Chapter 15

Chapter

Fifteen

R eed looked around at the stack of six boxes and the suitcase that held everything he had collected after all his years here.

It was sad and weird and just…embarrassing. He wasn't real somehow.

Then again, he'd donated two bags of clothes and three boxes of books and movies. So maybe he was just a homebody. Or something.

Yeah.

"Hey. I have a man coming to pick this stuff up and ship it. Are you ready?"

"I am. It's—it's weird, huh? To just go?"

"Oh, love, I bet it is. I've been wanting to take you home since I met you, but you had a dream here."

"Yes. It didn't come true. Another one did."

"I'm glad. Come on, sweet. We finished up early, and my stuff is out of the hotel. Want to see if we can get a flight? Not wait until tomorrow?"

"Is that—does life work that way?" Could they do that?

"We can do it. Let's go." Tyler took his duffel bag, slinging it over one broad shoulder, then grabbed his hand.

"I'm a little scared, bear." Not scared enough not to do it, not even, but a little bit. This was a left turn, a chance to head home and be?—

Free.

"We're in this together." Tyler held on, squeezing his hand. "I promise you, I will love and protect you."

"I promise I'll be yours and love you, be your other half." The words rang out like the vow they were, and his fear dissolved under the power of that promise. "Let's go home, bear. I'm ready."

Tyler's belly was full of butterflies. His folks were meeting them at his cabin up near Estes instead of at the airport or the Denver house. They'd offered to go up and open it, air it out, and stock it with food.

They were ten minutes out, and Reed was snoozing, his body trying to catch up with the time change and the flight, but soon he would meet Tyler's family. He had no doubt that his brother Justin would be there too.

They were going to love his little bear. He knew it. But he needed Reed to love them in return.

His folks he had confidence in. His brother took a little work…

Tyler grinned. Justin would take Reed right under his wing. Then Reed would organize Justin's office until it squeaked with pure happiness.

"We're almost there, sweet." He rubbed at Reed's leg to wake him up gently. Reed needed time to get back to the world.

"Mmm… It's snowing a little." Reed beamed at him. "I can smell the pine trees. This smells like home."

"It does." He breathed deep. Tyler had never been able to get used to the humidity up in Valleywood. The air had felt heavy, even in the cold.

"So, are your people excited? Worried? You told them I wasn't a gold digger, right?"

"I didn't have to. You'll see." His folks were salt of the earth. "And we're bringing dad Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory apples."

"Mmm. And one for us." Reed waggled his eyebrows when Tyler glanced over. "What? I can say I'm eating for two."

"You know I don't care what you eat, baby. I love to watch you."

Reed blushed bright pink. "I tried to be skinny. I did. But—I'm not, you know? I'm a bear."

"You are. We eat. We hibernate. Rinse. Repeat." He pulled off on the small county road that led to his cabin. "Ready?"

"No." Reed laughed.

He chuckled, and sure enough when he pulled up, his folks' big SUV was there as well as Justin's dually.

The A-frame looked like it had grown out of the mountains, the mostly glass front glowing with the lights. It looked friendly, welcoming, and it was home. Tyler prayed that Reed liked it.

"Oh…oh, bear. Look! Is this it?"

"Yep. I own about six acres. Access to a stream goes across there." He pointed to the back right of the cabin. "And it has two wood stoves. One in the living room and one in the master."

Reed gave him a heated sideways glance. "I do like a fire."

"I remember." He leaned over and kissed Reed softly. "Come in? I have so much to show you."

"Okay."

When he came around to open Reed's door, his mate grabbed his hand, and they walked together to the cabin. The door opened when they got there, his dad coming out to meet them on the stoop. "Reed. Welcome home!" he said.

Reed looked up at him and smiled. "Mr. Ronson. I'm so glad to meet you."

"Bah. I'm Padriac. Everyone calls me Paddy." Paddy hugged Reed gently and then wrapped Tyler in a huge bear hug. "Oh, son. Congratulations. He's lovely. Poppa, they're home!"

Paddy smelled like smoke and home and comfort and everything right, and he held on tight for a second, letting his dad just hold him.

"Hey!" His poppa appeared, too, smiling at Reed. "Welcome. I'm Rain. Pleased."

"About time you got here. It's snowing, you know." Justin clapped him on the back, then started herding them all inside. "I'm Justin. I keep this hooligan under control."

Tyler growled playfully. "Hush you."

