“What?” Connor snapped. “How can you…why would you even ask me that?”
“Because I’m worried about you. Because you sound unhappy.”Because I’ve spent the last fifteen years making you happy, asshole, and I don’t want to stop now.
“Early. I’m here all alone, and I miss you and the boys. I know nothing about ranching, and I don’t know what my future looks like. I just gave notice at a job that I…” Connor sighed. “Yes, I’m a little unhappy alone, and I’m a little terrified, but I’m ready to do this for you.”
“I understand how that feels.” And that was true. He hadn’t known how to be a dad, he had never been able to use his degree for a single day, and he’d spent years swinging between exhausted and scared. He meant every word.
“I know, honey. So, I won’t vent to you anymore, and you won’t ask me if I want to stay in Denver again.”
“You can vent. It sucks. This sucks being apart. It sucks having you there and not here. The boys miss you. I. Miss. You.”
“Good. Keep missing me. And I’ll keep missing you, and that will make all of this chaos worth it when I get there. I should let you go. I have an early start tomorrow.”
“Me too. I’m taking the boys to spend the day with Momma so I can go to some meetings.” And possibly have a beer with Chay. Just to relax.
“I hope they go well. I’ll call tomorrow. I love you, cowboy.”
“With all my heart, darlin’.” He hung up, his heart heavy.
Was he doing the wrong thing?
Was he making a terrible mistake?
It was a bit late to be wondering that now.
11
Connor hit the gym after work. Hard. He’d needed to clear his head; he’d needed the endorphins and an attitude adjustment.
And it had worked.
He drove home with the windows down and the radio up loud, breathing in the Colorado summer air and looking forward to his call with his husband.
He had a plan. He’d made a list, and he was going to tell Early all the things he was looking forward to about moving to the ranch. He’d talked to his team, and they’d all agreed he should leave in two weeks instead of three. The realtor had people lined up to see the house this weekend.
It was a good day.
It was still a little early to call so he took a quick shower and had a sandwich for dinner, and when he was pretty sure the boys would be in bed, he scooped up his phone, grabbed his list, and sank into the couch to make the call.
“Hello?”
That wasn’t Early’s voice.
He put it on speaker and looked at his phone. It was definitely Early’s number and handsome picture. Shit. Had something happened? He suddenly felt sick. “This is Early’s husband calling, who is this? Is he okay?”
“Oh, yeah. Hey. He’s in the shower. He was stinky as hell over supper.”
Over supper? “I’m sorry,whoam I speaking with?”And why are you answering my husband’s cell phone?
“I’m Ian. I watch the boys, cook for the family, do housework. Anything at all the boss needs to be happy.”
To be what? Fuckinghappy? He didn’t fight the flare of jealousy, but it was muted quickly by another horrible realization. “You’re watching my boys? Wait… Ian the landscaper? The chocolate cake guy?”
“That’s me. Chocolate cake every time Early asks for it.”
The urge to snap, “my husband doesn’t like chocolate cake,” was huge.
He took a deep breath. “Listen to me,Ian.” He didn’t know what game this idiot was playing but he wasn’t having it. “You are going to put my husband’s phone down right now, and never answer it again. Am I clear? Just tell him…no, never mind. I’ll call back. And you better not fucking be there.”