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T rent was sitting on his front porch when Silas and the “Rescue the Egg” Committee showed up.

He’d managed frozen biscuits, sausage, and coffee, and Silas could get the orange juice Trent bought just for him.

Goofy kid.

Trent adored him.

“Y’all bring me my baby?” he hollered.

“You know we did!” Jude called back.

“Hi, Uncle Trent!” both kids said at the same time. Amelia had on shorts and a cute pink top, but her boots were ready for work. That girl needed some ranch clothes.

He’d Venmo Rope some money to handle it. He didn’t have the slightest idea how to deal with girls’ clothes.

Silas was easy. Trent just bought miniature versions of what he liked.

The kids ran right inside. Silas knew where to find everything.

“Did you eat?” Jude was carrying Faith in one arm and a diaper bag in the other.

“Nope. I reckoned I’d wait for you.” He took little Faith with his good arm.

Jude helped him get her settled, smiling. “Well, you only have one arm, so you’ll have to wait now.” Faith blinked up at him. “That’s your Uncle Trent, little girl.”

“Hey, Angel baby. Hey, Silas,” he called. “I got you a new bucket like you wanted.”

“He wanted a bucket?”

“Uh-huh. A galvanized one.”

Jude looked through the door into the house. “Why did he want a bucket?”

He had no idea. He hadn’t asked. “Why does any boy need a bucket?”

“You’re a good uncle.” Jude patted his shoulder. “Come on, Rope, let’s see about breakfast.”

“I ordered that orange juice that Silas likes. Hey there, stranger.” He called out to Fox. “Come have some food.”

The poor guy looked about peaked. Seriously. It was a sad thing, to be so unhappy.

“Oh, hey. Thank you. This is a nice place.” Fox trudged up the steps. “How are you feeling today?”

“Like I’ve been snuggled by a little sweetheart.” Like I got eaten by a bear and tossed up…

“Isn’t she cute? Man, she’s a handful though. She’s up all night. I don’t know how they do it.”

“They’re madly in love.” Up all night? His sweet baby girl? Never.

“That has to be it.” Fox bent closer and touched Faith’s little nose.

“Yep. They have two amazing kids. Two.”

“I’ve known Silas for a while. He’s really something. Curious and outgoing. Amelia loves hanging out with him. She couldn’t wait to be here to learn about chickens. I guess she could learn at Jude and Rope’s place too, but Rope seems to have a couple of folks that help him out already.”

“My place is a lot smaller and way more manageable—barring the unexpected chicks.” That had been a surprise.

Fox shrugged. “Well, those you have some willing help with.”

“I do! You want to see them?” Poor pretty sad guy. He’d wander them over to the coop.

After he’d gotten his fill of baby Faith.

“Sure, but first, I heard you were making coffee so you sit with her, and I’ll get us some.”

“No need, I have two coffees and some breakfast for you, Fox.” Jude came out with his hands full and handed him things, then set a cup of coffee down on a table for Trent.

“Oh. Food as well. Thank you.” Fox sipped his coffee and sighed. “Oh. That’s good coffee too. I’m going to gain a hundred pounds the way you all feed me.”

“You’ll work hard out here. We should all take the boat out, and?—”

Jude glared at him. “You are not getting on another boat! You do understand that lake water has germs, right?”

“Picky, picky.”

“I’d heard you were your own worst enemy.” Fox shot him a snarky grin. “Sounds like the truth.”

“I am a bull rider. How could you even doubt?” He shot Fox a shit-eating grin.

“Point taken.” Fox took another sip of Trent’s perfectly ordinary coffee and hummed. “So good.”

“Thank you for the bucket!” Silas and Amelia ran by them, and out toward the chickens.

“You’re welcome, kiddo!” See? Buckets were things of joy. “Every boy needs his own bucket.”

Jude rolled his eyes. “Maybe. But if he brings something home in it, I will be sure to bring it to you instead.”

“Chick-napping?” Fox asked.

“Oh, I don’t think he’d bother when he can come here any time he wants.” Jude held out his hands. “Would you like to drink your coffee, Uncle Trent? I can take her.”

“Baby girl, I am ready to have both hands back, swear to God.” He stole another hug.

“Hey, she can hardly hold her own head up yet; she’s not gonna judge.” Jude lifted Faith from his arms— arm .

“But I am. I’m going to fix that leak in the sink.” Rope headed to the garage for the toolbox.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to show Fox the chicks and check on the kids.” That would make him feel less than useless.

“Sounds good. Can I bring my coffee?” Fox stood and offered him a hand up.

“Of course.” Trent stood, damn near going ass over teakettle, and it was just his core that kept him upright. “Oops.”

Then he noticed Fox’s arm around his waist, so maybe it wasn’t just his abs after all.

