by Avery Ford
Worrying was something he’d have lots of time for later, though.
For now, Chase was just happy. For the first time in his life, everything seemed to be going his way. It really felt like the universe was giving its approval for the two of them to finally be together, and Chase had received the message, loud and clear.
It might have taken eight years of uncertainty, but it had finally worked out just the way Chase had hoped it would. It had worked out even better, really, than anything Chase could have imagined.
Just the knowledge that he was going to be in New York with his best friend—his boyfriend—was enough to keep him smiling all day.
There would only be three more nights in Baxter Springs before the next chapter of Chase’s life could officially start. The chapter that included Ben on a permanent basis.
As his boyfriend.
Chase grinned and closed his eyes again.
Boyfriend.
It was meant to be, and Chase would never get tired of saying that word.
Chapter 20
Ben
Ben stared at the stack of boxes in his living room. Moving boxes looked so out of place in this house that Ben had stopped dead in his tracks at least half a dozen times already just to crinkle his nose at how strange it was.
The ranch, the house, and everything in it had been built from the ground up and made to last. The heavy furniture had been in the same places in the same rooms for decades. And even though everything was noticeably worn and legitimately old now that Ben was an adult, it all still had an air of permanence that was in open defiance of the cardboard boxes Chase, Eric, and Ben had brought in.
“Where do you want this box, babe?” Chase asked, emerging from the dark hallway carrying a box that was stuffed with who-knows-what from one of the bedrooms.
“Babe?” Eric said the word just loudly enough for Ben to hear as he entered from the opposite direction, stopping to pluck a chocolate chip cookie from the plate Ben had laid out in the kitchen. “That’s new.”
“Shut up,” Ben hissed, shooing him away as inconspicuously as he could. It was too late, though.
Ben’s eyes darted between his brother and Chase, wishing a hole would open up in the middle of the floor and swallow him. To his shock, though, Chase spoke up to answer him.
“Yep. Babe. Your brother told you the good news, didn’t he, Eric?” Chase set the box down and walked across the room to sling an arm around Ben’s shoulders. “He and I are gonna be dating when we move to New York. So… that means you and I are basically brothers-in-law.”
Ben burst out laughing and Eric rolled his eyes. “You two are perfect for each other,” he said, turning on his heel and walking back out of the room. Not before Ben could see the hint of a smile flash across his face, though.
He might be a smartass, but Ben knew Eric was happy for him. He’d been the one to suggest Ben say something to Chase in the first place, after all.
“I’m gonna take that as a compliment,” Chase said, grinning widely as he planted a kiss on Ben’s forehead.
“He’ll be begging to come visit us in a few weeks, I’m sure,” Ben let his eyes linger on the spot where his brother had just been standing before turning and melting against Chase’s hard body for another kiss. “But anyway, he’s probably just jealous.”
“I’m so not jealous,” Eric called from the other room, sending Ben and Chase into another fit of laughter.
Ben almost shot off another sarcastic reply, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to snipe back and forth with Eric when he could put his mouth to much better use with Chase.
Chase apparently felt the same way, because he’d stopped laughing entirely and had started trailing kisses down Ben’s cheek and along his jawline.
Ben couldn’t help but let out a soft whimper when Chase made it to the base of his throat, to that spot that made Ben’s heart beat faster and his cock throb insistently every single time.
He put a hand on Chase’s chest and backed away with a grin. “Do you really wanna start something we can’t finish right now?”
Chase gave a half shrug before dipping down to steal one more kiss. He met Ben’s gaze again and jerked his head back toward the bedroom. “Who says we can’t finish,” he asked, his voice low and thick with desire.
“Oh my God, don’t tempt me,” Ben said, his eyes darting back toward the bedroom with a furtive glance. “But we’ve still got a lot of packing to do, and I’m sorry, but I’m gonna take advantage of the extra pair of hands while you’re still here.”
Chase waggled an eyebrow and reached around to grab Ben’s ass, one cheek in each hand, then whispered, “You can take advantage of these hands anytime.”
It was Ben’s turn to roll his eyes, but there was no denying that his body was already starting to respond to Chase’s touch—corny pick-up lines notwithstanding.
If they were really going to get anything else done at all, Ben was going to have to steer the conversation toward something less exciting.
“You surprised me with how easily you threw the ‘B’ word out there with Eric,” Ben said, speaking the first thought that had come to mind. “And I think you shocked the hell out of him.”
Chase laughed. “I’ll admit it was mostly for shock value, but I figured you’d already told him, anyway.”
“More or less,” Ben nodded. “But it was still pretty funny to see the look on his face.”
And even though Ben didn’t say it out loud, it gave him a tiny sliver of hope that Chase was becoming a little more comfortable in his own skin.
Coming out to Eric wasn’t exactly a risky move, though. Ben had pretty much desensitized him to conversations about feelings and dating guys. If anything, he’d just been surprised that Chase had admitted it out loud—just like it had surprised Ben.
Still, it had been a good and important first step, and Ben wanted Chase to know that he supported his decision to tell—or not to tell—whomever he wanted.
