With overloaded plates, they settle at a table to replenish the energy they’ve expended. Jacinda and her daughter Marisol start cleaning up the breakfast offerings. By the time Cole and Tucker finish, everyone else has cleared out. It’s the last day of the weekend. Some of the out-of-towners aren’t coming back and it’s a smaller gathering today than it was Saturday or yesterday.
Hand-in-hand once again, the two of them wander outside to see what’s going on.
Elaine and Serena are gabbing. Serena runs her fingers through Patty’s curls, while Patty sits, coloring on her lap. Several someones are out on a speed boat. Cole squints to figure out who—looks like Thommy and Doug, along with Pammy’s parents. A couple of aunts and one female cousin all have yarn-based projects in their laps, chattering away like magpies as well. A game of horseshoes is in progress.
Cole and Tucker get lured into the ongoing poker game with Pammy, Rafe, Nathan, and the twins, Hailey and Brooklyn, using various types of individually wrapped candies as currency.
Cole’s fun lasts until he gets cleaned out, which takes all of twenty minutes. Tucker seems to be getting a kick out of the game, so with a kiss to Tucker’s ear, Cole leaves him to it.
Cole wanders over to his mother to say a proper hello. He takes over for Jed Thompson at the horseshoe pit and, along with Connie, trounces their stepdad and the twins’ dad, Aaron. He refuses the rematch and goes in search of a soda.
Granny Evie is set up in her cushy camping chair once again. Cole plops into the chair next to the only grandmother he can really remember. His real dad’s parents had died before Cole and Connie’d been born, and Mom’s mom had died when he was small. She’s just a hazy memory of hairspray and peppermint.
Evie, though, has been a sassy fun grandmother who had showered just as much love and treats on Connie and Cole as she had on her blood-related grandkids.
“What’s up, buttercup?” she asks, patting his hand. “Where’s your young man?”
His young man. Cole grins and scans the area. “Over there,” he says with a head tilt in Tucker’s direction.
The poker game had broken up at some point, but Tucker’s talking to Nathan again, which is nice. Strange, but nice. Cole figures any kid of Doug’s would be as much of a jerk as his father and avoid the overtly gay guy. But they look to be chatting amiably, so good for Nathan.
“I like him, Cole.”
“Yeah, I like him too,” he says more wishfully than intended, dragging his gaze away from the man. “But I don’t know…” He can’t tell her the whole weekend’s been a ruse, but maybe he can skirt that and still find out what he needs to know.
“I just…I worry.” Bock, bock, bock. God, he’s a chicken shit. With a breath, he glances at her.
Granny’s eyebrow arches delicately over one steely blue eye.
He huffs and blurts, “Okay, I’m scared…”
Granny nods, just looks out on three generations of family branching down from the original five Hansard siblings, one of them her late husband.
Cole plows on. Now that he’s confessed that he’s afraid, the rest of it doesn’t seem so hard. Not with Granny anyway. “Dad died, Mark moved away and I haven’t heard from him in years, and Michael died too. I don’t know if I could handle another loss.” Cole sighs.
“Well, at least his name doesn’t start with M.”
“What?” Cole looks at her, confused.
“Those three people all have names that begin with the letter M. Tucker starts with T.”
“Oh my God, Granny, that’s…” Cole can’t help it. He snorts and then giggles, drawing a few gazes from nearby relatives. “That’s horrible.”
“I know, but it made you laugh, so my job here is done.” She winks and the amusement drifts away. “Look, honey, you can’t close yourself off from love because you’re so afraid of losing it. You know the saying ‘better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all,’ right?”
“I do, but losing Michael devastated me. I barely made it through my sophomore year of vet school. I don’t know if I can go through that again.”
“I buried three husbands and three babies, Cole. I know how hard it can be to keep going sometimes.”
“God, now I feel like an ass.” He hadn’t known about the babies or the husbands. He closes his eyes and sighs.
“No, honey, no. I didn’t tell you that to shame you. Every experience is different. You feel how you feel. There’s nothing wrong with feeling scared, Cole, just don’t let the fear stop you from enjoying Tucker’s company— ” Evie’s delicate eyebrows wiggle up and down.
