Jamie nodded. His plate was full. He had eaten nothing. Then he suddenly got up and went upstairs.
“What are you going to do about Jamie?” Nathan asked after Jamie was gone.
“I’m going upstairs to talk to him.”
“Remember, he can come back with us if he wants to leave. He can stay with us until he is settled.”
“Don’t talk about him leaving.” Spence was close to losing his mind soon if he didn’t solve the issue with Jamie. “He just got here.”
“You’re treating him like Tom did,” Alfie jumped into the conversation. “Jamie told me Tom wasn’t out because of his job. So, they couldn’t be seen in public.”
Nathan gave Alfie a sharp look, disapproving of his comment.
“Alfie! Are you really comparing me to Tom?” Spencer asked.
“I just want you to see how Jamie sees what’s going on here.”
Spencer pushed his chair back, scraping the floor, stood up and then climbed the stairs. The bedroom door was closed. He knocked on it. “Hey, can I come in?”
Jamie cracked open the door, and a sliver of light escaped.
“Tell me what’s going on,” Spencer asked as he sat beside Jamie on the bed.
“You never mentioned Aunt Millie was living here.”
“She doesn’t live here. She only works here.” Spencer knew Jamie was right.
“But you never mentioned her. Why?”
“I don’t know. She’s not exactly a selling point, is she?”
“She hates me. She thinks I’m up to no good.”
“She’s different. Okay. She’s a little homophobic.”
“And you’re gay. And you let her work in your home. Why?”
“Good question. She helped out when my grandfather lived here, so I wouldn’t throw her into the streets.”
“It’s your home now, not your grandfather’s.”
“It doesn’t feel like mine. My grandfather’s ghost is still lurking everywhere.”
“Are you ever going to tell her who I am?”
Spencer nodded.
Jamie just stared at him for the longest time, then asked, “Can we go see the horses?”
And Spencer didn’t hesitate. He grabbed their jackets from the hooks by the door, handed Jamie his boots, and they bundled up against the cold. The snow outside was thick and powdery, crunching underfoot as they made their way across the yard toward the barn.
The barn was one of Spencer’s favorite places on the ranch. Big, red, and weathered, with wide double doors and a pitched roof that looked postcard-perfect under the snow. Inside, it was warm from the body heat of the horses and the insulation packed into the walls. The scent of hay, leather, and animals hit them as soon as they stepped in—comforting, earthy, familiar.
Spencer flipped on the overhead lights, and the barn came alive. Rows of stalls lined both sides, each with a nameplate and a curious head poking out. There was Daisy, the sweet young mare with a heart-shaped patch on her nose. Thunder, the black gelding who acted like he was still five years old. And Maple,Spencer’s favorite—a chestnut with a stubborn streak and a soft spot for apples.
Jamie’s eyes lit up, and Spencer felt the weight in his chest loosen. He watched Jamie stroll down the aisle, stopping to greet each horse, whispering to them like they were old friends. Spencer grabbed a bucket of feed and showed him how to scoop and portion it, how to hold his hand flat when offering treats.
“This is Maple,” Spencer said, patting the mare’s neck. “She’ll pretend she doesn’t like you, but she’ll follow you around like a puppy once she decides you’re okay.”
