Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

A ustin stood in the toy store. Staring. He had to get toys for Dallas. That wasn’t too hard. In fact, he felt comfortable with that, for the most part. Dallas liked mysteries and board games. Anything with cards and stuffed dogs. And puzzles. Austin was easy.

Then he had to buy toys for Paige. Because Paige was Dallas’s best friend, and Kyler was Austin’s cover model. Or something. But Paige was also not too hard. Breyer horses. He was going to start a collection for her. It seemed reasonable and fun, and they would start with the one closest to the horse he had met at Kyler’s. It was apparently not the one Dallas had ridden, but it was the one Paige raced with.

Those two weren’t the problem. The kids were easy.

What Austin didn’t understand was how his uptight, friendless, never-get-invited-to-the-birthday-party child had become the kid who was invited to every goddamned Christmas party on earth.

There was one at the gym, there was one at the trampoline park. There was one for school. There was one for whatever. There was an invitation to a another kid’s house. He was fairly sure Paige had something to do with that. And he wasn’t unhappy about it.

It was just that there were now tons of white elephant gifts and things that you had to do and he was very stressed out by this whole situation, because he was an uptight, never leave the house author.

And that made him whiny. That really wasn’t why he was feeling so whiny. To be honest, he was feeling out of sorts because Kyler was acting weird. Ever since Thanksgiving, there had been this strange distance between them. And he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Had he thought about kissing the man like, whoa, sure, okay. Had he done it? No, no, because consent was important. He couldn’t go out and just kiss somebody who was straight. So he hadn’t.

Still, he wasn’t quite sure what he had done. So he wasn’t quite sure what to apologize for. He wasn’t one hundred percent sure he was supposed to.

Maybe it was a busy time of year. Kyler surely did Christmas things with leather working right? And Austin had deadlines. Kyler had his ex coming. He and Dallas were expecting a visit from Mom and Dad at some point, or at least one of them.

But he missed the easy camaraderie he and Kyler had shared since the beginning of the school year. He missed seeing Kyler sacked out on his couch. All in all, he wished he could go back and change whatever had happened.

He was in the middle of surfing the aisles for Barbie clothes for a December birthday party when his phone buzzed.

Is Austin going to Amelia’s birthday party?

Is that the Barbie invitation?

Yes. What are you getting her?

Well, at least Kyler was texting him, right?

Call?

Sure The phone rang, and he hit the answer button.

“Hey.”

“Hey. What the heck is a Water Rhapsody Barbie?”

“Dude, you have the girl! How do you not know?” He looked up the doll. Huh.

“Because up until this week, she thought those dolls were stoopid, two oos in the middle.” The irony lay heavy in Kyler’s voice.

“Does that mean I should put her Breyer horses back?” He couldn’t help but smile.

“No. She still doesn’t want any more of them for herself. The dolls I mean. She says she can play them with Amelia sometimes. She’d still rather visit Dal.”

“Okay, so, what do I buy for this party? And what about all the damn Christmas parties?”

“You’re at the toy store?” Kyler sounded surprised.

“I’m at the toy store. Why?”

The bell above the door rang. “Turn around.”

He did, and there was Kyler. “Dude!”

Kyler tucked his phone away. “Hey. Imagine meeting you here.” Kyler grinned, coming to stand next to him. “So, what the hell do we do with all these parties? I’m at a loss too.”

“I don’t know. I’m a new school dad as well. We have the gym, the trampoline park, the school…” It was overwhelming.

“Yeah, and Paige and I have the Roaring Fork Rodeo Association too. It’s nuts.” Kyler scrubbed a hand over his face, which was stubbly.

“Yeah. I have a bunch of shit to send to different fans and friends. I’m not thinking about that right now.” He winked and grinned.

That seemed to catch Kyler’s attention. “Yeah? What kind of stuff do you send?”

“It depends on the friend. My super fans are getting signed posters and keychains this year. ”

One of Kyler’s eyebrows shot up. “Posters of me?”

“Posters of the cover of Maverick’s Home .”

