Page 17

17

D inner was simple tonight—loaded baked potatoes and a big salad—one of Amelia’s favorites. If Fox was buttering her up a little, who could blame him? They had big news for her, and despite how close she was with Trent, he still wasn’t sure at all how she would take it.

He gave Trent’s shoulders a quick squeeze. “Who wants ice cream?”

“Me! Me! When is my bed coming, Daddy? And my dolls?” Amelia’s eyes were wide, the excitement pouring off her.

“About a week, Ames. And it’ll happen well before your birthday.”

“I know. You promised.” Amelia nodded, a huge smile on her face. So much trust; it made him a little choked up.

“Strawberry all around?” He opened the freezer and took out the half-gallon of strawberry.

“I’ll get bowls. Do y’all want spray cream?” Trent swung up out of his chair, moving nice and easy.

“Not for m?—”

“Yes, please!”

“I hear a yes!” He laughed, enjoying Amelia’s energy. He’d missed it.

“Two spray creams it is! Chocolate syrup?” Trent was having too much fun.

“Ew. No. I am a strawberry purist.” Chocolate? Blasphemy.

Amelia rolled her eyes, but she didn’t ask for chocolate either.

So there.

“Okay. Sit, sit.” Once they’d scooped out big bowls, he waved Trent back over to the table. “We have things to talk about.”

Trent sat, his ice cream complete with chocolate, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.

The sundae was a thing of beauty, and also ridiculous. Strawberry was sacred.

“Sitting, Daddy!”

“Okay. So, Uncle Trent and I…” He took a breath. He’d been totally ready for this five minutes ago, and now he was nervous. “I am in love with Uncle Trent.”

“I know.” She ate a bite of her ice cream. “Can I try a bite of yours with the chocolate?”

“Sure, honey.” Trent pushed his bowl over.

He glanced at Trent and then back at Amelia. “You know? How do you know?”

She shrugged. “Silas told me. I mean, I asked him, and he said that it was love at first sight, like Gru and Lucy from Despicable Me . I know about love. I read.”

He squinted at Trent. “Silas? How is this a thing?”

“I haven’t even told Rope, man. Swear to God.” Trent shrugged. “The kids are smarter than us.”

“You like to spend time with him. You hold his hand when we watch movies. You make supper, and he washes dishes, and we’re a family.” She rolled her eyes. “Duh.”

He nodded because all of that was true. Amelia was too damn smart, so much smarter than he was at her age. Fox was so proud of her. “Well. Okay. Good. I’m glad you know. We are a family. And I’m going to start sharing Trent’s room now, so if you need me at night, that’s where I’ll be.”

Yep. He said that. He got it out. Go him.

“Are you going to have sex?”

He blinked, but it was Trent who answered. “That’s really none of your business, honey. What folks do in the privacy of their bedrooms is private.”

Thank fucking God for Trent. He was still trying to get past feeling like he was going to throw up. All he could think was he needed to change the subject. “How is your ice cream, kiddo?”

“I like the chocolate okay, but I think we need strawberry syrup for next time.”

“You two deserve each other. Heathens.” He chuckled and took another bite of his plain strawberry ice cream. He hoped to never hear the word “sex” out of his daughter’s lips again as long as he lived.

“What are you going to do with Daddy’s old room?”

That was an odd question. “Put it back to the guest room it was before we got here, I guess? Did you have another idea?”

“We could make an art room or a Lego room or a library.”

Oh, they could do that. He was sure Trent would be okay with it. “What do you think, Trent? Maybe we could make it all of those things.”

“Sure, y’all. We can make it whatever we want. I’m happy to have it be a fun room.” Trent licked chocolate off his spoon. “We can even put in built-in shelves.”

“Okay. I expect the two of you to design this amazing room, and then we’ll figure out how to build it together.” A family project. He liked that idea.

“Nope. Daddy, you have to help too. It’s all of us together.”

“All of us together. You’re right, honey. We’ll do it together.” He would give her absolutely anything she wanted.

She nodded. “Did you know, Uncle Trent, that Silas’s other daddy died too?”

“Yes, ma’am. I did. I never met him, but I hear about him.”

“Silas says that it’s cool. He said that love wasn’t pie, so I can love you too. He loves Uncle Rope.”

“He does, and I love you, little girl.”

She gave Trent a searching little look. “As much as Faith?”

