by BA Tortuga
“Uh-huh. Like magic. You didn’t get enough rest while you were playing corporate raider.”
“I didn’t get enough of anything but hotels. Well, and gyms. I worked out. A lot.”
Yeah, he could still see it in Len’s muscles. Heavy, pretty muscles. “It’s a good look for you.” He turned over to get sun on his back. “What are you going to do when we get home?”
“Well….” Len’s chair creaked, and soon enough warm hands were rubbing oil into his back. “I’m not good at being retired-retired. But I’m not gonna do something that requires me to travel. Or be on the phone all the time. My lawyer thinks I should try online stock trading. Something I can do two or three hours a day and then turn off.”
That sounded boring as hell.
Galen would probably love it.
“Two or three hours a day is a good schedule. Leaves hours to play and cook and goof off with me.”
“There you go.” That one little move Len did with his thumbs made him melt. “My accountant, my lawyer… they all keep reminding me I’m retired. That I need to pace myself. I figure I’ll get you to remind me more often.”
“Mmm-hmm. I could cuff you to the bed when you get all busy.” He’d be more convincing if he wasn’t all moany.
Len pinched his ass. “No. That’s my job.”
Oh. Right. Len had that thing about being tied down. Still, the man could tease him about it now, instead of getting all funky. “Less pinching, more rubbing.”
“Got it, darlin’.” Happy laughter made him ease back into a puddle. That and the renewed rubbing, which felt fucking amazing.
“Mmm. You’ve got good hands, Len.” If the puppers were here, they’d be bouncing and barking and shit.
“You have good skin.” Fingers digging into his shoulders, Len bent and kissed his neck. “You okay?”
“I am. Missing the dogs some, but I’m happy. You?”
“God, yes.” Licking a little, Len chuckled against his skin. “This has been a blast. So glad we took off. You think the dogs are okay with Momma?”
“Sure they are. Momma loves them.” Loved all of them. Hell, she was so tickled that they were on vacation it was a little weird. She even drove all the way to get the dogs when their sitter flaked.
“You’re right. She calls them the grandkids.” Len sounded completely baffled by that.
“Well…. Khan’s got your eyes….”
“Bitch.” That got him a little slap, not even enough to sting, just enough to feel.
“Oooh. Baby, baby!” They both started laughing, the lawn chairs creaking.
Len finally stopped rubbing and just leaned on him, chin on his shoulder. “I could go for some pie. Maybe some tea.”
“Sounds good, Len.” He turned his head, kissed Galen’s jaw, just happy as a pig in shit. “Sounds real good.”
“Yeah. We still have some ice cream, huh?” They rocked a little, humming.
“We do. We’ll have to get some groceries tomorrow, but we’re good.”
Galen felt so fine, hot and heavy above him.
“Cool. Of course, moving kinda sucks. I like it right here.” A kiss landed on his neck, making him smile.
“Good thing we’re on vacation, huh? We can just stay a bit.” He got a hold of Len’s hand, twined their fingers together and squeezed.
“We can.” That rough hand curled around his, Len playing with his thumb. “We can just be.”
“Thank God.”
Another kiss, this one on his cheek, and Len was getting up, hauling him up too. “We have that Irish cream.”
“You want coffee or on the rocks?” He leaned into Len’s side as they wandered in.
“I think in coffee.” The cabin was far enough up in the mountains that coffee wasn’t out of the question; it would be nice.
“Good deal. You cut the pie; I’ll get things started.”
They got pie and ice cream and coffee with booze, and it was quiet and easy and right, like it used to be. Only better. They’d fought for this.
Hell, together, they’d earned it.
Chapter Thirty-One
GALEN HATED to leave Colorado, but it was time to go home.
He and Shane had really had a blast, loving and playing, sitting in the hot tub and eating and…. Yeah. A fucking fine vacation.
They were almost to Momma’s, though, where they’d pick up the dogs. They’d left the mutts with Jake, one of the guys from Shane’s bar, but he’d had to leave town, and Momma had gone to grab them, taking them back to Louisiana.
“You ready for some home cooking, darlin’?” he asked Shane when he turned off the interstate.
