Chapter 1 

Connor Westin parked his BMW in the garage and climbed out, his phone switching from Bluetooth to speaker automatically. “Agree to fixing the window and the lock on the back door, but the kitchen appliances are as-is, and we’re not painting anything. That’s ridiculous.” 

“You want me to say it’s ridiculous?” 

Connor reminded himself that although Kit was a great paralegal, he was young. “That would be fun, wouldn’t it?” 

“So, no. Got it.” Kit was also way too serious. 

“Thank you. I’m around if they come back with anything tonight. Gotta run.” He hung up, dropped his phone in his pocket, and went into the house. “Smells good in here.” He made his way to the kitchen, where he knew his handsome husband would be cooking dinner for their family. 

“Chicken parm. Your sons had a request.” Early wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, button-down shirt draped over one of the dining room chairs. Pretty-pretty. “How goes it?” 

“Good, another day another house sale. And there’s some easement dispute downtown that I’m supposed to be talking to someone about tomorrow.” He slid a hand around Early’s waist, fingers spreading out across killer abs and kissed his nape. “My sons? What did they do now?” 

“Which one?” Early shot him a quick, easy grin. “Jaxson climbed behind the bleachers and found a mouse, which he proceeded to keep in his lunch box until he got ready to come home, and he showed it to Jenny Franklin. It’s now living in a cage in his room, his lunch box has been bleached, and I made him apologize to the teacher and Jenny. And Jayden…” 

Oh god. 

“He apparently climbed into the ceiling of the school using the pipes in the boys’ bathroom. Did you know he’s allergic to fiberglass? He is. He looks vaguely like he’s been boiled. I’m calling him Lobster Boy. He isn’t amused.” 

Oh, the poor kid. That had to itch. “Good. Great. They’re both still alive and taking after you.” Truth be told, Jayden was more like him in this case, but he wasn’t going to admit it. 

“Dad! I got a mouse. You wanna see?” 

“Has it had its shots?” 

“What?” 

He glanced at Early. “We’re keeping the mouse?” 

“You going to poison it?” Early shrugged, altogether too unconcerned about a possible disease-ridden rodent in their house. 

“Daddy! His name is Dennis. You can’t kill it if it has a name.” 

Connor sighed. “I didn’t mean we should kill it. Geez. But maybe Mrs. Mouse misses him?” It was worth a shot. 

“He’s not married. He’s a DJ, and he’s going to be all about the bass.” Save him from smartass sons. 

“DJ Dennis Mouse?” He ruffled Jaxson’s hair. “Fine. But he’s going to the vet.” 

“Okay! Wanna meet him?” 

Early shook his head. “After supper. Y’all have fifteen minutes. Go wash and tell Lobster Boy to get his butt down here.” 

Jaxson bounced up and ran for the stairs. “Lostber Boy! Daddy says get your butt butt butt down here!” 

“Stop calling me that!” Jayden came slumping down the stairs and shuffled into the kitchen. “Hi, Dad,” he said opening the fridge door and hiding behind it. 

“Hey, kid. So, what was the endgame here? After you made it into the ceiling?” 

“Endgame?” 

“What were you trying to do?” 

Jayden closed the fridge door and looked at him, clearly confused. He was definitely red and swollen. “I don’t know. I just did it.” 

“We’re raising monkeys.” Connor shook his head. “Set the table, boys.” 

Early just went about his business like nothing was out of the ordinary and, really, nothing was. This was par for the course. “So that was my day.” 

“Just another day in paradise. Did he get some Benadryl?” 

“Benadryl, oatmeal bath, cortisone cream—he got the whole enchilada.” Early rolled his eyes and started moving food to the table. 

“You’re a good dad.” Connor gave Early one more quick hug, then hung up his coat so he could help. “What can I do?” 

“Salad. Green beans. Something healthy that we have to force our children to eat.” 

“There’s leftover broccoli.” There was always leftover broccoli because their kids were not good eaters. He opened up the fridge, grabbed the bowl, and stuck in the microwave. 

Early seemed…tired, maybe? Something felt a little dull, a little off. Not enough to worry about, he supposed. It was the end of another incredibly busy day with two active boys. He hoped the kids hadn’t brought a bug home; it was so close to the end of the school year. 

He grabbed the bowl and carried it carefully into the dining room, setting down right in front of Jaxson. “It’s hot guys, careful.” 

“Yay. Limp trees.” 

Early’s growl was immediate. “You watch it, or I’ll serve nothing but brussels sprouts for a week.” 

Oh, god. Not that. Not again. 

