by Land, Alexa
Will said, “He had it coming. Shit, now that song from Chicago is instantly stuck in my head.” That made me chuckle.
We said good night when we reached our room, and my friend and his cat continued down the hallway. After we got ready for bed, Lee slid under the covers and exhaled slowly. “Hell of a night,” I said, as my boyfriend rested his head on my chest.
“It really was,” he murmured. “I can’t even tell you how glad I am to be home.” Hearing him refer to the ranch that way made me so happy.
10
Two and a half months later
On the Fourth of July, Lee and I awoke to the sound of excited voices drifting to us from the courtyard through our open balcony door. The Dombruso clan was back for the holiday weekend, so the ranch was hopping.
For now, we were still living in the main building, but Lee and I had followed Ren and Colt’s lead and were having a house built in a private little corner of the property. It was coming right along, probably because Lee had offered them a bonus if they finished by the end of summer, so our nights in that cramped hotel room would be drawing to a close in a matter of weeks. There were definitely some things I was going to miss about it, but the upgrade in privacy, space, and peace and quiet more than made up for it.
Lee raised one eyelid and murmured, “What is it with little kids and their total inability to sleep in, or to speak at a normal volume?”
“Life is too exciting to miss a minute of it, and being quiet is no fun when you’re that age. Speaking of not wanting to miss a minute, today’s going to be amazing. Race you to the shower!”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. Then he rolled us over and tossed me onto the far side of the bed, dashed to the bathroom, and announced, “I win!”
I laughed and called him a cheater as I got out of bed and stepped out onto the balcony. The courtyard was all decked out in red, white, and blue for the holiday, and the seahorse fountain was bubbling away and sparkling in the sunlight. We’d finally gotten it up and running, which seemed oddly appropriate. It was as if the fountain mirrored the ranch, and both were doing great for once.
Dante’s grandmother, Nana Dombruso, spotted me on the balcony and waved as she called, “Yoo hoo, Beck! How do you like my outfit?”
She was wearing a sequined romper striped in red, white, and blue, along with red, heart-shaped sunglasses and matching platform sandals that added a good six inches to her height, which normally topped out right around five feet. I shouted, “You look amazing, Nana! We’ll be down in a few minutes. Did you already have breakfast?”
“We did, but the chef saved some for you and your honey.” I’d hired several new staff members over the last few weeks, including a genius of a culinary student named Katie. She was supposed to go back to school in the fall, but I was planning to beg her on bended knee to stick around, because her food was incredible.
Nana’s husband, a cute, round gentleman named Ollie, danced over to her with two champagne glasses and handed her what I could only assume was a mimosa. When he saw me, Ollie waved and shouted, “Happy Independence Day, kiddo!” He was dressed like Uncle Sam, more or less, in a red, white, and blue top hat and tails, which he’d paired with a T-shirt and shorts. Nana was the most unique and colorful person I’d ever met, so the fact that she’d found her perfect match in her second husband told me there really was somebody for everyone. I waved at the couple before going back inside.
After tossing my T-shirt and shorts in the laundry hamper, I joined Lee in the shower. As usual, it ended up being more about kissing and fondling than washing. We jerked each other off, and when he made me cum, I was left weak-kneed and groggy.
Lee turned off the water, dried us both, and lifted me onto the bathroom counter, since I was still a little shaky. Then he proceeded to give me a shave. When he finished, I ran a hand over my jaw and told him it was perfect, which made him smile.
I’d always known he had a nurturing side, but after we moved in together, we both learned just how deep that ran. Taking care of me was vitally important to Lee, and since it made me feel loved and cherished, I was more than happy to let him.
It was a two-way street, though, and taking care of him in turn brought me a lot of pleasure. Since he was sporting a short beard, I asked, “Would you like me to give you a shave?”
“I’d rather wait until we’re in L.A., so I can enjoy the full experience in our barber chair. Actually, now that I think about it, I should have held off on your shave until we got there.”
