Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,47

the kids. “How many pancakes, Jakob?”

“Five.”

Trace looked to Brent for verification.

Brent nodded. Jakob would run them off. Hell, he’d feed some to the dog. “Caro can have two.”

“Cool.” Trace moved like a whirlwind, feeding kids and cutting “fluffy cakes” with abandon.

He watched for a long moment, admiring Trace in more ways than one. Curly caught him staring, and his cheeks heated, but Brent grinned, completely unashamed.

He got a thumbs-up. Well, sort of. Half of Curly’s thumb had been lost in a roping pen and it sort of listed with the arthritis, but Brent got the idea.

Yeah. The guys just wanted him to be happy. They were family, and he’d been out with them forever.

And Trace was…like this odd wonder sent from God to help him. That was his story and he was sticking to it.

Brent poured himself another coffee, and when he sat, the perfect plate appeared in front of him. “Thanks,” he murmured.

“You’re welcome.” He got a quick smile, a blush.

“Oh yum!” Susannah leaned close to him. “They’re good. Curly? Curly, did you get some? They’re yummy.”

Curly was bouncing Daisy, who was awake now, and looking. “I’m working on it, baby girl.”

“Here, let me take Daisy,” Brent said. Curly hated the idea he’d drop her.

Daisy reached for him, gurgling and cooing, and Brent had no doubt—none—that she was telling him all about it.

He took her, staring down into her little face. “Uh-huh. Really?”

Her smile broke out like the sunshine. “Da!”

“Hey, baby girl. Can you sit over in this arm while I eat fluffy cakes?” He switched her to his left hand.

“Da. Dada. Dada!”

All of them, from oldest to youngest, cracked up at little Daisy.

Harold got him some more pancakes, and so did Trace, so Brent reckoned he’d done well. And everyone was smiling. Happy. Days like today needed savoring.

And they still had ice cream to go.

God, he loved his life. His family seemed to feel the same.

Jesus, he prayed, please let this be real. Please. Thank you. Amen.

Chapter 14

Supper was quick and easy, as the kids were exhausted. They enjoyed their hot dogs from the grill, and he loved watching Brent make them both burgers after everyone went down after their baths.

Even the cowboys had gone on to watch TV together, leaving them alone. Trace was starting to crave alone time with Brent.

Brent glanced up, and that smile lit his face. “You okay?”

“I am. I was admiring your butt in those jeans.” He could say that, right?

“Oh.” Brent sorta tried to peer at his own butt, which was hilarious. “Thanks.”

He wasn’t sure if they were going to spend the night together again, but he hoped so. He wanted to try again, to touch again. In fact, he’d been distracted over it more than once during the day.

“Cheese, honey?” Brent asked. He slapped cheese down on one burger.

“Please. It smells so good.”

“Mmm. Man burn meat.” More cheese went down, then Brent put the lightly oiled buns on the far side of the grate before closing the cover. “Needs a minute.” Brent wandered over to bend down and kiss him.

Oh.

Oh, thank God.

He caught Brent by the back of the neck and pushed up into the connection, kissing back with all the passion he had.

When they broke for air, Brent blinked, licking his lips. “Well, hello there, honey. You been hiding that all day?”

“I have. I’ve been having thoughts.”

“I like that. Let me save the burgers, and you can tell me all about it.” Brent moved back to the grill, pulled off the burgers, then turned off the gas. “Voilà.”

“Sounds perfect. Do you want mustard, mayo? Chips?”

“Mustard please. I got pickles and tomatoes.”

“Oh, good man.” Trace beamed. They really worked well together. Even the kids thought so. Curly had been winking at him all day, so he imagined someone else agreed.

They fixed the burgers, grabbed their Cokes, and went to sit on the double swing. That way they were in the shadows, but they would hear the kids.

Brent leaned on him, not so much that he couldn’t eat, but enough to feel that warmth through the Wrangler snap shirt. “You have a good day, honey? I loved the bathing suit thing.”

“I did. I can’t believe how Daisy loved that ice cream. She was cracking my shit up.” That baby had squealed and kicked and cried for more.

“It’s like crack. It pulls them in young. She has opinions, my girl.”

“God yes.” He stole a chip, because they’d decided to share. “Do y’all have a big to-do for the Fourth?”

They’d always gone to Galveston