Chapter 29

“You’resure it won’t be an issue if we show up later tonight? We’re already going to be a shock. Catching them that far into the evening might be too much.” I’d asked him earlier in the week if the idea was sound, and he’d sworn it was. Still, I couldn’t help reiterating my questions now that the day was finally here.

We were going to go to the Coleman Ranch so Gerald could have closure. He’d coordinated everything we’d need, while I took a week off from work to ensure we’d visit for as long as he wanted to.

“I promise, Sir. Not a problem today,” he confirmed.

The new development of being Sir to him all the time was one I’d welcomed with open arms. Our dynamic wasn’t necessarily something that varied from our normal day-to-day interactions, which meant we could float with whichever titles felt best for the conversation.

Being with Gerald was different from every relationship I’d ever had. He’d captured my attention from the start, and I’d been playing catchup ever since just hoping he wanted me even a fraction of the way I wanted him.

Since today was considered a market day at the ranch, we’d planned to arrive later than normal to ensure the men wouldn’t be distracted. Convinced this was the perfect plan, Gerald declared it our best option. Mind you, I wasn’t a fan of arriving so close to bedtime since tempers could be higher. But he knew his family best, so I let him lead us.

Besides, he wasn’t so focused on the negative possibilities when he had something to take care of. He’d managed to secure road trip snacks, a rental since he said we shouldn’t take my car that far, and he’d even packed our bags. We were both hopeful they’d allow us to stay during our visit, though he had a place booked one town over in case they said no.

Everything was handled, which meant we had the entire day to busy ourselves until it was time to go. With the distance we needed to go, the ideal option was to head out shortly before dinner. That way, we’d grab food on the go and make it there not too long after sunset.

Gerald tried to focus on other things in the house, but an hour after breakfast, I saw him wiping the same spot over and over in the kitchen. Knowing he would only drive himself mad, I gathered his coat and steered him out of the apartment. We’d do a bit of window shopping to keep him occupied. If he found something he liked well enough, then great. If he didn’t, then no harm no foul.

The city was alive with the sounds of the holidays. Music blasted from speakers and people milled about the downtown space with quick steps, their coats turned up and hats tugged low to combat the cold. I’d already ensured we were both dressed for the weather.

We walked the streets for a couple of hours before stopping to get something to eat. Breakfast had worn off by then, and I could sense some hanger brewing.

When the waitress came over, Gerald told her our exact order without asking me. Of course, he got it perfect anyway. How could he possibly not after all the months we’ve spent together?

“I love when you do that,” I told him after the woman left us alone again.

“Do what?”

“When you know exactly what I want. I don’t even have to say a word, and it’s like you’re in my brain reading my thoughts.”

He grinned. “Sometimes I do feel like I can read you. Other times, not so much.”

“Like when? When’s a time you wanted to know my thoughts and couldn’t figure it out?”

“That first day I was at your place. Do you remember?”

I shook my head. “Of course I do. I overslept, then wound up opening the door in next to nothing. I was embarrassed.”

His fingers drummed along the tabletop. I could sense he had a question; one he was hesitant to ask.

“Was it only embarrassment you felt?”

Ahh. That made sense.

His reluctance was based on his own desires. Ironically enough, I’d wanted him since before that day. I just hid it well.

“No, it wasn’t only embarrassment. I was also feeling rather turned on, which was a big problem given the lack of clothing. I’d already been having inappropriate thoughts about you before you showed up. Then you just had to be perfect in every way I needed you to be. It was unfair, honestly.”

As I’d hoped, he broke into laughter. I silently applauded myself for getting him to, especially given the agenda for the day. The man I knew a few months back would have been shaking and nervous about the evening ahead.

But not this Gerald.

Not the man I called Precious.

He’d found his confidence and embraced it with both hands. Time and distance gave him the ability to reflect, and all in all, made him miss home more than ever before.

Though, I wasn’t all that sure the ranch was home to him anymore. He’d adapted to city life so seamlessly I wouldn’t have known he wasn’t from around here if I didn’t have his backstory.

People were often surprised when they found out he used to ride horses to herd cattle and manage an entire ranch. He just didn’t seem the type anymore.

Our conversation drifted away once the waitress returned with our food orders. We took our time diving in since there was still plenty of daylight ahead of us. When we finished, I took him a few doors down to grab something from the local candy store. The walls were covered in hundreds of flavors and types. It took nearly half an hour for him to settle on three.

After that, we went back to window shopping, taking another break in the early afternoon for a coffee pick-me-up. I sipped my Americano and carried the bags we’d acquired. Some of the items were for us, but there were also a few knickknacks that I could tell were meant for our road trip. Cooking equipment and stuffed animals, both of which were things he’d mentioned his ranch family enjoying when he’d seen each item.