“I am. She… she’s not pissed at me, right? I mean, for everything?”
“Why would she be pissed at you?” Shit, he was the one who had fucked up, not Shane.
“Well, you’re her son, man, and I left. I’d be pissed at me.”
“Well, you know she already thinks I’m a fuckup.” He winked over, barreling down the back roads he knew by heart.
“Right.” Shane chuckled, slapped his thigh. “You’re mine.” Those fingers touched his ink. “Mine.”
“Yeah. And if I am, she’s your momma. It’s all good.” He hoped she’d made gumbo.
“Okay. You think she’s made us a pecan pie?”
“I bet so.” Shane loved Momma’s pecan pie. She loved to make it and watch them eat it up.
“Man, I’m ready to see the pups. Poor Goob is the little one with all the monster dogs.”
It did his heart good to see Shane still bouncing, still eager, even as they were on the way back home.
“He’s strong as an ox. He’ll be fine.” Hell, Goob had taken on alligators.
“Well, sure.” Shane bounced as they turned into Momma’s driveway.
Grinning over, Galen pulled in and parked. As soon as the wheels stopped, the dogs spilled out into the yard, barking their fool heads off.
“Goob! Khan!” Shane opened the door and two beasts were in the truck, wagging and licking and howling.
Galen laughed, reaching to rub ears and tails. “Did we leave you with the evil Granny?”
Khan got right up in his face, eyebrows lowered, grumping and growling and muttering at him.
“I know, baby. I do. She’s good to you, though, I know it. She has bones.” Sweet baby girl. Khan panted, licked his chin, butt whacking the steering wheel over and over.
“Lord, boys. Y’all’d best come in. It’s hot.”
“Sure, Momma.” Pushing the dogs away, Galen hauled his ass out of the truck, and man, his ass stuck to the seat.
Shane pushed out of the truck and into a hug from Momma. “Hey, lady! How’re you?”
“Good. How are you, honey?” She hugged that man so hard that Shane grunted, and Galen couldn’t help but laugh.
“Better. So much better, Momma.” Shane kissed her cheek. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too.” She kissed Shane back before coming to see him, giving him a stern look. “You’d best have fixed everything.”
“Doesn’t it look like it?” Slinging an arm around Momma’s waist, Galen herded them all inside.
“You both look happy. Real happy.” She kissed his cheek and leaned. “The house looked better than I’d feared.”
“Yeah. Shane and I, we worked on it.” Together. That was the best part about it. “We got the shop pretty well fixed up too.”
“Good. And you?” Momma turned, searching his eyes. “You’re better? Happy?”
“I am. I can’t even tell you. Goob! Stop chewing that.” Goober had a mouthful of Shane’s suitcase.
“Goober!” Shane laughed, started chasing the basset. Of course, as soon as the chase was on, there went Khan.
Momma started laughing, clapping. “Run, honey! Run!”
It was a wild romp that ended with panting dogs and sweaty Shane, and that was one of his favorite things. Well, not the panting.
Momma leaned in toward him, smil
ed. “He looks happy, honey, like himself. You did good.”
“Thanks, Momma. Did you make pie?” Pie was important. He and Shane needed pie.
“I made chess and pecan. I wasn’t sure which you’d want.”
“Oh, you’re the best Momma ever.” Galen squeezed, loving on her a little. She just had so much love in her. “He was worried you’d be mad at him.”
“Me? Hell, I just wanted to make it better. You boys need a lot of mothering.”
“We’re not too bright sometimes.” Oh damn, the air-conditioning made him dizzy when he walked into Momma’s house, his head getting all swimmy.
“You’re mine, and I love you both. Shane, honey, quit messing with the dogs and come pour tea.”
“Sure, Momma.”
“Don’t forget to wash your hands.”
“Yes, Momma.”
Some things never changed. Thank God for that. Galen washed up and helped Momma set the table, breathing deep. Fuck, it smelled good. Shane and Momma were teasing, laughing. Then Shane’s eyes landed on him, and he got this smile that just…. Damn. Everything came into focus, everything they’d been working for the last month or so. He’d almost lost that, and it scared him. Fear was good, though. It would keep him from doing it again.
