Page 12 of The Solstice Additions (A Laurel Holidays Summer Romance)

Chapter Ten

L eaving Ottawa took longer than I had anticipated.

I’d gotten roped into attending the big family breakfast at a local eatery.

Mom and Dad had insisted I meet them there to ensure good relations with Antoine’s family.

They were lovely people who had paid for the entire bill and then sent me off with a package of maple beaver tails.

The box of four huge fried treats—minus one for Kenan—did not make it to the US/Canada border.

After I crossed back into the US with sticky fingers and a newfound love for beaver tails, I pulled off for gas, to piss, and to grab some coffee.

Kenan was at work by now, and with only Lyle and Linc to help, I didn’t want to bother him.

I sent him a fast text saying I was back in the States and would see him soon.

The ride was uneventful. The scenery stunning.

I had the windows down and some old Foghat was playing on the stereo.

In all honestly, Foghat is a very underrated group.

Sure, they had one massive hit that the populace knows right off, but they also have a seriously substantial body of pretty solid rock and blues tunes.

Lots of people would call them a one-hit wonder, but that’s only because they’ve not delved deeper into the band’s backlist.

So yeah, Foghat it was as I rolled along, belting out songs from the Stone Blue album.

The closer I got to home, the more excited I was to see the new goslings as well as my sexy boyfriend.

I was about an hour out from home, cruising along, when a call came through.

Not a text. A call. I groaned, knowing it was probably my mother.

Since I was a good boy, and the New York State Police frowned upon driving and talking on your cell phone, I pulled over at the closest rest area.

Knowing I was in for an earful as I suspected my sister had let the cat out of the bag, I used the bathroom, bought a soda, and talked to a trucker who was chilling in the shade.

We discussed the Buffalo hockey team and the weather.

Once he pulled away, I sat on a bench under a thickly leafed maple tree and called my mother back.

“Hey, Mom, I saw that you called. I was driving. What’s up?” I began as soon as she answered, so she knew I wasn’t ignoring her on purpose. She would be happy to hear her boy had been so law-abiding.

“Brann, I am so upset right now. Why didn’t you tell me that you and Kenan were moving in together?”

I closed my eyes and sighed for so long that my lungs emptied and the possibility of passing out was a real concern. JFC. Nora.

“Okay, before you get into a tizzy, let me explain. I told Nora not to say anything to you because—”

“Oh, she didn’t say a word. Antoine did. And that may make it even worse that I had to hear this kind of big news thirdhand.”

At that exact moment, a text came in with a buzz. I swiped up as Mom ranted on to see a message from Antoine that read Désolé! Désolé! Sorry, sorry! I did not know the moving in was secret news. Sorry.

Poor guy. I hit him back saying it was fine even though Mom was chewing me a new one. I like Antoine too much to be mad at him for a simple gaffe.

“Okay, can I say something?” I asked when my mother paused to take a breath.

“I only told Nora. That was it. There was no slight to you involved. Kenan and I…this cohabitating thing is brand new and still in discussion. It might not even happen. He might have decided I’m too much of a pain in the ass to live with, or maybe he has had enough geese.

Whatever. The thing is, I didn’t say anything to you because I didn’t want you calling him about wedding shit.

We are not at that point. Nor are we thinking about babies. I’m not sure I even want kids.”

“Brann, of course you want children. Everyone wants children.”

I rolled my eyes up to the sky. A man with four kids schlepped past. He looked at me. “Wife?” he asked.

“Mother,” I replied.

We shared a dude bonding ‘I feel you, bro’ moment as his wife caught up to the pack of wild little ones and started screeching at them to settle down.

One started crying, one stood there picking her nose, one began pounding on the candy machine, and one kicked his sister, which made her wail even louder.

“Yeah, I’m not so sure everyone wants kids,” I told my mother. “But if we decide to do that, then it will be because we decided. Not because you hounded us into submission.”

“I do not hound. I only strongly suggest.” I had to snicker. “Even so, I thought we were over this problem, Brann.”

“We are. I didn’t exclude you to hurt you. It was to protect Kenan and me as we work through this very personal decision. The key word being personal, Mom. So do not call him about this. When it’s sorted, I will tell you we’ve got things worked out and will officially be living together.”

There was a long silence on the other end. “I don’t mean to be pushy. It’s just in my nature to be forthright.”

I knew that. And I was much the same, which was why we butted heads so often. Still, on this, she had to back off and let us work it out.

“You are the queen of frankness.”

“And you are the crown prince.”

