Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,13
Cherry Creek resident, Collin, approaching with a to-go cup clenched in his large fist.
Collin and his two lovers had caused a little bit of a stir when they’d breezed into Cherry Creek a few years prior. Cherry Creek had always been a more open and accepting small town, the trio was probably safer from judgement there than anywhere else. But they were new, and different, and it had taken Collin a while to wear what he had with Simon down into something like a friendship. Simon didn’t mind now. He liked Collin, and he liked Spencer and Max. He liked the way Collin always seemed to know what to say when Simon felt like he was teetering too close to the edge of a cliff.
Collin offered a smile when Simon looked at him, the turn of his lips tugging at his freshly trimmed beard. He was every bit a mountain man in his faded jeans and flannel shirt, and Simon loved that about him. “You’re late, you know. You missed all the drama.” Collin nodded toward what Simon now realized was a pile of glass swept into the corner near the Rugelach’s back tire.
“Was someone hurt?” Simon asked, eyes going wide.
Collin laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “Nah. Just Cameron attempting to make a bigger deal than he was capable.” Collin pulled out his phone and showed Simon the forty second video of the youngest Motel brother, Cameron, trying and failing to break a champagne bottle against the side of the truck.
“I hope he didn’t scratch the paint,” were the first words that tumbled from Simon’s lips when the bottle finally broke and everyone cheered, and he groaned at himself. He was such a damned kill-joy, it was better that he missed it all.
Collin didn’t seem bothered though. His smile softened and he threw his arm around Simon’s neck after tucking his phone away. “Levi seems like he’s enjoying the new ride.”
Simon rolled his eyes, but he also couldn’t help his smile. “I think so.”
“You’re not hurting for help are you? With him gone?” Collin dropped his arm and shrugged. “I could always come in and lend a hand.”
Simon raised a brow. “Getting bored of retirement already?”
Collin pulled a face, but his eyes kept his smile. “A man can only take so much goat milking before he starts to feel a bit nutty. But I mean that honestly, mate. If you need a hand…”
“I have Kyle,” Simon said, but he scowled as the kid’s name fell past his lips, and he rolled his eyes. Kyle wasn’t bad, per se, just a bit useless. “It’s working well enough.”
In truth, he could have used the extra hands, but after paying off the truck and Levi’s business license, and handing off the couple thousand dollars for start-up, he had no money for anything. He was barely keeping the lights on as it was. It was worth it, but for how long?
Collin looked dubious, but he clapped Simon’s shoulder again, not paying attention to the way the touch made Simon flinch. “Just let me know, yeah?”
Simon nodded. “Of course. I should go say hi to my brother. See you in a bit?”
Collin tipped him a wave, then made his way back to the pen where one of Collin’s boyfriends, Max, was kneeling down, talking a small girl into extending a handful of baby carrots for the black goat to eat. It was sweet, it stirred a longing in him he hadn’t acknowledged in years. Not necessarily kids, but the idea of family beyond two strained brothers who had been orphaned.
He pushed those thoughts away, then headed to the truck and waited off to the side until the line cleared. He was deep in his thoughts when he heard someone clear their throat, and he looked up to see James leaning out the window with a croissant on a plate.
“Here,” James said.
Simon gave him a dubious look. It wasn’t like James to share food with him. It wasn’t really like James to acknowledge him at all unless it was to say what a shitty brother he was to Levi. “What is it?”
“It’s a fucking delicious baked good that your brother worked his ass off to create. Eat it and appreciate him.”
Simon started to reach for it, but Levi’s hand shot out and yanked James back. “Behave,” he warned. A new plate appeared a second later in Levi’s hands as he came out of the truck doors. “It was brie and bacon.”