“I don’t think that,” Roe said. It was important to him that Holden knew that. He would feel the same if he were in the other man’s shoes. “Marilee explained some of the situation. Family’s difficult. I get it. I respect the hell out of you for being here now.”
Holden frowned slightly, though Roe couldn’t figure out why. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“It’s really no problem—none of it. Marilee’s a good woman who was dealt a bad hand. I’d hope someone would do the same for my sister or Lindsey if the situation were reversed.” It struck him then that Holden probably didn’t know who Lindsey was. Before he had the chance to say, Holden spoke again.
“Still, it was good of you and your wife.”
He chuckled as Holden leaned against the barn. It made sense that he would assume that, but then, he’d also seen Lindsey and Wyatt leave. “She’s not my wife. We’re good friends, and we have our son, Wyatt, together, but we’re not a couple.”
“Oh,” Holden replied. He didn’t continue, and Roe wasn’t sure what else Holden expected him to say, but he didn’t offer any more himself. He had no shame in being gay, but it wasn’t as if straight people announced their sexuality everywhere they went, so he sure as shit didn’t have to. At some point, Holden would discover it.
“Marilee said you’ll be here through the summer?”
“Yeah, about three months. I appreciate your letting me stay too.”
It was the third or fourth time he’d said appreciate, and they both noticed it and snickered.
“Jesus, I think I’ll stop saying that now.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Roe winked so Holden knew he was joking. The other man looked down, shook his head slightly, and fuck, for some reason, that was really hot. Roe definitely needed to make a trip out of town to get laid. It had been too long for him.
“Are, um…Sean and your son friends at all?”
“Wyatt and him don’t hang out, no. They’re the same age, though. I’m sure they have a lot in common. I didn’t want to push it. I know Sean has been through a lot.”
“Yeah,” Holden replied, his voice tight, but also sad. “Yeah, he has.”
“We can get them together sometime. I don’t know if Sean rides or anything. We have dirt bikes and four-wheelers, and there are horses at my family’s farm. You and Marilee are welcome too, of course. I don’t know if it’ll help, but Wyatt’s a good boy. Sean would have fun with him.”
Holden exhaled a deep, relieved-sounding breath. “Thanks. I just…”
“You want what’s best for him. You want him to be healthy and happy. I get it.”
He liked Holden. He’d figured he would when he found out the man was dropping everything to come support his family, but Roe liked him even more now.
“It might take some time to work up to it. Hell, I don’t even know Sean myself. How fucked is that? I don’t even know my own nephew.” Holden got a far-off look on his face, like he was thinking. “I don’t know if he rides. I’m hoping to get him to spend some time with me. We’ll figure it out from there. In the meantime, since I’m around, if you need any help, let me know. I like hard work. It’s been a while since I’ve done manual labor, though, so I might be out of shape.”
“You look good to me.” Fuck, maybe he shouldn’t have said that, but he couldn’t take it back now. Hell, he didn’t want to. His words had been the truth. Maybe Holden wouldn’t catch on, or maybe Roe would get a fist in the face, but it was better to know now if he had a homophobe living in his cabin. Though he doubted Marilee would have invited him if that had been the case.
Before Holden had the chance to do much of anything, Zeus jumped on him again.
“Zeus, get down, boy.” Roe tugged the dog off him. He knelt down, and Zeus went crazy, licking and flopping around. “You excited we have another new friend?” He ruffled the dog’s head. “Anyway, as for work, I’m mostly good at the house. Wyatt is back and forth between here and his mama. He helps with the animals when he’s here, otherwise I take care of them before and after work. My family needs an extra set of hands sometimes around Covington Acre Farms, if you’re really looking. I have my store too, Covington Supply Co.”
Holden nodded, seemed to think for a moment. “Thanks for the info. I’ll look into it. I want to spend as much time with Marilee and Sean as I can before I go.”
“Don’t think you’ll end up staying?” Roe found himself asking. Or hell, maybe Marilee and Sean would end up leaving. He just figured Holden was the kind of man who would want to be close to his family.
“Nah, me and small towns don’t mix well. If Marilee and Sean stay, I’ll be visiting a whole lot, but I can’t… I don’t plan on staying.”
Most people didn’t. Roe shouldn’t feel a stab of disappointment over it. What did he care if some random man moved to Harmony—no matter how gorgeous he was. It was for Marilee and Sean, he told himself.
“I should probably head in.” Roe stood. “I have to go to work early. Again, good to meet you, man.”
“You too,” Holden replied as they shook one more time.
Goddamn it. Of course his neighbor’s brother would have to be gorgeous. He wondered if the man was straight, before evicting those thoughts. It didn’t matter either way.
CHAPTER SIX
Holden
Trying to sleep on the couch for three months might kill him. It wasn’t made for a guy of Holden’s size, though he guessed most people didn’t spend extended amounts of time sleeping on the sofa.
He’d tossed and turned most of the night, his thoughts running laps between Marilee, Sean, and curiosity over the man next door. He had no reason to think about Monroe, but he was interesting. He seemed to trust easily, talking to Holden about jobs with his parents and at his store. Especially after Holden had discovered late last night, when Marilee had come into the living room to chat with him because she couldn’t sleep, that Adam had stolen from him.
Yet he’d basically taken Marilee and Sean in. Didn’t ask many questions when Marilee said Holden would be staying there.
And again, with the job stuff.
Shit like that blew Holden’s mind. He couldn’t imagine giving his trust so freely, but then, he was a bit of a dick sometimes, so maybe using himself as a comparison wasn’t in his best interests.
“I wish I didn’t have to work today.” Marilee came into the living room, wearing her pale-pink-and-white uniform for the grocery store where she worked. “I really need the money, though.”
“I told you last night, I can help with some of those past-due bills.” He wasn’t wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but he was comfortable. He’d always been good with his money, made sure to save and invest so he would have as much security as possible.
“I know, but I don’t want you to have to pay off my bills. You already dropped everything to stay with me for three months. That’s too much.”
By Holden’s estimate it wasn’t enough, but he chose to keep that to himself. Marilee would just argue with him, and he didn’t feel like getting into it. “Bunny’s, huh?” He nodded toward her nametag with a rabbit in the corner.