by Carol Lynne
“I’m ready,” she replied, stepping into the kitchen.
Nate reached out and braced himself on the centre island to keep his knees from buckling. At some point between breakfast and four o’clock, Hannah had transformed into a woman. He schooled his features before speaking, which wasn’t at all easy. “You look very pretty, but you’re not going out of this house like that.”
Hannah’s expression fell as she looked down at the new sweater Nate had given her. “I thought you liked this?”
“I love it, but you’re supposed to wear a blouse or a turtleneck under it.” Nate refused to acknowledge the fact that a twelve-year-old could possess cleavage, let alone have a desire to display it so openly. “And the makeup’s a little much.”
“I like it,” Hannah argued.
Nate glanced at Ryan. “Help me out here?”
Ryan rubbed the back of his neck. “I think what Nate’s trying to say is that you look too grown up. Go on back to your room and put something on under your sweater and wash off the makeup. You can wear a light coat of mascara and some lip gloss, but that’s it. We’ll talk about the other stuff in a few years.”
Nate was going to strangle Carol for talking him into buying that damn makeup kit. “You do look pretty though,” he said, remembering what Carol had told him about self-esteem.
“But this’ll be my first real introduction to the people of Cattle Valley,” she continued to whine.
“Yes, and we want them to remember that you’re twelve, not eighteen,” Nate countered. “Please, just do as we asked.”
Hannah crossed her arms, drawing more attention to the generous swell of her breasts. Feeling like a perv, Nate turned and busied himself with finishing the dishes. “Go,” he said, refusing to give in.
“Holy fuck, we’re in trouble,” Ryan grumbled once Hannah strode away in a huff.
“I think she’s testing us.” Nate rinsed the pot he’d used to make the mashed potatoes. “I’ll have to ask Carol if that’s also a natural part of growing up with girls.”
“Come on,” Will called, opening the door from the garage.
“Five minutes.” Nate grinned when Will shut the door. Over the last few days, Will had seemed to be Rio’s constant shadow, so it didn’t surprise him that Rio had sent the boy in to check on them.
Ryan finished drying the pan and hung it on the rack above the island. “By the way, Snake said he has a video to show us, so I called the lodge and arranged a DVD player to be delivered to his room.”
“A video?” Nate questioned, draining the water from the sink. “That doesn’t sound good.”
Ryan shrugged. “We won’t know until we talk to him.”
“Right,” Nate agreed.
Hannah came into the room, fresh faced and cleavage covered. “You look beautiful,” Ryan declared.
Hannah rolled her eyes before heading to the garage without a word.
Nate sighed. “And so it begins.”
* * * *
Because their community had grown in the previous few years, the church hall could no longer accommodate all who chose to celebrate together. The large ballroom at the lodge didn’t have the same intimate atmosphere, but at least there was plenty of room for everyone to sit and enjoy the large potluck dinner. Ryan watched from the bar as Nate helped the others uncover the food on the large buffet table.
“Where’s Rio?” Joey Lawson asked, pulling on Ryan’s pants’ leg.
Ryan smiled down at the four-year-old son of his friend, Bo Lawson. He hated to tell Joey that Rio had found a new playmate. “I think he’s in the toy room. Why don’t you go find him?”
Joey ran off towards the room set aside for kids to play. It had been the best addition to the festivities yet.
“Hey,” a deep voice said from behind him.
Ryan glanced over his shoulder. Snake was dressed in black leather, which wasn’t unusual, but still too much for the occasion. “Don’t you have a nice pair of pants and a button-up shirt you could put on?”
Snake spread the lapels of his leather jacket. “I put on a T-shirt to come down and talk to the three of you.”
The shirt was so thin Ryan could clearly see the outline of the silver hoops that ran through Snake’s nipples. He scowled. “Just remember there’re kids present.”
Snake chuckled. “You think I’m going to fuck on the dance floor later or something?” His gaze seemed to zero in on someone across the room. “On second thought, what time do the kiddos leave?”
Ryan tried to follow Snake’s line of vision. Cullen Bryant was bent over an ice chest with his ass in the air and a hint of crack showing. “Don’t even think about it,” Ryan warned.
