by Carol Lynne
Sammy gazed up into Leo’s eyes. “I’ve enjoyed helping on this. I’ve met a lot of new people since I started working on it. And I think we’re going to make enough money to get a lot of the things the new centre needs.”
He pulled Leo’s head down for another deep kiss. “You should be proud of yourself.”
The deep blush on Leo’s face was new. “I couldn’t have done it without help, but thanks.”
Jakob broke into their lovefest with a clearing of his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but has Zac said when he’ll be ready to return to work?”
“Next week,” Leo answered.
“You should go by and see him. I think he’s going stir-crazy with just his dad to keep him company. He’s still too embarrassed to go out of the house, but I’m going to try to get him to come to the cook-off tomorrow,” Sammy said.
He hated to lay Zac’s appearance out on the table, but Jakob needed to be prepared for what he’d see. “It’ll be hard, but try not to stare when you see him. Unfortunately, he’ll probably have to endure several plastic surgeries before the right side of his face resembles the Zac we’ve all come to know.”
Jakob narrowed his eyes and jumped out of the chair. He headed for the bunkroom and threw his response over his shoulder. “I’m not the kind of person to stare at someone’s misfortune.”
Sammy bit his bottom lip as Jakob retreated. “Shit. I didn’t handle that very well.”
Leo pulled Sammy into his lap. “I don’t think it was what you said. There’s something else going on with Jakob. He and Zac were getting to be really good friends. Has Zac said why Jakob hasn’t been by to see him?”
Sammy shook his head. “He said he called once, but hadn’t been by, which is why I said something.”
Leo swatted Sammy on the ass. “Well, I guess we’ll just stay out of it from now on. Let’s go get dinner started.”
Sammy climbed off Leo’s lap and held his hand out to help his lover to his feet. “What’re you making me?”
“There are only three of us, so I stopped and bought some steaks. The weather’s nice enough to grill, so I figured why not.”
Stepping into the kitchen, Sammy opened the cabinet and pulled out the bag of potatoes. “Boiled, baked, fried or mashed?”
“Boiled is fine with me,” Leo answered.
Turning on the faucet, Sammy started peeling potatoes. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.” Leo continued to mix up a marinade to pour over the meat.
“What happened in the last week to make you change your mind about us?”
Leo poured the mixture over the steaks and set them in the fridge. He walked over and washed his hands before pulling Sammy into his arms.
Sammy quickly dropped the knife he was holding in the sink and reciprocated Leo’s embrace. He gazed up at Leo and waited.
“I realised how lucky I was to have you in my life. And I decided young or not, you’re the man I want to spend my time with. If something happens to change that, I’ll be upset, sad and probably pissed, but I know I can’t push you away because of what might happen.”
“So do I have Butch to thank for this new outlook?” Sammy asked, a wide grin on his face.
“Nope.” Leo bent down for a quick kiss. “You have you to thank.”
* * * *
Still laughing, Leo called out, “Uhh, Sammy? Can you come out here?”
Walking out of the bay door, Sammy smiled. “Oh! They came!”
Leo held one of the opened banners above his head out of Sammy’s reach. He managed to stop laughing long enough to ask a question. “Did you come up with this slogan?”
Sammy’s enthusiasm sobered. “Yeah. Don’t you like it? I thought it would get people’s attention.”
“Hot Tongues and Sticky Buns? Yeah, I’ll agree it’ll get their attention, especially in this town.”
When Sammy’s expression remained unsure, Leo kissed him. “It’s great. I love it.”
Sammy broke out into an exuberant smile. “Thanks. I’m glad you do.”
“Want to help me put them up?” Leo asked. “I brought some steel tee fence posts with me.”
Leo handed the opened banner to Sammy before walking to his truck. “What’s the plan for tomorrow morning?”
“Well, check-in starts at ten, so I thought barring any unforeseen emergencies, I’d get there around eight to start setting up. Jakob volunteered to put up the tables and chairs, but it’s more than a one person job, especially getting the plastic table cloths on them.”
