it. There was something about him that Toby wanted to absorb beneath his skin. Which was creepy and bizarre but true.
They’d grown even closer after Brooks treated them to burgers, fries, and milkshakes at a local diner. The girls loved being the center of their attention. Toby adored it too.
Then they went back to his cottage and unpacked his books. The girls looked at the covers and asked him a million questions. By the time they finished putting all of the books on the shelves, they’d picked The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for reading time.
They cuddled on the couch in a big pile while Toby read the first chapter. Then they walked the girls back to the compound and tucked them into bed in the big bunk-bed-filled room most of the children shared. Toby walked around and spoke to all the kids who were still awake, his heart fuller than it had ever been.
And then Brooks had kissed his cheek and walked him home, and… it was one of the best nights of Toby’s entire life. Then Brooks asked him on a bowling date for the following night, and Toby just… he’d never felt like this before. After Brooks left, Toby had scribbled in his journal for about two hours, trying to capture in words the feelings he had for this man, these kids, this place.
It was… indescribable, yet he desperately tried to make sense of his feelings so he could possibly figure them out himself. Everything was still a muddled mess in his mind, but he felt better at least.
Morning came again, and once more, Brooks had slept outside the cottage in his truck. Toby had offered him the couch, but his heart had nervously skipped a beat when he did it. Brooks stroked his jaw and grinned, then lied and said he’d be more comfortable in his truck.
“You okay?” Brooks whispered. His hand rested against the small of Toby’s back, a warm, solid weight that brought him back to the present.
Toby nodded. “Thank you for tonight. Well, and last night.”
It took him a second to realize Riggs and Victor had stopped fussing at each other and looked at them.
Toby blushed. “We went out for burgers. And then we read to the girls.”
Victor’s glare softened. “We do that too. We could use some book recommendations.”
“I can help with that. I have a list of great read-aloud books.”
Victor smiled. “Excellent. And I’m going to go change, since apparently I’m overdressed. I’ll be back in a moment.”
“Finally,” Riggs griped.
Victor glared over his shoulder, but Riggs merely smirked and waved innocently.
Toby snickered and leaned into Brooks again.
“Excited?”
Toby nodded and looked up at Brooks. His breath caught at the warm affection he could see in Brooks’s eyes. “I really want to see Nick bowling.”
“You aren’t the only one,” Riggs said. “Wanna place bets on how much destruction he’s going to cause?”
Brooks groaned. “No, because I do repairs for the bowling alley, and I don’t want to think about it.”
Riggs cracked up.
“You know,” Toby said, “Riggs is in construction too. I’m sure he can help.”
And that had Brooks laughing. “He’s got you there, Riggs.”
Victor came back out dressed in a polo shirt and trousers. “What’s so funny?”
“Nick’s gonna destroy the bowling alley. We’re placing bets.”
“That’s a sucker bet. I’ve already set aside a budget for repairs.”
They all laughed as Riggs led them to a shiny black SUV and opened the passenger door for Victor. Brooks and Toby climbed into the back seat.
“Excuse any crumbs,” Riggs said. “I had to take out the car seats.”
“Crumbs?” Victor asked with another of his ominous eyebrow arches.
“What? No. I meant… um, no there won’t be any crumbs. No way do I let the boys have snacks in the car.” Riggs met Toby’s eyes in the rearview mirror, begging for help.
“We don’t eat in the car.” Victor’s matter-of-fact statement had Toby biting his lip.
“Not a crumb in sight.” Brooks quickly dusted the very present crumbs off the seat.
“Hmph.”
“Are they always like this?” Toby whispered.
He knew good and well that they could both hear him. But it served its purpose and Victor spun around to glare.
It faded moments later, once Victor realized Toby had done his distraction thing again. “You’re sneaky.”
“Only a little.”
“Hmph.”
“Have you really never been bowling?” Toby knew he risked Victor’s wrath by asking, but he couldn’t help himself.
“No.”
Riggs coughed suspiciously, drawing his mate’s ire once again.
“You know,” Victor said, his smile suddenly so bright it honestly scared Toby a little bit, “I was thinking of