Or maybe he was hallucinating because that touch disappeared so fast it made him wonder if he’d made it up.

“You’re good. Just a little wobble.”

“Yeah, I’m a little wobbly. It’s a thing. Once I get moving, I’m solid as a rock.”

“A falling rock!” Rope called as he wandered by.

“A sinking, almost drowning rock,” Jude added, like the Yankee asshole he was.

“Firetruck you!” he called.

He grinned smugly at the laughter they left behind.

“You and Rope have been friends a long time, it seems like.” Fox fell in on his good side as they walked.

“Long time. We met in junior rodeo. He’s my bud.”

“Wow. It must be neat to have a friend for that long. I’ve lost track of everyone from high school.”

“Yeah? I bet a place as big as New York City, it has to be hard.” He’d bet the high schools had a million people, like the school in Grease .

“I went to school in New Jersey, but yeah, it was big. Your high school was small, I guess?” Fox was serious about his coffee, sipping it between sentences.

“Oh, yeah. There were forty people in my graduating class.” Maybe. Maybe fewer. He didn’t really remember. He’d had a party to go to.

“Forty? That’s crazy. I think I had forty people in my homeroom class. That’s wild. It’s so different here. I’m sure you’d say the same about the city, but I think it a hundred times a day it seems like.”

“That’s cool. Different is fine, you know? Sometimes you got to escape the same shit and find new stuff.” At least that made sense to him…

“Yep. That’s exactly what my therapist said. Get out of town, change of scenery, something new, fresh air…” Fox shrugged.

“And here you are, in the middle of dogs and chickens and cows and yaks.” Speaking of dogs…

He whistled, knowing that Grissom, Catherine, and Greg would hear him even down in the pasture.

“Is that for the yaks or the—oh. Dogs!” Fox lit up as the pups came running.

The Aussies came barreling up, barking and wagging, but so, so careful of his arm.

“Hey, babies. Meet Mister Fox! Fox, these are the hooligans.”

“They’re gorgeous.” Fox knelt right down where they could nose him and sniff at him, and he scrubbed their ears and patted their sides. “Look at these guys.”

Oh. Good man. Any man who would love on his dogs was good in his book. “They’re good guys. Honest.”

“I trusted they were, or you would have warned me.” Trust. Just like that. Fox squinted up at him. “What are their names?”

“That’s Grissom. This little girl is Catherine, and this here is Greg.”

“ CSI . Nice. I have such a crush on Greg.” Fox chuckled and stood.

“Yeah? I was into Gary Sinise on the New York one.” That man was… hot.

“I read somewhere that he is a nice guy too. I don’t watch much TV but Xan—uh. Xan was—” Fox waved his hand like it didn’t matter. “Anyway, he got me into CSI , and I was hooked.”

“Is he… gone or just not in the picture anymore?” Was that any of his business? Probably not.

“Gone.” Fox shrugged, then looked his way. “Almost four years now. I don’t know why it’s still so awkward to tell people.”

“I’m sorry. That sucks. You got my condolences.” That was awful. Poor guy. Poor baby girl.

“Thanks.” Fox snorted and smiled a little. “Anyway, he loved all those forensic-science type shows. He was a lawyer, and he loved to tell me all the stuff they did that would never hold up in court.”

“Oh, man. That would be wild. I watch a lot of TV in hotel rooms. A lot.” There was always a Law and Order or Forensics Files on somewhere.

“You travel a lot? I mean, still? Or you mean before?”

“Yes. I did. Before.” But that was over. All the way over. He wasn’t big enough to be asked to do a lot of signings or nothing.

“Awful word, right? Before? That line where everything changes.”

“I guess, yeah. I mean, now I guess I’m—at the beginning. Soon. Maybe.”

Fox nodded. “Maybe me too. I’m trying to get there. I left my job. I couldn’t do it anymore, so… time for something new, right?”

“There you go. I’m with you.” He’d been retired, sorta forcibly, and he wasn’t sure what happened next.

A surprisingly comfortable silence fell between them as they walked. Fox was solid, had a friendly vibe, and made pretty good company.

“Daddy! Come see!” Amelia called to them as they turned the corner and headed toward the chickens. “They’re so fuzzy!”

There they were—all these baby chicks that he hadn’t had the slightest intention of having. Still, they were adorable.

“Look at that.” Fox worked his way around the dogs and followed Amelia to see the chicks. She put one in his hands, and Fox lifted it up for a better look. “Wow. They are definitely fuzzy.”

“Aren’t they? I’m hoping for hens. I got no need for more roosters.”

Amelia blinked up at him. “What will you do if they are?”

“I’ll sell them to someone that needs roosters to guard the henhouse. Too many roosters in a coop will fight.”