“How old is he?” Snake asked.
Although Cullen was twenty-three now, Ryan knew the younger man hadn’t given up on his attraction to Joseph, the ex-priest who ran the homeless shelter in DC. “Legal, but that’s beside the point. Cullen’s a good kid, too good to be used and thrown away.”
Snake reached down and adjusted his cock. “Lighten up. You’re the only one who’s ever complained about no-strings sex.”
Ryan doubted that was true. “Find someone closer to your own age.”
“But I like them young and thin.” Snake grinned. “They’re a hell of a lot easier to hold against a wall while I fuck ’em.” He chuckled. “As I recall, you nearly broke my back a time or two.”
Ryan pushed away from the bar. “Come on, I want to introduce you to the owner of this place.”
“Guy? I’ve already met him,” Snake declared, following Ryan. “Sexy as fuck, but way too tall for me to do what I like to do.” He winked at Ryan. “Do I need to remind you?”
Shit. Ryan’s body responded to the memory of sitting on Snake’s lap while Snake finger-fucked him for hours at a time. Okay, time to change course. “I think he’s exactly your type.”
“How do you figure?”
“Guy’s a slut who likes more than one partner at a time.” Ryan glanced at Snake. “As I recall, you share that particular kink.”
“As, apparently, do you,” Snake shot back.
“Mine wasn’t planned,” Ryan ground out between clenched teeth. He spotted Guy in the Grizzly Bar, getting friendly with one of the skiers in for a holiday on the slopes. “You’re in luck, looks like Guy’s already primed your third.”
Snake stopped in the doorway and stared at the thin, brown-haired man. He grunted, a sure sign that he found the younger man attractive.
“Well, then, I’ll leave you to it for a few hours. Just be ready by seven to talk. You have your cell phone on you?”
“Always do,” Snake replied without taking his eyes off the twink by the bar.
Ryan couldn’t leave without warning Snake of one thing. “Guy’s an alcoholic. You sure you can be around booze without falling off the wagon?”
“As long as I can keep myself occupied.”
Ryan watched Snake stalk his prey for several moments. Snake’s self-confidence was apparent in the way he immediately pressed himself against the twink’s back and whispered in the man’s ear. The twink glanced up and opened his mouth for a deep kiss. “Fuck, how does he do it?” Ryan asked no one in particular.
Snake broke the kiss and settled his hands on Guy’s hips, sandwiching the twink between them. He spoke to Guy for a moment before leaning over the twink’s shoulder to bestow one of his hotter-than-fuck kisses on the ex-Olympian.
Confident that Snake had forgotten all about Cullen, Ryan returned to the party.
* * * *
At six-fifty, Nate stuck his head into the playroom. “Hey, Will? Ryan, Rio and I have a quick meeting upstairs. You think you’ll be okay here for thirty minutes or so?”
Will nodded without looking away from the video game. “I’m fine.”
Nate wasn’t sure who the other boy belonged to, but Will seemed to get along with him just fine. It was a positive sign and one he carried with him while he searched the room for Hannah. He finally found her sitting
in the lobby talking to Kit. “Hey, what’re you two up to?”
Kit smiled up at Nate. “I’m just giving your girl some makeup tips.”
Although Kit was gorgeous, Nate wasn’t sure he wanted Hannah wearing as much makeup as she did. Ever. Still, it might be a good time to get some advice. “What do you think is an appropriate amount of makeup to wear when you’re twelve?”
“I think Hannah looks perfect the way she is tonight. I was just telling her how much I envy her naturally long lashes.” Kit patted Nate’s hand. “I think you gave her good advice with the mascara and lip gloss. At this stage in her life, anything more would take away from her beauty instead of enhancing it.”
Nate noticed how Kit had referred to Hannah’s stage in life rather than her actual age. The pleased expression on Hannah’s face told Nate he could learn a few things from Kit.
“Are you ready to go, sweetheart?” Hawk asked, holding Kit’s coat.