“What did you just say?” Trent shook his head. “Didn’t you just say love is not pie? I love her like a godgirl. I love you like you were my own.”

Amelia slid off her chair and threw her arms around Trent. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s important, that’s all.”

“It is. You’re important, kiddo. You are a huge light, and I love you.” Trent patted her back. “Are we good? You’re happy?”

Amelia was a little sniffly when she pulled away, but she was smiling a big, genuine smile. “I am so happy. I love it here, and I love you. And I won’t ask private questions anymore either.”

“Oh, I bet you do, and I bet I say the same thing.” Trent grinned and winked, pink cheeked. “Ice cream’s melting, chica.”

“Oops!” Amelia hurried back to her seat. “It’s okay. I like it a little gushy.”

Fox rolled his eyes dramatically, the laughter just under the surface. “I don’t know who you people are, but your ice cream preferences are appalling.”

“We’re cowpeople , Daddy.”

Fox snorted and did his best not to outright laugh, but it was a losing battle. He managed not to look at Trent so he could keep it to a giggle, but he already knew he and Trent were going to lose it later. “You are! You are cowpeople !” He was getting there, but Amelia? She was practically full-on ranch-raised at this point.

“Yep! Can I go ride my bike now, Daddy?” She opened her eyes wide, as if he knew she wasn’t going to try to sneak back over to Jude’s to play.

She could sneak, as long as she followed the rules. “Yep. Be back inside by dark.”

“I will. Love you, Daddy. I already did my chore chart stuff! Chickens, kittens, eggs, reading, love on the baby horsies.”

“You’re a good girl.” He tugged her over and kissed her cheek. “Have fun. Be careful. I love you.”

“Love you! Yay Friday!” She ran out, and Trent slumped back in the dining chair.

“Did I do okay?”

“Did you—? You’re amazing.” He laughed and grabbed Trent’s silly face, kissing him hard.

“Ooh… hey you. You’re moving into the bedroom.” Trent pinched his ass.

“I am. Tonight. Possibly right now.” He stood and started clearing dishes.

“Oooh. We’ll have to make room in the closet for your shoes.”

“Yes, I have such an extensive shoe collection.” Fox laughed again. He liked to laugh; he felt like somehow it was good for the soul. “I swear to God, Trent. I have never laughed as much as I do with you.”

“Good, darlin’. I love being able to joke with you.” Trent stood and bent to kiss him.

“Mmm.” He caught Trent’s nape and held him a second longer than Trent had probably intended. “You were cool as a cucumber with that sex question. That was impressive.”

Trent smiled against his lips. “I was trying not to panic. I’m glad it worked.”

“Oh. I panicked. Straight up tongue-tied. And I really don’t need to hear the word ‘sex’ from Amelia ever again.” Trent could handle that stuff. He’d just proven he was good at it.

“No. No, I’d rather not as well…” Trent let his eyes cross.

“You’re totally going to be the sex talk dad, sorry. You’re better at a straight face than I am.” He grabbed a towel as Trent started washing dishes, and Amelia’s comment about how that meant they were in love came back to him, making him smile.

“I’ve just had experience in being in front of the camera a little. I had to not snarl at folks that deserved growling at.”

“Oh! I watched some YouTube videos on the plane home. You’re amazing. You look fearless and tough. Wow.” He could hardly believe that was someone he knew riding eight seconds on a bull. “Sexy.”

“I tried real hard and had some great rides. Had some great wrecks too.”

“I skipped those.” He didn’t need to see Trent get hurt.

“I would have liked to.” Trent winked at him. “More than once.”

He bent and kissed Trent’s temple. “Yeah, I bet. I’m glad you’re retired. I don’t think my heart could take it.”

“No. I saw what watching Rope did to Jude—sometimes it turned him on, but the bruises hurt his soul.”

“High adrenaline sports are like that, I guess.” He left the last few dishes in the drainboard to dry and hung up his towel. “Let’s go move me into your room.”

“I’m totally in.” Trent goosed him. “I’ll start with the closet?”

“Great. Are there some free drawers in the dresser? I can bring my undies.” He gave Trent a toothy grin.

“There are!” Trent waggled his eyebrows. “Always room for your drawers.”

He laughed. They stormed into his room on a mission, grabbing clothing and moving it from his room to Trent’s. It didn’t take long; he didn’t have much. The last round was his stuff from the bathroom he’d been sharing with Amelia, and he looked around at all of her brushes and lotions and girly things and shook his head.

