“So when did you muster out?” Somehow he’d thought Hunter was still in.
“Not too long ago, I guess. Five months.”
“And you didn’t mention? I wasn’t sure where I was landing then. I showed up here after a fight with my dad.”
“Oh, man. Sorry, dude.” Hunter rolled his eyes. “You two tie it up hard.”
“Yeah, and I swear to God, I thought Seth was going to shoot me when he walked in his front room and found me. He didn’t know me from Job, and I was talking to all the kids.” His cowboy had been spitting fire from his eyes.
“Jesus, I bet. The older kids knew you?”
“All but the twins by sight.”
“And now you’re Jordan’s best friend.” Hunter shook his head. “Damn man. You—I don’t know if you want to hear this, but you look amazing. You look happy.”
“I am. I mean, I hate that Seth is sick and it will take a while to recover, but I love it here. I love my life.”
“Did you ever think for a second…”
“God no.” Law had known, in his heart of hearts, that he was going to be a career Army man and be alone all his life.
“Yeah. I couldn’t imagine it until I saw you with your family. Then I had it.”
“Thanks, man.” That meant a lot, that Hunter got him, could see what was so important about this.
“So what’s the doc say about your man? Is he recovering?”
“Yeah. He had a lot of trouble with his lung, but he’s really on the mend.” The urge to knock wood was huge.
“Good deal. Thanks for letting us have turkey day with you. It’s been too damn long.”
“It has, huh?” For all of them, and that was why Harries was there, really. A man missed the comforts of home in the military, sometimes forgot them, in fact. He had searched for home for months, and he’d found this place, and the kids and Seth had folded him in like it was easy.
They were decent people in a decent place.
And he was grateful to his bones.
“Yes. And I’m ready to learn how you cowboys do Thanksgiving up here in the mountains.”
“Yeah?” He chuckled. “Any requests now you’re here?”
“Cheese ball?”
“I always have the stuff on hand for that.” They had to do a shop. He would pick up green onions because Hunter liked it that way.
“Rock on. I brought three turkeys, two hams, and about fifty pounds of hamburger. Just to help out.”
“You rock. I mean it.” He loved that Hunter was here and enthusiastic and wanting to be part of things.
“The four of us can eat a lot, and I know you’ve been busy with the hospital.”
“Yeah. The guys have been great, but I can always use more hands.” He sucked back some beer, letting himself relax for a moment.
“Dawn? Dawn, I cut my hand!” Keira’s voice rang out. “I’m bleeding.”
“Oh! I got it!” Dawn went running to her sister, and Law let her have it. Dawn would holler at him if she needed help.
“Don’t put snow on it!”
“It’ll help!”
Hunter’s shoulders were shaking with laughter.
Law winked at him. “Make sure you put antiseptic on it, kiddo.”
“I will, Law. As soon as it stops bleeding.”
“Good deal. Where should you hold it, Keira?”
“Above my chest!” She wasn’t crying at least.
“Come on. Let’s get a bandage and some more cocoa. You’re all red-nosed.” Dawn’s bright red fuzzy hat appeared, then little Keira.
“Hey, kiddo. Can I see it?” Law asked.
“Uh-huh.” She held up her hand, and there was a fair-sized scratch on her palm. Nothing serious, just a scratch, but it had to sting.
“Nice job getting it to stop bleeding, guys. Go wash and put goo on it, huh?”
“Wash, goo, Wonder Woman Band-Aid, ho!” Dawn nodded to Hunter, like she was tipping her hat. “Sir.”
Hunter hooted. “Howdy.” He grinned at the girls as they headed inside. “God, you have neat kids.”
“We do.” He’d always loved them, but now he knew he would lay down his life for any one of them, without a thought. This was his not-so-little family. His home.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he checked, it was Wiley.
“At the store. Need anything else?”
“Green onions for a cheese ball.”
“On it. Crackers too? And can I get chips and queso stuff?”
“Sure, kiddo. Just save the receipt.” Wiley was damn trustworthy with their money, actually, and knew what he could and couldn’t push for, but it was part of their game to ask and answer.
“Yessir. Cu soon.”
He had to read that one twice. Lord, he was old.
He grinned at Hunter. “Shopping teenager.”
“Ah. Is he a solid kid? Sixteen is a shit age.”
“Almost seventeen. And yeah, if we can keep his dick covered, we’ll be good, but those two…”
“Yeah? Well, someone said he wanted college. We’ll see what wins out.”
“You know how that goes—we can manage and do college, but yeah. He wants to be a musician, and that’s a hard row to hoe, no matter how you look at it.”
“Ouch.” Hunter sighed. “What did you want to be when you grew up?”
“Back then? A soldier. It was my way out, away from my dad.”
“I wanted to be a tattoo artist. Too bad I can’t draw.”
“Y’all mind if I join you?” Win stuck his head out the door, beer in hand.
“Come on.” Law knew his buddy wouldn’t care. In fact, Hunter seemed to want to get to know Win and Horse better. Both of them. Weird but cool.
“Thanks. Seth and your guy are still snoozing away with the little one. Bethany’s keeping an eye on them, and Horse is doctoring Keira’s little hand for her.” Win sat and sprawled, sighing softly. “I do like it here, Mr. Law. I surely do.”
“Thanks.” Law loved that people liked their place. He really did. “You guys have been a huge help.”
“We’re happy to do what we can. We’re going to be roommates for the holiday, after all.” Win nodded to Hunter, offered the man a warm smile. “Where are you from, sir?”
“All over, really. I was an Army brat, but I spent a lot of time in Colorado. That’s probably my favorite.” Was Hunter blushing? Must be the cold making his cheeks pink.