“You can shave me again tomorrow, with all the bells and whistles,” I said, since we planned to spend the next two nights in our apartment.
We both dressed appropriately for the holiday. Lee went with a royal blue polo shirt and white shorts, which set off the deep tan he’d gotten that summer. Meanwhile, I went with red shorts and a blue tank top that featured a cartoon eagle wearing sunglasses. I completed the look with red sneakers and a white cowboy hat. My boyfriend tipped the hat back and kissed me, and then he said, “You look adorable.”
“Thanks. You look pretty adorable yourself.”
We walked down to the lobby hand-in-hand. Gabriel was sitting behind the reception desk, looking gorgeous in a black mini dress and red lipstick. He ended a call, then said, “Good morning, you two. I know you’re on your way to breakfast, but we need to talk business real quick. Beck, I really think you should consider extending camp past August. Our waiting list has well over a hundred names on it, and I’m fielding several calls an hour. I don’t think we should keep them waiting a whole year.”
The camp idea had totally exploded. That was mostly thanks to Will, who’d made a hilarious short film to advertise it, then posted it to social media. That in turn got the attention of a few LGBTQ+ media outlets, who’d published stories about our queer-centric summer camp for grown-ups. After that, we couldn’t keep up with demand. We’d organized three-day-long camps every weekend from June to the end of August, with the exception of this one, which was reserved for family. They’d all sold out.
I rested my elbows on the reception desk and thought about that as I asked, “Do you really think people will want to attend summer camp in the fall?”
“Yes. Just don’t call it summer camp. The weather’s still terrific here in September and October, so no worries there.” While Gabriel was talking, he gathered his elbow-length dark hair, gave it a twist, and somehow tucked it into itself, forming a perfect bun at the nape of his neck.
Then he said, “You know what you should do? End it with a Halloween-themed camp. Or, hell, make every camp in October that theme. How fun would it be to get the local shopkeepers involved and have the campers go trick-or-treating in town while wearing homemade costumes? You know our special event camps sell out in record time. Plus, there’s the fact that we can charge more for them, and who doesn’t love the fact that the money’s been rolling in?” Everyone on staff had gotten a significant raise when the camp idea took off, and I’d even hired several locals as seasonal help.
I thought about that for a few moments, then said, “Okay, you convinced me. Let’s do it. Would you please put up teasers on our webpage and on social media announcing the new camp sessions, with registration coming soon? First dibs will obviously go to the waiting list, but with two more months, there will be plenty of slots to fill.”
Gabriel grinned and said, “Consider it done. I’m all about filling slots,” as he turned on the desktop computer with a click of his perfectly manicured finger.
I loved the way he’d come out of his shell over the last couple of months. Planning and executing weekly camps had put a lot of pressure on all of us, but my friends had really risen to the occasion. It had given them a chance to play to their strengths, too. Our camps included all sorts of activities, everything from horseback riding and kayaking to crafts, dance parties, and movies and s’mores under the stars. There was always someone willing to step up and make it great.
“Thanks, Gabriel,” I said.
>
“What time are you two taking off?”
Lee said, “Right after breakfast,” and flashed me a smile. It had been so busy that we hadn’t managed much time for just the two of us, but we’d finally scheduled a couple of days away. Even though the ranch was nearly at capacity, the Dombrusos were family and knew to make themselves at home, so there wasn’t anything to worry about.
As soon as Lee and I stepped into the dining room, we heard a high-pitched shriek, followed by the stamping of little feet. Dante and Charlie’s grandson Malik absolutely adored Lee, and as soon as he spotted us, he came running. Meanwhile, Malik’s dad sank into a chair with a stuffed animal in each hand and smiled at us. Joely had gained full custody of his son when his girlfriend broke up with him, then decided to go away to college. The twenty-one-year-old always seemed tired, but he had a lot of support from his dads and the rest of the Dombruso clan, so I knew he and that adorable one-year-old were going to be just fine.
