Ranch Manny - B.A. Tortuga Page 0,75

Your guy’s into it, I’m in. No question.”

“Thanks, Hal.” He had the best friends.

“Anything, boss. You know that.”

And Hal was right. He did.

“Have your coffee, man. We’ll get your recliner set up.”

“I got this. You want to play poker? We can play for pretzels.”

“I do. Let me check in on all the people.” He hated to ignore Trace’s folks.

“Make sure you deal me and Jack in.” Allison came back with a pile of blankets. “We love to play.”

“I will, then. Thanks for all your help.” He could see where Trace got his need to be busy.

“You have your hands full, it seems like.”

“We do. Poor Trace got thrown in the deep end, but he’s amazing.” If he had a bigger word for amazing, he’d use it.

“He’s been through a lot, what with being threatened, losing Susannah’s mother, and all. I was stunned that he didn’t try to get another teacher position.”

Brent blinked. “Well, I reckon he thought if he was gonna get let go in Austin, it would be hard to get work.” Was she trying to make a point or something?

“I’m sure he had his reasons. I hate that he went to school so long to not be teaching, but…”

“Mom. I’m teaching now. It’s a smaller number of kids and a bigger classroom.”

“Well, yes. I just—”

“Mom.” Trace said it firmly, and Allison clamped her mouth shut. He gave his mother a smile and a shake of the head. “I’m happy, okay?”

“Well, that’s good.” She smiled, reaching out, and Trace took her hand.

“Come on, you card shark. Let’s see how long it takes you to clean these cowboys out.”

“Ha!” She pushed up her sleeves. “I’ll fleece them all.”

That was adorable. Seriously.

Brent grinned. “Hal might have met his match.”

“Nonsense. I need those M&M’s way more than she does.”

“Wait, you were gonna play me for pretzels, but for her you’ll break out the M&M’s?”

Hal gave him a duh look. “She’s company.”

Trace cracked up, laughing good and hard. “Lord have mercy.”

Hal winked. “Come on, ma’am. Let’s get playing.”

Brent breathed a sigh of relief that the conversation about Trace’s job was over. Thank God all he had to do now was win some M&M’s.

Not too many. Just enough not to be embarrassed.

Chapter 23

“Oh damn, that smells good.” His pop sniffed the air, rubbing his belly. “Anything I can do to help?”

Trace was just hoping for a little sunshine and a nice cookout, but he’d take all the help he could get. “You want to boil eggs? I’m hoping the rain holds off until later so the kids can play in the hose.”

“You got it. Your mom is doing crafts right now.”

“Oh? Rock on.” She did love glitter and glue and stuff as much as any kid.

“Yes. They’re making fireworks mobiles.”

Firework mobiles. Cool. How come he was cooking? “That’s great. We’ll hang them up in here.” He was tickled shitless that she had folded all the kids in, but worried that she wasn’t proud of the work he was doing. He wanted to believe he was making a life for him and Susannah as well as doing a job. Was he even doing a job anymore? Or was he building a life? He shook his head. Maybe he ought to talk to Brent.

“So. You do want me to boil eggs, or do you not?” His dad was staring.

“What? Yes, a dozen.” Hadn’t he said that?

“Well, you started shaking your head. Arguing with mom in your mind?” Pop winked.

He stared. How did Dad do that?

“I do it all the time. Better to practice.” Dad got out the eggs. “But don’t let her make you second-guess.”

“I’m not. It’s weird, you know? I love being here with him, with the kids. I feel like I’m still making a difference. Don’t you think so?”

“I do. I love these kids. Your mom just sets a very high store in working outside the home.”

Yeah, Mom really valued education and application of said education to work. Trace privately thought there was a little guilt there, like he hadn’t had the best childhood ever.

Still, he knew Brent’s kids were happier, Curly was safer, and Susannah felt as if she had a family now.

And he had Brent.

That was…well, it was huge.

He didn’t think it was just a matter of two gay men coming into each other’s circles. He thought they had real chemistry and a real desire to be together.

“Anyway, stick to your guns. I think this is a better situation than you had in Austin.”

“Gee, thanks.” Especially since his last year had been