We both laughed awkwardly. “Brann, I am sorry for being so direct. I know it can be off-putting and I am working on it.”

She really wasn’t, but at least she knew it was an issue for both of us, so that helped ease us over this bump.

“I get it. You want to make sure your kids are happy. But you have to let us handle our lives in our own ways. So, when the call to mingle households is set, then I’ll call.”

“You’ll call me first? Just once, I would like to know something about you that Nora doesn’t.”

“Yes, I will call you first. Feel better?”

“Mostly.”

“Good. Now can I get back on the road? We have baby geese hatching.”

“You and those geese.” She let out a sigh. “Drive carefully. Call when you get home. Send me pictures of the little ones.”

“I will.”

“Human babies would be better.”

“ Mother …”

“I’m kidding.”

She absolutely was not, but I let it slide, told her I loved her, and hung up. Five minutes later, I was back on the road rocking out to “Fool for the City” and feeling about as fine as a man could feel.

The jolly mood saw me all the way home. As I neared Whiteham, I had a moment of indecision. Should I go home or to the alehouse? My phone told me it was just a bit after three in the afternoon. I desperately wanted to see the goslings, but I also had a duty to my business.

Sitting at a stop sign waiting for some kid to lead his young steer out of the road—ah rural life—I texted Kenan.

Hey guitar man how busy is it? ~ B

Three dots popped up instantly.

Not busy at all. I closed the pub after lunch and am home waiting for you. ~ K

Home. My smile was wide even though the steer was not in the mood to be moved. I never knew cows could lollygag, but this one sure was.

I’ll be there in ten. Fifteen if this cow in the road doesn’t hurry up. ~ B

He sent me a string of cow and car emojis. He’d learned quickly that life in the boonies had all kinds of oddities that big city life didn’t have. Such as cows, pigs, chickens, and an irate ram headbutting cars that could and would hold up traffic.

My Nissan had barely stopped in my drive when I was out the door. Kenan met me at the front door with a hug, a kiss, and a whisper of how much he had missed me. With him pressed tight against me, I was tempted to take him to bed immediately.

“Come see the babies. They have them in the pen.” He gave my cheek a smooch, took my hand, and let me into my house.

I tossed my bag to the floor as we hustled along.

Out back, the sun was slanted just enough to throw a bit of shade on the coop.

Lying in the grass were Wilma and her six little yellow children.

They were so tiny. So totally fluffy. Little yellow and gray puffs that were waddling around, picking at the grass and peeping madly.

Fred, spying me, stood up and marched to the gate, long neck down, hissing.

“You’re a good papa,” I called over the fence, enjoying the hell out of the family moment.

The goslings scooted under Wilma but poked their heads out to watch the big scary humans grinning down at them.

“If you let me in, I’ll clean up the eggshells.

” He was having none of that. “Okay, it’s cool. We’ll clean house later.”

“I managed to fill up a little tub for the goslings to splash around in and put some rocks in it, like the book says, so they can get in and out. But then the sun moved, so I reached through and dumped it so they didn’t get wet and cold.”

I glanced over at my boyfriend. “You are a fantastic goose step-granddaddy.”

“When we move in together, do I get joint custody?” He gave my hip a bump with his.

I turned to face him, the soft breeze playing with his hair. “So it’s a definite then. We are going to consolidate two places into one. How?”

“We’ll worry over the how later. Right now, let’s grab a couple of beers, two lounge chairs, and sit out here to watch the grandkids.”

Now that Fred had waddled back to his family, the goslings emerged from under Wilma to scamper about in the rich green grass.

“That is the best idea ever.”

“No, the best idea ever was to trust the handsome stranger at the airport last Christmas.”

I captured his beautiful face in my hands and pressed a kiss to his lips.

“I am incredibly handsome,” I whispered over his lips before sealing mine to them.

And so damn lucky.

We spent that long summer evening sipping beer, laughing at the little ones exploring their new world, and watching fireflies rise from the lawn when it grew dark.

We closed the geese in for the night, dodging a pinch from an over-protective father, and went inside where I showed him just how much I adored him as a hazy half-moon slid into the velvety black sky.

Spent and sweaty, we dozed off in each other’s arms to the song of crickets and tiny frogs down at the creek, a gentle wind rustled the sheers.

Summer really was the season of growth. Both in the natural world and the world of one incredibly blessed barkeep.

I felt like a sunflower just bursting through the soil, knowing I would reach tremendous heights with the tender affection of a wonderful man who watered him with love on the daily.