Lee scooped the toddler into his arms and started speaking to him animatedly in Greek, because he was trying to teach him the language. He kissed the baby’s chubby cheek and swung him around, and the little boy squealed with delight. A moment later, Clementine landed on Lee’s head, and Malik burst out laughing. Lee reached into his pocket, pulled out a sunflower seed, and handed it to the bird, who’d become his buddy at some point during the past two months.
I told Lee I’d bring him some food, then left him galloping around the dining room with the kid and the bird while I went into the kitchen. There I found Katie getting a lesson in baking from Nana. Katie didn’t actually need a lesson, but she was far too kind to tell Nana that. Our resident chef grinned at me and tucked a strand of her black, chin-length hair under the blue bandana she was wearing, and Nana looked up at me and exclaimed, “Hi there, sweet stuff! I’m showing Katie how to make my famous poppy seed muffins. The trick is not to overmix the dough, because then they get rubbery. After this, Katie is going to show me her grandma’s recipe for bao. Those are steamed buns. Isn’t that fabulous?” I loved the fact that Nana was always so excited about learning new things.
I said, “That’s terrific,” as I pulled two platters of crepes out of the oven, one sweet, the other savory. Katie instructed me on how to assemble them with various fillings and toppings, and as I made up two plates, I told her, “Thank you for breakfast, Katie. This looks delicious.”
She grinned at me and said, “You don’t have to thank me for every meal. It’s my job.”
“You still deserve a thank you. Also, mentally prepare yourself, because I’ll be throwing myself at your feet in a moment and begging you to stay here past the end of summer. That’s not because I decided to extend camp into October, and your cuisine is part of the reason it’s such a smash hit. I just think you’re fab and really don’t want you to go.”
“You know I love it here,” Katie said. “What happens in the winter, though? I know all of Catalina slows way down after the tourist season.”
“We talked about turning the dining room into a pop-up restaurant for the locals with different themed events, one or two nights a week. You’d get to have fun planning experimental menus, and just imagine what we can do at the holidays! We have a lot of campers making reservations to come back as regular guests at Christmastime, because they know we’re going to make it magical. You and your delicious food could take center stage.”
She chewed her lower lip for a few moments, then said, “Okay, I’ll stay. Culinary school will always be there, but this place is the kind of thing that only comes along once in a lifetime. I thought it’d be years before I got to run my own kitchen and call the shots, so it’d be crazy to leave.”
I shouted, “Yay,” and practically tackled her in a hug.
Katie laughed and kissed my cheek, then said, “If we’re going to do themed pop-ups, I want Lee to work with me on a Mediterranean menu.”
“I’m sure he’d be delighted.”
Lee bounced past the open doorway just then, making horse sounds with the toddler on his shoulders, and Nana asked, “When are you two going to become parents? That man of yours is going to be one terrific father.”
“We talked about that,” I said, as I stirred a pan of warm compote on the stovetop. “We definitely want to adopt several children who are in foster care, especially older kids, because the chance of them finding a permanent home is so slim. But we decided we want to give ourselves this year to settle into our new house, concentrate on getting the ranch on solid financial footing, and just enjoy being a couple before we make the leap into parenthood.” I paused before adding, “I have to admit, even though we really want this, the idea of becoming a parent is a bit intimidating. We both grew up with terrible role models, and we really want to make sure we don’t mess up.”
Nana said, “You’re both smart, and you’re going into it with your eyes wide open, so you’ll do great. Me, I made a lot of mistakes with my three sons. I think I did okay with Paulie. He was a good boy, God rest his soul.” She made the sign of the cross before continuing. “But his brothers, Alberto and Pietro, grew up to be just like their father. That’s a shame, because he was a real turd. Now I almost never see them, because they’re both off doing who knows what. Nothing good, I can tell you that.”
I said, “I’m sure you did your best, Nana.”