Amelia nodded like this made perfect sense. “Boys. They fight all the time.” She grinned at him, and he saw the resemblance between her and Fox in that smile. “I guess you can’t send a rooster to detention.”

“No, ma’am. They aren’t the best at following instructions. They got themselves wee bitty brains.”

Amelia’s giggle sounded just like Fox’s too.

“You’re holding Buffy. This one is Fluffy, Stuffy, Huffy, Duffy…”

“No, I think maybe that one is Duffy,” Amelia countered.

Silas laughed. “Not anymore!”

“Which one’s Puffy?” He managed, just barely, to keep a straight face, but Fox sure didn’t. He was laughing good and hard.

“Pick one! They all look the same, Uncle Trent.” Silas rolled his eyes, and Fox just laughed even more.

“Yeah, geez, Uncle Trent,” Fox said, wheezing.

He snorted. “Y’all make sure they have clean water, okay?”

“How come they have a special waterer? It looks like a bird feeder.” Amelia was confused as hell, and Silas was happy to educate her.

“If you give them a bowl, they can fall in and drown. They’re just babies, and they’re fragile. I have eighteen chickens right now, and three?—”

“Show chickens. I know. Weird ,” Amelia piped up.

“Right? It’s so cool!”

“Where do you show the chickens off? Do you win stuff if they’re the best chickens ever?” Fox asked.

“Well, duh. I get trophies. I get ribbons. Best of all, I get money! I got three hundred dollars for my last hen, Petunia.” Silas beamed, so proud of himself. Jude had to be losing it—his astronaut kid showing chickens. “I put half in savings, a hundred dollars to a new coop door, and I got to keep fifty dollars for myself.”

“Fifty whole dollars?” Amelia’s eyes went wide.

“Yep. I’m going to buy a guitar soon. Me and my buddies are going to start a band.”

“I play flute; can I be in your band?”

Fox didn’t even flinch.

“You do? For reals? Do they have flutes in country bands, Uncle Trent?”

“Sure. Why not? They have them in folk music…” And this little girl wanted to fit in. What could it hurt?

“Cool! What are you going to name your band?”

And just like that, the kids were off in their own world again.

“My dad used to listen to this rock band that had a lead flautist. I should find it for her on YouTube,” Fox glanced at the kids. “He was kind of weird-looking though.”

“Oh, weird-looking is damn near normal these days.” He winked at Fox, thinking about the wild folks he saw in Austin.

Fox grinned. “You’re right about that.”

“I can’t imagine what will be weird when these guys are grown.” It boggled the mind.

Fox shot him a look. “Probably us.”

“You’re already weird, Daddy.” Amelia giggled.

“And there you have it.” Fox shook his head. “Want to show me around some more? I’m really not in a hurry to go back and sit down and make more small talk.”

“Sure. You got this, Silas?”

“Yes, sir. We’ll gather eggs and make sure the chicks are covered and safe.”

“Thank you, kiddo.” He shot Fox a smile. “You want to see the yaks?”

“How could I possibly refuse?” Fox fell in easily next to him, seeming more comfortable than he had when they’d arrived.

“There are a dozen of them—two bulls and eight cows and a couple of calves. Four of the others are pregnant.”

“Pregnant? Wow.” Fox squinted out over the pasture. “Is that them out there? The hairy guys?”

“That’s them. Aren’t they amazing?” He had to grin. “Fuzzy little f—iretrucks.”

Oh, go him!

“Ha!” Fox barked out a laugh. He didn’t quite hit the giggles stage this time, but he did flop over and take a deep breath. “Man. I swear I haven’t laughed so much in months. Months . Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure.” And that was no lie. It was good to feel useful, helpful, whathaveyou.

“I googled yaks, because Rope kept going on and on about them, and I read that yak meat is more popular than buffalo and you can comb them for fiber. Are you doing any of that?”

“I will, yeah. I mean, right now we’re building the herd, but it’s in the long-term plan.”

“How many do you want? I guess you have plenty of land, huh?” Fox didn’t seem to be making small talk, or joking about the yaks like Jude always did. He seemed genuinely interested.

“Well, between me and Rope, we got a bit over a thousand acres, so we have some space.” They’d formed a corporation and gone in together on the land around them. They didn’t want developers moving in and messing up the way they lived, and there was a tight set of neighbors and ranchers committed to the same thing.

“A thousand?” Fox sounded pretty impressed. “How do you take care of all that land?”

“It’s a full-time job, but we manage. There are a handful of guys we use for cowboying, but mostly we do it ourselves.” They weren’t a big operation, but they had enough.

“Seems like a great job. Working for yourselves, outdoors a lot, dealing with actual animals instead of Wall Street animals.” Fox snorted.

