Paul let Ace lead him to the couch, where he fell into Ace's arms. Lola, naturally, had snuck into the house between their legs and settled back into place on Paul's lap.

Ace stroked his back and neck, wishing he could make things better with words, but he doubted their effectiveness at this moment.

He was filled with a sudden, deep appreciation for how well his sister had handled it when he came out to her. What would he have done if Sonya had just walked away from him?

"The first person I came out to was my sister," Ace said softly.

"How did she take it?" Paul's voice was...