Page 104 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

“Joe?”

“My brother-in-law.”

“He told you to go?”

“To protect me. Well, to protect his kids too, from seeingwhat Bob was doing to me. And when he said that, it was like… Holy shit, whatis wrong with me? Why do I just sit here and take it? Why do I work so hard notto provoke it, and then when it comes, I just fucking sit there andtake it,Jesse.”

Jesse didn’t have an answer, so he just listened.

“And my Gran. God, you know, I love her so much, but todayshe went too far. It was like she was a child without any sense ofconsequences. Is that dementia? Or just…what is that, Jesse?”

“I don’t know, Chris. I wish I did.”

“I think she just hates him that much. I hate him too, but Idon’t want him dead.” He sat up and stared ahead at the blank TV screen like hemight see the answers he wanted there. “I don’t think she wants him dead, either.Not really. No matter how often she jokes about it.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t.”

Christopher’s shoulders relaxed like he’d needed to hearthat. “Yeah. I’m sure too. It was just a prank that went too far.” He frowned. “Butwhat kind of prank involves using your grandson to start a meltdown at theThanksgiving table?”

“A poorly planned one.”

“Ha. Yeah.”

“C’mere,” Jesse said. “Just breathe for a few minutes. Letme hold you.”

Christopher snuggled into the space between Jesse’s arm andhis body, putting his head on Jesse’s chest. His breath came in and out, longand deep, and he turned his face to rub it against Jesse’s shirt, like a littlekid wiping off his tear-stained cheeks.

“This is helping. Thank you.”

Jesse bent his head to the sweet line where Christopher’shair met his neck. He breathed in his scent and pressed a kiss to his softskin. “I’m just glad you’re here. With me.”

Christopher tilted his head up, his eyes still shining withunshed tears. Jesse rubbed his finger along Christopher’s cheek, feeling barelythere stubble. Christopher’s chin fit perfectly between his fingers, and hebrought him up for a kiss. It began as a simple need to comfort, to press hislips against Christopher’s wet, downturned mouth, but it quickly turned intomore. Jesse loved the taste of Christopher’s mouth mixed with wine.

Christopher slid up and into his lap, twining both handsinto Jesse’s hair, tugging softly and deepening the kiss while pressing his assdown against Jesse’s cock. But things didn’t progress. Christopher groaned andslid off to the side, cuddling up next to Jesse and putting his head on hischest again. “This is nice. Being here with you. Thanks.”

“Anytime.”All the time.

“Where are the kids?”

“They decided to stay with their grandparents. Their cousinsare coming to visit tomorrow morning bright and early. They didn’t want to missthem.”

“Brigid was good with not working on her crane project?”

“Oh, she has plenty of paper there. She made a ton todayduring the football game. She’s still pretty far from her goal, but notinsurmountably far, I don’t think.”

“Who won the game? I saw the beginning but…well, thehospital trip ate the end.”

“I don’t know. I missed it too. Want me to turn on SportsChannel and find out?”

“No.” Christopher sighed. “So, you had a bad day too. Whathappened?”

“You know, it really doesn’t seem important right now. I’drather just be here with you. It’s the only peace I’ve felt all day.”

Christopher’s phone chimed and he grabbed from the coffeetable. “It’s a text from Jackie. It wasn’t a stroke, thank God. His bloodpressure had just gone through the roof. It was pretty astronomical,apparently.”

“That’s good news, isn’t it?” Jesse asked halfheartedly.

Christopher tapped a response to Jackie and then leaned hishead back on the sofa, rolling it from side to side. “I guess. Well, yeah, ofcourse it is. But—fine, I’ll be honest. For a few terrible minutes during thedrive to the hospital, I really thought he was going to die, and I felt sofucking relieved. Like this would finally, finally be totally fucking over.”