Cole blushes from his head to his toes. “Oh my God, Granny.”
“I’m old, not dead or living under a rock. I know what boys do .”
“Granny.” He can’t believe he’s talking to his grandmother, no matter how obscurely, about his sex life. The fact that he suddenly has a sex life to speak of makes it worse.
She chuckles again. “My point is, Cole, don’t be afraid to fall in love again. If I had let my grief and my fear stop me, I wouldn’t have married Thomas. I might not have given birth to Thomas Junior. He wouldn’t have had Doug or Thommy.” She points a gnarled finger at Tucker and Nathan. “We wouldn’t have Nathan or Patty in our lives. I wouldn’t have you in my life, sugar .”
Her use of sugar gets his attention. Tucker’s called him that all weekend. Cole’s heard him call other people sweetheart or darlin’ or honey, but sugar has been reserved for Cole alone. Cole likes it. More than he thought he would. It’s different from Mom or Granny using an endearment. Maybe it’s the way he says it. Sometimes softly, sometimes in a deep tone, but always in a way that’s meant only for Cole.
Cole studies Tucker, talking earnestly with Nathan. Nathan’s looking nervous, but he nods, color licking up his face, a small smile forming.
The weight of Cole’s fear suddenly feels less. Tucker’s a nice guy. Sweet, funny, snarky at times. But still kind, sympathetic, empathetic . And pretty damned sexy. The sex had been a perfect combination of slow and tender, but urgent and hot.
As if sensing Cole’s attention, Tucker looks over. His smile is wide and he winks. Cole’s stomach does a little swoop. And, yeah, the thought of losing love again is scary, but he’s tired of being lonely, he’s tired of being afraid. He wants more. He wants a life aside from his practice. He wants fun and laughter and a regular sex life again.
And even if things don’t work out long term with Tucker, suddenly, that’s okay. It really is. It’s time to take that step of faith and live again.
“Get your filthy hands off my son.”
The roar startles Cole. He and Granny both look up to see Doug charging toward Tucker and Nathan from the dock.
Fear suffuses Granny’s face. Big blue eyes snap to Cole’s and her fingers clasp tight around his wrist.
“Get over there, Cole. Now.”
He’s already half out of his chair—heart pounding against his rib cage, blood rushing in his ears—and across the patio in a blink.
Chapter Fifteen
Tucker’s leaning against a tree, taking a few pictures of Cole’s family. Patty’s getting a piggy back from Nathan; their smiles and laughter are infectious. Tucker can’t help his own grin. Wanda and Marva have their heads together with Helen Thompson and the three of them are chatting like school girls. Elaine and Thom are holding hands and stealing kisses as they return from wading in the lake. Tucker’s heart clenches again.
Once upon a time, he’d dreamed of something like that. Sadly, none of the men in his life had engendered that kind of forever love in Tucker’s heart or his mind. He’d finally given up expecting or even hoping. And then Tucker had to go and volunteer to be Cole’s boyfriend. Being with Cole, meeting his family, being welcomed so warmly and profusely had unearthed that old yearning again.
No one here except Cole’s stepbrother had batted an eye at his presence or his obvious gayness. Here was a group of people who’d accepted him for who he was, every
fabulous inch of him. If he could know for sure Cole would be open to something past the weekend, Tucker is half tempted to withdraw his application for the Youth Services job in Midland. Speaking of Cole, Tucker looks for him.
Cole’s sitting with his grandmother, talking and looking pensive. He looks up, meets Tucker’s gaze. Tucker sends him a wink and earns a blush. And God, that man. He’s like a teenager—sometimes unsure but expectant and excited. Tucker wants so much to give him the giddy, heady teenage sexual experience.
“Um, Tucker? Can I ask you something?”
Tucker turns to find Nathan coming to a stop beside him. Patty’s run off to her grandmother. Here’s a real teenage boy who deserves all the usual age-appropriate experiences available, whether they’re with a girl or another boy. Tucker offers Nathan an encouraging smile and a nod. “Of course, you can, sweetheart. What’s up?”
“When did you come out?” Nathan swipes one hand down his thigh and slides the other through his almost-shoulder-length brown hair. “I mean, how old were you?”
