Page 35 of Take a Chance (Blue Creek Ranch #1)

Malachi

T he morning after what my heart wanted to call a “family date,” I woke up early.

Like really early. Instead of staying in bed, I went to start coffee, then went to take a leak and got about halfway dressed.

I pulled on some sweats and a flannel shirt over bare skin. I could deal with the rest later.

I padded quietly to fetch my coffee, then decided to sit on the porch while drinking it. I grabbed a blanket and went out. I sat on the edge of the porch, putting my feet on the stairs as I leaned on the pillar that held up the little lip over the whole thing.

“Morning,” someone said quietly, and my gaze snapped to a man sitting on Crew’s porch.

There wasn’t much light yet, but I could tell he was tall and fit as he unfolded himself from the chair.

I didn’t have time to think much with my morning brain, and soon enough he’d closed the distance separating the cabins and stepped into the circle of my faint porch light.

“I hope I didn’t spook you,” he rumbled. “I’m Bodhi.”

“Oh shit. The cat thing really is real, then?” I blurted out.

He let out a short laugh and I could see the resemblance to Crew in the way he looked when he was happy. Then the expression slid off his face and something more weary washed away the remnants of any mirth.

“It would seem so. You must be Mal.”

I held out my hand. “I am. Nice to meet you.”

His handshake was firm and despite the feeling of discontent that clung to him, he seemed okay.

“Crew told me a bit about the things that have happened lately,” he started and put his hands into his pockets, then rocked back on his heels. “Apparently you’re right at home at Hawk’s.”

I shrugged, then gestured at the space next to me. “Take a seat.” I drank some coffee and asked, “You want some?”

He shook his head. “It’s okay. I have to head to breakfast with you guys, and I’ll need all the caffeine in the world to deal with Mom then.”

My eyebrows jumped. “Jenn doesn’t know you’re home?”

He shook his head, then pulled his hands out of his pockets and sat next to me with a sigh. “No. I….”

“Hey, it’s fine. You don’t need to explain anything to a stranger.”

He chuckled quietly. “From what I hear, you’re more like family already.”

The creak of Russ’s door alerted us to him being ready for the day.

It took about thirty seconds before we heard a wry chuckle. “Well I’ll be damned.”

“I better go greet him so he can sit for a while longer,” Bodhi murmured.

I hummed and watched as he crossed the distance to embrace Russ. Yeah, that old man would’ve come to us instead, and we’d all noticed that he had a bit of trouble getting going in the mornings lately. Once he got his motor running—his own words—he was fine.

I finished my coffee and went back inside to change into my work clothes. By the time I was ready, it was still early, so I snuck back onto the porch.

This time it was Crew who came out of his cabin. Bodhi and Russ had vanished from Russ’s porch, and Crew grinned as soon as he spotted me.

He marched over, looking much too sexy in his usual work gear.

“You getting an early start, too?” he asked as he promptly straddled me where I sat on the step.

I let out an “oomph” and grinned. We kissed, and I wrapped my arms around him. “Yeah, I’ve been up for a while. Talked to Bodhi a bit. Seems like the cat magic is real.”

Crew threw back his head and laughed. “Nobody believes it until they see it.”

He rested his forearms on my shoulders and looked at me. The happiness in his gaze was a potent fucking drug.

I nudged his chin with my nose, and he obliged, lowering his face to kiss me.

“Daddy?” Payton called from inside, and we could hear him starting to open the door.

Crew went to move, but something had me tightening my grip.

Then my son burst out of the cabin, all bed head, sleepy expression, and Mr. Raven under his arm.

“Oh!” He came to a stop next to us. “Why is Crew on your lap?”

It was funny, in a way, that Payton didn’t call him Uncle Crew. Pretty much everyone else was Aunt or Uncle by now.

“You know how sometimes when adults like each other a lot, they want to date?” At Payton’s serious nod, I continued, “Well, I really like Crew and he really likes me, so we’re dating.”

Payton frowned, his gaze in middle distance as he pondered this over.

“If you have any questions about that, either I or Crew can answer them,” I promised.

I glanced at Crew, knowing I’d thrown him under the bus a little, but hey, trial by fire, right?

Payton took a deep breath. “I think… honestly, Daddy, I think it’s a bit too early for this conversation.” Then he turned around and trudged back inside, closing the door behind himself.

Crew’s jaw dropped. I buried my face against his neck and laughed my ass off as silently as I could.

“What the fuck just happened?” he whispered.

Between muffled hiccups, I managed to reply, “My son happened. Holy shit.”

