“I love you, Troy.” The words were a little breathless after that kiss and Troy grinned, clearly impressed with himself.
“It might have happened fast, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real,” Troy said, somehow knowing exactly what his insecurities had been, even though he’d only alluded to them, not said anything outright. “And I’ll spend every day proving it to you if you need me to.”
He shook his head. “I appreciate the sentiment, but I know, Troy. Because I know you. There’s nothing you need to prove.”
Troy opened his mouth to reply, but the banging of the front door and a boisterous wave of laughing and shouting preceded Tate, Lewis, and Aaron tumbling into the room. Aaron was holding a football, and the three of them were covered in streaks of dirt and grass stains.
“Hey, you’re home!” Lewis exclaimed, coming over to slap Troy a high-five.
In the past few days, the boys had completely settled in with them—they seemed to have lost the edge of anxiety that they’d be sent away again. Their fathers had left town the day of the fire, leaving a message on a phone Lewis kept that looked like it was at least ten years old. Jared had been surprised the thing still worked and offered to get him a new one. Though he and Aaron both now had new cell phones thanks to Tate taking them shopping, he’d seen Lewis checking the old phone every now and then like he still expected to get a call or text on it.
Hal hadn’t bothered telling his son where he and Benny were going, only that they were leaving Texas. Aaron had said they’d talked about going to Vegas before, and the conversation was left at that. Although the pair had seemed a little sad about their fathers basically abandoning them, they were also both smart enough to realize in the long run they were probably better off. Plus there was no denying they were in a better situation living with him and Tate… and hopefully Troy sometime in the near future.
Jared was hoping after the week or two Troy stayed with him while he recovered from his ordeal, he would be able to convince him to stay for good.
Troy was already chafing to go back to work, even though the doctors had given him two weeks medical leave. He’d been on the phone to Buck twice already today about the cleanup and rebuilding around the park after the fire. Luckily the blaze had been confined to the national forest, though it had burned through over a thousand acres. Everness had avoided being evacuated and no more property had been damaged or lives had been lost, so overall, they couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome considering how ferocious the fire had been.
“You guys look like you’ve had one hell of a morning.” Troy indicated Tate, who seemed to be covered in the most dirt and grass stains.
“A few of the guys from school organized a game at the park,” Aaron answered, tossing the football up and down in one hand.
“Yeah, Tate might be one hell of a swimmer, but he can’t play football for shit,” Lewis answered with a laugh, soon joined by Aaron. “Lucky he was playing for the other team.”
“Hey!” Tate said indignantly, though he was clearly trying to contain his own laughter. “You guys totally had it in for me. Every time I turned around, one of you took me down.”
“Welcome to life with younger brothers,” Jared said, nudging Tate with his foot. “Get used to it.”
“I’m learning,” Tate muttered, eyeing the pair warily. “These two are a couple of underhanded pains in the ass. But don’t worry, I feel some payback coming on.”
Tate snatched the ball out of Aaron’s hand and went sprinting for the back door, Lewis and Aaron scrambling after him with more shouting and laughing.
Jared winced as the back door slammed hard enough to rattle the window.
“You’re probably having second thoughts about agreeing to come here to rest after getting out of the hospital. This place has become a madhouse.”
Jared turned his attention to Troy but found him slouched comfortably against the couch cushions and looking completely content.
“I can’t imagine being anywhere better,” Troy answered, catching his arm and tugging him down. Jared cuddled into Troy’s side with his cheek resting on Troy’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
For a few long blissful minutes, he enjoyed the peace and feeling of utter rightness at what his life had become—most notably in Troy’s arms and not needing to be anywhere else.
Unfortunately, the crash of breaking glass jerked both of them upright.
The shouts from the yard had stopped as the football bounced and then rolled harmlessly through the kitchen doorway, coming to rest against the squat, square leg of the coffee table.
“It was an accident.” Tate’s voice floated in from outside. “Please don’t make me pay for it. I don’t have any money.”
Jared shared an incredulous look with Troy, who shrugged as if to say he’s not my brother.
“Tate Samuel Winters!” he hollered as he furiously jumped up, distantly realizing he sounded exactly like his father. Ew.
He went to charge from the room, but Troy laughing pulled him up short. When he turned his glare on his boyfriend, Troy at least had the good grace to try containing the laugh…. He just wasn’t very successful at it.
“I’m sorry,” Troy got out between laughs. “I know it’s not funny. But you are such a dad right now.”
Jared crossed his arms and deepened his glare, even though he could feel his cheeks getting warm.
“Well, someone has to be,” he muttered.
Troy pushed up from the couch and ambled closer to him. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s sexy as hell.”
The indignation deflated a little, and he dropped his arms to his side at Troy’s unexpected announcement. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Troy caught his hips and pulled him in. “Anyway, I was kind of hoping I could share the dad duties. Make some kind of family out of this crazy place.”
Jared couldn’t help the grin spreading over his face, because it was everything he could have wished for. “I’d love that.”
“Good, it’s settled, then.” Troy leaned in and kissed him. “You can be bad-cop dad and I’ll be fun good-cop dad.”
