Peach huffed, but soon she settled close to them and lined herself up along Brody’s leg before closing her eyes again.
“Does she sleep with you?”
“Sometimes. She’s got a kennel and a dog bed, but sometimes she comes up and makes sure I’m okay.” His hand reached down and stroked her silky fur. “She’s more of a companion animal now. I haven’t had a seizure in over a year and while she wasn’t trained to be an emotional support animal, she’s helped with the depression. When she’s around, I don’t feel so alone.” Brody used to talk to a therapist about the darkness inside him, but since getting the farm and the boys, there hadn’t been the time or the need—so he thought. Yet here he was, pouring out his soul to Diego.
“I’m glad you had her.” Diego leaned his head against Brody, and they sat in the dark for a few minutes, city lights pouring in the large hotel glass window, illuminating the room with pale light. “I wish I’d known what happened to you. You were just down the road, in the hospital, going through all that by yourself.”
“Those were hard times, but I’m glad you didn’t see me like that.”
He was relieved when Diego changed the subject. “What was it like, being in the army? There wasn’t anyone there that you were close to?”
Brody heard the unspoken question. “No boyfriends, if that’s what you meant. I didn’t have the time, nor the inclination, if I’m being honest. There were always a couple guys down to fuck around, on the down low. But I just threw myself into the job.” Brody chuckled bitterly. “I thought each time—if I got that promotion, if I made a success of myself out there, then it didn’t matter what my family said about me.”
Diego squeezed his hand. “Nothing they have to say should matter.”
“I know that. But—” Brody exhaled slowly. “They were my family. Then I got injured and…” Brody gave an exhausted shrug. “And you? Anyone special in your life that I have to worry about?” he asked, only half-joking.
“Nah, I’m not seeing anybody. Never got serious with anyone. I was lucky, I guess. I’ve always had Diana and my cousins, my aunt and uncle. And I’ve got some great friends, and the guys in the band. But—” Diego ran his hand over his face and shrugged at Brody.
“Still feel alone?” Brody pressed his lips against Diego’s hair as he nodded.
“Alone and guilty, like it was all my fault. Everything that happened to my family and all the shit that I put them through.” Diego’s face dropped, his brown eyes dark with emotion. “I didn’t think I deserved any kind of happiness after what I did to them. All the pain I caused so many people… including you.”
Brody wanted to silence his worries with a kiss, to reassure Diego that it wasn't their fault their love had created so much tragedy.
But Brody still felt the same responsibility of it all inside his heart. They caused all this suffering. Yet here they were, together despite everything. Wasn't that a sign? Maybe this was how they would find peace after all the hurt and anguish from before.
Could they heal from the pain of their past transgressions?
“None of that means we can’t still be happy. Your parents are okay, right? Do you think they’d want you to be alone?” Diego tilted his head up and stared at Brody’s face. Had Diego ever asked himself that question? Brody wondered. “I reckon they’d want their son to be happy.”
Then Diego smiled again, his fingers dragging across Brody’s pectoral muscles, scratching at his thick, golden chest hair. “You reckon?” he asked, copying Brody’s accent by accentuating the second word.
Brody narrowed his eyes, but the grin on his face said everything he felt. It felt sinful, lying in bed with this man, teasing and touching each other after some amazing sex. “The good news is that we’re here now. We found each other, and I don’t want to lose you again.” He pulled Diego close to his chest. Diego’s deep sigh concerned Brody, but he pressed on. “Unless—like I said, I’d understand if you didn’t want half a man in your bed.”
At that, Diego sat up and caught Brody’s chin with his fingers. “Don’t say that, not again. Even as a joke.”
Brody stared deeply into Diego's eyes, letting him feel all the emotions that were rolling through him. “So, you will give us a chance to start again? I know we’re essentially strangers now, but I've missed you so much, Diego. Every place I have been in this world, I wished I had shared it with you.”
“I'm not the same kid you used to know.”
“Yes, you are—and more.” Brody’s hands moved down the length of Diego's body, and he smiled as Diego shivered at his touch. This wasn't the same innocence of their childhood; they were no longer kids, but here they were, taking a leap into something new together. It was as if their entire lives had been leading up to this moment. Perhaps it was time for them to take down all these walls around them. “We’re not kids anymore, but we still got a whole lot of life ahead of us. Maybe… we don’t have to be alone anymore.”
Diego’s eyes brightened at those words, and a smile tugged at his lips as he leaned in for a kiss. “You always were an optimist.”
Each kiss was sweeter than the last. Was it because Brody now expected more of them in his future? “Can you come next weekend? I’ll get us a hotel room in the city. Just you—” Brody kissed Diego’s chest. “—and me.” Brody kissed Diego’s jaw. “And my jealous dog.”
Diego’s laughter bubbled like music as he reached over and stroked Peach along her back. “How can I resist an invitation like that?”
Chapter Sixteen
Theweekflewby.
Diego couldn’t remember the last time he used his phone to actually talk to someone else as much as he had this week. But he and Brody texted all day long and still wanted to spend a couple hours each night talking to one another before falling asleep. Brody talked about his nephews and sent pics of the puppies. The farm was just as Diego remembered it, the few times he’d stopped by with some of their high school friends.
Diego read new song lyrics and told him stories about the different people that came by the tattoo parlor, and what designs they wanted.
Diego never mentioned Nashville.