By the time I felt him wavering, it was getting awfully close to time to leave. “Alright, Precious. Time to get this stuff home and then get in the car to leave. We’ve waited long enough.”

He came alert at my words. “It’s time. Oh… oh gosh. Ok, yes. We can do this.”

I pulled him closer, my hand on his lower back. “There’s no need to worry. I’ll be with you the entire time. I don’t think anything bad is going to happen. Except maybe you getting squished by lots of hugs. Didn’t you mention some of them were huggers?”

“Yeah, I did,” he agreed with a muted laugh. It wasn’t full blown like I preferred, though it was enough to tell me he’d be ok.

“Then let’s get moving. I want to see where you called home for so long. I’ve never been to a ranch like what you’ve described. Plus, I think Robin will definitely want to come see us, and I’m not sure how far his house is from the ranch. The sooner we get there, the sooner I can drag him along as well.”

Gerald shook his head, then leaned forward to kiss me. His gloved hands went to my beard like always. I hummed at the touch, kissing him back softly so we didn’t get too caught up before needing to take off. It wasn’t like him to use my desire as a distraction, but extenuating circumstances could mean differently.

He kept his cool the entire walk back to the apartment. There was no sign of him losing it, even as we loaded our bags and locked up. We hit the road and still nothing.

It wasn’t until the GPS told me we were forty minutes from the ranch that his panic began to show. He wrung his hands in his lap as his gaze remained firmly planted out the passenger window. Whatever emotions he felt, he didn’t want me to see them.

I reached my hand over to grip his thigh. He jolted at the contact.

“Precious,” I said softly. “Talk to me. Tell me where your head is.”

“I don’t want them to hate me. Do you think they’ll hate me?”

“Of course not! Why would they?”

He gave a mocking laugh. “How could they not? They all banded together to get me help, and I disappear the minute I’m free. Then they hire an investigator to find me, and I send him away too. What if they can’t forgive me for it?”

I squeezed his leg. “They will be so happy to see you. I doubt they’ll say a word about it. Not at first. It could come up though. I don’t want to mislead you.”

Gerald went quiet again after that. I kept my hold on his leg as I navigated the dark country roads. It was odd being so far away from the city this late. If we’d been near home, there would have been streetlights and other cars all around to help with visibility. But given the distance we were from it all, the only thing guiding our way were the headlights of my truck and the distant twinkle of lights in the night sky.

When we got close enough to see the ranch itself, I felt Gerald tense beneath my hand. I gave a reassuring squeeze, then released him so I could turn down the driveway.

“Take it slow,” he said. “There used to be a rut or two.”

I hid my smile at his warning. Whether he wanted to or not, he remembered everything about this place. I only hoped that as we continued on, the positive memories would outweigh the bad.

Even if they didn’t, I would be there with him through it all.

“Drive towards the fire. That’s where they’ll all be.” He pointed to the space in the distance where I could make out a few shapes around a bonfire. There also appeared to be some dimly lit buildings around them. My guesses were the barn and the bunkhouse. Gerald had shared a bit more about the setup of the ranch after he decided we should come visit.

I navigated down the long drive, then pulled up towards the fire. I parked close enough for him to walk, yet not so close for the men to feel crowded. The beams of light from my car gave me a better view of everyone. I could see confusion in their gazes. Understandable, of course. I just hoped their feelings didn’t turn dark once they saw who we were.

“Go see them. I’ll come when you signal for me to.” Gerald did as I said without question. He moved in front of the headlights, his steps cautious. I rolled my window down a hair to see if I could pick up their conversation.

I also tugged my phone free to shoot Robin a text. He might not even be able to come out while we’re here, but I wanted to let him know, nonetheless.

Weston:Hey, little brother. I just so happen to be in your area. If you get a chance to visit the Coleman Ranch tonight or tomorrow, I’d love to see you.

He didn’t respond right away. Not that I thought he would. As a vet, he tended to be on call a lot for emergencies. I knew that much from the catching up we’d done.

I refocused on the men outside of the car after tucking my phone away. Gerald needed me to have his back. I couldn’t allow any distractions.

“The market is closed. Sorry you missed it,” one of the men called.

Gerald didn’t miss a beat as he replied, “Sorry I did too.”

That’s all it took for them to realize. The one I knew was Atticus, Clancy’s son, stepped closer. “Gerald? You’re here.”

Shock. Hope. More confusion.

It was all moving across his expression at a rapid pace. They didn’t rush him. Whether it was from sensing his discomfort or because of some other reason, we’d have to wait to see.

“I am. I hadn’t planned on it, but it was hard to ignore you guys when I saw you popping up everywhere around me. I figured it was time to clear the air.”