Tucker doesn’t look straight at Nathan, merely spares him a glance and shrugs, looking out over the lake. Tucker doesn’t want to spook the kid if this is what he thinks it might be—what he hopes it is. All the conversations they’ve had this weekend have been leading to what Tucker thinks is an inevitable outcome. But Tucker’s gotta work with the only info he has at the moment—that this conversation is about Trevor.
“I’ve never not been out, Nathan. My family just knew. Everybody just knew. I was that effeminate kid from the time I could talk. You know the ones, right?”
Nathan swallows and nods, looking sheepish as if not wanting to insult Tucker by agreeing. “Was it hard? Everybody knowing?”
Tucker shrugs. “Look, honey, high school’s hard no matter what, but Ten Rigs has never been anything but welcoming to me. Your friend Trevor probably has nothing to worry about. You know that Wanda is the principal over there, right? I can’t imagine any sort of bullying is gonna be tolerated. If he needs someone to talk to, I’m here. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say your Uncle Cole would be happy to as well. Ben Thompson and Scott Hudson are a couple and so are Chase and Kyle. Those guys are in your own family circle.”
“Yeah, I know. I know.” Nathan swipes both hands down his backside. He huffs a breath. “Tucker?”
Tucker’s heart rate speeds up in anticipation, but he keeps his response calm, casual. “Hmm?”
“It’s me.”
“Okay.” Tucker nods. He doesn’t pretend to not understand. He wants to make this so easy for Nathan right now, because telling everyone else is going to be full of various levels of embarrassment and defensiveness. “I thought it might be. I’m honored that I’m the first one?”
Nathan nods, color flooding his face. “Except Trevor…”
Tucker is full of equal parts squee and worry. If any one of the men here other than Doug were Nathan’s father, Tucker would be doing cartwheels for this kid. “Are you the boy Trevor wants to go out with?”
The color on Nathan’s face intensifies, but he nods again.
“Well, I want to meet Trevor one of these days, okay? He must be really special if you’re thinking about sharing this part of yourself with everyone in order to publicly date him.”
The corner of Nathan’s mouth quirks up and elation lights his face. “He is. He’s smart and funny and he can play his trumpet and march at the same time.”
The happiness on Nathan’s face is something to see. “Aww… That’s awesome. Can I hug you?”
“Yeah, sure.” Nathan’s cheeks flare pink again.
Tucker wraps his arms around Nathan’s shoulders and squeezes; Nathan fists the back of Tucker’s shirt and takes a deep breath.
And bless this young man’s heart.
“Get your filthy hands off my son.”
Nathan and Tucker wrench apart, both whirling around. Doug is storming their direction, eyes flashing, fists clenched, face florid.
All conversations have stopped and all eyes are looking their way. Bodies are in motion and Tucker steels himself to stay put and protect Nathan should anyone try to remove him.
“What the hell, Dad?” Nathan shouts. It’s loud in the sudden silence.
Tucker’s heart jackhammers against his rib cage.
God, this can’t be happening, can it? He stands his ground, because no way is he going to let anything happen to Nathan.
Serena, Cole, and Thom surround him.
Doug attempts to push Nathan behind him, but Nathan refuses to budge.
“How dare you come on to my son.” Doug’s fist is close to his face.
Before Tucker can respond, other voices chime in.
“Are you kidding me right now?” Nathan yells, arms going up in a what-the-hell gesture.
“Doug, what on earth are talking about?” asks Serena, looking completely flummoxed.
Doug points, face still red, eyes narrowed. “He was hitting on Nathan.”
Tucker’s mind goes blank, because what the fuck ? He was in no way hitting on a teenager.
“Are you out of your mind?” asks Cole.
“Dad, no . He wasn’t.”
“He was hugging Nathan,” Doug spits out, as if he were announcing Tucker had shown Nathan his junk or something.
“Being gay doesn’t make you act inappropriately,” says Cole.
“A hug, Doug, really?” asks Serena. “That could happen for any number of reasons.”
Thom steps in front of his oldest son and forces him to take a couple of steps backward.