“What?” He pulled back to stare at Troy and the mischievous smile tugging at his lips. “I’m not agreeing to that!”
Troy pressed in closer, until Jared sucked in a sharp breath at the hard ridge pressing against his lower abdomen.
“By the time I’m done with you, you’ll agree to anything.” Troy clamped both hands just below his ass and lifted him, then walked them unerringly toward the bedroom as Jared wrapped his legs around Troy’s trim hips.
“What about the broken window?” he asked, even though he didn’t really care at this point.
“Tate is almost an adult. Let him deal with it. Besides, it’ll keep them busy while I keep you busy.” Troy tossed him on the bed and then went back to slam the door closed.
He watched, breath shortening as Troy shed his clothes with each step closer he took.
Oh yeah. He didn’t know what he’d done in his life to deserve to end up here. In the past few days, he’d experienced the lowest point in his life—thinking Troy was dead had been even worse than everything he’d gone through with Kevin. Now he had Troy in his home, soon to be naked in his bed, and a new family to love. Sure, it wouldn’t all be rainbows and puppies—there’d be hard days along with the good. But one thing he knew for sure: he wasn’t ever going to take any of it for granted.
EPILOGUE
TROY PULLED his SUV into one of the many vacant spaces of the parking lot near the lakeshore. In the weeks since the fire and early fall rolling around, the weather had turned cooler and wetter—just this week they’d had almost an entire month’s rainfall in a few short days. School had started back and there were no longer hordes of visitors flocking to the park on weekends.
It wasn’t hard to spot Jared, where he was sitting at a picnic table with Tate, Lewis, and Aaron, unpacking a picnic basket and joking between themselves. He’d just been getting ready
to call it a day when he’d gotten the mysterious text message from Jared telling him to meet them down at the lakeshore.
He hadn’t needed any convincing—after spending two weeks in paradise living at Jared’s house, he’d gone back to his own home the day before he’d started back at work. He would have liked to stay with Jared, but his boyfriend hadn’t said a word about any such permanent arrangements. The thought of simply asking Jared if he could stay had crossed his mind. But after what Jared had been through with Kevin—the bastard making Jared feel unsafe in his own apartment—Troy wanted to let Jared be in control and make the choice.
Jared had his hands full as he and Tate found a new dynamic with Lewis and Aaron. The pair hadn’t caused any trouble on purpose like that first volatile week Jared had taken them in, but there’d still been a few rough days. They had agreed to see a therapist—after much arguing on Aaron’s part that they didn’t need it. But it’d been clear they’d been living on edge and taking on responsibilities beyond their years for so long, they’d needed help readjusting to being normal teenagers.
He’d spent a lot of time at Jared’s house and stayed over a few nights here and there, but it wasn’t the same as living with them, which he was becoming more and more desperate for. The nights at his own house were now too quiet and lonely. He hated being alone—even the evenings Jared wasn’t home because he was on shift at the fire station, he’d much rather be with Tate, Lewis, and Aaron.
He wanted to live with them and be a real family more than he’d ever wanted to marry Jeanie and have his own kids. He wanted it with a kind of desperation he didn’t really understand, only knew would make his life totally complete.
He knew Jared loved him. He would wait as long as he had to. Jared needed and deserved to have control over opening his home to him in that way. And okay, yes, the waiting was driving him crazy. But he believed with every fiber of his being that eventually Jared would ask him to move in…. He just had to keep being patient and somehow not go insane in the meantime.
Firming up his resolve, he climbed out of his SUV and made his way over to the little group, Jared jumping up to kiss him in greeting.
“Hope you’re hungry,” Jared said with a smile when he stepped back “The boys have been busy in the kitchen.”
It’d turned out Lewis had a knack for throwing things together to make delicious meals without a recipe in sight. Aaron was always willing to help his cousin, and Tate had taken an interest in learning a few tips and tricks, which had worked out well for Jared, not having to worry as much about meals considering the hours he worked.
He sat down as Jared helped uncover the various dishes, which seemed to have a Mexican theme.
“Smells great,” he said with a smile as Aaron handed him a plate.
“You’re not allowed to eat until you answer one question,” Aaron said, adding a fork to Troy’s plate.
“And what might that be?” he asked distractedly, looking over the food options to decide what he was going to serve himself first.
When no one answered his question, he looked up to see Jared watching him steadily while the other three boys bounced their attention between the two of them, clueing him into the fact something was going on.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, trepidation making his stomach flip over. Had something gone wrong with the foster situation? He thought Jared had gotten permanent custody about two weeks after the fire.
“Only that we can’t keep going on like this,” Jared answered calmly, though his expression betrayed his nerves.
Oh God. What the hell was happening? Jared wasn’t breaking up with him, was he? Surely he wouldn’t do that in front of the three boys.
“What do you mean?” he asked, not bothering to hide the way his voice came out unsteady and apprehensive.
“It’s just not working for me the way it is,” Jared said, causing him to have what had to be a mini heart attack.
He got to his feet, appetite completely gone and chest aching enough to make his breath catch. “It’s fine, Jared. I understand. Maybe I should just go.”
He stepped back as Jared’s face creased in confusion.
