Chapter 13

 

 

 

“You have a real knack with them, you know that?” Len turned to look at Cliff as he scratched Misty’s nose. The two of them were alone in the barn. The afternoon storm had already passed. “They really seem to trust you,” Cliff added.

“I think it’s because I give them treats.”

Cliff moved much closer. “I think it’s because you have a good heart, and they can sense that.”

Oh, he liked that. Liked having Cliff close to him, and he really liked the possessive, sexy leer on Cliff’s face.

“Come on, Len—you have a kind, caring heart. Why do you think Geoffy loves you so much?” He stepped a little closer, and Len turned from the horse and looked him in the eye, waiting. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Cliff. If you never say it again, I’ll understand, but you have to say it once. I need to hear it. But only if you mean it.”

Cliff stepped even closer, his feet almost touching Len’s, heat from his body radiating across the space between them, close enough he could feel Cliff’s breath against his face. “Yes, I mean it. That’s why it’s so hard to say, because once it’s said I can’t take it back.” Cliff brought his lips so close to Len’s he could feel their warmth. “I love you, Len Parker.”

A sound in the yard broke the spell, and they reluctantly separated, each huffing slightly at the interruption, but neither of them was ready for their relationship to become public knowledge.

Len looked toward the door as Cliff whispered, “We need to talk about this, you know.” Len turned back to Cliff and nodded as a group of kids that Len recognized as some of Nicole’s students descended on the barn, laughing and giggling as they separated and started grooming their horses. Len wasn’t surprised to see Nicole following right behind them.

She walked right up to Len, seeing the puzzled look on his face. “I didn’t have time to cancel the lesson. The storm came up too quickly, but I figured they could spend some time grooming their horses and getting their tack ready for the fair next month.”

“Ah. I figured the ring was too wet for them, but it should be all right by tomorrow.” He led Nicole through the barn, taking a quick glance at Cliff as he did. “I fixed the drainage problem in the far section.” He pointed across the ring. “You can see it looks good now. If it doesn’t rain more tonight, you should be able to use it tomorrow with no problem.”

“I’m not counting on it. They’re calling for more storms tonight, and I’ve already canceled my lessons for tomorrow morning.” Len nodded, and Nicole continued. “I got a call from Padgett saying he’s in the process of rebuilding his barn. He said we could move our horses back in about a month.”

“Oh.” That was a huge blow to Len, who hadn’t realized that the deal with Nicole was only temporary.

“I told him that we’d be staying right here. You keep this barn so clean, and the horses are wonderfully cared for, I couldn’t ask for a better place.” Len couldn’t keep the smile off his face as she leaned close. “Besides, just between you and me, I’ve never liked old man Padgett. He’s too closed-minded, if you know what I mean.”

Len wasn’t sure, but he was hoping he did. He really wanted to ask her what she meant, but one of her students pulled her away before he could ask. He turned and went back inside, meeting Cliff on his way.

“Mari was just about to leave. She asked me to say hi, and she told me that Geoff drove her crazy all day asking for you and wanting a ‘hossey wide’.” Len smiled at Cliff’s imitation of his son. “Do you have time?”

Len chuckled. “Sure. I have time. I haven’t unsaddled Misty from our ride.”

God, the grin on Cliff’s face was worth a mint. “I’ll go get him. Thanks.” Cliff looked around and saw all the people in the barn, leaned forward, and whispered. “I’ll give you your thank-you later.”

Len had to stop himself from quivering with anticipation and drooling as he watched Cliff’s tight, jeans-encased butt move away.

“He’s something isn’t he?” He turned, looking square into Nicole’s eyes. Shit, she’d seen him looking, and he didn’t know what to say. Nicole just smiled at him and patted his shoulder as she yelled to all her students, “Meet me in the tack room in ten minutes.”

“Geoff, slow down!” Len saw a small streak race through the barn door and down the aisle followed by a smiling and laughing Cliff. Damn, the smile he got shot right to his groin.

“Wen, hossey wide.” Len squatted down and scooped Geoff into his arms to peals of laughter and little boy giggles.

“Yes. You can have a horsey ride.”

“Yay!” Geoff did some sort of squirmy happy dance in Len’s arms.

Len handed the wiggling boy to Cliff. “I need to go get Misty, and I’ll lead you and Geoff around the yard. Do you have a camera? I’ll take a picture of the two of you.”

