by Lily Harlem
“Oh, I got the impression from our last phone conversation they spent most of their time out on the station, herding.”
Had he given that impression? Maybe. “They do spend quite a few nights each month away doing that, true.”
“It suits them, the outdoor life?”
“I guess.”
“A change from the cold in Scotland. They really should find themselves a wife each, though. It’s not like they fell out of the ugly tree.” She laughed. “They’d make quite a catch for a couple of lucky girls.”
“Yeah, they’re great guys.”
“And Raul’s cookery book has been a success?”
“It is. Riley was a great help at the launch in Barcelona. Olivia went over with Raul to attend.”
She raised her perfectly arched eyebrows. “And you let her?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
She paused. “I suppose there’s no reason not to trust them together.”
“I trust them both, implicitly.”
She nodded. “It’s not as if Raul would be romantically interested in her, anyway.”
“He wouldn’t?”
“No, he’s gay, isn’t he. He and Evan, they’re an item.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Raul and Evan?” Harry widened his eyes at his mother. He was glad he was wearing shades so she couldn’t see his absolute surprise at her words.
“I knew that from the first time I met them.”
“Really?”
She tapped the side of her nose. “Good gaydar, I guess.”
Harry glanced at the kitchen door. No sign of Olivia or any of the children.
“Which is why it works here for you all,” Felicity went on. “You and Olivia married. Raul and Evan in a gay relationship, and Mason and Lucas as close as twins could be and enjoying the outdoor life they didn’t have as children.”
Harry stared at his mother. He wanted to squirm but was too shocked at her distorted view of how things were at the station. How the dynamics of his family functioned and how Mason’s and Lucas’s childhood had been.
A pile of words and explanations crowded his mind. They sat on his tongue but went nowhere. Did he want to put her right? Tell her the other four men here shared his wife and that there was no way they’d ever find out who was the biological father of the twins? The children—all the children—belonged to every man here.
“Oh, these flies.” She batted her hand in front of her face. “Don’t they get to you?”
“Not really.”
She’d slotted everyone into a role, Evan and Raul a couple which tidied it up perfectly in her mind. But she was right with her gaydar—Evan did swing that way; hell, Harry’s ass was still tender from their earlier fun—but Evan wasn’t into Raul, only Harry, and only ever Harry.
Suddenly the kitchen door opened, and a riot of sound and activity tumbled out.
“Granny!” Isabel ran outside, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Banna was close behind her.
“My girls.” Felicity stood and drew them both into a warm hug. “You are so beautiful and growing so fast. Let me see you.”
As she held them at arm’s length, Amal and Darius strolled out, each carrying a stacked drinks tray and with expressions of great concentration. After setting them down on the table, they were both drawn into an embrace, Felicity exclaiming on their height and fine muscles, and she snuggled them close.
“I hear you won your karate contest,” Felicity said to Darius.
“Yes.” He nodded, still smiling. “It was the nationals.”
“I’m so proud of you,” she said. “Such talent.”
“Thank you.”
“And, Amal, what have you been doing with the horses?”
“I have a new colt. It needs to be broken in, and Lucas said I can do it.”
“Will that be your first?”
“Yes.”
“I just know you’ll be brilliant, you have such a way with animals.”
“I want to be a vet.”
“And you will be brilliant at that, too.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “I just know it. I can feel it in my heart.”
“Where’s Cameron?” Harry said, enjoying seeing his mother surrounded by her grandchildren and clearly in her element.
And away from the subject of who sleeps with who around here.
“He’s on Granddad’s shoulders.” Banna giggled. “He won’t get down.”
“Not even through the door.” Isabel pointed at the kitchen.
Sure enough, Dante was stooping to get through the door with Cameron perched high and laughing.
Harry shook his head. It never took his father long to regress from being a billionaire business mogul to a granddad.
And I love him for it.
As hellos and hugs were passed around along with drinks, Raul appeared.
Harry spotted him adding a slug of rum to his and Dante’s fruit punch and thank him for the use of Riley in Barcelona.
“No problem, Raul. It’s where my number one is based now that he’s a happily married man.”
“My madre is also very happy.”
“I’m pleased to hear it, and I’ll confess to you, though I haven’t told him, I have a new personal assistant now. I hate to take Riley away from such beauty and contentment.”
“That is good.” Raul beamed and clinked glasses.
“Ah, here we go,” Felicity said. “Presents.”
The man in the gray pants had appeared holding several huge boxes. He set them down on the deck. “I’ll get the rest, madam.”
Felicity nodded, then, “They all have your names on, children. Dive in.”
“You really didn’t need to, Mother,” Harry said.
“Turn up empty handed? Don’t be ridiculous, Harrington.” She sipped her drink and sat back with a sigh. “What kind of grandmother do you take me for?”
“An excellent one,” he said, thrilled now the surprise of their arrival had worn off and the shock of their close shave with getting caught had faded. “A really excellent grandmother.”
The afternoon passed in a whirlwind of excitement, present opening, and ended with a dip in the pool. Dante tired himself out throwing the twins around with Evan, and Darius persuaded his grandfather to go down the biggest slide, much to everyone’s delight.