Leo nodded and fastened his seatbelt for the short drive to city hall. “I got the party supply store in Sheridan to donate a good-sized tent just in case the weather turns bad. The last thing I want is the judges to sit out in the cold rain. So, I’ll need to be at the park around the same time to help them with set-up.”
When they arrived at city hall, Leo carried the fence posts to the front lawn. He held out his hand and Sammy gave him the hammer he’d brought as well. After securing the banner to the posts, Leo and Sammy stepped back.
Leo shook his head and wrapped an arm around Sammy’s shoulders. “It looks fantastic. Hopefully it’ll draw enough townspeople to the park to make a big dent in the money needed for the centre.”
“I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a great day.”
Leo hoped Sammy was right. Although it was his first big project in Cattle Valley, he’d actually enjoyed himself. Sure there was a lot of stress involved with getting such a charity event off the ground, but he’d had a lover by his side that’d done wonders to help alleviate the workload.
The two of them worked well together. Leo hoped it was a good sign for things to come.
Chapter Seven
With their emergency radios strapped to their belts, Sammy and Leo pulled out of the station lot and headed towards the park. Sammy couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he tried.
For whatever reason, Jakob had decided to leave at the crack of dawn to start setting up. Sammy hadn’t questioned his new friend on the reason. He had a pretty good idea that Jakob was carrying a certain amount of guilt about Zac’s injuries. Zac was like a brother, and Sammy knew he wouldn’t have cheated on Terry for any reason, but he figured something must have gone on that involved Jakob. It was the only explanation Sammy could come up with as to why Zac and Jakob both refused to talk about what had happened.
Leo’s hand on Sammy’s inner thigh began moving back and forth, slowly inching its way to Sammy’s cock. He spread his legs and chuckled. They’d already given each other blowjobs in the shower after Jakob had left, but Leo seemed to be in the mood for more play.
Normally, Sammy would jump at the chance, but they were only a couple of blocks from the park. “You’re gonna make me hard again, you know?”
Leo grinned. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all, but it might be a tad uncomfortable to be sporting a woody in front of the other volunteers.”
Chuckling, Leo ran his hand over the hard length in Sammy’s pants before turning into the parking lot. “Fair enough. I’ll try to keep my hands to myself today.”
Sammy got out of the Emergency Response SUV and made sure his radio was on before pulling his box of supplies out of the backseat. He joined Leo on the sidewalk, who was carrying an even bigger box. “I didn’t say you had to keep your hands to yourself all day, just while I’m walking around trying to look official.”
Leo bumped the side of his body against Sammy. “I’ll remember that, but unless Jakob goes to bed early tonight, you may have to wait until we get off shift tomorrow.”
“Then three blessed days to lie around in bed and touch you whenever I want to.” Sammy gave a dramatic sigh. “I hope I can last until then.”
“I’ve faith in you,” Leo said with a chuckle in his voice.
“Nice sign,” Neil said, walking across the dewy grass to meet them.
“Thanks,” Sammy answered. “You’re here early.”
Neil shrugged
and fell into step beside them. “I got up early to get my chores done. I volunteered to help Leo set up the booths.”
“That’s nice of you,” Sammy told the younger man.
Neil rubbed his stomach. “I have an ulterior motive. Leo said if I helped set up, I could be an alternate judge.”
Sammy glanced up at Leo. “Alternate? So like if one of the judges keels over from the chilli, you’re going to send Neil in to risk his life?”
Leo laughed and smacked Sammy’s ass. “We’ve got four judges. I think we need a fifth in case of a tie.”
Sammy looked at Neil and poked Leo in the ribs with his elbow. “That’s why I keep him around. He’s the smart one.”
They were all still laughing when they arrived at the big gazebo in the centre of the park. Sammy set his box on the step. “I thought I’d set the check-in up there so it’ll be easily visible.”
“Good thinking. I’m not the only smart one of the family.”