Tucker can’t deny he breathes a little easier, just as much on his own behalf as on Nathan’s.
“What have you got to say for yourself then?” Doug snaps.
Serena holds up a hand. “Nathan’s close enough to being an adult that you don’t need to be privy to his personal conversations.”
“If their conversation involves that faggot—”
Tucker flinches. Several people gasp. Someone cusses.
“—trying to entice my son into some sort of gay orgy, then he better start talking. Right now.”
“Watch your mouth,” shouts Cole.
Doug sneers. “Fuck you. I knew you were trouble from the beginning.” He turns back to Tucker. “Tell me, what were you two talking about?”
Tucker’s got no idea what to say. The hell of it is, as crudely as he put it, Doug’s got a point. Tucker completely understands wanting to protect your child from a predator. Unfortunately, any semblance of the truth forces Nathan into the hot seat, and Tucker absolutely doesn’t want that, if it can be helped. Tucker would rather get called every epithet known to man before outing Nathan to his father.
“Say something,” Doug yells, chest heaving with anger.
Tucker jerks in both fear and surprise.
Nathan steps forward. “I’m gay, Dad.”
And mother-fucking shit. Tucker’s breath whooshes from his lungs.
Tucker pushes Cole toward Nathan.
“What did you say?” Doug’s gone still and quiet and a shiver shoots its way up Tucker’s spine. A handful of people rise and step closer, thank God. Thommy, Jed, Ben, and Scott. Marva and Wanda. All people who’ll protect Nathan. Relief lightens Tucker’s shoulders.
“You heard me.” Nathan stands tall, all six-foot-football-player of him, eyes flashing, face defiant. “I’m gay. I was asking Tucker about his experience.”
Doug steps forward. “You are not gay, you hear me!” he hollers, spittle flying from his mouth.
Thom and Thommy grab Doug by the arms and muscle him backwards.
“You need to leave, Doug,” says his father.
Doug shakes his head, but looks around at all the people who have formed a protective barrier around Nathan. With a huff and a swipe of the back of his hand across his mouth, he shakes off his father and brother and stalks toward the parking lot.
“Serena, are you going with Doug?” Elaine asks gently.
Serena looks from
her husband, who’s walking toward the parking lot flanked by his father and brother, to her son, disbelief and uncertainty on her face.
“We’ve got Nathan, hon,” says Elaine. “You go wherever you think you’re needed most.”
“Dad needs you, Mom. I’m…I’m okay. I promise.” The color is high on his cheeks and his chest rises and falls a little too quickly, but all things considered, he does look okay.
Serena nods and pulls him into a tight hug. “I’m sorry, honey.” Pulling back, she looks at him. “I’m so proud of you. I love you.”
Nathan sags in relief and his eyes go a bit shiny. He nods. “I love you too, Mom.”
Serena hustles after her husband.
Now that the immediate danger is over, Tucker, too, goes slack. He rakes both hands through his hair and blanches when he realizes his hands are trembling. And what does he even do now? To be accused of propositioning a child is embarrassing and awkward and just… He doesn’t even know. Now that Nathan’s safe, Tucker should just go home and drown himself in a gallon of rocky road ice cream.
“Hey,” Cole says, pulling him out of his head and into a hug. “That was unexpected and horrible, and I know that Doug’s his own person, but I’m so, so sorry.”
Tucker rests his head on Cole’s chest, clutches the soft cotton of his tee shirt at his hips. “Don’t apologize for him. Please. He doesn’t deser—”
“Tucker?”
Cole releases him and they both turn to Nathan, Elaine hovering just behind her grandson.
“Sweetheart, are you okay?” Tucker reaches for him, but lets his hand drop. Better not to touch, if only for his own peace of mind.
Nathan looks a little shaken now—maybe a delayed reaction now that the excitement is over—but he nods. “Thanks for what you did. I know you were keeping my secret from my dad. I really appreciate it.”
“Of course, honey, your safety was— is —the most important thing.”
Elaine pulls Tucker into a hug. “Thank you so much. What you did for Nathan... You were brave too.”
“I just did what I wished someone had done for me. That’s all. Nothing brave about it.”
Only for the Weekend Page 9
