Love Him Free (On the Market #1) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,68
was the first real conversation he’d had with his lawyer in days, and instead of anything being close to solved, there were just more problems piled on. His head pounded a little at the temples, and he pushed up from the bed, glancing behind him to see if James followed.
He dressed quickly, slipped his hearing aids in and adjusted them so they’d filter out the more obnoxious sounds from being in public, then clipped James to his leash and set out for the walk. He could see how Simon worried about him getting bored in a small town like this. After a few weeks, it would be easy to exhaust what little there was to do. But two bigger cities were within a few hours’ drive, and frankly he wasn’t sure he’d ever balk at being in the mountains.
He was a California boy—born and bred. He grew up with his toes in the sand, with his feet on a board, with saltwater in his ears, nose, and eyes. The ocean—in some ways—would always be home. But this felt like something new and comforting in ways he didn’t expect.
Cherry Creek was by no means temperate. The high noon sun was hot on his bared arms, but there were enough trees to keep him shaded as he moved past the town square. He turned the corner, the way he’d gone when Simon had taken him to the market, and he saw the stall skeletons still set up with rolled tent flaps and pinned signs.
Tomorrow night, he’d be back. Simon had reluctantly agreed to let him help out both in the kitchen and at the booth, and he felt a sort of thrill to be allowed to step into Simon’s world. He felt the pressure to prove himself too. To prove that he was more than a spoiled rich diva.
He glanced down at James, then looked around to see if there was anywhere that might sell water for the dog. The fire station was across the street, and he half considered peeking into the building when he saw a familiar white truck with the metal shutters propped open, and a handful of people eating at folding card tables.
The Rebel Rugelach was the mark of Simon’s generosity—and maybe his self-sacrifice. Rocco knew he had never loved his brothers with the same intensity that Simon loved his—and he wasn’t sure if that made him a bad person or not. But he did take comfort in knowing that they felt the same way about him.
Pietro had been worried, and Lorenzo had stepped in when Rocco needed him, but neither had bothered to text and check in. The rest of his siblings had scattered after college, and being the baby, he hardly remembered any of them.
As he drew closer, he saw James—the human version, and Levi’s boyfriend—lean out of the truck and hand something down to a little girl who grinned and moved back to her table. Rocco softened. James had a hardness to him which Rocco noticed first, but that wasn’t the only thing. It couldn’t be. No one as angry as James seemed would have upended his life to take over running a Lodge with his brothers like that.
Rocco only knew the bare bones of the story—the bits and pieces Simon shared with him during long nights of talking about everything and nothing—but it was enough. Rocco certainly wouldn’t have done it. So maybe it really was him that was the problem in his life.
A hand tapped Rocco on the shoulder, and he startled, turning to find Charlie there holding onto his dog’s leash. Rocco couldn’t help his grin as he dropped to his knees, giving the dog a thorough scratch before smiling up at Charlie.
“Taking a walk?” he asked.
Charlie shrugged. “Needed to think,” he said. Or something like that, but Rocco had only caught part of it. ‘This is Pumpkin,’ he spelled.
Rocco grinned and gave the dog another scratch before he stood up. “Do you think your bother has water for James?” Rocco signed water, and Charlie copied him, then nodded and gestured for Rocco to follow him. James trotted right alongside Pumpkin, obviously excited to make a new best friend, and Rocco kept his gaze mostly fixed on the truck.
James noticed them first, his eyes widening, then going narrow. He elbowed Levi and leaned in to say something which had Levi spinning in place, gaze fixed on Rocco as they came to a stop at the window.