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Gabriel raised a brow. “And?”

Oscar snorted. “And I’m an idiot.”

Gabriel reached out and pulled Oscar into a tight bear hug. “You’re damn right you are, you miserable bastard. I just want your grumpy ass to be happy for once, you got me?”

Oscar returned the hug, burying his face in his brother’s neck as he did so. Troy’s eyes stung as he watched the brothers embrace, and he took a step back out of the room. It was clear this was the right time for him to give them the moment of solitude they desperately needed, and Troy made sure his departure was as quiet as possible.

Still smiling, Troy walked down the hallway to Oscar’s room. He knew sooner or later, Oscar would realize he wasn’t there anymore and would want him back. Undoubtedly, the three ofthem would sit and talk, and Troy would finally get to know the other man in more than just stories or comments.

Best of all, Troy could feel the tension released from his chest, the same feeling that had been there for six years. The ‘secret’ might not have been out to everyone, but Oscar finally came out to his brother. Troy realized he’d always wished his brother had been the one person Oscar had confided in, taking a chance to tell him the truth. The rest of the world was secondary to Oscar’s greatest fear of being found out, and now the first was taken care of.

Troy was happy to wait for Oscar, feeling warm at the thought that maybe everything would finally be okay.

Gabriel reachedout and took Troy’s hand, squeezing it and shaking it. “Thank you for being there for my brother this whole time.”

“I don’t know about the whole time,” Troy said, glancing over his shoulder to the living room.

Oscar shrugged. “Just take the compliment, so I don’t have to listen to another explanation of how I’m an idiot.”

“Well, he is an idiot, but he’s an idiot who learns,” Gabriel said with a wink.

Troy gave Oscar a smile. “He does alright.”

“Thanks, babe.”

Gabriel finally released Troy’s hand. “It’s just nice to know he has someone finally, and for good this time, I hope. Dumbass has been alone for so long. I can rest easy knowing he’s got someone watching his back...and maybe giving him a little hell too.”

Troy laughed. “Well, that I can definitely manage.”

“Been managing,” Oscar corrected.

“At least now I don’t have to wonder if I need to come by and check on him,” Gabriel said.

Oscar frowned. “Yeah, speaking of, what the hell are you doing here early anyway? You weren’t supposed to show up till next week with the whole brood in tow.”

Gabriel grimaced. “Well, when you make the mistake of telling your very worried wife that your little brother seems to be having a hard time by himself, she has a way of getting you to go check on him. Even if that check involves flying a few states over and dropping in unexpectedly on him and his boyfriend naked in bed.”

“Wait, Anne is the reason you’re here?” Oscar asked incredulously.

“Look, if you want to take issue with it, you go right ahead and call her. There’s no way in hell I’m going to argue with that woman when she’s got her mind set on something,” Gabriel said.

Oscar shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I’m not fucking doing it.”

“Well, then, now you know.”

Troy hummed thoughtfully. “Do I get to meet the woman who managed to terrify both of you into submission?”

“Submission? Like hell!” Oscar protested.

Gabriel winked. “We’ll be coming by next week. I’ll be sure to tell her all about you, and Iknowshe’ll want to sit down and get to know you even better. I hope you like to talk for hours on end.”

“I would say he stops when he’s sleeping, but actually, he sleep talks,” Oscar said dryly, glaring at Troy accusingly.

Troy gasped. “That is a lie!”

“Right, because you didn’t have a full conversation with me once during a nap. About cat sailors,” Oscar said, arching a brow.

“It was cat fishermen, and I maintain that cats would make perfect fishermen once you got them over the whole fear of water thing.”