Shane settled down next to him, and Momma sat on the other side. There was gumbo, pie. Dogs.
Sometimes a man had to remember that the simple things were the best. Galen figured they worked for him these days. Mostly retired was the way to go.
“Eat your gumbo, son. I made it just for you.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The bright tomato and okra flavor made him smile, made him feel like a kid again. “You make bread?”
“Oh! Shane honey….” She pointed to the microwave, and Shane hopped up, fetched a pan of cornbread.
He gave Shane a grin. “Cool. That’s mine, but where did you put the rest of y’all’s, Momma?”
“Uh-huh. You only get half. Me and Momma get the rest.” Shane winked, grinned. “Greedy.”
“You know it. All that mountain air gave me an appetite.” Butter on the bread, a little beer…. Life was fucking amazing.
“You look like you’re healthy enough, mountain air or not.” Momma winked, and Shane nodded.
“He looks great, Momma.”
Galen gave Shane a slow grin, thinking about how Shane had admired him just last night in the hotel. Made his cheeks heat up.
“Uh-huh. Y’all quit thinking nasty thoughts.” Momma swatted his hand with the back of her spoon.
“Ow!” Hell, he couldn’t help but think nasty thoughts. Shane was built for it, and God knew, Galen couldn’t resist.
Shane chuckled, shook his head. “He’s as pure as driven snow, Momma.”
“I used to be, anyway. Somehow I drifted.” Oh, that cornbread was good. He crumbled it in his gumbo, even though Momma thought that was uncouth.
Shane and Momma both chuckled, Momma muttering, “Driven under a Mack truck, maybe.”
“Now, Momma.” Lord, it felt good to see everyone smiling, to feel like he’d stopped letting folks down. How many times did a man have to learn that lesson? Couldn’t tell him nothing. He’d been that way all his life.
Shane’s hand slid under the table, petting his knee, just looking all kinds of settled.
They ate and laughed and chatted and fed tidbits to the dogs, which had Momma protesting. He put his hand over Shane’s at some point, holding on while they worked on dessert and coffee, smiling like a fool.
“You boys staying a couple days, or are you heading on?”
“I think we’re heading on tomorrow,” Galen said before Shane could finish drawing a breath. “I figure we’ll have you down for Thanksgiving this year.”
“Yeah? I’d like that. I could come stay a few days, and then you boys could come for Christmas, if Shane’s not working.”
“The bait shop’ll be closed, Momma.” Shane squeezed his fingers.
She stared from one of them to the other, her dark eyes so dear and familiar and sharp as a hawk’s. “You’re not going back to the bar, honey?”
“No, ma’am. I think I’m going to make some improvements to the shop, manage it. I’m too old to be clubbing six nights a week.”
“Oh. Good for you!” Hopping up, Momma went around and kissed Shane’s cheek. “I’m so proud.”
Shane looked shocked.
Pure shocked.
“Yeah? Thanks, Momma.”
“You’re more than welcome, honey.” Patting Shane’s cheek, she bustled around, coming out with a cheap-assed bottle of champagne that had enough dust on it to choke a horse. “We should celebrate.”
Shane looked at the bottle, lips just barely twisting. “We should. Let me open it and pour out. Do you have any orange juice?”
“I do!” Look at Momma, just bouncing. Galen winked at Shane when her back was turned, blowing the man a kiss.
Shane grinned, nodded. Shane’d make it right.
The champagne was passable in the orange juice with some ginger and God knew what else Shane put in it while he wiggled and hummed and danced. Mainly he drove Galen crazy.
Momma leaned against Galen’s arm, just beamed. “You did good, son. Real good.”
“Thanks, Momma. It was touch and go.” He said it low, but it was the truth. He’d almost lost Shane.
“It would’ve been a shame, honey. That boy loves you like you’re the center of the universe. A momma can’t ask for better for her son.”
“I couldn’t ask for more either.” He squeezed her waist, hugging on her, thankful for all of her help.
