“Why this time?”
“Pretty sure it’s Flax. I know he’s been using casually for a while, but with our parents going away…I hope I can keep this family together.”
“You will. Your family is as tight as it gets, and you’ve gotten even tighter since Emory had his boys. I doubt there’s anything you guys can’t handle.”
Branson nodded. They’d already overcome so many challenges over the course of Branson’s twenty-three years of life, and he knew there were more coming. The publicity from Dad’s recently-released memoir had the media interested in his family again, and the last thing they needed was for Caden to get arrested for Flax possession.
“There’s something bigger up with Caden than just stress,” Branson said. “But he’s as stubborn as any alpha I’ve ever met, and when he doesn’t want to talk, he doesn’t talk.”
“Sounds like a Cross family trait.”
“Hey, I’m not that stubborn.”
“You are a little bit. Have you told your family yet that you’re ace?”
“No.” He wandered to an oak tree in the middle of the yard and leaned against its thick trunk. “It doesn’t feel important right now, especially with all the memoir stuff. It’s not like my parents are pressuring me to date or get married.” Sometimes, he was surprised they thought of him at all, between the triplets, Emory’s health, and Caden’s mood swings.
He was the dependable, independent big brother, after all.
“You’ll come out when it feels right to you,” Tarius said. “Hell, it took me decades to figure myself out. I’m glad you don’t have to go through all the same years of questioning I did.”
“Yeah, same.” He was forever grateful Tarius had struck up a conversation with him last fall. It had pointed him down a path of understanding himself and why his personal desires never matched up with other betas his age. He’d even struck up a few friendships in the online forum Tarius had turned him on to, and he not only enjoyed reading new perspectives, but also how different things were in other provinces.
Sansbury wasn’t the most progressive province in the territory (up there but not at the top), but his gut churned when he heard about some of the awful, repressive restrictions in places like Rolina and Orleans Provinces.
“So, I’ll see you at brunch tomorrow, right?” Branson asked, apropos of nothing. His brain simply spun there.
“Of course, wouldn’t miss it.”
To celebrate the book tour, the Porter estate was hosting a big, extended brunch for Branson’s family, plus their friends and their families. The mansion and grounds were expansive, and Branson had attended several functions there in the three-plus years since Frey Porter mated Gaven, and Frey began a successful party-planning business. A business that had given him purpose while he and Gaven struggled to get pregnant. Frey hadn’t decided if he’d continue after the baby was born, but he had five months before he was due.
“I won’t keep you on the phone,” Branson said. “I’m sure you’ve got something more interesting to do today than listen to me yap.”
“I enjoy listening to you yap.” Tarius cleared his throat. “I’ve always got time for my friends, Bran.”
“Same.” He enjoyed hearing Tarius’s voice, too. It was soothing and kind, and like being wrapped in a warm hug. “See you tomorrow.”
“See you then. Bye.”
Branson slipped his mobile into his jeans pocket and stared through a maze of naked tree branches, up to the gray, afternoon sky. He’d always loved this tree, and he’d climbed it dozens of times as a younger man. Part of him wanted to climb it again, to pretend he was eleven and carefree, and that he was still exactly like everyone else (except for the infamous parents, obviously).
He was too old to climb trees, so he went back inside to help his parents pack.
Caden was stressing him the fuck out this morning.
Branson had his own apartment, but he’d gotten a late-night text from Eriq that Caden hadn’t come back to the Cross house last night. Fine, cool, he was entitled to a life. But checking in was part of being in a family and living in a family home. There wasn’t anything Branson could do beyond send Caden a text, reminding him about brunch.
And leave a voice mail.
He finally got a response from Caden that he was running late but he’d be at brunch. Branson had a Mimosa in his hand when he navigated the Porter estate ballroom and found Tarius chatting with his little brother Layne, and Layne’s alpha mate Peyton. Their son Caleb was somewhere in the sprawling building, probably playing with the other boys his age.
“Hey, good morning,” Branson said.
“Hey, dude.” Layne pulled him into a firm hug. “Gosh, I can’t imagine my parents leaving for a two-week trip across the whole territory. How are you feeling?”
“Nervous, but I’m excited for them. Dad worked so hard on his book, and his message is so much bigger than just our province. I hope it breeds change across the entire territory.”
“Me, too. I love how much your omegin champions omega rights.”