Mason and Lucas arrived home after their trip away on horseback, and after showering, joined in the fun.
When it was time to say goodbye, there were a few tears and lots of hugs, but along with that went a promise to stop by again after their visit to Tasmania.
Harry made a mental note to keep a closer eye on his phone.
After the helicopter had shrunk into the distance, Harry went upstairs to shower. The bedroom was quiet, and the en suite smelled of Olivia’s flowery perfume.
He freshened up, then dried and dragged on Nike sweats. He thought about shaving—his stubble was turning into a beard—but decided to leave it another day.
Looking out of the bedroom window, he spotted Mason and Lucas on the lawn. They wore the lower halves of their white karate gis, leaving their chests bare. The evening sun caught on their dark tattoos. Before them stood all five children, dressed in their karate outfits and fastened with a combination of colored belts. Each child was positioned in fighting stance.
He smiled. An early finish to school hadn’t meant it was the end of lessons for the day.
He wandered down the stairs and grabbed a beer from the kitchen. Pausing as he popped the lid, he thought back to the fun in the barn he’d had with Evan and Olivia. They were so good together, the three of them. So much love and trust meant anything went. Whatever felt right. There was never any judgment, just respect and safety.
The idea of telling Raul about his relationship with Evan was still on Harry’s mind. He was the obvious person to tell first. Raul had a soft heart despite a quick temper in the kitchen when things weren’t going his way. Harry didn’t think it would make any difference to Raul.
&
nbsp; But what if it does?
Life was so perfect on the station. The last thing Harry wanted to do was upset the applecart. It wasn’t broken, with he and Evan hiding their physical relationship, so why try to fix it? Fixing it might break it.
He took a slug of beer and beat down a wave of nerves. There was something deep inside him that didn’t want to hide who he was from the people he cared most about, the people he lived with.
The TV was on, a soap opera Olivia liked to catch in the evening. He headed that way, glancing out the window at the karate lesson as he went through the hallway.
The living room was glowing orange, the last of the day’s light slipped onto the horizon.
Raul and Olivia sat on the sofa side by side. He had his arm slung casually over her shoulder.
Evan sat on her other side of her, fiddling with what appeared to be a compass.
“Better?” Olivia asked when Harry stepped in.
“What for?” he asked.
“Having a shower?”
“Oh, yes.” He pulled in a deep breath. “It was a hot day.”
Evan glanced up, raised an eyebrow, then carried on with what he was doing.
Oh yeah, it had been hot in the barn.
“I do not know why this man is plotting to murder his madre.” Raul gestured to the TV. “He will not get away with it.”
“It’s just a show, Raul,” Evan said.
“It is supposed to be like real life.” Raul frowned. “And he would not get away with adding petrol to a curry in real life.”
Harry chuckled. “Doesn’t sound very tasty.” He stepped up to Olivia and pressed a kiss to her lips.
Raul looked his way. “I would not eat it.”
“Me neither.” Harry stayed stooped. He moved to the right, tipped Evan’s chin with the crook of his finger, and set a kiss over his mouth.
Evan hitched in a breath, and his eyes widened.
Harry had a rush of dizziness. His heart thudded, and his knees weakened.
Evan had frozen.
With supreme effort, Harry willed his body not to go into a full-blown shake. It was the first time he’d kissed Evan in front of someone other than Olivia.
He stared down at Evan, swiping his tongue over his bottom lip.
“Er, Harry,” Raul said.
“Yeah.”
“Did you mean to do that?”
“Yeah.” Harry smiled at Evan. “I did.”
Evan’s lips twitched in the vague direction of a smile.
“I mean…” Raul said. “Did you mean to do that, kiss Evan, in front of me?”
“I think he did.” Olivia reached for Harry’s hand and squeezed it. “I think it’s time for Harry and Evan to stop hiding how they feel.”
Raul narrowed his eyes for a moment, then his features softened, and he smiled. “Well, it’s taken long enough.”
“What do you mean?” Evan said.
Harry sat between Evan and Olivia and clasped his hand over Olivia’s. “What do you mean, Raul?”
“You have always had this…thing.” He flicked his fingers between them. “Love hate, hate love. Obvious it means there’s more going on in here.” He tapped his chest. “And I agree with Olivia, it is time to stop hiding it. I am glad.”
Harry shared a look with Evan, then turned back to Raul. “What are you saying exactly?”
Raul shrugged.
“You knew?” Evan asked.
“Not for sure, but I suspected.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Olivia asked.
“It is none of my business.” He glanced at the TV. “And besides, I’m never going to turn away love in my home. Love is what it’s all about.”
“It is.” Evan rested his hand over Harry’s. “And we love you, too, Raul.”
He raised his eyebrows. “But not in that way, right?”
“No,” Harry said, then laughed. “Evan and I are…”
“Exclusive,” Evan added.
“To each other and me.” Olivia leaned in and kissed Harry, then Evan. “I’m proud of you.” She stretched the other way and kissed Raul. “And I’m proud of you for being so cool about it.”