“Go?” Jared repeated, sounding completely stumped.
“He thinks you’re breaking up with him, you moron,” Tate put in conversationally before reaching over to start helping himself to the food. Lewis and Aaron joined him but shot furtive glances between the two of them as if they didn’t know whether to be amused or worried.
“Oh my God, that’s not what I’m trying to do.” Jared jumped up and rushed over to wrap his arms around him. “Sorry, I am an idiot. I should have planned this better.”
Troy gently pushed Jared back a little so he could see his face. “Then what the hell is this about?”
“I miss you,” Jared whispered, each word brimming with longing.
“But we see each other almost every day,” he answered automatically, even though deep down, he felt exactly the same way.
“It’s not enough.” Jared pressed in closer to him. “I know we’ve only been together for a few months, but I need you at home with me, Troy. With us. Just like the real family you told me we could have.”
He released a sharp breath, letting go of the last bit of anxiety that’d burned within him a few moments ago when he’d thought Jared wanted to end things. This was the complete opposite of that. Thank God.
“Jared, I would have moved in weeks ago if you’d just said the word,” he replied, causing Jared to give a quick relieved-sounding laugh. “I thought I was going to have to wait another few months before you finally came around.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Jared shook his head in exasperation.
“Because I wanted it to be on your terms.”
Jared studied his expression and then obviously understood what he wasn’t saying. The unadulterated love that bloomed in his expression almost took Troy’s breath away.
“Of course you did,” Jared murmured fondly, before leaning in to kiss him.
“So is that a yes?” Tate demanded before Troy could get carried away by the feeling of Jared’s mouth against his.
“It’s a yes,” he confirmed, shifting so he could land a stern stare on the younger man. “And I think it’s time you and I had a conversation about a job. Specifically your lack of one.”
Color bloomed on Tate’s cheeks as Lewis and Aaron started to tease him.
“I do volunteer work,” Tate defended weakly.
“And that’s all good,” he replied, knowing Jared had been worrying about his seemingly aimless younger brother. “You can keep up the volunteer work and find a job that actually pays you a wage. Deciding what you’re going to do with your life wouldn’t go amiss, either.”
“Yes, sir,” Tate grumbled as Jared tried not to grin outright.
As the boys tucked into the food in earnest, Jared leaned in close to his ear. “Now who’s doing a sexy dad impersonation?”
“You still have to be bad-cop dad,” he replied, catching Jared for a quick kiss before he let him go.
Jared shot him a look that said they’d be talking about it later as he returned to the table and served up his own food. Troy watched the four of them for a long moment, chest feeling full and warm at how complete his life had become.
Everything had changed. And all it had taken was one long hot summer.
More from Jess Anastasi
A Texas Heroes Novel
Attraction sizzles when Danny Jones sets eyes on Deputy Jake Perez, despite meeting over the discovery of a mutilated corpse. But being with Jake could cost Danny his family, and being with Danny could cost Jake the very thing that brought him to Everness, Texas—revenge against the man who killed his brother. How much will Jake sacrifice to take down a psychotic criminal and finally see justice served?
After college, Danny thrived as a gay man in Houston. But when his mom’s cancer brings him back to small, conservative Everness, he must go back into the closet or risk the wr
ath of his abusive father—a choice made even harder when Danny starts to see a future for him and Jake.
As the body count rises and Danny becomes a target, Jake is caught between his vengeance and protecting the man he loves. He never wanted to end up in a backward town like Everness, but Danny is the best thing that ever happened to him. Jake needs to keep Danny safe as his secrets catch up to them—especially when the threat might be closer to home than they imagined.
A Texas Heroes Novel
A charming, confident FBI analyst gets more than the fling he bargained for when his lover lands smack in the middle of his investigation.
Gabe Lopez travels to Everness, Texas, to investigate and profile a dangerous group of white supremacists living on the outskirts of the small town. As far as he’s concerned, the assignment can’t end soon enough. When he stops to help Matt York with a flat tire, he anticipates a sexy distraction—nothing more. But Matt has a knack for getting himself into trouble, and soon Gabe is torn between protecting Matt and doing his job.
Matt left a successful life and business back in San Francisco to fulfill a promise to his aunt: find his runaway cousin and bring him home. But Tommy is on a dangerous path, and someone is trying to scare Matt off—or worse.
When the situation escalates, Matt turns to Gabe, who doesn’t like mixing business and pleasure. But in Everness, the secrets are buried deep, and like it or not, Matt is at risk of being buried right alongside them.
JESS ANASTASI has been making up stories ever since she can remember. Though her messy handwriting made it hard for anyone else to read them, she wasn’t deterred, and now she gets to make up stories for a living. With a multi-award-winning science fiction romance series to her name, her books feature larger-than-life heroes with relatable vulnerabilities who find themselves in situations that push their resolve to the limit. Jess is a tea addict who loves loud music, dancing in her kitchen, and a good book on a rainy day. A fangirl at heart, she probably spends too much time watching too many TV shows. Jess lives in regional Victoria, Australia. Find out more about Jess and her upcoming releases at www.jessanastasi.com.
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