he stepped on it, because he could see the storm moving in a U shape.
They sang together all the way home, and the cowboys and Trace were waiting to help him unload. They got everything in just in time. The storm broke as they were taking in the last bags.
“All right!” Jakob hooted, which set the puppies to barking.
“Yeah! High fives, guys. Thanks for all your help.” Brent slapped hands all around. “Do we need to take the pups out?”
“Nope.” Bald Harold chuckled. “We heard thunder, and we made them all go.”
“Where are the girls?”
“In their rooms. Separately.” Trace didn’t sound amused. At all.
“Uh-oh.” He waved off the guys, who disappeared like smoke, even Jakob. “What happened?”
“They stole a bag of sugar, and I found them dipping slices of bread in and eating it in the sunporch.”
“Oh, ew.” That sounded like hell. “So they’re having time-out, huh?”
“They are. For sneaking the sugar. For making a mess. For drawing piss ants.”
“Damn. This rain is making us all nuts.” He offered a hug, arms open. He didn’t want to push it if Trace wanted to vent.
Trace came right to him. “Hey, babe. You should have seen them. They knew they were doing something wrong, you know? Seriously, they were infuriating.”
“Well, they’re going to try to be the big mean girls together sometimes.” He had faith in Trace. “You need me to talk to them anytime, you say.”
He loved Trace against him, holding on, that cheek on his shoulder. Such a perfect fit, and he wanted to stay right there.
“How was Jakob at the store? He was so excited to go.”
“He was great. He picked out dog beds, puppy pads, and some toys.” Brent chuckled. “He also fell face-first into the truck bed standing on the wheel well to load said dog stuff. I have no doubt he’ll have a shiner for your folks.”
“Oh, my first twenty years, there isn’t a picture I’m not scabbed or bruised or scraped. I was that boy.”
“Well then, at least they won’t accuse us of beating him.” Brent kissed the top of Trace’s head. “I got chicken fingers and mashed potatoes from the deli.”
“You are my best friend.” He got a hard squeeze. “Thank you. I’m so glad you got back before that storm hit. Seriously. It’s never going to dry out here.”
“The sky is green too. There was nothing on the radio, though, as far as warnings.”
Speaking of green, Trace’s face went a little bit that way. “Harold has been watching the TV for about twenty minutes, and there hasn’t been anything here either.”
“Good deal.” They didn’t get as many tornadoes as, say, Dallas, but they happened all over Central Texas, and some seasons were just bad.
“Yeah. Come on, cowboy, let’s put things away.”
“You got it.” Brent bumped hips with Trace, then started putting cold stuff on the counter from the bags. Trace had a system for the fridge. “So when do your folks come?”
“They’re driving in on the second and heading down to Galveston on the sixth.”
“Okay, cool.” He glanced over. “You got people there?”
“No, they love the seawall, and they’re going to take an eight-day cruise leaving on the eighth.”
“Wow. You ever been on one of them? I never have.” He wasn’t all the way sure how he’d feel with nothing but water all around him for as far as the eye could see.
“I haven’t. Mom and Dad started a couple of years ago, and they’re hooked.”
“Well, I hope they have fun.” Brent chewed his lip. “Do you need me to fix anything up? Is the house too run-down, you think?”
“Our house?” Trace blinked at him. “It’s perfect.”
Yeah. Their house. Goddamn. He might bust. “Oh, good. You’re cleaning an awful lot.” He didn’t want Trace ashamed of them.
“Just taking care of the bits and bobs I haven’t gotten to.”
“You need some more help this week? I know the rain’s been crazy.” More than that, he thought the rain was making Trace a little crazy.
“I need our daughters to behave and not steal sugar!” Trace winked at him.
“Okay. I’ll look at them and be stern.” That much he could do.
“Oh, that’ll break their little hearts. I give you three minutes.” Trace grinned at him, waggling his eyebrows.
“I’m strong.” He headed to Caro’s room first because for Susannah, being in her own wee room was punishment enough, really. He peered in the open door, which had to stay open as long as she was on time-out, a scowl planted on his face.
She looked at him, eyes