Although he said it in a joking manner, the sentiment nearly stopped Sammy’s heart. He felt the sting of tears and quickly blinked his eyes. Giving away his suddenly emotional state wasn’t an option. He was sure Leo hadn’t meant the statement like it sounded, so he tried not to read too much into it.
Sammy gestured to the area already coming together. “I’m gonna go make sure Jakob doesn’t need my help.”
Before he had a chance to get away, Leo set down his box and pulled Sammy into his arms for a kiss. When they broke apart, Leo stared down at Sammy. “You okay?”
Sammy nodded. “Yeah. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Leo watched Sammy walk away. He’d realised he’d made a slip-of-the-tongue, but it wasn’t the time for personal revelations. He had a job to do, one that was important to do right. He clapped his hands together and turned to Neil. “Okay, let’s get the booth areas marked out.”
Leo pulled a can of bright orange spray paint out of the box along with a folded sheet of paper. As they walked over to the area he’d determined would be the best space for the booths, Leo unclipped the tape measure from his belt. “Okay, each one needs to be nine by nine. That’ll give them enough room for their eight-foot table.”
Neil nodded and took one end of the tape measure, stretching it out.
Leo couldn’t seem to get his mind off the expression on Sammy’s face when he’d made the slip about them being family. Why did I say that?
“Leo?”
Leo gave his head a slight shake and glanced up. “Sorry. I let my thoughts get away from me.” He glanced at the tape measure. “That’s nine.”
He marked the grass with a line of orange paint before moving over to measure the next section.
“Leo?” Neil prompted once again.
“Shit. I’m sorry.” Leo made another mark.
“What’s going on?” Neil asked.
Leo shook his head, hoping Neil would drop it. “Nothing.”
Neil let go of his end of the tape and walked towards him. “I know that’s not true. What’s going on between you and Sammy?”
Leo rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been figuring a few things out lately, and I guess it’s starting to consume my thoughts.”
“You like him. What’s to figure out?”
It was strange confiding his deepest fears in someone so young, but Neil had become a good friend despite the vast age difference between them. “I more than like him and it scares the shit out of me.”
“Because he’s young.” It wasn’t a question. Neil shook his head, getting the same disgusted look on his face that he’d had on the bluff weeks ago.
“No. That’s just it. I think I used that excuse to keep him away, but I’ve realised the age difference is only an issue if I make it one. Sammy doesn’t seem to have a problem with me being older. If one of us should be complaining about the age thing, it’s him.”
“So what’re you scared of?” Neil asked.
Leo bit the inside of his cheek, trying to put his finger on the real issue. “I guess Sammy finding out I’m not good enough. I gave eighteen years of my life to a man and came to find out I was never good enough for him. Why should Sammy be any different?”
“Because Sammy’s a different person than this ass you stayed with for eighteen years.” Neil’s head tilted to the side. Leo could see the younger man was uncomfortable with the topic. Maybe it hit too close to home for him? He’d hinted several times that he’d once been in love with an older man.
“We don’t always get to choose who we fall in love with. If we could, I’d probably have a girl on my arm right now. I sure as hell wouldn’t be living in Cattle Valley. But love happens. And maybe it’s so rare that we should grab it when we have the chance.”
Seeing the tears swim in Neil’s eyes, Leo stepped forward and pulled the man into his arms. Leo was caught between being a friend and a grief counsellor. It was the first real breakdown Neil had had in months. “Who’d you love that pushed you away?”
Neil buried his face in Leo’s neck, holding on for dear life. “My guardian, Ben Waters.”
The revelation shocked Leo. “Your guardian? As in a father-like guardian?”
Neil nodded. “Yeah. Ben had about the same reaction, as you, when I told him I loved him.”
Talk about being on the edge of a double-edged sword. Leo could tell the pain was still deep for Neil, but he understood Ben’s position, too. “Common blood or not, society doesn’t think too kindly of father-son relationships.”
