Chapter 33

Quitting my job was supposed to make things easier. He was supposed to be happy that I’d be here all the time, even if I wanted to be in the studio for a couple of hours after he gets home. Maybe I was expecting too much from him?

Whether he was or he wasn’t, he ceded to Merrick’s demand. From then on, as soon as Merrick got home, Ryan dropped everything to be with him. It wasn’t as if he minded too much, when he thought about it. He did love Merrick and he wanted to make him happy.

Then, Saturday morning, a week after his job at the restaurant had ended, things changed again.

As Ryan started out of the kitchen after breakfast, Merrick stopped him.

“It’s about time you did more around here than helping with meals and taking care of the yard. Starting today, you’ll be in charge of doing all the laundry, not just your own clothes, while I’m cleaning the house. It means stripping the beds, then making them. Collecting all the towels, as well, and whatever’s in my hamper.”