even given anyone a second glance. But this time…I’m attracted. Strongly.”
He felt his cheeks heat as if he were confessing infidelity. “It’s more than that. There’s a connection that is so deep it feels hard-wired. I think he feels it too. And I just wanted to talk it over with you, so you knew I hadn’t forgotten you. I’m never going to be ‘over’ you. But I’m lonely and Drew, and my wolf won’t shut up until I give this a try. Can you forgive me? And give me a sign if you’re still here?”
Russ waited, listening in the silent cemetery. The breeze kicked up, rustling his hair, and carried on it a hint of leather and bay rum, both scents he associated with Anthony.
“Thank you,” he murmured brokenly. “You know I’ll always love you.” He pressed his fingers to his lips, then to the cold granite.
Russ stood, murmuring goodbye, and taking a ragged breath to collect himself. Movement at the tree line behind the cemetery caught his eye, and he saw a flash of red.
Was that a fox? Could it have been Liam?
Foxes were as common up here as bear, bobcats, and “regular” wolves. Most of the animals in the forest weren’t shifters, although the longer someone lived in Fox Hollow, the harder it became to remember that. Then again, if the bond that seemed to be forming between him and Liam was truly as strong as he suspected, it might not be odd at all for Liam to be drawn to a place where Russ was experiencing strong emotions. There was no good way to ask, but Russ promised himself he’d be alert for opportunities to confirm his hunch.
By the time he got to the cabin, Russ felt like he’d gotten his emotions under control. He parked and took a couple of deep breaths before he got the case of beer out of the back. The cabin had belonged to a friend of their grandfather’s, his “quiet place” to go fishing. Sometimes their grandfather would bring them with him when he and his buddy came up for the weekend.
Then Russ grew up and came out, and his family fractured. Drew sided with him; the rest of the pack didn’t. His grandfather’s friend must have disagreed because he found Russ and offered him a good deal on the cabin, which he wasn’t using anymore. Russ and Drew needed a place to live, and that just sealed the decision to move to Fox Hollow.
They built onto the cabin, expanding it and modernizing, to make it a year-round home instead of a vacation place, and adding enough elbow room that they weren’t tripping over each other.
When Russ and Anthony married, Russ moved into Anthony’s house, a tidy little two-story closer to town. Then the wreck happened only three years later. Anthony had left the house to Russ, but he couldn’t bear to live there alone.
Drew invited him back to the cabin, Russ sold the house, and here they were—two bachelor brothers. Maybe it was the need to keep pack close, or just wanting his family, but Russ had found the same safe space in the cabin to heal after Anthony’s death that he and Drew had both found when they’d left home.
Time to stop thinking, play a little poker, and chill out, he thought, hefting the case of beer as he juggled his keys. Drew saw him coming and opened the door.
“Took you long enough. I thought you had already bought the beer?” Drew groused as Russ set his burden down on the floor and took off his coat and shoes in the entranceway. Then he carried the beer to the kitchen and moved bottles into the cooler of ice Drew had ready.
“Took a while to lock up,” Russ replied, not looking away from his task.
“You went to see Anthony.” Drew’s quiet voice stopped Russ mid-motion.
Russ closed his eyes and swallowed, then nodded. “Yeah. You know me pretty well.”
“Did it help?” Drew understood. He sounded concerned.
“I think so. But, there’s nothing to tell yet about Liam and me. I’m probably jumping to all kinds of conclusions,” Russ replied, and his wolf growled, quick to contradict him.
“I don’t think so. Neither do you.”
“Unfortunately, we have absolutely no idea what Liam thinks.” Russ sensed mutual attraction, but that didn’t mean Liam would be open to exploring more than friendship.
“So…find out.”
“We’re having coffee together tomorrow morning.”
Drew slapped him on the shoulder as Russ finished with the cooler and stood up. “Good for you!”
Russ rolled