"Oh, baby brother…" Justin hugged Tyler hard, then wrapped one arm around Reed's shoulders. "Has he been good to you?"

"Very, thank you. Yes. It's nice to meet everyone."

"There's hot cocoa and some cookies." Dad led the way to the kitchen.

"Reed picked you out some apples at the Chocolate Factory, Pop."

"Oh? Thank you so much. I do love those. Apples are my favorite snack. With honey and a little dusting of cinnamon."

"This one is an apple pie one, Pop. It has caramel and white chocolate and a cinnamon-sugar coating."

Pop's golden eyes twinkled. "Reed is my new favorite."

Justin and Tyler both rolled their eyes dramatically, and Tyler put his hands over his heart.

Reed giggled madly. "It smells so yummy."

"We got three different kinds so we can all share," Tyler said. "For pre-dessert."

"That's even better." Dad pulled Reed to the couch, where the wood stove put out some nice warmth.

Reed looked around, dark eyes wide. "This place is amazing."

He imagined it felt huge after the tiny one-room apartment.

"Thanks, love. It's really home. I have a place in Denver I use when I have to, but this is where I always long to be." He settled on the couch, too, one hand on Reed's back.

"Rain and I live in Loveland, so we're close if you need us," Dad said to Reed. "And we can't wait to get to know you. You deserve a bit to settle, for sure, but we'd love to have you out for supper when you're ready."

"That would be amazing. Do we need to have a snack or something now? I don't want you to think you need to just run away." Reed fluttered, and Tyler hugged him with one arm.

"We have cookies for the hot cocoa. We can stay a few minutes," Pop said gently.

"I just…it's nice to meet you. I-I really love him." Reed's eyes began to shimmer. "He makes me happy, and I know I'm just an assistant, but I'm going to be good to him and love him and our baby."

"Oh, sweetheart…" Dad hugged Reed tight. "You're going to be just fine."

"Thank you."

"We had a long night on the redeye, huh?"

Dad nodded. "Well, we stocked you with food and drink, made up the bed, and cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms."

Justin grinned. "And I need a virtual assistant, man, like you wouldn't believe. When you feel up to it, holler. We'll chat."

"Thank you. I'd like to try."

"Reed is so amazing," Tyler told them all. "He kept a big Valleywood talent agent on track."

"I did my best." Reed beamed at him. Flatterer. Thank you.

You don't give yourself enough credit, love.

"Everyone can think about work in a week or two, okay?" Pop said. "Let the boys settle in. Relax. Enjoy each other."

"Sure, Pop. I was just saying." Justin came to shake hands with Reed, then clap him on the shoulder. "I hate to cocoa and run, but I have a late-lunch meeting with a new purveyor down in town. Later." He kissed Pop and Dad on their cheeks. "I'll take a raincheck on the apple share." He waved and headed out.

Pop rolled his eyes. "So busy."

"Yes. One day, he'll find his reason." Dad winked. "You wait and see."

"I did." Pop grinned. "Besides coffee."

His fathers looked at each other, and finally Tyler understood this moment that they shared.

He got it.

And he hoped with all his might that his brother found it soon as well. He wanted his whole family to feel this happiness, this love.

"So, we brought fried chicken and mashed potatoes with a honey apple pie for you two to warm up for supper. And there are tons of meals in the fridge and freezer."

"Thank you both so much," Reed answered. "Would you two like to stay for lunch?"

Pop chuckled. "No. No, we're heading for our favorite restaurant here. You two need to rest and relax."

"Let me get your apples. We can cut a few pieces for us and send them with you." Tyler nipped out to the truck, coming back to find his parents hugging Reed, promising to see him soon.

He walked them to the door, and he got hugs of his own.

"You did an exceptional job, son," Pop told him. "He's a sweetheart."

"And you're going to be an amazing father."

"Thanks. I needed to hear that. Not because I doubted it, but because I want you all to love him too. You'll really like his mom and dad too. They're just good people."

"Are they coming up soon? We'd love to meet them."

"They are. They were like you. They said they'd give us time to settle in. But I can't wait to see them in person."

"Just let us know. We'll call in a couple of days. You two…explore."

"We will. Have a good lunch." He let them out and watched until they drove off. He found Reed on the couch, shoes off, feet up by the stove, head back, dozing.

Tyler grinned. It had been a long flight, and Reed had been so excited. So Tyler grabbed a blanket and snuggled up close to Reed. The grand tour could wait.

He looked around his cabin. Finally, they were home.