“Do you think he understands? Is he going to be okay?” Crew’s tone was filled with worry.

That made me pull away a little and cup his face. “He’ll be fine. He knows what dating means.”

“Does he know you’re bi?”

I chuckled. “I think he’s a bit young to understand the concept. But he knows anyone can love anyone else regardless of gender. He also knows that there’s more than two ways to express gender.”

Crew let out a quiet “huh” and then kissed me. “Okay.”

The door to Russ’s cabin opened and Bodhi and Russ stepped out.

Crew got off my lap and pecked my lips once more. “See you at breakfast?”

“I think I’ll make sure Payton is okay and we’ll be there a bit later. We have breakfast things here.”

“Okay. Text me or come find me if you need me.” It was clear he was a bit worried, but he joined his brother and Russ on their walk toward the house anyway.

Sighing, I got to my feet and went to find my child.

As I’d expected, Payton was fine with everything. He understood the situation and all he said was that he really liked Crew. And that he wanted to be the ring bearer if we ever got married.

Jesus. That seemed like ages away, if it would be in the cards to happen at some point. Instead of going into a discussion about how adult relationships and timing worked, I told him that he could definitely carry the rings.

Just like that, the discussion was done, and I made sure he was sufficiently fed before we started the day.

When we made it to the main house, I could hear excited chatter from the inside before Payton opened the door. I followed him more sedately, and saw that everyone but Bodhi, Fern, and their parents were gone already.

As Payton bounced to give Jenn a morning hug, Bodhi made quick eye contact with me, looking a bit wild. Ah.

“Mal, did you meet our eldest yet?” Mike asked, clearly happy as can be with Bodhi being at home.

“Yeah, we were the earliest of birds together this morning,” I said, then got my hug from Payton before he ran to Mike. “Bodhi, if you have time now, I can show you Jaina before I start work?”

“Oh yeah, that’d be great.” He kept the eagerness from his tone really well. Downing the rest of his coffee, he pushed his chair back and grabbed his plate.

Jenn took it from him. “No, you go ahead and do your thing, honey. I’ll see you at lunch time.”

He dutifully leaned down to accept a cheek kiss from her. “Okay, Mom. I might grab a nap in Crew’s cabin at some point, so if I vanish, that’s why.”

“Your room is—”

“I know, but it’s quieter there. For now.” Bodhi’s body language told us all that he wanted out of the house and that he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Whatever you need, son,” Mike said in a gentle, yet firm dad tone.

Jenn just smiled, but I could see the worry in her eyes.

“Come on,” I told Bodhi and turned to go pull my boots back on.

As we were about to step off the porch, we could hear Payton say, “Oh, Daddy and Crew are gonna get married and I’m gonna carry the rings!”

His tone suggested he’d forgotten to tell good gossip to the adults, and Bodhi snickered as I started to walk faster toward the stock barn.

“Well aren’t you a handsome boy,” Bodhi murmured to Ezio who had all but barreled into his arms.

“We found him at an auction. Actually the same shithead who I got Jaina from.” I’d filled him in on Jaina’s story in the stock barn. “He looks a lot better already, and once he’s healed from the gelding, I’ll start training him.”

Ezio hooked his head over Bodhi’s shoulder and pulled him closer with a happy sigh.

Bodhi, who in daylight was somehow even bigger and taller than in the dim morning light, chuckled and hugged the horse back.

“Do you have a horse?” I asked as I went to check on Ezio’s enrichment items.

“Yes and no. I’ve been gone for fifteen years, so the stock horse that I used to ride, Biscuit, passed away while I was in the service. But Imelda Staunton is my lady.” He smiled in the way everyone talking about their heart horse would.

Imelda Staunton was a broodmare, though, not a riding horse he could use for work purposes. And that was assuming Bodhi stayed and found his place on the ranch.

“Ah. Well, Ezio here has at least a year until he’s trained and grown enough to occasionally carry someone your size, two to be fully grown. Just a thought!” I grinned, lifting my hands up when he tried to glare at me.

Suddenly we heard a loud meow from outside the stall, and Bodhi grinned. “And there’s my other lady.”

He patted Ezio and left to meet whichever cat was calling for him. I stayed to refill the slow feeder ball with hay and clean up his paddock now that I was there.

I didn’t have much in the program for the day to start with, so I texted Hawk to ask if I could take Jaina to the agility course.

He texted back an affirmative, and that’s how about half an hour later, I was standing in the middle of the now fenced-in course, with Jaina sniffing around the obstacles.

“Let’s try the wobbly bridge first,” I told her and walked over to the bridge that was built between two low ramps.