Chapter One

Brad Flynn grabbed a soda out of the refrigerator and tossed it to Caden, who caught it with one fluid motion. He pulled another out for himself and another for Luis, who was still in the shower. He set Luis's drink on the kitchen island unopened, waiting for him when he finished.

They had a busy day for a Sunday. At least compared to their normal, which consisted of watching a ball game or four on television and having dinner together. Luis always had Sundays off work, so Brad took it off. Most weeks, anyway. It was the one day of the week where they could spend time together without the hustle getting in the way.

They were going to miss part of the Tigers' game, though. Caden had always loved Travis Heath's farm, most especially the horses, but he visited more often since Robyn, the Heaths' newest family member, had moved in. Robyn and Caden were of similar age, so the friendship made sense.

Robyn had been a drugged-out mess, living through a grandparent's verbal abuse. Then he'd moved to the farm where the Heath clan made sure he thrived. Brad had met him a time or two and he seemed like a happy kid.

Brad wished he would have gotten a chance like Robyn had earlier in his life. He knew firsthand what it was like to be an addict and abused. His drug of choice was alcohol and, even though he had been sober for four years, he still sometimes yearned for a drink. Just one sip when he was stressed would have been heaven on earth. He had fucked up in some major ways in his life. He'd hurt people. He'd even gone to prison for it. It was a downward spiral. He had been so far down there wasn't anywhere for him to go but up.

"Go tell your brother to shake a leg." Brad popped the top on his soda.

"You go. He'll yell at me if I tell him." Caden took a big swig.

Brad gave him the look and Caden knew it well because he got it about three times a week on average.

He sighed dramatically and then rolled his eyes before leaving the room.

Of the three brothers, he shared more of their mother's features. Brad was the oldest, so he remembered her in ways the other two didn't. Caden had her eyes and nose, and sometimes when he frowned, it was like déjà vu. He knew Caden didn't remember her. Caden had been a toddler when she'd died. Hell, he wondered if Caden even remembered their father since he'd only been five years' old when Brad had gotten custody of both of his brothers.

Brad missed her every day. And he thought about her even more. The missing her part had gotten worse since he'd gotten sober.

Luis came out with a towel around his waist. Caden followed him.

There weren't any cut marks on Luis's arm that Brad could see. Luis held the towel in such a way that made the inside of his forearm rest against his flat abdomen, so Brad couldn't see it. He didn't hold the towel with his dominant hand, which put Brad on alert. "Why are we in a hurry?"

Brad wanted to run his hand down his face and cry all at the same time. All the signs pointed to Luis's mental health taking a dive again, and his chest ached at the evidence. "You wanna catch what's left of the game when we get back, right?"

Caden moved around Luis and sat on his stool at the kitchen island again.

"Oh, shit. I forgot." Luis turned and headed down the hallway. It was as he turned that Brad saw the scars on his back. They were a constant reminder of why Luis had razors hidden in every nook and cranny and why he took just a few minutes longer in the bathroom. Since Brad had been out of prison, he was pretty sure Luis hadn't been cutting himself. Two years going by had given him false hope, but the recurrence sat like lead on his shoulders.

When Brad had gone to prison, Luis had been old enough to take over custody by then, although just barely. What haunted Brad the most was not being there for Luis when he'd needed him the most. When Brad had hit bottom, he had taken Luis with him.

Fuck if he wouldn't do it over again if he could.

Brad focused on the black hole of his pop can, waiting for the light to enter it enough to see the liquid slosh around.

"Stop." When Caden spoke, it pulled Brad out of the past, reminding him to live for the moment, like his prison therapist used to say.

But then he met Caden's gaze.

Caden might have been young when Brad had been at his worst, but they both had grown up since then. As much as Luis and Brad had tried to shield him, some things had slipped by them both. And something about knowing that made Brad's stomach ache.

"Luis's scars ain't your fault." Caden took a swig of soda.

"I don't think they are."

"Yes, you do. You get that look on your face every time you see them and then you get bitchy for the entire day."

"I do not." And if he did, it should be against house rules to call him out on it. Why he had to raise the kid honest to a fault was beyond him.

"Yes, you do," Luis said, coming into the kitchen again. He grabbed the can of soda Brad had left for him and opened the tab, taking a drink before setting it down on the counter again.

His streaky blond hair looked silky when it was wet, making it a shade darker. It was long enough that Luis could pull it back from his face in a ponytail, but he kept it untied.

"Let's go." Brad started out of the kitchen, through the living room toward the front door.

"Can I finish my pop first?" Luis asked.

"No. Put it back in the fridge."

"It'll be flat." Luis would be flat if he didn't stop arguing over every little thing.

"We won't be that long. We're just dropping Caden off." When they all stopped near the front door to put on their shoes, Brad noticed Luis's soda can sitting on the foyer table next to the key bowl. He rolled his eyes and ignored it.

"See. Bad mood. You need to go back to therapy, dude. Seriously." Caden also tried Brad's patience regularly.

Brad pulled the front door open and started down toward the driveway and his truck.