“I suppose I did at the time, but I was young and stupid. I let their father have too much influence over his sons. I learned from my mistakes though, and I got a second chance when my four gorgeous grandsons came to live with me after their parents were killed. I couldn’t be more proud of Dante and his brothers. I not only love them, I like them too, if that makes sense.”
I nodded and told her, “I know what you mean.”
“You and your honey are going to do great,” Nana said, as she began messily spooning batter into paper-lined muffin tins. Katie grabbed a ladle and took over the job, and Nana climbed onto a stool and moved her sunglasses to the top of her head. “Plus, just look at all the support you’ll have. You know you’re a part of my family, so we’ll all lend a hand. Then you’ve got the beautiful family you made here at the ranch. Your kids are going to grow up knowing they’re loved, no doubt about it. There’s nothing more important than that.”
I gave her a hug and said, “Thanks for the encouragement, Nana,” before picking up the finished plates and telling the two women I’d see them later.
Since it was such a gorgeous day, Lee and I decided to eat outside, at a table under a big umbrella. I told him about my conversation with Nana and said, “She thinks you’re going to be a great dad.”
“So are you.”
I asked, “Do you really think so?”
“I know it for a fact.”
“I’m going to try so damn hard to give our kids what I never had. I worry about screwing it up though, especially because I work so much and I don’t want them to think I’m too busy for them. Do you think it’s possible to do both, to be a great dad and still stay involved with the ranch?”
“Hell yes. For one thing, you’ve been learning to delegate, so this place doesn’t have to take up every waking hour,” he said. “Also, one of the nice things about living where you work is that we’ll both be right here, whenever they need us. At the same time, our kids will grow up learning how to run a business, and one day they might even choose to run the ranch for you. When we’re both old and gray, of course, because I know you’re not going to relinquish control of your baby anytime soon.”
Ever since I’d agreed to accept a forty-one percent stake in the ranch and signed the paperwork, Lee had been referring to the property as mine. That wasn’t really accurate, since Ren and Dante still owned significant shares. But he said it with a sense of pride, like ‘look at my successful boyfriend’, and that made me feel good.
After we finished eating, Lee went upstairs to grab our bags while I took our plates to the kitchen and loaded them into the dishwasher. Ezra and Isaac had joined Nana for
the lesson in how to make bao, and Ezra’s four very obedient dogs were all lined up right outside the screened (since the buffalo incident) kitchen door, watching everything with interest.
I told Katie, “You know what? We should add cooking classes to our camp activities, if you think that’d be something you’d enjoy.”
“Oh hell yeah,” she said. “It’s a total win-win. The campers not only learn to cook, they also prepare their own meal in the process. Let’s add it to the schedule and do a trial run the weekend after this one.”
Isaac said, “On it,” and picked up his phone to set a reminder, since he was in charge of putting together the itineraries. He was also our lead camp counselor. He’d really blossomed in that role, and it had been great watching his confidence grow as he took on more responsibility.
I called, “Happy Fourth of July, everyone! We’ll be back Saturday morning. I hope you have a great couple of days.”
I left the kitchen to a chorus of well wishes, then texted Will, who’d moved to the ranch the month before. Lee and I had helped him ship his furniture over, and then he’d set up a gorgeous apartment for himself and Madame Leota in a former office down the hall from Elijah and Cassidy’s flat. My friend seemed happier than I’d ever seen him.
Lee met me in the lobby with an overnight bag in each hand, and he kissed me and said, “I can’t even tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to spending this time with you.”
“Same here.”
I slid my hand around the back of his neck and kissed him deeply. After a minute, Will exclaimed, “Hide your eyes, Madame Leota! I think they’re about to start fucking like big, gay bunnies, and you don’t need to see that.”
Lee and I parted, and I grinned at my friend and asked, “Is everyone ready to go?”
Sage walked up to us and said, “I, for one, am all set. I even remembered the sunscreen, so Will won’t burst into flames this time.”