“Love you, Galen. I surely do. Y’all… y’all’ll be okay moneywise, with Shane at the bait house, huh?”
“Oh hell, Momma. He’s got more money saved than he knows, and I’ve got a good settlement from Frank. Asshole showed up at my place, did I tell you?” Shithead.
“Oh good Lord. Did you knock him in the nose?”
“Shane puffed up like a rooster. Ran him off with a piece of wood.” That still tickled him more than a whole chicken full of feathers.
“No shit?” Momma started chuckling, shaking her head. “What a good boy. He knows what’s his, huh?”
“He does.” Shane bebopped back over, grinning, and Galen reached out his other hand to poke one hip. “Right, darlin’?”
“Yep. What?” Shane sat down on the floor, Goober barreling over into his lap.
“You know what’s yours. Like Goob. All yours. Silly mutt.” Shane was gonna have to wash up before Galen would kiss him again, that was for sure.
“Yep. Just like Khan is yours.” At the sound of her name, that huge beast came running.
Heading for him.
And Momma.
And Momma’s sofa.
Galen caught her in midair, oophing when her back legs scrabbled against his crotch. “Oh Lord, girl. You’re getting huge.”
Shane and Goober were rolling on the floor, both looking like they were cackling.
Oh. They needed some ass-whooping. “Get ’em, Khan,” Galen said, dumping her right down on Shane and Goob.
Khan went to town, growling and barking, tugging hard on Goob’s ear while Shane tickled her belly. Finally Galen joined the fray, figuring it wasn’t fair to let his girl get mauled. He grabbed Goob’s tail and reached for Shane’s ribs, doing some tickling of his own.
It was Momma who was laughing hardest of all, clapping and snapping one picture after another, just going to town. Shane ended up in his lap, laughing hard, Khan and Goob flopped together.
Galen kissed Shane, not hard or long, just happy. He squeezed, happy as anything. “Love you, darlin’.”
“Love you, Len. You too, Momma.” Shane settled, easy as you please.
Momma beamed, taking one last picture. “I’m happy. I’ve got my boys. Y’all should stay at least one more day.”
Shane chuckled, leaned harder. “You have things that need doing around here, Momma?”
“Oh, I just want
to go shopping, maybe get you to clean out the gutters….” She looked so hopeful it was hard to say no.
“What do you think, honey?”
Shane grinned. “How could you tell that face no?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Grinning at Momma, Galen shrugged. “We’ll stay. Just for you.”
Hell, they’d been away this long. They could stand a few more days of vacation. Shane could stand a few more days of feeling what it was like to have family too.
All the way around, it worked for Galen.
And the way his lover and their dogs leaned and smiled, it worked for them too.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“HOME. HOME. Home home home.” Shane grinned over at the beasts, who were running around furiously, smelling and pissing and exploring like mad.
Galen had steaks on the grill, the bug zapper was going, and Shane had a beer and his favorite chair.
Life was good.
“Uh-huh. I swear I saw gator tracks.” Len flipped the steaks before bringing him some chip and dip, sitting on the end of his lounge chair.
“Yeah? Good. Means Vic made it.” He reached out, started rubbing Galen’s shoulders, the suntan oil making things nice and slick.
“Looks like. Oh, that feels good.” Head falling forward, Galen let him touch, big body shifting under his hands.
He scooted forward a little and started really working. Digging in. Touching.
“Uhn.” Those muscles went all relaxed for him, Len kinda slinking down on the lounge, really letting him have a go.
“You’re fine.” Shane closed his eyes, rubbing and rocking, the smells of the water and the plants just right, just like they ought to be.
“If you think so, I’m damned happy.” He did. Galen had dusted off his gym in the spare room, working out like an hour a day. It was amazing what some weights could do. Of course, he spent eight hours a day in the bait shop, chatting and lifting and hauling and shit. It was fun, hard work.
Like Len could read his mind, a chuckle floated up. “You enjoying the shop, darlin’? Happy to have a day off?”
“I am. It’s good work. Hell, I got the best company whenever I want it.” Galen, Goob, Khan—it was just like being home, but with coolers and bait.