Kit smiled at Hannah. “We’ll definitely have to go shopping together.” She leaned over and kissed Hannah on the cheek. “You have my number. Call me whenever you need me.”
“I will,” Hannah replied while Hawk helped Kit into her coat.
“It was nice seeing you again,” Hawk said to Nate.
“You, too.” Nate waited until Hawk and Kit had walked off before speaking. “Rio, Ryan and I have a meeting that should take around thirty minutes. Can I trust you to stick around the ballroom and keep an eye on Will while we’re gone?”
“Sure.” Hannah worried her lower lip with her tongue.
“Something wrong?” Nate asked.
“Did you know that Kit’s really a man?” Hannah asked.
Nate shrugged. “Kit’s Kit, and she identifies as a woman, so that’s what we think of her as.”
Hannah swept her hair off her face and gathered it in a ponytail before releasing it to fall back into place. “It’ll take me time to get used to everything. It’s so different here.”
“For the most part, Cattle Valley’s full of nice, well-intentioned people. You remember that, and you’re already ahead of the game.”
“Yeah, I guess so,” she agreed. “It’s a lot to get used to.”
“I know.” Nate wished he felt comfortable enough to pull Hannah into his arms for a hug, but so far the best he’d managed was wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You’ll probably have a lot of questions once you get more familiar with people in town, and if you need to talk, I’ll be here. The most important thing is that most of your classmates will also have same-sex couples as parents, so at least you won’t be alone.”
“You’re not one of my parents,” Hannah replied.
The statement felt like a slap, but Nate tried to understand where the girl was coming from. “You’re right.” He swallowed around the lump of emotion in his throat and turned to go. “Don’t forget to check on Will.”
Nate ducked behind one of the massive stacked stone columns to compose himself. He hadn’t meant to put himself into the parent role, but Hannah’s quick rebuff hurt more than he could have imagined. It had only been a few weeks since he’d taken guardianship, so he knew he shouldn’t be so hard on himself, but his feelings for Will and Hannah had already grown way beyond anything he’d felt possible.
When his phone started to ring, Nate dabbed his eyes with the sleeve of his sweater. He cleared his throat before answering, “Hey.”
“Where are you?” Ryan asked.
“I’m around. I’ll meet you by the front desk.” Nate hung up before Ryan heard the emotion in his voice. He shoved the phone in his pocket and tried several times to clear his throat.
“Nate?” Rio came from out of nowhere. “I thought that sounded like you. What’re you doing over here?”
“Just taking a breather.” Nate tried his best to smile.
“Come on.” Rio wrapped his arm around Nate’s waist. “Whatever Snake has to share with us, we’ll deal with it together.”
“Yeah.” Rio thought he was upset by their upcoming meeting, and Nate wasn’t about to correct him. “I’m ready.”
* * * *
Nate held Rio’s hand as they made their way down the hall. “Are you sure he’s here?”
“He should be,” Ryan replied, knocking on Snake’s door. “I called him thirty minutes ago to remind him.”
It only took a moment for a shirtless and sweaty Snake to answer. “Hey.” He stepped back and allowed them to enter. He handed the television remote to Ryan. “I’ve already loaded the DVD I shot. It’s been pieced together over the last ten days.” He shook his head. “The Senator’s first visit was two days after you took custody of the kids.”
“First visit?” Nate questioned, gripping Rio’s hand. Was he going to see his father and brother together? Had he been wrong about their relationship?
Snake gestured to the television. “Well, the first visit I was able to record between Gilloume and Buddy. I’ll leave you alone to watch it. When you’re finished, give me a call if you want me to continue the surveillance.”
“Thanks,” Rio said, extending his free hand.
Snake shook hands with Rio. “I’ll be in town for a few days.”
Rio nodded.
Before leaving the room, Snake rested a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “I don’t know if this helps, but the two of them seemed comfortable with each other on that first visit I recorded. I don’t know how often the Senator has visited Buddy over the years, but they definitely weren’t complete strangers.”
It was Nate’s turn to nod, but he wasn’t sure the information made him feel better at all. “Thanks.” He wasn’t sure whether he’d be thankful for the video, but he was definitely grateful for the work Snake had put in at a moment’s notice.
