wouldn’t know that my man had been one of the top surfers in the world for almost ten straight years. What I can’t figure out is why you retired while you were still winning.”
“Guess you didn’t read everything.” Van groaned. He knew Jon could easily find the answer if he looked for it, so he had little choice but to be honest. “I retired to coach Blain. I’d fallen in love with him by then, and I didn’t want to compete against him.”
“You were better than he was, weren’t you?” Jon asked.
“Yeah, and Blain’s ego was too fragile to handle it, so I retired and made him into a champion.” Van shook his head. “The pathetic part is that despite how it all ended up, I’d do it again.”
Jon was quiet for several moments. He eventually put his hand on Van’s thigh. “You don’t have to quit your job with Kai for me. You know that, right? We can make it work if we both want it enough.”
“I started coaching Kai because I was trying to find my way out of a really dark place. It still amazes me how it happened, how knowing Kai led me to Quade and Quade led me to Cattle Valley and Cattle Valley led me to you and you led me out of the darkness and back into the light.” Van rolled his eyes. “That sounded a lot cooler in my head as I was saying it, by the way.”
“I think it’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Tears filled Jon’s eyes. “Damn it, I promised myself that I wasn’t going to cry.”
Van brushed away Jon’s tears as they fell. “It says a lot about you that you still can. I haven’t cried since the day my father died.”
“Even after Blain?”
Van shook his head. “After Dad died. I started shutting down and pulling away when something had the potential to hurt me, but I didn’t cry.” He leaned over and kissed Jon’s neck. “That’s how I ended up in that dark place that you drew me out of.”
Jon followed the signs to the airport terminal parking lot.
“You don’t have to come in,” Van said.
“Yes, I do.” Jon pocketed the keys and opened his door. “I’d kiss you, but if we start I’m afraid I won’t let you go.”
Van climbed out of the pickup and retrieved his suitcase from behind the seat. He walked across the street with Jon to the small airport. Before getting in line to go through security, he moved to stand in front of Jon and pressed the phone into the man’s hand. “You should probably wait until you get home to look at those.”
Jon stared up at Van. “I love you,” he whispered, tears filling his eyes once more. “Thank you for taking a chance and coming to Wyoming.”
Despite the conservative population around them, Van pulled Jon into his arms and kissed him. “I love you, too.” He brushed his knuckles across the fading bruise on Jon’s cheek. “Call me.”
“I’ll probably call you so often you’ll get sick of me.”
“Not possible.” Van gave Jon another quick kiss before stepping back. “Take care of Bill, and let him know how much you love him.”
Jon waited until Van went through security. He waved and turned to leave.
“Jon!” Van shouted.
Jon stopped and turned around.
Van moved his hand from his heart to his lips and blew the man he loved a kiss. Jon answered by wiping more tears from his eyes. Much to his surprise, Van felt his eyes sting at the heartfelt response. Jon truly was the man to repair his broken soul.
Chapter Six
Jon was up and out of the house before Bill was up. He set out the cereal, a bowl and a spoon along with a short note. Restocking the stand. Back later. Love you, Jon.
He quickly picked another flat of tomatoes and loaded them into the truck with the other vegetables. The summer had been incredibly dry and the pickings were getting slim, but he felt confident that he had enough to get them through until the fall pumpkins and squash were ready to harvest.
It still amazed him how different he felt about himself and the farm since meeting and
“Guess you didn’t read everything.” Van groaned. He knew Jon could easily find the answer if he looked for it, so he had little choice but to be honest. “I retired to coach Blain. I’d fallen in love with him by then, and I didn’t want to compete against him.”
“You were better than he was, weren’t you?” Jon asked.
“Yeah, and Blain’s ego was too fragile to handle it, so I retired and made him into a champion.” Van shook his head. “The pathetic part is that despite how it all ended up, I’d do it again.”
Jon was quiet for several moments. He eventually put his hand on Van’s thigh. “You don’t have to quit your job with Kai for me. You know that, right? We can make it work if we both want it enough.”
“I started coaching Kai because I was trying to find my way out of a really dark place. It still amazes me how it happened, how knowing Kai led me to Quade and Quade led me to Cattle Valley and Cattle Valley led me to you and you led me out of the darkness and back into the light.” Van rolled his eyes. “That sounded a lot cooler in my head as I was saying it, by the way.”
“I think it’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Tears filled Jon’s eyes. “Damn it, I promised myself that I wasn’t going to cry.”
Van brushed away Jon’s tears as they fell. “It says a lot about you that you still can. I haven’t cried since the day my father died.”
“Even after Blain?”
Van shook his head. “After Dad died. I started shutting down and pulling away when something had the potential to hurt me, but I didn’t cry.” He leaned over and kissed Jon’s neck. “That’s how I ended up in that dark place that you drew me out of.”
Jon followed the signs to the airport terminal parking lot.
“You don’t have to come in,” Van said.
“Yes, I do.” Jon pocketed the keys and opened his door. “I’d kiss you, but if we start I’m afraid I won’t let you go.”
Van climbed out of the pickup and retrieved his suitcase from behind the seat. He walked across the street with Jon to the small airport. Before getting in line to go through security, he moved to stand in front of Jon and pressed the phone into the man’s hand. “You should probably wait until you get home to look at those.”
Jon stared up at Van. “I love you,” he whispered, tears filling his eyes once more. “Thank you for taking a chance and coming to Wyoming.”
Despite the conservative population around them, Van pulled Jon into his arms and kissed him. “I love you, too.” He brushed his knuckles across the fading bruise on Jon’s cheek. “Call me.”
“I’ll probably call you so often you’ll get sick of me.”
“Not possible.” Van gave Jon another quick kiss before stepping back. “Take care of Bill, and let him know how much you love him.”
Jon waited until Van went through security. He waved and turned to leave.
“Jon!” Van shouted.
Jon stopped and turned around.
Van moved his hand from his heart to his lips and blew the man he loved a kiss. Jon answered by wiping more tears from his eyes. Much to his surprise, Van felt his eyes sting at the heartfelt response. Jon truly was the man to repair his broken soul.
Chapter Six
Jon was up and out of the house before Bill was up. He set out the cereal, a bowl and a spoon along with a short note. Restocking the stand. Back later. Love you, Jon.
He quickly picked another flat of tomatoes and loaded them into the truck with the other vegetables. The summer had been incredibly dry and the pickings were getting slim, but he felt confident that he had enough to get them through until the fall pumpkins and squash were ready to harvest.
It still amazed him how different he felt about himself and the farm since meeting and
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