“Oh. But I mean, that is me.” Kyler’s cheeks went pink.

“No one but me knows that, though. I would never ever out you to anyone.” Never.

“No, I get that. I do.” Kyler gave him an odd glance. “I trust you.”

“So can we be buds again, man? Please?”

“Huh? We have been.”

“No, you’ve been avoiding me.”

Kyler sighed. “Maybe. I was reading your books, and deciding that I’m on the covers, but that’s not me.”

“No. Those books were written before I found you, and the series is completely done.”

“Is it? That’s a bummer. They’re good.” Kyler chuckled. “Really good.”

His cheeks heated, and he couldn’t fight his blush. “Yeah? Thanks. I appreciate it. Do you want to go get a coffee after I check out?”

“I do. Please.” Kyler grinned. “Buddies again?”

“Buddies again. Yes. We’ll need each other to get through Christmas.”

“We will.” Kyler turned back to the toys. “Barbie.”

“Yes. Barbies. I’m like an expert.” He rolled his eyes.

“So lay it on me. What do we get?” Kyler bumped shoulders with him.

“I’m thinking clothes. Clothes are always safe and easy. I found two horses for Paige—one from me and one from Dallas, plus a couple of early reader horse books.”

“Yeah. Dallas is easy. Books.” Kyler grinned. “Okay, this appears to me like it goes with the doll Paige said she wanted, right? Her parents are bound to be getting her that.”

“I’m assuming so. God, I hope so. Can you imagine the drama? ”

“No.” Kyler shuddered. They bought Barbie clothes and some cute gift bags before heading out to have coffee. It felt nice to have some adult time. The kids were in school for another three hours, and he could so have a nice cup of joe, spend a bit of time with Kyler.

They settled in across from each other after they ordered coffees and pastry and a sandwich to share, Kyler grinning at him. “This feels like playing hooky, huh?”

“It so does.” So much of their time together revolved around the kids, or existed in that weird late-night space after the children went to bed and Kyler watched movies with him. “I should be writing, but I just haven’t been inspired. I’m in my saggy middle stage.”

“So what are you writing, if Maverick is done?” Kyler folded his arms on the table and leaned in.

“I’m trying my hand at a set of novels based on a ranch. Maverick was amazing—but he’d solved a bunch of crimes and had a ton of sex. I’m thinking working cowboys.” It was a change, but it wasn’t romantasy.

“Yeah? Well, you know if you need to come do research, I have the space.”

“Yeah? I’d love that. I was worried that I’d done something to you.” And it had made him a touch crazy.

“No. No, I got busy with commissions, and I got in my own head a little, but we’re good. I promise.”

Austin couldn’t miss the warmth in Kyler’s gaze. “Okay. Cool. I’m tickled you’re the image of Maverick, but Kyler is my friend.”

Kyler tilted his head, then nodded. “I am. I want that, man.”

He huffed out a laugh, relief overwhelming for a relationship with a straight guy. “Me too.”

“Cool. I like you, Austin.” Kyler took a deep breath. “I also dig you. ”

His head tilted. “I?—”

Did that mean something else to straight guys?

Kyler reached out to touch his hand. “I don’t have to do anything about it, but I figured it was only fair to tell you.”

Suddenly the truth dawned on him. “You—You’re bi?”

“I am, yeah. I mean, I always knew it, but I’ve never acted on it. Like until now. I guess I am.” Kyler’s cheeks went bright red. He had a feeling this was the first time Kyler had ever said it out loud.

“Oh. Well then, it feels less creepy to think about you.”

“Yeah?” Kyler’s grin widened. “You think about me?”

“I’m a healthy man with a gorgeous man next to me, I write romance novels about cowboys, and I like you, Kyler.” He rolled his eyes. “I think. A lot.”

“Okay. So we can work with that.” Kyler chuckled. “Whew. I was worried.”

“Next time, just talk to me. I’m not an asshole. I swear.” He wasn’t a hero, but he was a decent guy.

“I will. I promise. I mean, I try to be an adult and stuff, but my track record with friends and or lovers is bad.”