Never again. 

He reached over and put two florets on each of the kids’ plates. “No arguments.” Then he took some for himself because he actually liked broccoli. “Chicken parm was a good call, though.” He served them each some of that too, and himself before handing Early the plate. “Looks as good as it smells, honey.” 

“Thanks.” Early chuckled and shook his head. “So, we’ve survived another school day. Go team Jericho.” 

“Oh they’re yours again now, huh? Why? Because I didn’t lose my mind over the mouse?” Connor grinned at Early, teasing. 

“He’s a nice mouse, Dad!” 

He rolled his eyes. “Eat. Jayden, tell me about the math test.” 

Jayden gave him a deadpan look. “You mean the one that I aced?” 

He laughed. “I guess that’s the one. Nice work.” 

“I got done early, that’s when I—” 

“I don’t really need the details unless the principal calls me.” 

Jayden arched one eyebrow, somehow looking just like Early. “Principal Shields always calls Daddy. She thinks he’s hot. She calls him ‘Mister Early’ and puts her hand on his arm.” 

He mimicked that look, giving it to Early instead. “He is hot, but he’s mine.” And Principal Shields probably didn’t want to talk to him anyway, he’d been deemed “less reasonable” a few years back. 

“Dad! Ew! That’s nasty!” Jaxson gagged dramatically, slumping against his brother, sending his fork flying, red sauce spraying across the floor. 

“Jax! Ugh.” He sighed and got up, going for a damp towel. And another fork. “I know we taught you table manners at some point. Daddy insists on it.” He brought the towel back and handed it to Jaxson, then traded a clean fork for the one that landed on the floor. “Clean up the floor, please. Jayden, you keep eating.” 

Jayden shoved an entire stalk of broccoli in his mouth, chewing dramatically. 

“Did you want a beer, babe? I need a beer. There’s an open red wine in there too.” 

“I’ll have the red. Thank you. Jax, that’s good enough. Hand that to Daddy and finish your dinner.” God, he was ready to broil them both. 

Early headed back to the kitchen, turning on the music on his way. Ah, the boys were getting their next warning sign that Daddy was about to stroke out. 

“Both of you finish up. Jax? Broccoli. Now. And then upstairs for reading.” 

“Reading?” Jaxson started to whine, but his big brother gave him the elbow. “Okay. Reading.” 

“Thank you. Don’t forget to tell your daddy thank you for the dinner, please? He made you chicken parm.” 

“Yes, sir. It was really good.” 

Connor watched as Early set down his wine. “Thanks, honey.” 

“Thankyoufordinnerdaddymaywepleasebe…” Jaxson took a deep breath. “’Scused?” 

“It was so good, Daddy. Thank you.” 

“You’re very welcome, sons. Please wash your hands after feeding/handling/touching the mouse in any way and before your reading.” Early sat with his beer, waiting for the boys to leave. “I bet that mouse escapes and infests the house.” 

“I won’t say I told you so.” They’d had mice before; it was a thing. They’d just go to battle stations. “DEFCON 1.” He looked his husband over critically. “Thank you for the wine. Something’s wrong. What is it?” This was the part where the cowboy in Early won out first, and Early would say “I’m fine”, until they were done with dishes or headed to bed and then he might sigh and fess up. 

If it was really awful Early would find an excuse to go hide in the garage for a few minutes and then they’d talk. 

“I’m fine. I—” Early twisted the top of his bottle. “It’s just some bad news from my dad.” 

And then there was this scenario. “Oh, honey.” He got up from his chair and pulled one closer to Early. “Not your Momma?” Please not his mother; she was the queen of amazing women. 

“Fuck no. She’s going to outlive us all. Uncle Rick. It won’t be long now.” 

Early’s Uncle Rick was one of Early’s biggest supporters, a good, amazing man who had rapid-onset Alzheimer’s. The last time they’d gone out for Easter, Rick had been violent, terrified, and restrained. 

“You need to go. Why are you sitting here? When did you find out? Let’s get you on a plane.” He pulled out his phone. 

“No. He’s not there. Pop says he’s not there at all. He had a stroke this morning, and they’re just waiting for the end. Me being there won’t help. I’ll go afterward, when I can be useful.” 

“You’re sure? I’m so sorry. You should have told me. I could have at least come home early, dealt with this lunacy.” He leaned closer and kissed Early’s cheek, then took a hand in his. “I know, it’s not worth hashing out. I’m here now, though.” 

“Thanks, babe. I love you. I’m just tired.” 