“It is cool,” he said, “I am honored you trusted me to tell me. I would not judge, I would not object.” He glanced outside. “What about the kids?”
“They don’t need to know what happens in the bedroom, and it’s not new news that we all love each other in this house.”
“True.” Raul nodded. “Mason and Lucas?”
Harry sighed. “We’re not so sure.”
“How do you think they’ll take it, Raul?” Olivia asked.
“Shall I be honest?” Raul said.
“You usually are.” Evan released Harry’s hand and stood. He walked to the window facing the lawn.
“Si, I am.” Raul paused. “When we first got together, as a crew, I think they would have taken the…how you say…piss out of you for being gay.”
“But now?” Harry asked. Raul had just voiced his fears.
“But now I think they have mellowed. I think they have seen that love comes in many forms and works in many ways. They are fathers now and they share a wife. And I believe you should give them credit for that. They’re older now, wiser.”
Olivia kissed Raul’s cheek again. “How did you get so wise?”
“Ha, I am not wise. Just a chef.”
“Top Barcelona chef,” Harry said.
“Si, that, too.” Raul laughed.
“Harry, Evan,” Olivia said. “You should tell them if you’d feel better not having this secret.”
“It’s a secret we’ve had for a long time.” Evan turned from the window and shoved his hands into his pockets along with the compass.
“Too long,” Harry said. He firmed up his resolve. “We’ll tell them, when the time is right, when the kids aren’t around. We’ll tell Mason and Lucas that me and Evan are more than just…buddies.”
“It will not be a problemo,” Raul said. “And you will no longer have to hide your gay feelings.”
“We’re never going to be out and shouting about it,” Evan said, his brow furrowing. “I’m not about to go on a Pride march.”
Raul burst out laughing. “Oh, for the love of the Lord, I know that. Evan, I cannot imagine you with rainbows painted onto your face and holding a Love is Love banner. Just be comfortable in your own home, relax.”
Evan’s shoulders hunched right up to his ears, and his jaw tensed.
Harry hated seeing him like that. He stood, walked over to him, and set his hands on both of Evan’s shoulders. He pressed gently. “Do as Raul said: relax.”
Evan sighed, and the tension eased in his muscles and tendons.
“Relax,” Harry said again. “There’s only love in this family.”
“But there hasn’t always been love in this house.”
“We’re changing that, buddy, we’re changing that, so have faith in everyone.” He drew him into a hug. Olivia stepped up and wound her arms around them both. She snuggled close.
It’s all going to be okay.
Chapter Seventeen
LUCAS
“So what do you think?” Mason asked, perching on the double bed opposite the one Lucas sat on.
“About what?” Lucas knew full well what his twin was talking about. He just didn’t think it required any more conversation than the discussion they’d had downstairs.
“Evan and Harry…you know.”
“Having feelings for each other?”
“Aye, and being intimate…together.”
“Is it a huge surprise?”
“To me, aye.” Mason leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. His hands dangled between them, and he spun his thumb ring. “Are you saying you saw it coming?”
“I knew they had a relationship that was different to what we all have together.”
“Aye, Harry’s been great with Evan and all his evil father stuff.” Mason nodded. “Really great.”
; “And it’s brought them close, obviously.”
“That close?”
Lucas shrugged. “They said it’s happened over time, that Olivia has always known and she’s been part of it, is part of it. If everyone’s happy, there’s no problem.”
“No, there’s no problem.” Mason downturned his mouth. “I just don’t see the appeal.”
Lucas laughed. “Of course you don’t, neither do I. We’re into women, but love and attraction comes in many forms.”
“Don’t lecture me.” Mason stood and walked to the window. The sun had set, and a silvery crescent moon hung high, framed by the curtains, sill, and frame.
Lucas sighed. “I’m not, I just don’t see that it changes anything.”
“It doesn’t.”
“Good.”
Mason shoved his hands into his back pockets, palms facing outward. “And I’m sure we’ll get used to it.”
“There’s nothing to get used to. It’s not like they’re going to be blatant about it, they just didn’t want it a secret from us. We should feel privileged they wanted us to know.”
Mason didn’t speak.
“That they trusted us,” Lucas went on.
Mason faced the room again. “I agree, and maybe that’s what’s got me a bit. That they didn’t say something sooner if it’s been brewing for years. We’re a crew, a family, we’re like brothers together. We’ll always have each other’s backs. Our love for Olivia has grown into a love for each other.”
Lucas was relieved his brother’s thoughts were going in the right direction. “They’re definitely thinking of each other as more than brothers. I’m not snogging you, even if you are a handsome devil.” Lucas laughed to lighten the mood.
It worked, and Mason chuckled. “You’ll get a black eye if you try.”
“Says the man who’s still got the markings of one.”
Mason touched the curve of his cheek. “It’s nearly gone.”
“Aye.”
Knock. Knock.
“Come in,” Mason called.
The door to the bedroom opened. Olivia stood there in a pink short-and-t-shirt pajama set.
“Hey.” She smiled.
“”What’s up?” Mason asked.