Chapter Twenty-Three
Riley grinned as Charlie opened the front door to let him and Brent in, wrapping his younger brother in a hug and backing them both into the hallway so Brent could close the door behind him.
As she always did, Kayla came racing into the hall to greet Riley, but paused when she saw Brent next to him.
She’d never met Brent before. New people were understandably scary.
Brent crouched down in front of her, bringing himself down to her level. “Hey, honey,” he offered his hand. “I’m Riley’s friend, Brent.”
“Brent,” Kayla said, taking a step toward Brent’s outstretched hand, and then bypassing it to run at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Brent laughed such a warm, happy laugh that Riley’s heart soared. He hadn’t seen Brent this happy in a long time.
“You must be Kayla,” Brent said, wrapping his arms around her and groaning as he lifted her up.
Owen automatically moved forward, ever the protective father, but Riley only had to touch his arm to get him to calm down.
Brent knew how to handle children, and Kayla was making him grin ear to ear. Riley wanted him to have that, even if it was only for a few moments.
“I’m so excited to meet you,” Brent continued. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Kayla giggled at that, happy to have the attention.
Chewie nudged Riley’s hand, licking it eagerly until Riley gave in and petted his head. He’d grown up fast, no longer the tiny puppy Riley had first met. Just as playful, though.
Being surrounded by his family—extended and otherwise—soothed his soul.
Maybe it was time to move back home. Maybe he was done wandering now.
He’d spent the last week curling up with Brent of a night, and he never wanted that to end. They hadn’t had sex again since the desperate, clingy handjob in the RV, but just being near Brent was so good that Riley didn’t care if they never had sex again.
He would have strongly preferred that they did, but it wasn’t a dealbreaker or anything.
“I hate to take her away from you, but she needs to wash up,” Jude said, holding his arms out for Kayla.
A brief flash of disappointment showed on Brent’s face, but he handed Kayla over without argument.
“Wanna sit next to Brent,” Kayla said as Jude settled her weight against his body.
“You can totally sit next to me,” Brent said, his good humor returning immediately. “But you gotta wash your hands or you’ll get sick.”
Riley didn’t remember washing his hands a whole lot as a kid, but maybe he had. Either way, he hadn’t gotten sick a whole lot.
Jude was being careful with Kayla, and Riley understood that.
“Hey,” Scott poked his head into the hallway, making the whole space crowded even as Jude disappeared with Kayla. “I think I’m the only other person here who hasn’t met you.”
Brent offered his hand immediately. “Brent,” he said. “I’m Riley’s…”
They hadn’t talked about whether or not anything had changed between them. Riley had been afraid to ask, afraid to break the fragile thing between them by trying to slap a label on it.
Scott grinned, apparently taking that as a full sentence. “I’m Charlie’s,” he responded, beaming brightly as he did so.
Scott loved Charlie. It was obvious every time he mentioned him or looked at him or was even in the same room as him. Seeing them grow closer, watching them fall in love felt good. So good that Riley was only the tiniest bit jealous of what they had.
And what Owen and Jude had.
“Is that a tattoo?” Riley asked, nodding to a tiny spot of ink he could see peeking out from Scott’s rolled-up sleeve.