“Are you coming home?” A soft voice called out from the group.

“This place isn’t really home for me anymore, Trav.” Ah, Travis. I remembered him now. Gerald said he’d been fond of the young man. “It hadn’t been for a really long time. I’d like to stick around for a few days if that’s ok. I miss this place. Plus, I owe it to you to tell my side of the story.”

“You’re always welcome here. You’re family, Gerald. I hope you know that.”

I watched his shoulders rise. “I didn’t for a long time. I’ve gotten better though. I had some help along the way.”

He glanced back at me. That felt like signal enough, but I still waited and listened.

Another voice called out in a voice laced with laughter. “You should tell him to come over too. He can’t sleep in the car all night.”

Gerald shook his head, then waved at me. I unbuckled with rapid speed, my body longing to go support him. I knew this was hard for him. It had to be. But I knew sending him out alone was necessary. He needed to know he could face them alone. That he was strong enough to.

He also had to find out that when he called, I’d come.

“Should we do this tonight or…” Gerald said as I made my way over.

“Whenever you’re ready. We’re just happy to see you.” That came from Sean, who stood next to Atticus.

While I’d never seen Clancy, I had to guess Atticus looked like a younger version of him. It was obvious in the way Gerald kept glancing over at him. It also told me more about his need to leave the ranch in the first place. He was haunted by the man he’d lost every day. No wonder he’d sunk as low as he had.

“It’s a long story. I don’t even really know where to start. You’ve all only gotten bits and pieces over the years. Even my confession before I left wasn’t the full truth.” Gerald’s voice held regret. I hated hearing it, but I knew we had to get everything out in order for him to find peace.

“Is everything ok, Precious?” I placed my hand on his waist as I pulled him closer. It was an intentional move meant to show he was mine, as well as let them know he had backup if they decided to be assholes.

Gerald looked over his shoulder with a wry expression. “Everything is fine, Sir. Atticus agreed we could stay. I was told I could invite you from the car. I’m going to tell them everything.”

I gave a reassuring nod. “I’m proud of you. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

One of the men mumbled something about more chairs and left. He returned quickly with two more to add to the circle around the fire. I tugged Gerald to the two new spots.

My gaze snagged on an inflatable house that I’d somehow missed in the midst of our arrival. Several men poured from the puffed-up makeshift building to join us as well.

After everyone settled down, Gerald took to his normal nervous gestures, namely tugging at his hands. The group kept their eyes on him, waiting for what would come next.

“It all began with Clancy.” I watched Atticus as he heard his father’s name. There was grief there, but also a hint of something else. Regret, maybe?

Gerald continued with, “I’d been drawn to him almost instantly. He’d offered me a job when I had nothing else. And then he mentored me as if I were his equal. Falling for him was easy.”

I’d heard the story once before, so I tuned out as I watched the men around us hear Gerald’s tale. There were no questions, no interruptions. They let him speak until he ran out of steam.

By the end, more than one man was in tears. Atticus, in particular, looked gut punched at the truth of it all. Or rather, at Gerald’s side of things. We’d never get to know Clancy’s point of view.

After he was done, I pulled him from his chair and into my lap. I pressed a kiss to his head, then whispered, “You did it, Precious. The hard part is over now.”

In my focus on the man in my arms, I missed the sound of the others moving. It wasn’t until I felt arms wrap around us that I felt the shift.

Every man on the ranch surrounded us, the group forming a giant hug around me and Gerald. The man in my arms fell apart once he realized.

His tears tore at my soul. I longed to get them to stop, while also knowing he needed to set them free.

The other men were openly crying too now. Not a single one was able to hold back anymore.

“We’re so sorry, Gerald.”

“We love you.”

“I’m here. We’re here.”

“We’ve missed you.”

Their promises rained over us in hushed tones. I could feel the weight around us lifting as love flowed through the group. Whatever pain and resentment that might have been lingering at our arrival was long gone.

We only pulled back at the sound of another car approaching.

“What”s Robin doing here?” I heard from Atticus.

Corey answered with, “Maybe because that’s his brother wrapped around Gerald.”

Before anyone could comment further, I heard Robin’s voice shout, “Weston! Wes!”

I lifted an arm as the crowd parted. “Right here, Ro. Long time no see.”

He fell to his knees by my chair. “No shit, brother. I’m so glad to see you.”

I watched him take in the form in my arms for a second, then he was leaning to wrap us in a hug. I chuckled at how he’d jumped right into things just like the others had. He didn’t have all the details, but he didn’t need them. My brother’s heart was just that big.

That was when my own tears came. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. I had the man I loved in my arms. We were surrounded by his family. And now my brother had shown up as well.

Everything was just how it was meant to be.