With promises to return to Melodie in just a few minutes, River stepped out of the house with Hunter. The taller man wondered if this was just River’s version of a goodbye but the expectant look on the older man’s face explained everything. River wanted them to talk. At that moment, Hunter realized how much of a buffer Melodie had been between them for the last few hours. It was easy for them to talk and laugh when she was the center of their interactions. But without her there, the two of them were forced to remember why they were here in the first place. River had never planned for Hunter to meet his daughter today and Hunter had never planned for things to get this far when he dropped him off.

Hunter stuffed his hands into his pockets, awkwardly shuffling from one foot to the other. He was the one who insisted that they had to talk about this. But now, he didn’t know what to say.

Crossing his arms across his chest, River stared at his closed front door.

“I’m sorry for acting stupid,” he apologized, eyes stubbornly focused on the glass of his home’s peephole. His right hand began to shake so River clenched it into a fist, hiding it in the crook of his elbow. “I never bring people back here because I don’t need Melodie seeing that. So, thank you for stopping me last night.”

“You’re welcome.”

River quickly glanced at Hunter’s face, face snapping back to the door when their eyes met and Hunter realized that River’s cheeks had been progressively turning red. Blotches of color now covered his cheeks and neck. The sign of vulnerability made Hunter relax, his shoulders lowering along with his guard. 

Their silence was broken when River snorted, holding his hand over his face with wide eyes. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh I just-” 

River snorted again and even Hunter laughed a little from the weirdness of it all. 

“I still can’t believe you thought she was my girlfriend.”

Hunter pushed his hands deeper into his pockets as River continued to laugh. Maybe he was overreacting, but Hunter no longer found it funny.

“You never talk to me though,” Hunter argued, seeing some of that playfulness leave River in seconds. “All I’ve ever tried to do is get to know you and you won’t let me.”

The confrontation was well overdue but Hunter still wanted to crawl out of his skin after saying it. He focused on the roar of cars driving by the house, trying to lose himself in the noise. It gave him something to do other than to try to understand the array of emotions that passed over River’s face.

“I’m sorry. It’s just, uh, a bad habit?” 

River laughed again, but the sound was void of any humor. When his bottom lip wobbled, a shot of panic ran through Hunter. He tried to touch River and comfort him in some way but the older man waved him off, laughing wetly as he pushed Hunter’s hands away.

“I have a kid, Hunter,” he sniffed, shamefully rubbing at his eyes. “It’s hard to let people in when I don’t know if I can trust them with her.”

“She is incredible. I see why you want to protect her.”

That produced another wet laugh from River who finally looked at Hunter again. Even with his eyes wet with tears, Hunter ached to close the distance between them one more time.

“I like you, Hunter,” he admitted softly, a shy little smile on pale pink lips. “I don’t know if I can do anything serious right now but I know you’re a good guy. Can’t we just-”

River completed his sentence with a shrug, looking at Hunter expectantly. When Hunter still looked confused, River shrugged again, making the taller man burst out laughing.

“What the hell does this-” Hunter repeated the shrug. “Mean?”

“I don’t know,” he chuckled tiredly, running a hand through his hair with a weighted sigh. “It means ‘can’t we just . . . see how things go?’” 

This was far from the love confession Hunter was hoping for. But it was more than he expected. So he nodded, smiling when River accepted his outstretched hand.

“Yeah, we can do that.”

“Okay.” 

Raising up on his toes, River gave Hunter a chaste kiss. Instead of letting the shorter man end it there, Hunter grabbed his waist, pressing further into the older man’s mouth. All of Hunter’s senses dulled before zeroing in on the man in front of him. Every touch, every caress, every exchange was the most important thing he’d ever experienced. The two forgot about time for a moment, holding themselves together with their lips slotted like perfect puzzle pieces. They might have stayed there forever if they didn’t hear footsteps tapping against asphalt. 

Once they were 5 feet apart, River saw that it was a neighbor who wouldn’t have cared if they’d kept kissing either way. But their rush to create distance had ended the moment. And, Hunter still had to leave. 