“Hell yes.” He couldn’t imagine. He’d been to New York a couple-three times, and it was big.

Not Sao Paulo big, but damn large.

“Is that what you did? You were a stockbroker?”

“No, the CEO of a private auto insurance company. But the market matters, every damn day.” Fox shook his head. “A lot of… stress. Pressure. I don’t miss it.”

“Ew.” His eyes went wide, and he tried to throw his hands up to cover his mouth.

Oh fuck.

Ow.

The world swam for a minute, and he damn near puked from the pain. Bad idea.

Very bad idea.

“Whoa. Trent? What… hey.” Fox’s arm went around him from his good side, steady and solid. “What happened?”

“Sorry. That pulled.” And he was drenched in sweat, shaking like a leaf. “I didn’t mean to say that.”

“No worries; I quit for a reason.” Fox led him over to lean against a fence. “Breathe, man; you’re shaking. Deep breath.”

“I’m good. Just zigged when I needed to zag, you know?” He did suck in a lungful of air, though, because that was great advice.

“Yeah. That sucks. This contraption they’ve got you in has to be exhausting.”

“You know it, but I kept tearing it open. This is supposed to help.” He wasn’t sure, but he’d promised Rope he’d try.

“By keeping you from being able to do things you’re not supposed to do, I suppose?” He could hear the amusement in Fox’s voice. “How’s that going?”

“Well… I guess okay, since I have to do everything one-handed…” And it was damn near impossible to sleep, to wash his damn hair, to get off…

“Retirement sounds like it was the right option. But unlike me, I bet you’re going to miss it.”

“I’m going to miss parts of it, sure. I liked the going and seeing, and I loved some of the guys.” The riding? He was getting older every damn day, and it was a young man’s sport.

“I guess it’s good you have the ranch at least—the land, the animals—I’m not sure what’s next for me. I have Amelia… but, what else, you know?”

“You got time, right? You can move. You can hibernate. You can go to the lake and hang out on the boat.” That was the best part of being retired.

Fox shrugged. “I guess I better find a lake and a boat.”

“Well, I got a boat, Rope’s got one, and we share a party barge. Lake’s ten minutes down the road. Wanna go?” That sounded amazing—grab the kids, the cooler, and fill it with Cokes, grill some burgers. The kids could play on the slide, he could nap in the sun…

“Soon, maybe. I don’t know what Rope and Jude have planned, and anyway, it’s my understanding that you’re not supposed to get on a boat.” Fox started walking again. “You good?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. And I wouldn’t get wet in a party barge. I’d just sleep and float.” He winked over. No one let him have any fun.

Fox grinned back at him, the sun caught his blue eyes and made his red hair seem even brighter. “Something to look forward to when you get out of that contraption.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He pointed with his good hand toward the pasture. “Those are my cattle. The cows, my good bulls, and the steaks on the hoof.”

Fox chuckled. “What do you mean by good bulls? They’re not steak?”

“The good bulls are proven producers. They make good-sized calves that grow quick. I like to keep a few, but too many are unnecessary.” And he was in the organic fancy-assed beef business.

Fox leaned on the fence and sighed. “It’s nice here, you know? Quiet. Pretty. You’re lucky.”

“I am. You know, if you need quiet, you can always come sit over here. No worries.” He sat over here a lot.

Fox glanced at him, then looked back out over the pasture. “It’s been a while since I shared a house with a baby.”

“I got four bedrooms, man. Even if you and the two older kids all came over, you’d be fine.” He hadn’t bothered to make any of the guest rooms…not guest rooms.

“I could help out around here. I’ve got two good arms.” Fox winked. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful to Jude and Rope though, you know?”

“You want me to chat at them? They do have a new baby, after all…” He winked. Poor guy just needed a place to rest and breathe.

“I think I can man up and do it. I’ll just tell them it seems like you could really use some help around here.” Fox winked right back. “Poor you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m pitiful, but I got clean beds and each room’s got a TV in it.” Silas thought staying at his place was great, in fact. The boy didn’t have a TV in his room.

“Cool, I can watch my soaps.” Fox grinned at him. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Why would I? You have loud parties in the middle of the night?” He was used to rodeo folks coming in and out. He didn’t have a pool, but he had quiet and peace.

“Ha.” Fox laughed again, and it sounded more genuine every time. “No. I’m not a party guy. But I do like a beer or a margarita once in a while.”

“I have a beer fridge, in fact. There’s a lot of Ensure in there right now.”

“Oh. Yum. I’ll pass.” Fox rolled his eyes. “Let’s go tell my hosts. I’m not sure I’ll ever get Amelia away from your chickens anyway.”

“Wait until she sees the Angora rabbits.”