I don’t like swimming in the sea. You can’t see the bottom, and you get seaweed wrapped around your ankles.”
“Don’t be such a baby, Daddy,” Charlie said, giggling.
“I’m not a baby.”
“Prove it,” Dare said.
All three of them were looking at him now, challenge in their eyes.
“That’s not fair. You’re ganging up on me.”
“Come on, Dad, it’ll be fun,” Charlie pleaded. He could have just about resisted that, but when Isabelle joined in too, her hand on Dare’s shoulder, he had to give in. If this could help Dare and Izzy connect, then he’d go along with it. But he made a show of reluctance.
“Well, all right, I suppose.” He walked over to join them, putting his arms around Dare’s shoulders from behind and leaning down to whisper in his ear, “But only if you wear a really tight wet suit.”
Dare chuckled. “That’s a promise.”
Five hours later, they sat outside a beachfront ice-cream parlour, sand and salt in their hair, all exhausted but happy. Dare had his Indiana Jones hat on to protect his head from the sun, but his wet suit was unzipped and peeled down to the waist. It showed off his collection of tattoos, which Charlie was currently quizzing him on. Even Izzy was watching with interest. Eventually, she leaned in to speak quietly, barely audible above the music of the waves and the gulls wheeling overhead.
“Dad, are you really serious about Dare?”
“Absolutely. I love him with all my heart.”
“Then you should get married. That would be cool. And then me and Charlie can be your bridesmaids. Oh, hang on. Can you have bridesmaids when there’s no bride?”
Grant sat there, gaping. Just when he thought he had Izzy all figured out, she went and took a mental leap like that.
“I...I don’t know if Dare would want to get married. He’s not exactly conventional in that way.”
“Of course he would.”
“What makes you so sure?”
Izzy shot him a disdainful look. “I asked him earlier. He said he’d love to, if it was what you wanted.”
Grant stared at Izzy, then at Dare. Dare looked up at him and winked.
Could it really be that simple?
The End
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Did you love Scrap? Then you should read Einstein's Peep Show by Josephine Myles!
Nerdy by day, naughty by night!
Nathan Wright has a secret life. During the day he’s a dedicated student, working hard for his maths degree. But times are tough, and in order to make ends meet by night he becomes “Einstein”, wooing punters with his online solo sex show. Still wounded by his last dysfunctional relationship, Nathan’s happy being single. But when his highest tipping client demands it, Einstein has to overcome his social awkwardness to rope in some extra help.
Party boy Rory Jones has never given his geeky neighbour a second glance, but he’s not one to turn down the offer of a free blow job, even when Nathan tells him it’s going online. Once on camera, Rory discovers his exhibitionist streak and the two of them are so hot together, the one-off becomes a regular gig.
But being neighbours with benefits isn’t without its challenges. Nathan’s client keeps wanting more, and he finds himself pushed into a role he’s not prepared for. Meanwhile, Rory’s growing affection leaves him worried his ultra-rational lover won’t ever be able to share his emotions. If he and Nathan can’t find something more than great sex in common, they’ll be left with the square root of absolute zero.
Read more at Josephine Myles’s site.
Also by Josephine Myles
The Bristol Collection
Junk
Stuff
Scrap
Standalone
The Hot Floor
Einstein's Peep Show
Handle with Care
How to Train Your Dom in Five Easy Steps
Barging In
Watch for more at Josephine Myles’s site.
About the Author
English through and through, Josephine Myles is addicted to tea and busy cultivating a reputation for eccentricity. She writes gay erotica and romance, but finds the erotica keeps cuddling up to the romance, and the romance keeps corrupting the erotica. Jo blames her rebellious muse but he never listens to her anyway, no matter how much she threatens him with a big stick. She’s beginning to suspect he enjoys it.
Jo now has over a dozen novels and novellas under her belt. Her novel Stuff won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Bisexual Romance, and her novella Merry Gentlemen won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Romantic Comedy. She loves to be busy, and is currently having fun trying to work out how she is going to fit in her love of writing, dressmaking and attending cabaret shows in fabulous clothing around the demands of a preteen with special needs and an insatiably curious toddler.
Website and blog: http://josephinemyles.com/
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Read more at Josephine Myles’s site.
Josephine Myles, Scrap