“I’ll go get it and be right back.” Cliff carried Geoff with him, and Len opened Misty’s stall and walked her out of the barn and onto the lawn. Cliff met him, carrying both Geoff and the camera.

He put Geoff down and slipped the camera around Len’s neck before mounting Misty and settling in the saddle. Len handed Geoff up to him and waited until he was settled before starting to lead Misty around the yard.

Geoff was having a ball, yelling, “Go, hossey, go,” giggling, and smiling. After leading her toward the fence, Len stopped and handed Cliff the reins. Stepping back, he opened the camera and snapped a number of pictures of father and son together on the horse.

“Can you image him when he’s a little older riding his first P-O-N-Y?”

Cliff grinned. “I had a P-O-N-Y when I was five. I got her for my birthday. Her name was Sugar, and she was the sweetest thing. I loved her to death. The first night I got her, I asked if I could sleep in the barn with her, ’cause ‘She’d get lonely.’”

To Geoff’s obvious dismay, Cliff lifted the youngster off Misty’s back and handed him to Len. “You ride, and I’ll lead you around for a while.” Len mounted the horse, and Cliff handed up Geoff, who immediately settled down once he’d gotten what he wanted. Cliff snapped some pictures of them before taking a turn leading them around the yard.

“Hi, guys. Would you like me to get a picture of the three of you?”

Len turned and saw Mari coming out of the house. “I thought you’d left.”

“I was just about to when I saw you giving rides.”

Cliff turned to his sister. “Would you like a turn?”

“After I get pictures of the three of you.” Cliff handed Len the reins and stood next to Misty, and Mari snapped a number of pictures. Then they all changed places, and Len led Mari and Geoff around the yard after the requisite pictures while Cliff went inside to start dinner.

As he led Mari and Geoff around the yard, a thought struck him. Cliff loved him, and Geoff loved him. Being gay, the one thing he never thought he’d have was a family of his own. Granted, it was really Ruby’s family, but deep in his heart, he knew she wouldn’t mind. In fact, she’d be pleased that her family was being taken care of by someone she cared about.

After a few last turns around the yard, Mari handed Geoff down and dismounted. “Thank you. I haven’t been on a horse in a while.”

“Why don’t you ride? The horses need to be exercised, and if you let me know, I can have one ready for you.”

“Do you ride much, Len?”

“Cliff and I go three or four times a week.” He most certainly wasn’t going to tell her where they rode or what they did, and he definitely wasn’t going to invite her along.

“I know.” Mari got this weird look in her eye. “You and Cliff both return from those rides happy and, ah… very relaxed.” There was a wicked smirk on her face. Len had to tell himself that there was no way Mari could know what they were doing, that she was just being funny. But he still got a very unsettled feeling in his stomach. “I should get going.” She walked to her car and quickly drove off as Len walked Misty back to her stall, unsaddled her, and got her ready for the night.

Once everything was set, he walked to the back door and knocked lightly. Cliff appeared almost immediately and opened it. “You don’t need to knock; just come on in.”

Len walked inside and closed the screen door after him. “I need to call Mom and let her know I won’t be home.”

“What are you going to tell her?” Cliff suddenly looked very concerned.

“The truth: that I’ll be home tomorrow morning. She knows about me and how I feel about you.”

“She does?” Cliff’s surprised look was priceless.

“Yes, I told her a few years ago. She was super-supportive and understanding. Looking back on it, I don’t know why I was so scared that she wouldn’t understand. She has always been a great mom, and I wondered afterward if I thought she’d suddenly stop being a great mom because I was gay.” Fear makes you do stupid things.

Cliff returned to his cooking. “I wish I’d had your courage.”

“Things worked out for the best. You had Ruby, and you’ve got Geoff because of the choices you made. I’d say you made out pretty well.”

“I guess I did.” Len slipped his arms around Cliff’s waist, pressing his chest to Cliff’s back. “I really did.”

The sound of toy car crashes and “broom, brooms” interrupted their romantic interlude, and Len nipped at Cliff’s ear before releasing him and going to find Geoff in the living room.

Cars were strewn everywhere along with toy horses, trucks, blocks, and everything else he’d been playing with. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you to put your toys back in the toy box when you were done?” Geoff just looked up at him with big eyes and shook his head. “Well, then, why don’t we put the toys you aren’t playing with in your toy box? That way, you’ll be able to find them.”

