"Look, I'm just saying think about it. We'd really like if you came along."
Bass sighed. Having the kids visit for a week had seemed like a good idea. After all his birthday was coming up and Miles wasn't supposed to be here. But then Miles had shown up last night and Bass didn't know where that put them. He had let Miles stay but only in the guest room. Bass was easy but he wasn't that easy. Still, they needed to talk which wouldn't happen as long as the kids were around. "Hand me the tarragon," he gestured. "Unless you want these omelets to be tasteless."
Connor frowned as he passed the required herb. "Are you making breakfast for him too?"
"He has a name, Connor."
"I know. But until I'm certain he's not going to be complete dick to you again, I don't' feel the need to use it."
"Watch your language."
"I'm trying to protect you."
"Which one of us is the parent here?"
"I'm worried about you dad. He was a dick to you for a really long time before you got the courage to leave him. I don't' want that to happen again."
"Look, you're concerned and it's touching but I can take care of myself. And I've been doing it since before you came along."
Connor folded his arms. "I'm just saying to watch yourself." Bass grunted. "Mom agrees with me you know."
Bass stopped to stare at his son. "How does your mother know about this?"
Connor gave a defensive shrug. "Because she called me last night and I told her." He groaned at his father's look. "Oh don't give me that. I haven't been able to lie to that woman since puberty hit and I stopped being adorable."
"You could have told her something else. Anything else."
"She would have found out anyway and you know it."
"You know, if I wanted your mom in my business, I would have married her."
"And here I thought it was her vagina that was the problem."
"Number one; do not talk about your mother like that. Number two, if she does that again…have her call me directly. I'm a big boy, I can take it."
"Yes sir. Now about the trip I was talking to you about."
"Connor, I don't know where things stand right now, okay?"
"Look, I'm not asking for a decision now, I'm just asking that you think about it. Because Charlie is going to ask if I told you about it."
"Fine, you told me about it. You will not get in trouble with your wife from me."
"Told you about what?"
Bass and Connor both turned to Miles. "It's nothing, just some trip Connor and Charlie were taking. Coffee?"
"Please," Miles nodded. "You making breakfast?"
"No shit, dick," Connor snorted into his coffee as he went to sit at the table.
Bass shot a glare at his son before smiling at Miles. "Omelets. What kind would you like?"
"Just…whatever you're making is fine," Miles gestured, taking the coffee that was handed to him.
"You don't even like mushroom omelets," Bass retorted. "Look, go sit at the table and I'll bring you something okay."
It was hard not to notice the glares Connor was shooting his way as Miles sat across from him. This was going to be a very awkward morning.
"Good morning," Charlie chirped as she skipped down the stairs. She darted over to Bass. "Hello," she smiled kissing him on the cheek.
"Hello," he replied with a smile of his own.
Charlie darted over to Connor. "Hello, love of my life," she grinned.
"Hello, my sun and stars," he grinned.
Charlie's smile lasted until she noticed Miles at the other end of the table and her look fell. That hurt. Charlie was his. Even more than she was Ben's and Rachel's. Hell the girl had gone into the Marines because 'that's what Mathesons do'. Miles could have handled just about anyone giving him that look but Charlie.
She tossed him a tart frown before turning back to Bass. "Did Connor tell you about the cruise we're taking?" she asked.
"He mentioned it a little," Bass nodded.
"We would love it if you came with us," Charlie insisted. "You could even bring…what's his name…the sassy one." She gestured at her husband who shrugged.
"Jason?" he suggested.
"No, Jason was the young one." She frowned as she poured herself coffee. "This is going to bug me now…Jeremy! He's the one." She smiled at Bass over her cup. "He's a sweetie."
"I'm not seeing him," Bass reminded her.
"You could be."
Bass sighed internally. This was not helping him figure out where he stood with Miles. In fact, it was dangerously close to making things worse. "Charlie, go be disgustingly in love with my son while I finish breakfast."
"Yes sir," she agreed with a mock salute.
Breakfast was the most awkward meal Bass had ever been forced to sit through. Charlie and Connor actively tried to set him up with someone new while Miles was sitting right there. Usually Bass could redirect the conversation but they were proving very difficult today. Miles was really going to have to work for it if he wanted to make the kids like him again.
After breakfast, Bass sent the kids out so he and Miles could clean up together. They needed time to talk. "So…" Miles began as he gathered up the plates. "Who's Jeremy?"
Bass shrugged. "His name is Jeremy Baker. I dated him about a year after we broke up and then again year ago. We broke up six months ago."
"You dated him?"
Bass looked at him. "Did you expect me to be celibate after we broke up?"
Expected? No. But a small part of Miles had hoped… "No, no, of course not," he replied. "You're a big boy and you have your own life." He handed Bass the plates. "What about Jason? Why did Charlie call him the young one?"
"He's…uh…he would be about 28 now," Bass replied.
Miles stared at him. "Bass, Connor is 30."
"I know that," Bass snapped. "Look, he was into the civil war and I was going through a mid life crisis. It was nice to feel attractive to someone again."
"Attraction was never our problem," Miles commented dryly. It was true. Even at the end the sex was the best part about the relationship. "So why didn't they work out?"
"Because they weren't you," Bass replied simply.
"So you're saying it's my fault your relationships failed?"
"In a manner of speaking," Bass agreed. He sighed as he looked at Miles. "They didn't work because as often as I tell them about my tenth birthday, they can't actually remember the exact look on Billy's face when I broke his arm. I can take them to Jasper every week for the rest of our lives and they still wouldn't' know what it was like to run through them when we were six. They will never know what it's like to smell sand and blood even when you're in the middle of the city." Bass shook his head. "I couldn't stay with them because we have been in each other's pockets for over four decades and that is a lot of history to fight against."
"Well, if it helps, I'm sorry I screwed you up."
"I should take some responsibility for it too," Bass murmured. "Look, we'll figure it out together, right?"
Miles reached out to take his hand. "Together," he agreed.