“But look at you,” Cal murmured against my skin. “You survived it. You built yourself out of nothing. You’re the strongest man I know. And you aren’t alone in it anymore. When the nightmares come? You wake me up. You tell me. I’ll remind you they’re alive. I’ll remind you that you’re safe. I’ve got you.”
I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes, letting his strength seep into my bones. He wasn’t trying to fix it. He wasn’t telling me to forgive them. He was just standing in the dark with me, holding the light.
“I’m proud of you,” Cal said softly, his voice a low rumble against my ear. He stroked my back, his hand large and warm, and leaned forward, kissing the top of my head.
The reality of it all still hadn’t hit me, and in a way, I was grateful for that. Hopeful maybe I could live in this delusion long enough to make it through telling Maverick. Then, I could go to my own damn house at the end of the dirt road, and freak the fuck out. And maybe get fucked too, if I was that lucky.
Scott appeared in the doorway. My body still wanted to jerk at the sight of him seeing us like this, old habits died hard, but Scott didn’t flinch. Didn’t even seem phased. I felt lucky here, because even if he did want to have a reaction to seeing his nephew cuddled up to another man, he refrained. Wholeheartedly.
“Mav just texted me back,” Scott said, leaning casually against the doorframe, sipping his tea. “Taylor had some kind of soccer thing tonight, so they’re gonna roll in a little later, but they’ll be here with all the boys.”
I sat up and smiled at the thought. Though I didn’t see or speak to my younger siblings and cousins much, it still was special to me when I did see them.
I had three younger half-brothers. Taylor was the oldest at sixteen, then there was Colin who was fourteen, and Vega, who was twelve. The boys all favored their mom, Shannon, sandy blonde hair, bright smiles, but with my dad’s dark eyes. My dark eyes.
And then there were the twins, Josie and Cadence, Scott’s girls. They were seventeen, turning eighteen next month, and they were always the highlight of my trips home. Josie and Cadence couldn’t be more different. Though they were identical twins, their personality differences made them seem worlds apart. Josie was the girly one, dresses, every day in Wilmington at the beach, blasting country music. She was your typical coastal teenage girl.
But Cadence? Cadence was everything but. Cadence wanted to follow in our footsteps. She wanted to wrestle, and she was busting her ass to learn. She was always in some outfit that looked like it came straight out of the nineties grunge era, her hair was always done in some weird way, and her sarcasm rivaled my dad’s. And when she and Josie were on it together? Nobody was safe from their absolute trolling.
“Come on,” Scott said, pushing off the doorframe. “Let’s get some fresh air before the chaos starts. I wanna show you guys something.”
Scott dragged Cal and me out of the guest room. He knew I was nervous, he knew Cal was too, and he was trying his best to make this entire thing easier.
We followed him out the back door, past the porch, and toward the large metal barn that housed the ring. The sun was starting to dip lower, painting the sky in strokes of violent orange and purple.
“I finally finished the insulation in here,” Scott said proudly, sliding the heavy barn door open. “No more freezing our asses off in the winter.”
We walked inside. The ring sat in the center, pristine and waiting. Scott had cleaned it up. He walked over to a corner where three brand new four wheelers sat gleaming under the shop lights.
“And I picked these up last week,” Scott grinned, patting the seat of a bright red Honda. “Figured when you boys came down this summer, we could actually hit the trails. I know you city boys probably don’t know how to ride, but it’s like a bike.”
Cal let out a genuine laugh, walking over to inspect them. “I grew up in Philly, Scott. My version of off roading was dodging potholes on I 95. But I think I can handle this.”
“I’ll teach you,” Scott promised, clapping a hand on Cal’s shoulder. “Just don’t flip it. Jayme will kill me.”
It was a small gesture, but it meant everything. Scott wasn’t just tolerating Cal; he was integrating him. He was planning a summer with him.
We walked back through the back patio door just as the front door opened.
“We’re home!” I heard Jayme call out.
“Back here!” I yelled back as we walked through the sliding glass door.
I heard the hurry of three separate sets of footsteps spurring through the house, and within seconds, there they were, Josie, Cadence, and Jayme, all looking like carbon copies of one another, just in different fonts.
Jayme smiled wide as she took in the sight of us.
“Hey, honey,” Scott said as he walked up and kissed her cheek.
The twins, however, stared at Cal and me with devious, knowing grins.
“Hey girls,” I said awkwardly.
“Daaaaamn Silas,” Cadence said, looking Cal up and down with zero shame. She turned to me, eyebrows raised. “Okay. Respect.”
Oh god. This is not what I think it is, is it?
“Look,” Cadence continued, crossing her arms over her flannel shirt. “I called you being gay like a year ago. But I didn’t expect you to be into the emo guys. But, now that I think about it? Totally fitting. You love a project.”
