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David Rossi briefly wondered if the fates were having a laugh at his expense. He never thought he’d sleep with Derek Morgan. He never thought he could develop feelings for another man, especially another alpha male with a healthy dose of ego. Then on top of it, Derek convinced him to meet the family during Christmas.
That led to him sitting in a warm kitchen filled with the scent of gingerbread and sugar cookies. He readily met the appraising gaze of the old woman across the table from him. He easily saw where Derek got his nose and mouth and the penetrating stare that could cut straight through bullshit.
Fran Morgan’s intense gaze didn’t waver. “Sarah and Desiree have Derek decorating the front room. We won’t be disturbed.”
“Okay,” Dave returned easily. “Let the interrogation begin.”
Fran cracked the barest smile. “You’re the first one Derek’s brought home in a long time. Can you blame me?”
“No.”
“You’ve been married three times,” Fran stated.
Dave nodded once. “Yes.”
“What happened?”
Dave sighed but didn’t avert his gaze. “I suppose you won’t take it’s a long story for an answer.”
Fran smiled thinly. “No.”
Dave’s fingers curled around his mug of hot chocolate. He smiled sadly. “Angie and I were eighteen. We were seniors in high school.” He paused and shook his head. He chuckled ruefully. “Back then, you think you’ll be together forever.”
Fran’s expression turned warm. “Back when you think love will see you through anything.”
Dave snorted. “Yeah, young and dumb.”
“So, what happened to ruin the fairy tale?”
“She got pregnant. She was terrified to tell her parents. They were strict Catholic and her father was a local councilman. He always hated me. He thought the only two things I was interested in were his little girl and hockey. That wasn’t near good enough.” Dave sipped his chocolate and shifted in his seat. “She was afraid that he’d make her give the baby up for adoption. She thought if we got married, he wouldn’t be able to touch us.”
Fran sat forward. “And you were willing to go along with that?”
Dave shrugged. “I loved her. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t terrified by the very idea, but my father always said that I had to take responsibility for my actions. So, one Friday when her parents were at one of their fancy fundraisers, we went two towns over and found a Justice of the Peace.”
Fran frowned in sympathy. “I can just imagine the fireworks after all the parents found out.”
“Well, Papa died when I was fifteen. And Mama…” Dave’s voice trailed off. He laughed. “She smacked me on the back of the head for being an idiot, but she always liked Angie. And she knew I was trying to do the right thing. She was just upset that we didn’t get married in a church.”
“And the councilman?”
Any amusement left Dave’s eyes. “We couldn’t stand up to her father. He had the marriage annulled.”
“The baby?”
Dave hugged his arms across his chest. He grunted. “She lost it. There were rumors of him pushing her down the stairs when he found out, but she was gone to Europe so quick afterwards. I never got to say goodbye to her.”
Fran deflated back into her seat. “That’s terrible.”
Dave took a deep breath. He uncrossed his arms and willed himself to relax. He took another drink. “Commack’s not that big. Everyone knew. Part of the reason I went into the marines was to try and forget.”
Fran thought on that for a moment. She sipped her own chocolate. She licked the foam from her upper lip. “Wife number two?” she pressed gently.
Dave rubbed his forehead. “Liz was a teacher. I met her when I was an agent in the Pittsburgh field office. She was anything a man should want; intelligent, beautiful, successful. That time, I did the big church thing. Mama was so happy. I know it’s not true but, looking back on it, she seemed happier than either of us.”
Fran stood and went to the refrigerator. She pulled out a bottle of Irish cream. She added a little to his mug and then her own. “Did you love her?”
It took a moment for Dave to answer. “I think so. We managed three years together. It’s hard to remember now. Things were good at first but then got bitter real quick.”
Fran put the bottle back and resumed her seat. “What do you mean?”
Dave shrugged helplessly. “I mean she was a casualty of the job. It was in the early days when we were trying to build the BAU. I was working all the time and she wanted me to quit. I can’t tell you how many fights we had over the job. She couldn’t handle the stress and the worry and I started to hate going home.”
“I remember what it was like being a cop’s wife. Not everyone can handle it.”
“When I caught her cheating, she yelled that she needed a man who would be there for her.” Dave held his hands up. “I realized that I couldn’t be that man We divorced and she married her boyfriend. The last I heard, they’re expecting their first grandchild.”
“Did you cheat?”
Dave met her gaze. “No. I can be a brash, arrogant jackass. I admit it, but that’s a line I refuse to cross.”
Fran studied him for a minute before she nodded resolutely. “I believe you.”
Dave finished what was left in his mug. “I had a string of meaningless affairs with men and women after that. I wasn’t looking to get married again. I retired from the FBI. I wrote and toured full time. It was exciting and yet something was missing. I…” He growled at himself but admitted. “I was lonely.”
“Enter wife number three.”
“Esther was fun. She loved drinking, amusement parks, rock climbing, traveling, and fast cars. She was an engineer. She designed roller coasters.”
Fran chuckled. “She sounds like a handful.”
Dave snickered. “Oh, she was. She’d never been married before. She thought it would be fun.” He sighed dramatically. “And oh was she disappointed.”
“She got bored.”
“Yeah. She got tired of waking up with me every morning. She got tired of being tied down. One day she kissed my cheek and told me that the sex was great and she loved me but she was leaving me.” Dave stood and took his mug to the sink to rinse it out. He faced Fran and leaned against the counter. “We still exchange Christmas cards. This year she’s in China.”
Fran rose gracefully and went to stand next to Dave. She mirrored his position. “Did she ever remarry?”
“No. I was her only experiment into that arena. She does have a steady girlfriend though.”
Fran elbowed him. “What about Derek? Will he end up the next in a long string of exs?”
Dave swallowed. He turned to face her. “I know I don’t have a great track record, but I sincerely hope not. Derek makes me feel things I didn’t think I was capable of any more.”
“You know what happens if you break his heart, right?”
“Yes, Ma’am. I already got that talk from Garcia.”
Fran grinned widely. “I love that girl.”
Dave laughed quietly. “So, do I pass inspection?”
Fran pretended to think about it. “For the time being.”
Dave looked at her curiously. “You mind if I ask you a question?”
Fran waved. “Go ahead.”
“The fact that we’re both guys doesn’t bother you?”
“No. Derek’s always been interested in the person more than the gender. I accepted that a long time ago,” Fran answered as if it was no consequence.
“And our age difference?”
Fran held a hand over her heart and sighed dramatically. “Who am I to question Derek’s taste?” She lowered her voice and added seriously, “Besides, I’ve seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching.”
Derek appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Hey, we’re done in there,” he announced cheerfully. “What’s going on?”
“I’m just giving your boyfriend the third degree,” Fran answered blandly.
Derek just rolled his eyes. “Come see the tree.”
“Okay.” Fran stopped next to Derek. She smiled at him and squeezed his arm. Then she walked down the hall to join his sisters.
Derek approached Dave. “It wasn’t too bad, was it?”
Dave smirked. “Not compared to interviewing serial killers.”
Derek stood in front of Dave. He leaned in close without touching. “Haven’t you learned not to bad mouth other people’s mothers?”
Dave wrapped his arms around Derek’s waist. “Sorry. How can I make it up to you?”
Derek held a sprig of mistletoe over their heads. He arched his eyebrows suggestively. “How do you think?”