The young CEO practically skipped down the sidewalk. He waved jovially from the driver’s seat to River who was still watching from his front porch. Today had been a shift in their relationship. and whether it was foolish or not, Hunter was excited.

—————

“ . . . and here is your mail.”

Josh dropped the stack of papers with a thud. He imagined the desk had a paper-shaped crevice after he’d dropped them in the same spot for so long. Hunter’s eyes flew to the new pile then Josh with a tired smile. 

“Thank you, Josh. Hey, let me know when Nissan confirms that meeting date.”

“Will do.”

Josh tapped the glass door as he left, the sound fading to the background as Hunter started filing through the mail. Letter after letter was opened, and Hunter’s eyes started to water like he was staring at a computer screen late into the night. Finally, he came to a square envelope made of thick brown paper. Curious, Hunter ripped into it eagerly and smiled as he read the words. Last month, he’d helped out a cafe downtown that was just opening by making them a free sign. As a thank you, they were giving him a $50 credit to their store. 

Hunter tapped the ripped envelope against his chin, falling back into his chair. He rarely veered outside of his usual routine, so it would be hard for him to use the whole credit. At least, it would be hard to use it alone. Like a kid ready to perform the most devilish prank, Hunter grinned and grabbed his phone. Only one name came to mind and he wanted to call him as soon as possible.

“Hello?”

That wasn’t River.

“Melodie,” Hunter chuckled awkwardly, surprised as he leaped out of his chair. “What are you doing with your dad’s phone?” 

“Daddy’s in the bathroom right now. But he doesn’t like me talking to strangers. Who are you?”

Hunter wondered why Melodie hadn’t just read the caller ID only to remember that she was 6. As if he was meeting her all over again, Hunter adjusted his clothes, the nerves crawling up to his throat.

“I’m Hunter, do you remember me? I stayed at your dad’s last weekend.”

Melodie’s delighted gasp rang through the phone and Hunter could see the look of recognition transforming her face.

“Hi Hunter!” As Melodie spoke, there was a constant rustling sound like she was speaking outside in heavy wind or throwing the phone into her blankets. Hunter wondered if all kids were this energetic while on the phone. “Are you coming over to draw again?”

“I’ll have to ask your dad first but hopefully soon.”

“Because we still haven’t drawn cats yet. Or horses. I’m really good at drawing horses-”

“Melodie, who are you talking to?”

River’s deeper voice cut through the rustling, growing louder with each word. There was a note of panic there: the worry of a parent concerned about their child’s safety, no doubt.

“Daddy, can Hunter come over to draw with me?”

In quick fashion, River wrestled the phone from his daughter’s grasp. Melodie had impeccable memory and would probably bring up a Hunter playdate again soon. But River could deal with another interrogation later as long Melodie couldn’t expose River any further over the phone.

“I’m so sorry about that. Kids these days are just really good with technology,” River complained, laughing even when the noise felt strained. He was all too relieved to hear Hunter laughing along. Where River had the conflicting emotions speeding up his heartrate, Hunter seemed as light as air. His laugh came freely and calmed River’s nerves like a tea on a cold night.

“It’s no problem at all. Melodie’s a lot of fun to talk to.”

Seconds flew by with Hunter contentedly listening to the sound of River’s breathing on the other end of the line. River didn’t know why he enjoyed the silence so much. He could almost see Hunter sat beside him, a comforting presence next to him on the living room couch. Glancing up, River caught sight of Melodie, expectantly sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for River to finish. River’s face heated and his fingers tightened around the phone. 

“So,” River cleared his throat, trying to avoid his daughter’s wide, all-seeing eyes. “What’s up?”

Hunter could tell the moment he entered the shop that it was not made for him. Not made for River either. Gaggles of girls in boho tops and boys wearing chain necklaces filled the space, making Hunter’s suit stick out as well as if he’d been wearing neon yellow trackpants. Hunter took in the scene with a slack jaw but River simply laughed. The line was short and they were soon seated at a table, waiting for their drinks so Hunter could finally ask,

“How are you not as shocked as I am?”

“Maybe it’s because I actually looked this place up before I came,” River snorted, admiring the scenery with his chin propped against his clasped hands. “Didn’t you work with the owners?”