“This I’m not going to miss.”

“No? You don’t like the glitter?” Trent’s eyes were just dancing.

“I think it’s more the volume of items and the persistent scent of strawberries.” He grabbed his toothbrush.

“Yes, that little girl does like her strawberry smell-good…”

“Grab my razor?” He didn’t have much in here at all. “If you have a thing for glitter, the bodywash is heaven.”

He managed to say that with a straight face.

“How would you explain the glitter on your face then?”

He batted his eyelashes. “I just want to be beautiful for you, baby.”

“Ooh… pretty, pretty.” Trent leaned in, voice low. “But I was talking about the glitter from my bodywash around your lips.”

“Oh-ho!” Damn, Trent cracked him up. He couldn’t help the giggles. He laughed all the way to Trent’s room. “Imagine swallowing all that glitter?”

“It might do awful things to the septic tank…” Oh, so bad .

“Unicorn poop?” He dropped his things on the bed and grabbed Trent, tugging him in close. “You’re a little nuts, you know that?”

“A little? Lord have mercy, I’m close to bat-shit, but I do love you.”

“Mhm.” He looked around the room, still holding Trent in his arms. “I think this is the longest I’ve been in your room ever.” He’d avoided it mostly. It was awkward. They hadn’t really been bedroom lovers before.

“Well, I think you’re right…” Trent tilted his head. “You’ve seen the bathroom, though. It’s awful nice.”

It was. They’d shared a couple of showers. “You want to show me where to hang my toothbrush?” He kissed Trent quickly and let him go.

“I do. I have a double sink and room for you. Always.”

“Like you were waiting for me to come along.” He stuck his toothbrush in the holder and set his things down on the counter.

“Hoping. Not waiting. Just hoping.” Trent winked at him. “You can’t blame a man for praying for someone.”

“No one is more surprised than I am that the answer was me. Or happier.” He wasn’t just sharing a bedroom with Trent; he was sharing a life. They were sharing a future. He hadn’t even dared hope it would happen again for him.

Trent drew him in and went up on his toes, kissing him hard. “Gonna love sleeping with you tonight.”

He grinned, warmed from the kiss. “Is it bedtime yet?”

“Nope. We’ve still got a wee hooligan wandering around outside.”

“She’s not that wee.” He pulled back a little and smiled at Trent and suddenly wondered for the first time ever if he wanted another kid.

“She’s amazing. She wants to go into the Halloween stores near Austin to find a costume.”

“We talked about a trip to Austin. I’m in. What does she want to be now?” Amelia was known for changing her mind. Often.

“Something from school? I didn’t recognize it, but her bestie is going to match.”

Tasha was a tiny little brainiac, and she and Amelia were going to simultaneously cure cancer and own a pancake factory.

Or so they claimed.

“Works for me. Are we bringing the bestie to Austin?” Fox asked.

“We can, iff’n you want to. We can have a whole day.”

It sounded like fun, and Amelia would probably love to shop with a friend. “Why not? Are you still going as a cowboy?” He dragged Trent out of the bedroom before he decided they should just stay there.

“I think so, yes. Did you want to have a party? We could go to the haunted hayride, but we took Silas last year and got in big trouble…”

“What? You got in trouble?” He led Trent outside to watch the sunset—one of his favorite things to do from the back porch. “This has to be a story.”

They settled, feet up on the porch rail as they rocked. “Well, Jude was out of town, and Rope and me, we took the boy to the haunted hayride. It ended in tears and Silas calling his dad in New York. Me and Rope sat up with him all night, but man, wasn’t Jude hot?”

He chuckled. “Amelia has a stronger stomach. I bet she’d love it. Tasha though… I couldn’t say. But I think Jude and Rope are having the party.”

“Oh, cool. Then we’ll just go over and be guests. Are you organizing the food and shit, or do I need to?” Trent leaned against his shoulder.

“I don’t know. I’ll call Jude tomorrow and ask what we can do.” Fox sighed and watched the sky turn colors. “Pretty, huh?”

“Gorgeous. Seriously. This is perfect. You glad to be home?” Trent took a deep, deep breath, let it out.

“I am. I missed it, and I liked that feeling.”

“Believe it or not, I understand. I traveled my whole career, so it felt so, so amazing to be home for good.”

He put his arm around his lover’s shoulders and watched as Amelia ran toward the house, determined to beat the sundown.

Home for good. He liked that too.