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the more it seemed like a good idea. And so, here I am!”
T
HEY sat quietly for a few more minutes, but as usual, Quinn’s curiosity got the better of him. “Cian, can I ask, how did you and Ceara end up living with your grandparents? I mean, you don’t have to tell me….”
    “No, it’s okay. Ceara? Her parents were both killed in a car accident when she was a baby. Poor kid has had it tough, but she’s become an amazing person, even if she does do my head in sometimes.”
Quinn could see how much Cian loved his younger cousin, and it made him smile to hear the fierce pride in his voice.
    “As for me, well, my mother is what you might call a free spirit. She traveled around a lot, usually dragging me with her. I hated it. The times I got to stay at the farm were always the best. When I was six, she met some rich guy from South Africa.” Quinn didn’t like Cian’s frown.
    “He was a big jerk, and I knew he didn’t want me around, so I begged to stay with Granddad, and for once in my life, I got my way. Been there ever since, and it’s been the best time of my life. Granddad’s been really good to me, and I’ve done my best to help him out.” Cian shrugged, and for the first time since Quinn met him, he didn’t seem so confident.
    “Well, he sure is proud of you. He’s made that quite clear.” Quinn chuckled, glancing at Cian. “And apparently he doesn’t have any problems with the fact you’re gay, seeing as how he practically threw you at me.”
    Cian laughed. “No, he’s been really good about it. I was worried when I first told him. He’s Catholic, you see, and I was afraid he’d hate me forever. But I had to tell him. I knew I couldn’t live the rest of my life hiding. Seeing as he was the most important person in my life, he had to know.”
    Quinn thought about when he’d told his own folks. They weren’t as surprised as he thought they’d be, and they’d supported him through it all. He was glad Cian’s grandfather was the same. “I’m glad you had him, for so many reasons. Not everyone is as lucky as we are.”
“Your folks take the whole gay thing okay?”
    Quinn smiled at the thought of his family. “Yeah. My mom had a hard time with it at first, but it seemed to be more about the grandchildren I wouldn’t give her and the hard times she was worried I’d have. My dad was amazing, though. I think he had it figured out before I did.” He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat as he remembered how supportive his dad had been. “Once my folks were okay with it, the rest of the family just sort of seemed fine too.”
“It seems like you have a great family.”
“I do. Not everyone was happy about it. Lost a few friends when I came out, but I just figured they weren’t really my friends to begin with.”
    “Yeah, most of my mates have been pretty good. A few people have tried to mess with me about it, but between my granddad and my friends, no one tries for very long. I can take care of myself, of course, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to do it alone.”
Quinn nodded, paying attention to the road again. It was hard to concentrate with Cian sitting there beside him.
    They drove for a few more hours, stopping once for fuel and breakfast, Cian giving excellent directions. They arrived in Limerick just after 11:00 a.m. and found the hotel where they were staying. Cian’s eyes widened as he looked around, and he stepped a little closer to Quinn. He seemed a little intimidated by how fancy the whole thing was.
    “Everything okay, Cian?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. I just… never stayed at a place this fancy before.”
“Well, actually, I don’t usually either, but my dad made the reservations for me, so I guess we’ll have to make do.”
     
At the front desk, they waited for their turn. It was very busy, so it took a few minutes.
    When they reached the front and Quinn introduced himself, it didn’t take long for the clerk to find his reservation. However, when