Snake opened the door. “If you need me, I’ll be down the hall in room three-twenty-six.”
After Snake left, Nate squared his shoulders and turned to the television. “Okay. Let’s see it.”
“We can take the DVD home if you’d prefer to watch it there,” Ryan offered, moving to sit on the bed behind Nate.
“No, I’d rather get it over with.” Nate tried to shore up his emotions. He already had a good idea of what he was about to see, but he wasn’t sure how he would react.
Ryan scooted closer, putting Nate in the V of his spread legs while wrapping one arm around Nate’s waist. He pointed the remote towards the TV and gave Nate’s neck a quick kiss.
Nate leant back against Ryan as the front of a very nice house came onto the screen. The camera focused in on a mid-size red sedan parked on the street several houses away. The door opened and Nate’s father got out from behind the wheel. Okay, no surprise there. The Senator walked down the sidewalk and up to the front door of the house. The door immediately opened and an enthusiastic Buddy came into view.
“I didn’t realise Buddy was so tall,” Rio said as Buddy hugged the Senator.
“Neither did I,” Nate mumbled.
The shot cut off and reopened on the Senator and Buddy in the backyard. It was obvious the video had been taken from a narrow opening in the backyard fence, and Nate felt eerily like a peeping Tom as he watched his father and Buddy. Despite the cold, the Senator pushed Buddy on an oversized swing set. The pure joy on Buddy’s face made Nate’s heart clench. Nate tried to remember a time when his father had played with him in the backyard. There was something there, just beyond his reach. A fuzzy memory of wrestling in the green grass with his dad when he couldn’t have been more than six or seven. “Huh.”
“Are you doing okay?” Ryan asked, nuzzling Nate’s neck.
“Yeah.” Nate didn’t tell Ryan about the memory. He suddenly wondered how many more he’d lost over the years.
The next scene was shot through the front window. According to the date stamp at the bottom of the screen, it was an entirely different day. The Senator sat on the sofa next to Buddy, a large picture book in his hands. “Where the Wild Things Are,” Nate whispered, remembering the story. He could picture himse
lf in bed with his father in a chair beside him, reading the book at least two or three times a week. “It was always one of my favourites.”
“Did he read it to you?” Rio asked.
Nate swallowed around the lump in his throat. “Yeah.” He felt the sting of tears and reached up to wipe at them before they could fall. Clearing his throat, he broke away from Ryan and stood. “I’ve seen enough.”
Rio jumped to his feet and reached for Nate, but Nate held up his hands. “I love you, but I need a moment alone.” Nate gestured to the television. “You guys can watch it if you want, but I have a feeling I’ve already lived it.”
The realisation threatened his sanity. How in the hell could he have forgotten those moments with his father? Loosening his tie, Nate left the room. He stood in the hallway for several moments before heading to the stairs with no particular destination in mind. All he knew was that he needed to get away, away from the kids, his partners and the memories that were flooding back.
Chapter Seven
Exasperated, Rio pulled out his phone and called Ryan. “I found him. Give me ten minutes and meet us at the SUV.”
“Where?” Ryan asked.
“He’s sitting in the gazebo, freezing his ass off by the looks of it.” Rio watched Nate closely. “Get the kids together. Forget the dishes. We can pick those up tomorrow if we need to.”
“Do you need my help?”
Rio had a feeling Nate didn’t want anyone’s help, but he couldn’t sit by and watch the man he loved freeze to death. “No. As a matter of fact, I’m not sure he wants either of us right now. The important thing is getting him inside.”
“I’ve got my phone. Call if you need me,” Ryan said.
“I will.” Rio pocketed the phone and strode up the cleared path to the lit gazebo. “Hey.”
Nate glanced up. “This is not a good place for you to be right now.”
Rio brushed a dusting of snow off the bench beside Nate and sat down. “I’ll take my chances.” He tilted his head back and stared up at the twinkling lights. “I’m not going to pry, but I am going to get you the hell out of this cold.” He wrapped his arms around Nate in an attempt to provide warmth. “Let’s go home.”