Hunter huffed, defensive while River’s teasing smile seemed to widen.

“I did but the place hadn’t opened yet. I had no idea this would be their client base.”

Hunter thought he’d made his case well but River only shrugged, looking at the kids around them then at Hunter again as if to say ‘welcome to the 21st century.’ As the line was short, the drinks were fast. River grabbed both of them and brought their drinks to the table with a flare only a bartender could have. Without meaning to, Hunter was allowing the older man to work during a date that should have included no such thing. 

What Hunter came to enjoy about this youthful, Sunday crowd was that they weren’t in a rush. Unlike movement in adult-filled coffee shops, these kids weren’t in a constant rush to move on and many had laptops or card games out. In that sense, he and River looked perfectly normal sitting there long after their cups were empty. 

River securely kept his weightless cup between both palms, rolling the beige paper between his hands. Hunter loved noting the somewhat unconscious habit almost as much as he loved watching River himself. The older man’s clothes were not in line with his typical owner looks and completely differed from his bartender uniform. This was another form of River. Hunter had met River the boss, the bartender, the father and now, River the coffee drinker. Each version illuminated a new side of the complex man. The information was precious, like the first sips of water after days alone in the desert. And, Hunter thirsted for more. 

He enjoyed each drop he could get through River’s comments about his favorite drinks and retellings of sweet stories from Melodie’s past. Now that Hunter knew about Melodie, she was the first and last thing River mentioned. River loved his daughter and Hunter loved watching those emotions dance around in the other man’s eyes. 

Nothing came easier than that conversation. Word after word was exchanged, drawing the two men metaphorically and physically closer. Hunter had dragged his chair around the table at one point or the other and River’s elbow now brushed his with every other word. 

Was the light reflecting in the older man’s eyes always so clear or did Hunter’s desire to kiss him sharpen the clarity of every last detail? River was oblivious to the want omitting from the man in front of him, smiling as another small-talk question floated into his mind.

“Are you one of those people who swears they're not addicted to coffee but still consumes four cups every morning?”

Hunter laughed, an adorable pair of crows feet appearing to say hello as he did.

“Oddly specific but no,” he answered. “My parents were, though. They were objectively obsessed and I grew up hating coffee breath. I guess that’s why I barely drink it now.”

The image of a young Hunter disgusted by his parents coffee-coated breath brought a smile to River’s face. But in seconds that smile dimmed, soured by a sudden memory that hit him.

“My parents didn’t let me have coffee.”

“When you were a kid?”

“As long as I lived in their house, actually,” River recounted dully. The words lacked the smile and light tone necessary to make a joke. Yet River also seemed detached from them in a way that left Hunter’s chest feeling cold.

“It was just one of many rules they had. I also couldn’t have soda, or TV on weekdays.”

River’s blank stare suddenly cracked, a mirthless chuckle falling from his lips. “Gosh, I had to work so hard to even get my phone because they worried it would distract me from God.”

A sharp inhale through the nose seemed to permanently return River from the memories. His eyes flew to Hunter then down to the table where Hunter’s hand had slipped into his. The younger man’s skin was comforting as his thumb swept back and forth over River’s knuckles, grounding him. 

“Sounds kind of strict.” Hunter continued to touch him, voice as gentle as his hands.

“Yeah,” River whispered. Clearing his throat, he pulled his hand out of Hunter’s and went back to rolling his empty cup between restless fingers. “That’s why I moved out as fast as I could.” 

Hunter didn’t take the movement personally. Well, he did at first until, after a beat of silence, River returned, grabbing one hand each. Now, both of their arms were linked over their laps, below the small table. For two adult men, the act was juvenile: a bit of affection shared between high schoolers during their first date. But Hunter leaned into the moment, feeling all the emotions of a high school on that Sunday afternoon with River. He’d met a new character, River the son, and treasured him as much as the rest.

That didn’t mean Hunter was void of questions. He still wanted to know how Melodie came to be his daughter. Was she adopted? Was she biologically River’s. And if so, was there a past with Melodie’s mother that Hunter needed to know? But for now, Hunter accepted their schoolyard moment and the throes of butterflies that came with it.