Neil tore himself out of Leo’s grasp. “It wasn’t like that between us. He lived next door. Whenever things at home…” Neil wiped at his eyes. “Ben was my safety net growing up. I wasn’t quite seventeen when my mom was killed. Ben took me in rather than see me go into foster care. I thought it was the perfect situation because I’d been in love with him since I was around fifteen.”
Neil turned and took several steps, staring out towards the lake in the distance. “Ben was one of those ex-military, everything-by-the-book kind-of-guys. I knew he wouldn’t accept my love while I was still underage, so I waited to tell him until I turned eighteen.”
Neil scrubbed his hands over his face. “Biggest mistake of my life was being honest with him. He couldn’t get rid of me fast enough. Shoved me out of his house the day after graduation with a wad of cash.”
He glanced over his shoulder at Leo. “And I ran straight to Cattle Valley. I haven’t spoken to him since because I hate him.” Neil shrugged. “Well, I love him and hate him at the same time. Is that how you feel about Randy?”
Leo shook his head and took several steps to rest a hand on Neil’s shoulder. “That’s how I felt right after we broke up, but I don’t love him anymore. The fact that you still love Ben says something.”
“It might say something, but I’ve learned it doesn’t mean shit. I’ll never forgive him for pushing me away like that. He was the only person who ever showed me an ounce of love and he threw it away.”
“Is Ben gay?” Leo asked. The answer would say a lot about Ben’s motivations behind his actions.
“Yeah. He was pretty open about it, so it wasn’t like it was a secret. He said he’d had his fill of hiding his nature in the military.”
Leo couldn’t help but grin.
“You think it’s funny?” Neil asked, disgust written all over his expression.
“No, but I think I understand Ben’s motivations a little more now.”
“Well then explain them to me.”
“It’s not my truth to tell. You should call him,” Leo said.
“Like hell. And even if I wanted to, I doubt he’s still living in Rapid City. He always seemed to hate it there.”
“South Dakota? That’s less than three hours from here.”
Neil retrieved the tape measure from the grass and held it out. “Three or three hundred, it doesn’t make much difference. I’ll probably never see him again. We gonna finish this? I still need to go into town and fill up my beer cooler before this thing starts.�
��
It was obvious Neil didn’t want to talk about his past any more. Leo stretched out the metal tape and handed the end to Neil. “You know you shouldn’t drink while you’re judging.”
Neil snorted. “Yeah? You can’t enjoy chilli without an ice cold beer! Everyone knows that.”
Leo rolled his eyes and consulted his booth diagram once more. “Just promise me you won’t get drunk.”
Neil chuckled and squatted to hold the tape against the grass. “I promise not to get drunk while I’m judging.”
* * * *
“Great day,” Ryan commented.
“Yep. It’s a fantastic day.” Sammy finished putting his check-in supplies in the box and glanced around the area. The sun had come out and the weather had warmed to a balmy fifty-eight degrees.
“Seems like everyone’s enjoying themselves,” Sammy remarked, scanning the crowd for Leo.
“He’s over at the judges’ tent,” Ryan said with a chuckle.
“Speaking of, where’s your crew?”
Ryan gestured towards the picnic tables. “Nate’s over there with Carol. She told him if he didn’t stop hovering, she was going to cram a cinnamon roll up his ass. Evidently Nate’s willing to take that chance. He thinks she’s going to go into labour early and have the kid in the middle of the park.”
“And Rio?”
“Dishing up chilli for the masses.” Ryan leant towards Sammy. “Don’t tell him I said this, but he doesn’t have a chance at winning. Rio’s chilli is mediocre at best, but Nate and I always go on and on about it, so he thinks it’s the best thing out there.”
Sammy smiled. He loved the relationship the three men had. Speaking of men. “I’m gonna go find Leo.”
He started down the gazebo steps and stopped dead in his tracks. Coming towards him was Butch and Zac. As far as Sammy knew, it was the first time since being released from the hospital that Zac had been out of his house.
“That’s a surprise,” Ryan commented from behind Sammy.
“Yeah, it is.” Sammy continued down the steps.