private life to his dad?
Decision made, Ryan opened the driver’s door and got behind the wheel. “If you promise to respect my family, there’s a spare room in my home you can have.” He started the car, but before putting it in reverse, he thought of one more condition. “And you have to promise to stay in your room every Thursday evening.”
“What happens on Thursdays?” Ben asked.
“Naked dinner with my partners,” he stated, smiling to himself.
Chapter Seven
Rio stood in the doorway, scratching his head, when he felt a warm, tight body push up against him from behind. “Morning.”
“I woke up to an empty bed,” Nate said, pressing his cheek against Rio’s bare back.
“I have to be at The Gym early, so I wanted to make sure the room was ready.” The call from Ryan the previous day had sent them into a frenzy, trying to outfit the room and en suite to make them handicap accessible.
Nate moved to squeeze in between Rio and the doorframe. “It looks good. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not comfortable around parents,” Rio admitted. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
“Then he’s a fool. Because you have the biggest heart I’ve ever known.”
Rio hugged Nate. “Ryan won’t admit it, but this means a lot to him.” The call had broken Rio’s heart, but more than the story of what his father had gone through, it was the raw emotions of pure sadness in Ryan’s voice that affected him the most. Ryan was the strong one. He’d always made sure he was the rock in every storm their partnership had weathered, and now that Ryan needed someone else to be strong, Rio prayed he wouldn’t let him down.
“How long do you think Ben’ll stay?” Nate asked. “Not that I have a problem with it, I just hope I remember to put on clothes when I get up in the morning.”
The idea of Nate not walking around the house naked at all times of the day was something they’d all have to get used to. “From what Ryan said, his dad’s given up on life, so he doesn’t expect him to be around much longer.”
“I hope I don’t say something wrong. You know my filter doesn’t always work. What if I say something like, so, Ryan tells us you stuffed your dead dad in a cave?”
Rio couldn’t help but laugh.
Nate bobbed his head and pointed his finger at Rio. “You’re laughing because you know I’ll say something stupid like that, right?”
Rio shut Nate up with a deep kiss. “I’ll admit, you do have a filter problem at times, but Ryan loves that about you as much as I do. If you do say something that’s inappropriate, we’ll forgive you.”
“Yeah, but will Ryan’s dad,” Nate mumbled.
* * * *
After Ben’s white-knuckled plane ride to Wyoming, he slept during the drive to Cattle Valley. Nate had wanted to meet Ryan and his dad at The Canoe, but Ryan felt a more private introduction was necessary, besides, although his dad hadn’t complained, Ryan could tell he was in a lot of pain.
Ryan had found it relatively easy to tell his dad that he was gay and living with two men. It wasn’t that he’d been in the closet growing up, but his dad hadn’t earned the right to know anything about who he was as a person.
Ben’s reaction to the news had really thrown Ryan off balance. He’d simply nodded and continued packing. Ryan prayed the transition would be that easy, but his feelings about his dad were still all over the place. He reached over and laid a hand on his father’s shoulder. He could’ve taken the back roads to the house and bypassed downtown, but he was proud of his community and wanted to show it off a little. “Dad? We’re almost there.”
Ben blinked several times before sitting up straighter in the seat. “Where are we?” “This is Cattle Valley.” Ryan drove down Main Street, pointing things out as he went.
“That’s Brynn’s Bakery, the best cinnamon rolls in the country, bar none.”
“I don’t usually eat sweets.” Ben glanced at Ryan. “But I’ll try one if you really
Decision made, Ryan opened the driver’s door and got behind the wheel. “If you promise to respect my family, there’s a spare room in my home you can have.” He started the car, but before putting it in reverse, he thought of one more condition. “And you have to promise to stay in your room every Thursday evening.”
“What happens on Thursdays?” Ben asked.
“Naked dinner with my partners,” he stated, smiling to himself.
Chapter Seven
Rio stood in the doorway, scratching his head, when he felt a warm, tight body push up against him from behind. “Morning.”
“I woke up to an empty bed,” Nate said, pressing his cheek against Rio’s bare back.
“I have to be at The Gym early, so I wanted to make sure the room was ready.” The call from Ryan the previous day had sent them into a frenzy, trying to outfit the room and en suite to make them handicap accessible.
Nate moved to squeeze in between Rio and the doorframe. “It looks good. Don’t worry.”
“I’m not comfortable around parents,” Rio admitted. “What if he doesn’t like me?”
“Then he’s a fool. Because you have the biggest heart I’ve ever known.”
Rio hugged Nate. “Ryan won’t admit it, but this means a lot to him.” The call had broken Rio’s heart, but more than the story of what his father had gone through, it was the raw emotions of pure sadness in Ryan’s voice that affected him the most. Ryan was the strong one. He’d always made sure he was the rock in every storm their partnership had weathered, and now that Ryan needed someone else to be strong, Rio prayed he wouldn’t let him down.
“How long do you think Ben’ll stay?” Nate asked. “Not that I have a problem with it, I just hope I remember to put on clothes when I get up in the morning.”
The idea of Nate not walking around the house naked at all times of the day was something they’d all have to get used to. “From what Ryan said, his dad’s given up on life, so he doesn’t expect him to be around much longer.”
“I hope I don’t say something wrong. You know my filter doesn’t always work. What if I say something like, so, Ryan tells us you stuffed your dead dad in a cave?”
Rio couldn’t help but laugh.
Nate bobbed his head and pointed his finger at Rio. “You’re laughing because you know I’ll say something stupid like that, right?”
Rio shut Nate up with a deep kiss. “I’ll admit, you do have a filter problem at times, but Ryan loves that about you as much as I do. If you do say something that’s inappropriate, we’ll forgive you.”
“Yeah, but will Ryan’s dad,” Nate mumbled.
* * * *
After Ben’s white-knuckled plane ride to Wyoming, he slept during the drive to Cattle Valley. Nate had wanted to meet Ryan and his dad at The Canoe, but Ryan felt a more private introduction was necessary, besides, although his dad hadn’t complained, Ryan could tell he was in a lot of pain.
Ryan had found it relatively easy to tell his dad that he was gay and living with two men. It wasn’t that he’d been in the closet growing up, but his dad hadn’t earned the right to know anything about who he was as a person.
Ben’s reaction to the news had really thrown Ryan off balance. He’d simply nodded and continued packing. Ryan prayed the transition would be that easy, but his feelings about his dad were still all over the place. He reached over and laid a hand on his father’s shoulder. He could’ve taken the back roads to the house and bypassed downtown, but he was proud of his community and wanted to show it off a little. “Dad? We’re almost there.”
Ben blinked several times before sitting up straighter in the seat. “Where are we?” “This is Cattle Valley.” Ryan drove down Main Street, pointing things out as he went.
“That’s Brynn’s Bakery, the best cinnamon rolls in the country, bar none.”
“I don’t usually eat sweets.” Ben glanced at Ryan. “But I’ll try one if you really
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