Ha hated this for Early. Early was close with his parents, but Rick had been the first one in Early’s corner, the first person Early really trusted with difficult things like how to manage being gay on a ranch. 

“Go take a shower, put on comfy PJ’s, and go to bed. I got the dishes. I didn’t bring home any work tonight, so I’ll join you as soon as I get the hooligans in bed.” Early liked a back rub, and he had magic fingers. It was a gift. 

“I’ll deal with the dishes, babe. You handle Thing One and Thing Two.” Early sighed and shook his head. “Lord have mercy, I hate this for him.” 

God, the man was impossible to pamper, even when he needed it. He ran a soothing hand over Early’s shoulder and stood. “Rick was loved. If he can manage to remember anything, he’ll remember that. Doesn’t matter by who.” 

“I’ll shoot myself first, before I let myself get there. I won’t make you watch me become a…whatever Rick is now.” Early’s expression was pure horror, pure pain. “I don’t understand how the good lord lets someone’s brain dissolve in their damn skulls.” 

“Oh, Early.” He caught his husband by the nape and pulled the cowboy into his arms. “It’s going to be okay, honey. It’s okay.” God, he hoped so. Early was scaring him a little bit. “I love you.” 

“I love you.” Early let him hold on, leaning in hard. “This is hard. I miss him.” 

“I know. I know it is. Just breathe and do what you need to do, okay?” He’d insist they go for the service. Bring the boys. 

“Yeah. Yeah, we’ll need to plan on going out for the funeral. I’m betting either Monday or Tuesday next week, if he dies during the night.” Early took a hitching breath. “I need to go. Do you—we haven’t ever talked about how to do funerals with the boys. How do you feel?” 

“I think this was someone very important to you, and the kids should be there.” 

“Can you come? I can’t—I can’t do this and deal with them alone.” 

“Of course I’ll come. I’m not going to let you do this by yourself. We’ll all go.” He had to be there; where else would he be? Early and their boys were all the family he had. 

It was a six-hour drive to Durango, but it was a beautiful ride, and the boys were happy to have extra time on their games. They could head out Friday after school, have supper on the road, and get themselves a hotel. Early’s folks had sold their home and bought a two-bedroom condo, and while it was a lovely place, it was about two thousand square feet too small for their sons. 

He could keep them busy while Early talked with his parents. Board games, cards… 

Okay, their Switches. Or Benadryl. 

“You’re not alone, honey.” 

“No.” Early kissed his jaw. “Not since I picked up this guy at a little dive bar.” 

“I’ve never set foot in a dive bar. I’m way too classy.” It had definitely been a dive bar. But he’d never admitted it before, so why start now? 

“Mmhmm. Dive bar. Neon lights. Scary bathroom. Shots of tequila.” 

“Tequila and neon, sure. I don’t believe I used the bathroom. A sports bar maybe.” He flirted, playing Early’s game. 

“There was a TV, I think…and a piece of shit pool table.” 

“The hottest man on earth was playing pool.” And losing, but the table had been warped and the felt was bunched up near one of the side pockets. It’d looked like a neglected mini-golf course. He hadn’t cared if Early had won or lost, he’d just been watching. 

“Eh, I saw you, and it was over. I never saw another man.” Early said the words like they were simply a fact, just something that was an unalienable truth. 

“Doesn’t make it a dive bar.” He took a kiss and brought the last of the dishes into the kitchen. 

“Dive. Deep dive. Like one of them submarines.” 

Connor laughed. He couldn’t help it. “That’s a new one. I like it.” 

Early bowed deeply. “Well, thank you, sir. I worked hard for it.” 

They loaded the dishwasher, moving around each other easily. Early should have gone up to bed, but he didn’t go, he waited and helped until everything was done, and the house was locked up and quiet. Maybe his man just didn’t want to be alone. He could understand that. 

“You sure you don’t want to shower while I tuck the boys in?” 

“Join me after?” Early still looked a little shell-shocked, stressed out, with red-rimmed eyes and tight lips. 

“Yeah. I’m all yours tonight. Promise.” He gave Early another kiss, wondering how Early had hidden this so well from him until dinner and marveling how quickly his husband was falling apart now that that burden was off his shoulders. “I won’t be long.” He followed Early up the stairs toward the kids and the bedroom. 

“Sounds good to me.” Early tugged his shirt up and off as he walked. “Y’all sleep good, boys. I love you.” 

“Night, Daddy!” Jayden called, while Jaxon’s greeting was totally muffled. Possibly because Jayden was trying to smother him with a pillow. 

He could see Early’s shoulders slumping as he disappeared into the bedroom.