“Anyway,” Ben continued, “I thought it was sweet, but I don’t want you to feel obligated to say anything to anyone, okay? There’s no more rulebook when it comes to our relationship.”
“That’s good to know,” Chase said, “And I haven’t really changed my mind about telling anyone else. It was just one of those things where it felt like the right time and place, you know?”
Ben nodded. He understood.
And while a tiny part of him might have wished for something more, he was happy enough just to be able to have an honest conversation about coming out without either of them getting upset.
“So,” Chase said, finally shoving his hands into his pockets in what Ben figured was a last-ditch effort to keep them to himself. “What’s next? Daylight is burning and like you said, you might as well put me to work while I’m here.”
“You read my mind,” Ben said. “Follow me. There’s plenty left to do.”
Ben gave one more look at the growing stack of out-of-place boxes in the living room and shook his head. This was not the time to think about that, or to get sentimental about packing things away.
This move was for the best—for everyone involved—and it was easy enough to remind himself of that when Chase and Eric were around.
He dreaded the evening, though, when they would both be gone and he would be alone in the house again.
Alone with boxes and memories.
Alone with his feelings and the disappointed ghosts of his relatives.
Chapter 21
Chase
Even though Chase had been over to help pack the contents of Ben’s house for two days in a row, it was still sort of a shock to him when he walked through the front door and saw the bare walls and stacks of boxes everywhere.
“It’s kind of weird to see it like this, isn’t it?” Ben asked, apparently seeing the surprised look on Chase’s face. “I’ve been wandering around here with that same look all day. I’m not sure when it will start to feel right.”
Ben had been leading
Chase through to the kitchen, but Chase caught up and stopped him halfway, spinning him around and embracing him as he spoke.
“It might not feel right for a while, babe,” Chase said, rubbing his hands slowly up and down Ben’s back. “This is the only home you’ve ever known, so I don’t think anyone expects you to be jumping for joy over this part of the process.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Ben agreed, his voice muffled as he nestled against Chase’s shoulder. “I just didn’t expect it to be this hard, I guess. I didn’t really have time to think about it at all once things started falling into place.”
Chase’s heart ached for Ben. Even though he didn’t have the same sort of attachment to places and things that Ben obviously had, it was easy to see that the man was hurting. Chase just wished there was more he could do to help.
“I think it’ll probably start to get easier once you sign the paperwork tomorrow,” Chase said, trying to sound hopeful.
He wasn’t at all sure that would be the case, but it was scheduled to happen, so he wanted to try and get Ben psyched up for it. For a moment, Chase considered offering to go with Ben to the closing meeting, at least to offer moral support. But Chase didn’t want to overstep his bounds or put Ben on the spot. He at least felt a little better knowing Eric would be there if Ben needed someone to bolster his spirits.
“I hope it does get easier,” Ben said, sounding completely unconvinced. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”
Chase flashed him a sympathetic smile. They’d discussed the upcoming schedule at least a half-dozen times over the previous days, so Chase knew that Ben had to have it memorized by now. Still, if it somehow helped to have the conversation a seventh or eighth time, that’s exactly what Chase would do.
Whatever it took to make Ben comfortable with this move.
“Around two,” Chase answered. “If you get finished with the paperwork early, you should give me a call. I can’t promise much, but I’ll still swing by on my way out, even if it’s just for five minutes.”
“I have no idea how long it’ll take,” Ben said. “But yeah, it would be nice to see you at least one more time before you hit the road.”
Chase knew it would probably be torture for both of them to only get a few minutes to say goodbye, but leaving town without at least attempting to see Ben again was just… unthinkable.
“At least we’ve got tonight. All night.” Chase kissed him again and stepped back so Ben could keep walking toward the kitchen.
“Well, I’m afraid I can’t offer much in the way of entertainment,” Ben said, continuing through the house, looking around as if he was still a bit dazed. “Or food, for that matter. We’ve pretty much packed up everything that would hold still. I’m not even sure I know where all of my utensils are.”
“I’m not that hungry,” Chase lied. “But we can drive into town later and pick something up if you want. No need to cook for me. That’ll just be one more thing to clean up later.”
Ben turned to look at him. “Thank God you’re here.” He shook his head. “I honestly don’t think I could do this without you. There are just so many memories, and… you know. It’s just a lot.”
“I do know,” Chase agreed. “And you’re doing a hell of a job getting through all of it, Ben. I’m proud of you and you know I want to help in any way I can.”
“I appreciate it so much,” Ben said, finally smiling a little as he closed the distance between them. “And I didn’t mean to spring all of this on you the minute you walked through the door. I’ve just been here with my thoughts all afternoon, and I think they got the best of me for a minute. But I don’t wanna talk about that stuff anymore. I just want to enjoy the rest of the night with you.”
Chase nodded, but still wanted to double-check. “You don’t have to put on a brave face for me, you know. If you want to talk about anything, I’m here, okay?”
“Thank you,” Ben said, tipping his head up to kiss Chase. “But I’m good. I promise. I want tonight to be as nice as we can make it under the circumstances, since it’ll be a while before I really get to see you again.”