Len began picking up all the blocks, putting them in their bag and then putting it into the toy box. “I bet I can pick up more cars than you can.” Len began racing around the living room, picking up cars and putting them in the box. Geoff followed Len’s lead and began running around, his little legs and diapered butt just flying. “I’m gonna pick up more than you.”

Scream and giggles floated through the room. “No you not! I’m beadin you.” He continued zipping around on his little legs.

Len noticed Cliff standing in the doorway trying to keep himself from laughing as Len tricked Geoff into picking up and putting away his toys. “Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes.”

Len smiled as the last of the cars disappeared into the toybox. “Let’s get the horses into their stable.” Len found a cloth bag that still held a few solemn horses, and he held it out as Geoff ran around picking up all the animals and putting them in the bag. They’d just finished when Cliff called them to dinner.

Geoff ran into the kitchen, and Cliff lifted him into his chair and placed his dinner on the tray before putting a heaping plate in front of Len. They’d just started eating when the phone rang. Cliff answered it and then handed the receiver to Len. “It’s your mom.” His voice had that fake “you’re-in-trouble” tone.

“Hi, Mom.”

“Are you coming home for dinner?”

“I’m sorry. I got busy here and forgot to call.” He felt like a little kid. “I’ll be home in the morning.”

The line was quiet. “Oh.” Was she angry? “Well, it’s about time. I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”

“I love you too. Sleep well.” He heard his mother laugh as she hung up the phone. Len handed the receiver back to Cliff, and he hung it up.

“Is everything okay?”

Len grinned back at him. “It’s just fine.”

Geoff began talking really fast and seemed to be trying to tell them all about his day, but they could only understand part of it. It didn’t matter, though.

“We close on Mari’s house next week.” Cliff seemed so relieved and happy, with no sign of the grump bucket he’d been earlier in the day.

“That’s great. So does that mean you’ll be able to make it to harvest?”

“Yeah, and with the price of corn, we just might manage to have a good year.”

“I’ll second that.” They raised their water glasses, and Geoff raised his sippy cup, and they toasted with smiles and laughter.

After dinner, Cliff took Geoff upstairs and gave him his bath before getting him ready for bed. Len sat in the living room and watched television, such as it was. With only two, sometimes three stations, there wasn’t much variety.

“Len,” Cliff called from the top of the stairs. “Geoff wants you to read him a story.” With a smile, Len turned off the television and went upstairs, following Cliff to Geoff’s bedroom.

He was already tucked in bed, hugging a stuffed mouse, eyes gleaming expectantly at Len. “What story would you like?” There was a crib still in one corner of the room leading Len to believe that Geoff had recently graduated to his big-boy bed.

“George.”

Cliff handed him a well-loved copy of Curious George, and Len sat on the edge of the bed and began to read. By the time he finished the story, Geoff was asleep. Cliff kissed his son gently on the head before turning out the light and leading them out of the room and down the hall.

“I need to close up the house, but I’ll be right back.” Cliff opened the door to his bedroom and thumped down the stairs. Len went into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Cliff. A few minutes later, he heard him climb the stairs again. Cliff appeared in the doorway looking sexy as hell, and then he was in Len’s arms, kissing him hard and pressing him back onto the mattress.

 

 

Len woke as thunder rumbled in the distance, a stiff breeze fluttering the bedroom curtains. As he watched, lightning flashed, and a louder rumble of thunder sounded—a deep roll that shook and vibrated the very earth itself. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. The thunder woke me up.” Cliff made a deep throaty sound and then moved closer, their legs entwining as their lips found the others. Lightning flashed again, and then a sharper clap of thunder sounded in the distance.

“Daddy!” The door to the room, which Cliff had left cracked so he could hear Geoff, was pushed open. “Daddy?”

“Yes, Geoff.” Tiny steps raced across the room, and then a small body climbed onto the bed. Both men quickly fished for their underwear, pulling them on under the covers as Geoff, still carrying his stuffed mouse, burrowed under the covers between them.

“Night, Daddy. I wuv you.” Len heard Geoff kiss his dad on the cheek. Then Geoff rolled over. “Night, Wen. I wuv you.” Then he felt Geoff kiss his cheek, and the small body rolled onto his side, hugging his mouse to him. Len smiled and stretched his arm up over Geoff’s head, and he felt Cliff’s hand slide into his.