“My ex saw Dallas and ran, right? I hear you.”

“That’s so crazy. He’s an amazing kid, and being a dad is like…” Kyler waved his free hand, the one not holding Austin’s. “So damn cool.”

“Yes.” Simple as that. It stunned him, how much he loved Dallas.

“I get that, at least. I mean, you know I understand the kid thing.” Was Kyler really making a case for himself as a potential date?

Austin wasn’t sure exactly what he thought about this.

His dick, on the other hand, knew exactly what it wanted.

His body wanted to be up close and personal with Kyler’s, and not worry about this or that or relationships or community or shared interests .

Kyler leaned back to sip his coffee. “So what are you guys up to tonight?”

“It’s Friday, right?” He thought it was Friday. It felt like a Friday.

“It is, yeah. And no parties until Sunday.”

“Would…the trampoline park is closed tomorrow for an ‘event’.” He made sarcastic, now-I-have-to-deal-with-my-disappointed-son air quotes. “Maybe we could…hang?”

Did that sound too much like he was asking to come and stay at Kyler’s?

“You want to come out to my place? The house is pretty damn solid now, and if the weather is good we could have a riding lesson tomorrow or whatever the kids want to do…”

“Yeah? That sounds great. Do your horses like the snow?”

“They do. I’ve got a couple of shaggy older geldings in right now who think it’s the best thing ever.”

Ah, that meant Paige’s horse didn’t care for it.

“That’s cool. What would you like me to bring, food-wise?” He could stop and pick up food from anywhere.

“Oh, something warm? Maybe soup? They have some good ones at the City Market. We can make grilled cheese.”

“Oh, perfect. Two potatoes and a chicken noodle?” Plus a six-pack for them to share, maybe a cheese ball…

They did love a late-night cheese and beer fest.

What did it say that he knew that Kyler liked port wine or jalapeno and cheddar better than he did the green onion and almond cheese ball, but he didn’t know the man’s middle name or favorite color?

“What’s your middle name, man?”

“Huh?” Kyler blinked at the change of subject, he thought. “Uh, Justin. Kyler Justin Hale. What’s yours?”

“Austin James Williams. I was an AJ growing up.” It had been easy as breathing, really. Austin was his pseudonym, in a lot of ways .

“Yeah? Huh. My people all call me Ky, unless I’m being scolded.” Kyler seemed so pleased, the little information-sharing putting a happy expression in his eyes.

“Ky? Oh, I like that. I like that a lot.”

“So…do you like AJ?”

He wanted to know what Kyler wanted to call him. Sort of desperately. “I’m easy.”

“I like AJ. It sounds less like what you do and more like who you are.”

“Well, then you can call me AJ, and I’ll call you Ky. Fair?”

“Sounds grand, honey.” Kyler squeezed his hand, then let go to grab a pastry. Oh right. They had food.

Honey.

Okay.

Okay, he could be into that. He really could. It probably only seemed sudden to him. He felt like Kyler had been thinking hard about all sorts of things while he’d worried.

Good old internal dialogue. He got that. He was the king of it.

So why did it surprise him when other people had it?

“What are you grinning about?” Ky asked, a gleam of humor in his eyes.

“I was thinking about…thinking?” His cheeks heated, but it was true.

“Hmmm. Have some sandwich.” Kyler pushed the plate toward him. “Better than thinking too hard.”

“I was more thinking about you thinking, but yeah. Thinking is hard.”

Kyler blinked at him, then his head tilted. “Are all authors like you?”

“Writers, and yes.”

“What?”

“I’m not an author. I’m a writer. A storyteller. I want to write stories that make people happy. ”

“And an author doesn’t do that?” Ky was blinking harder.

“I have no idea, but I know they’re way more intense than I am.” He wasn’t changing the world with his keyboard. He was simply adding a little joy.

“Ah. Okay, so an author is like, all literary?”

“Yeah.” He winked.

“Got it.” Ky gave him a blatant ogling. “I like writers, I think.”

“I hope so.” So did he, when it came right down to it. He liked a lot of them, but he fantasized about cowboys.