“It was fine. Have you eaten? Do you want breakfast?” He reached out to touch, because he had to. “I missed you.”
Connor dropped his hand from the wheel for a second to cover his. “I don’t want to have to say that again for a long, long time. Maybe never. Never would be okay.”
“Fair enough.” He brought Connor’s hand up to his lips, kissing it gently.
“You’re not going to believe the house. It’s in boxes, even the kids’ rooms…it’s been awful to be here with all of that by myself. I’m…just really relieved you came.”
“Of course. I wanted… I want to help finish this with you, darlin’.” Connor deserved help, support, and a lot of loving. Early was going to make this okay for his lover, if it killed him.
“I just…we need to figure out what furniture we’re bringing and donate the rest. The kitchen is going to be a bear, and I haven’t even looked at the basement.” Connor glanced at him. “And I have to work a couple of days this week. But I’ve cleaned out my office. I just have to bring the boxes home.”
“Fair enough. I want to try and get us home Friday for parent’s day at camp. I didn’t tell the boys we’d make it, but I’d like to.”
“Oh. Friday? Hm. Okay, we’ll do it. I want to go, I’ve missed everything.” Connor sighed.
“No. Just summer camp. They start 4H soon, there’s kayak lessons, and pottery lessons.”
“Pottery?”
Early shrugged. How the hell did he know? “Momma took them to some art class. Now they want to make pots with her.”
“Well, I feel like I’ve missed everything. They look so big.” The congestion didn’t get better until they were well away from the airport, but Connor seemed to relax a little as the road opened up. “Are you hungry?”
“I totally can be, but we can order some doughnuts at the house too.” He was easy. He had Connor. Life was good.
“Let’s grab some egg wraps to go and head back to the house. We need to make a plan if we’re going to get home by Friday morning.” He could see the wheels turning as Connor thought about what needed to be done. “Hopefully we can reschedule the truck. I’ll let you call; you sweet talk better than I do.”
“I bet we can. I’m irresistible; just ask you…”
Connor laughed, the happy sound filling the car. “Utterly. I’ve seen your cannonballs on the pool cam. Who could resist that guy?”
That pool cam had been a stroke of genius. “No one, thank you. Can you believe how fast Jaxson can move across that pool?”
“Right? He loves it. Maybe his school will have a swim team.”
“They do. Swim team, hockey, football, wrestling.” It wasn’t Denver, but it didn’t suck. “They’ve already met the 4H leaders, and they like them.”
“4H.” Connor nodded. “It’s hard not to feel like you’ve all started something without me. But I’ll catch up.”
Oh, poor guy. It wouldn’t take long. These kids were ready to be a part of everything, and since everyone knew his folks, and a lot of them knew him, it was easy. “None of the insane, oh my god school shit has started. 4H is year round. Lambs. They have lambs.”
“I know exactly nothing about lambs.” Connor chuckled. “But I guess I’m going to learn, huh?”
“Yeah, they loved the stories about shearing. Jaxson has a black one, and Jayden’s is white.”
“How are you, honey?” Connor’s tone softened in that way it did when something was important, when he was really listening. “I mean with everything? How are you managing?”
“It’s harder than I thought it would be, but it’s satisfying too. Things are growing and thriving, and it’s fascinating, you know?”
“And you can see doing this forever? I’m not being cynical, I’m actually interested.”
“I can—we’re raising cattle for meat, sheep for meat and wool. There are wild mustangs on the BLM land, draft horses and two well-bred Thoroughbreds. We have chickens, ducks, and we’re converting three acres to farmland.” There was a good chance that they could be self-sustaining in a couple of years.
“Wow.” Connor looked thoughtful as they pulled off the highway. “That’s amazing. And are you still looking for a replacement for Demming, or…?”
“I think we need someone.” He could manage on his own, but he needed time to be with Connor, the boys, and he needed a manager. “It’s just about finding the right person.”
Connor laid a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. “Is it awful of me to admit that I’m glad to hear you say that?”