Half of Clay remembered the last time Austin had wanted to talk to him about his intention to go back to the city, to leave the ranch, to leave Clay and what they’d shared far behind him. But Leland had urged him to give this a chance, to throw away his own pride, even if just for a minute, so that’s what he was going to do.
Besides, Austin was obviously fresh out of the shower, freshly shaved, bright as a new penny, his eyes that rich dark green Clay was coming to love so much. With that shy smile thrown in, Austin was hard to resist, so Clay stopped fully and vowed to put his whole heart in the ring.
“Hey,” said Clay. “How’re you doing? What do you want to talk to me about?”
Austin stopped, his body drawing up, his expression a little shocked.
“I wasn’t sure you’d be willing to listen, after I was such a jerk about everything.”
“You weren’t a jerk,” said Clay, shaking his head. “You were just thinking of Bea, about her future. And that’s a good thing. I just didn’t want you leaving and forgetting about me.” He wobbled that last word and, realizing this, his face got hot and he was sure, quite sure, he was currently the saddest, most pathetic schlub on the planet.
“I’m not leaving,” said Austin, and this time he reached out to take Clay’s hand in his. “I rethought everything. I was thinking small. I was limiting Bea’s future by wanting what I already knew, rather than being brave and trying something different. Bea’s happy here. I’m happy here, withyou.”
“You are?”
“Yes, I am. And I just want to be with you, come what may. Leland said—”
Clay laughed, then shook his head at Austin’s questioning gaze. “Leland gives a lot of advice, and usually it’s pretty good.”
“It is.” Austin smiled and then moved close, as though the words he was about to speak were meant only for Clay. “He told me to just tell the truth, and that was after he gave me a powerful description of Bea with the wind in her hair, a confident and strong young woman. And all because of growing up on the ranch.Thisranch.”
“He told me,” said Clay, swallowing over the thickness in his throat. “That you were under a lot of pressure, and that I needed to go easy on you. To understand what it’s like to suddenly be the sole provider for a nine-year-old girl.”
“You’re good with kids,” said Austin. “I’ve seen you. And you’re good with her.”
“She’s a sweet kid,” said Clay. “Takes after her dad, I’d say.”
“Does that mean you’ll give me another chance?”
Austin looked hopeful as he asked this, his eyes wide, his whole body still, as though prepared to turn and run at the first rejection.
“Of course,” said Clay, moving close enough that the toes of their boots touched and he could lean forward and kiss Austin very gently on the mouth. “Of courseyes.”
Austin sighed and kissed Clay right back, and the sigh moved through Clay and then back again, until its sweetness ribboned around them both.
“I want to go on another date,” said Austin, drawing back a little bit. “So I can tell you everything. So we can start again.”
“Sure,” said Clay. He nodded and moved even closer.
“But I don’t know who’ll watch Bea, this time,” said Austin. “I can’t keep asking Jasper and Ellis.”
“They love having her, you know,” said Clay in response to this. “But heck, let’s take her with us. We don’t need anything so formal as getting a sitter, it’ll just be the three of us. We can take Ladybelle out and find another good painting spot and then get kraut burgers after.”
“You make everything so easy.”
“I’d like to make you easy,” said Clay, laughing. “See what I said there?Easy?As in—”
“Yes, yes, I know, I do. And I thank you for being patient with me.”
“As long as you need, sweet man,” said Clay, his hands moving to Austin’s hips. “As long as you need.” Then he looked down at Austin’s hands and smiled, took those hands to his mouth and kissed them. “I love the new pink look you got going on.”
“That’s Bea’s nail polish,” said Austin, blushing. “I figure to be a good dad, I needed to join in things she’d like to do. So I did. Feel like most of a fool, but I did it.”
“If it makes you feel any better, she can paint my nails any time, though I prefer something a little brighter. More red.”
Austin moved into Clay’s arms and hugged him tight, and they stood that way for a good five minutes, with Clay hugging Austin right back.
29