“Me and Horse love to fish. We’re going to rescue wild mustangs and raise horses and buffalo in our spare time and spend months dropping a line.”
“Yeah?” Hunter’s smile went wistful. “That sounds amazing.”
“Don’t it? I told Mr. Law here, we’re hoping to be buying into the ranch, setting down roots.”
“I can’t wait to see it too. You guys are okay with me and Nickel staying? He’d like a more quiet place to sleep.”
“Of course. There’s two nice guest rooms setup right now, and me and Horse even washed sheets.”
“Thanks.” Hunter’s shoulders relaxed. “I mean, I could crash on the floor, but Nickel…”
“Is like a bull rider who got stomped,” Win said. “We get it. So, y’all ain’t together, right?”
Law blinked at Win, then at Hunter.
“No, sir. We are not.”
“Good. Good to know.” Win had a wicked smile on his face.
Lord. Law didn’t roll his eyes, but he would just gently ask Win to be careful later. A lot of guys played, but Hunter could be surprisingly vulnerable.
“Are you going to ask if I’m queer, Win?”
“Oh, honey. I don’t have to ask that.”
Hunter laughed out loud, a huge booming sound. “Yeah, yeah. Okay. Fair enough.”
“There you go.” Win grinned, the expression satisfied as hell.
Hunter opened his mouth to say something else, but Trainor stomped up from the casita. “Room for one more? I’ll get beers if anyone needs another.”
“Harri
es?”
“Is taking a nap.”
“Of course there’s room, man.” This porch was made for cowboys and kids.
“Thanks. Anyone need anything?”
“I’ll switch to Coke.” Law waggled his empty bottle. Buzzes and babies did not mix.
“Already?” Trainor teased.
“Lord yes. I have five babies and two injured men in my care. I’m done.” He wasn’t going to be ashamed of that.
“Right.” Trainor nodded, far more serious. “Trust me, I’ll stop at two.” He winked at them and headed inside.
“Listen to you, Mr. I’m on Leave, I’m Going to Party!” Hunter hooted, slapping his leg. “You’re a dad!”
“Right?” He laughed too, shaking his head. “It’s amazing, how your purpose changes, your whole life. Is that… stupid?”
“No, man.” Win winked at him. “It’s love.”
Epilogue
Seth stretched, muscles and bones working together with some mighty hard twinges, but damn, it felt good to be alive.
He poked Law in the ribs. “Merry Christmas.”
“Ow.” Law’s muffled voice was full of laughter. “Morning, baby.”
“Morning, you.” He leaned in, rubbing their noses together. “Are you ready for the chaos? Keira and Jordan have been up for an hour, and Dawn’s already done the feeding with Bonner.”
He’d gotten a text from Win, informing him that they were ready to come over anytime and that Horse had made cinnamon rolls.
“And you let me sleep in?” Law yawned, his jaw popping. “Must be love.”
“You think? What did you ask Santa for, honey? I wrote and asked for more buffalo.” He hid his grin. They’d made a good plan with those beasts, leaving them to Win and Horse to handle, and he’d get half the proceeds of the sale. It was fair, and it made for peace in his house.
Law gave him the side-eye. “I asked for God to watch over kids and fool cowboys.”
“Oh, well then, you don’t need your present from me.” The ring was gold with turquoise embedded in it, masculine and fine, and it was part of a matching pair.
“What?” Law’s jaw dropped comically. “Hey, now.”
“Seriously. It’s like getting a puppy after asking for world peace.” He grabbed hold of the ring box and handed it over, refusing to tense up. Law would understand what he meant.
Law blinked, then took the box, looking up at him before opening. “Oh. Babe. Wow.”
“We’re a family. We might as well be legal. I love you, Mr. Law, all the way.”
“I love you too, baby.” Law sat all the way up to kiss his mouth, then handed him the box back. “Put it on me?”
“Yessir.” He took one and slid it home before they got the other on his gnarled hand. “We’ll go to the justice of the peace and make it all official in a couple days, yeah?”
“Hell, yes. Keeping you.” Law kissed him breathless, so he reckoned he was glad his lung was all healed. “Now I feel a little silly handing you this.” Law passed him a sealed legal envelope.
“What is it?” He opened it up, finding a drawing of their house, with a breezeway leading to his office, a huge hot tub with a privacy fence, and a little sauna. “Is this? Are we going to do this?”
How fucking cool!
“Yeah. I ordered the elevations last week. We deserve it.”
And God knew, they both had enough freaking arthritis that a hot tub would be a blessing. The kids were all old enough now not to worry about one falling in or something.
“Damn, honey… that’s… thank you. We’re going to use the hell out of that.”
“I figured. Win got me in touch with the guy who made the plans, and Dan Hernandez and his crew will put it in.” Law was tickled, he could tell.
“Thank you.” He pushed up into Law’s arms, hand on his lover’s chest. “You ready to Christmas with our kids, Captain?”
“I am. And our cowboys and Hunter and Nickel…” They both got to laughing. Two of Law’s Army buddies had stayed on, Nickel in their casita, Hunter off and on at the other ranch, occasionally in their guest room when poker night went long.
“I think, my love, we have a tribe.” And for a confirmed bachelor, that was an amazing thing. A wonderful, blessed thing.
He closed his eyes a second.
Pistol, man. I got this. I got your people, and I’m doing right by them, I swear to God. Love you, buddy, and I miss your face. Merry Christmas.
“Uncle Seth! Law! It’s time for Christmas,” Jordan bellared from outside their door. “Come on!”
They laughed again, and Law took his hand, their rings glinting in the low light.
Yeah. Merry Christmas to them. He had all a man could want right here. All the blessings and more.
End
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About BA
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her grandbabies, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friends, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery ménages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
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Cowboy's Law Page 20