Chase definitely couldn’t argue with that. Any time he got to spend with Ben was a good time, as far as Chase was concerned. But tonight, especially, he was determined to give Ben whatever he wanted, whatever he needed to make it through the next couple of weeks.
Ben was giving up so much to be with Chase. The least Chase could do was to be there for Ben through his last night of owning the ranch.
Chase pulled his suitcase onto his bed and rubbed his eyes as he looked at the clock. Why had he thought it would be a good idea to make it home at the crack of dawn after spending the night with Ben?
With a nearly twenty-hour drive ahead of him, this wasn’t exactly the best day to be operating on no sleep. But if it meant getting the chance to spend a few more hours with Ben, Chase wouldn’t have changed a thing. He was just going to have to suck it up, like he had in his Marine days, and get by with a power nap later.
The important thing was that he’d been there for Ben. That was where he needed to be last night—where he probably should still be, if he was being honest.
Chase started pulling clothes from his closet and tossing them in the general direction of his suitcase. He still had a lot left to do here before he could get on the road, and the sooner he could get this chore out of the way, the better.
“I hope that’s not how the Marines taught you to pack a suitcase.”
Chase spun around at the sound of his mother’s voice and gave a sheepish grin. “There are a lot of things they tried to teach me.” He shrugged, then added, “Some lessons were more effective than others.”
Patricia sighed and moved across the room, taking the discarded shirts off hangers and folding them one by one as Chase continued pulling them from the closet.
“I thought I heard you come in just a bit ago,” she said. “Did you stay at Ben’s house all night?”
Chase was glad for the moment that his back was turned, so she couldn’t see his eyes narrow at the question. He had enjoyed being spoiled by his parents when he’d first returned home from the Marines, and had overlooked the prying questions and the fact that they still talked to him like he was a high school teenager instead of a grown-ass man approaching thirty years old.
“I did,” he answered, finally. “I was helping him pack.”
He hated that he felt the need to explain himself in spite of the fact that he resented the hell out of it. There was probably some underlying issue there that he’d need to address at some point, but today was not the day for that.
“Is he finally getting some sort of vacation from that ranch?” she asked. “That poor boy works harder than anyone I know, and he can’t be making much, from what I hear around town.”
Chase inhaled sharply, willing himself not to say something disrespectful. But the sudden urge he felt to stand up for Ben was too strong to simply ignore.
“Ben is doing okay for himself, Mom,” Chase said, turning to look at her while trying and failing to keep his tone steady. “And anyway, he’s selling the ranch. Today. He and Eric are probably already meeting with the guy who’s buying it. So that’s why I was helping him pack.”
“Selling?” She sat down hard on the edge of the bed, absently pushing the suitcase and pile of clothes aside. “Really? That ranch has been in his family for generations.” She shook her head. “It’s a sad day for Baxter Springs if that property is changing hands.”
Chase had to turn back to face the closet again while he closed his eyes and counted to three. Then, just to be on the safe side, he counted to three again. She didn’t get it. Ben was going to be happier now without that place—without this town—holding him down.
There was no way to say that to her without being rude, though, and Chase wasn’t trying to fight with his mother on his last day at home.
“It isn’t a sad day for Ben,” Chase said, simply, turning to face her again now that he had his temper in c
heck. “Doesn’t his happiness count for something?”
“Of course, dear,” she said, giving him a puzzled look. “But how do you know what’s going to make him happy? What is he going to do without that ranch?”
“I do know what’s going to make him happy,” Chase said. “He’s moving to New York. With me.”
She blinked, and he snapped his mouth shut, suddenly wishing he could rewind and take back the last five seconds. He would’ve told her about Ben moving eventually, of course. But he certainly hadn’t planned on doing it today.
And now there would be more questions. Harder ones to answer, no doubt.
“New York?” She repeated. “With you?” For a moment, she just sat there, looking at him expectantly. When he didn’t say anything else, she asked, “But why? What made him decide to move to New York, of all places? This doesn’t make any sense, Chase.”
“No, it doesn’t,” his dad added, from the doorway. “Ben is selling the ranch and moving in with you and Jacob in New York?”
Chase sighed. Now there were twice as many questions. This was not how his last day in Kansas was supposed to go. Not at all.
“He’s not moving in with me and Jake,” Chase said, his eyes darting between his parents. “But he and I will be spending a lot of time together, so I might end up staying with him most nights.”
Chase didn’t know why he kept talking. He should have just shut the hell up and gone back to packing his clothes. But once he started, he couldn’t make himself stop. Their slightly-confused-but-mostly-disapproving looks only fueled the fire.
“But why—” Patricia started to ask another question, but Chase cut her off.
“Because I want to date him, Mom. And he wants to date me, too. That’s why we’ve been spending so much time together while I’ve been home, and that’s why he’s decided to move to New York.”
When Chase stopped talking, the room was so quiet that he was certain they could all hear his heart beating. Neither of his parents said a word for several long seconds. They both just stared at him with matching shocked expressions.