"I am not in a bad mood." Or he hadn't been until Caden had started his harassment.

Caden followed Brad with Luis drawing up the rear.

"Yes. You are. Actually, maybe instead of therapy you should just get laid."

Luis pushed Caden on his shoulder. Not enough to make him stumble, but enough to get his point across. "You better not know anything about getting laid."

"I'm eighteen years old. I've had sex before." The way Caden said it made it sound as if that was common knowledge. "This isn't the nineteen-fifties, Luis."

Brad turned, meeting Caden's gaze. He half-hoped Caden was joking and longed to see that spark of mischief in his blue eyes whenever he teased Brad and Luis. But no, it wasn't there. "Please tell me you're being safe. You're using protection, right?"

Caden's neck and cheeks turned red with a blush. "Yes. Got any more embarrassing questions for me?"

"You better be. I'm not ready to be an uncle." Brad turned back around, heading to his truck again.

He had just opened the driver's side door when Caden said, "You have nothing to worry about then because last time I checked, boys can't get pregnant."

Brad raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak, but then Luis's dramatic reaction to Caden's little confession took center stage. Luis sprayed his mouth full of soda across Caden's wide shoulders.

Caden turned in disgust. "Ew."

"That's how you're coming out to us?" Luis asked, dumbfounded.

"What do you mean? I thought you knew." Caden held out his hand for Luis's house keys.

"Kinda did, but we weren't sure. Didn't want to project." Luis handed the keys over.

Caden met Brad's gaze as if he was looking for confirmation.

Brad shrugged and started the truck's engine. He shut the door and then pressed the button to roll down the window. When it was down, he said, "We love you no matter what. You know that."

Caden rolled his eyes again. "Duh. Yeah. And why is this a big deal, anyway? Besides, we're not talking about me. We're talking about you."

Brad couldn't help but smile at the way Caden didn't question their love for him. Or that it was unconditional.

"Good point. Go change and we'll continue to discuss Brad's lack of a sex life when you get back." Luis climbed into the passenger seat. "God, it's hot in here."

"Air will kick on soon." Brad rolled up the window as he watched Caden unlock the door to the house and enter.

"So Caden has a point. You have been grouchy lately and I know it's not about my scars." Luis didn't know Brad was on to him, and he didn't know if discussing it in that moment was the best idea. He had to pick his words wisely. It would sound accusatory if he didn't and putting Luis on the defense was the last thing he wanted. He had an illness and needed help. Brad wasn't sure how to get the conversation started. Timing was everything because Luis had a long road toward healing.

Luis's next question brought Brad out of the dark. "Who is it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you. I can tell when you do that thing where you think you're not good enough and whenever you get like that someone either hurt your feelings, and that's not it because you've been home all day, or you think no one will ever date you because of your reputation." Luis gave him a smug smile.

Brad sighed and didn't respond. Luis wasn't that far off-base, but Brad hadn't been dwelling on his love life or the lack of one.

"That's fine. Don't tell me who you have the hots for. I'll find out on my own." The determination on Luis's face meant he probably would find out or make up shit in his own mind. Either way meant he'd meddle in Brad's business, which may actually take his mind off harming himself for a little while. Brad would take whatever grief Luis wanted to dish out if it meant he would get a reprieve.

It didn't take long for Caden to come out of the house, locking the door behind him before he jogged to the truck, and climbed into the back.

They rolled to a stop next to one of the Heath's farm trucks, parking in front of the main house. Robyn paced in front of the horse barn door, going in and out of the shadows. He stopped when he saw their truck roll up and grinned.

All the outbuildings were a bright red. The sun hitting it just right created a glare. The roofs were a white corrugated tin, complementing the red siding.

Brad put it in park and shut off the engine.

Brad wasn't sure how he'd missed it before, but, as Caden stepped out of the truck, Robyn's expression said it all, and it went beyond friendship. Brad darted his gaze to Luis, wanting to know if he saw the same thing.

Caden leaned against the side of the truck and crooked a finger, beckoning Robyn forward. Caden might as well have lassoed him with a rope around his middle because Robyn didn't stop moving until he stood inches from Caden. When he stopped, he looked at Caden through his lashes as if he were shy.

Luis snorted out a chuckle as he got out of the truck and shook his head. "Wish it were that easy to get someone to come to me." He mumbled something under his breath that sounded like asshole mechanic.

Brad opened the door in time to hear Caden say, "Kiss me."

Caden smiled as Robyn closed the distance, pressing against Caden right before they kissed.

Brad cleared his throat, not comfortable seeing his baby brother make out. "Going to find Travis."

"I'll go with you." Luis shivered and made a face as they walked away. He whispered, "He's like our child."

Brad knew that, except Luis was as much Brad's kid too. They were family. "He's growing up."

"Yeah, I know. But can he do it away from my line of sight?"

Travis saved them by coming out of the horse barn. It wasn't the first time Travis had come to Brad's rescue. It came in the form of kicking his ass when necessary. It was how their friendship worked, but no matter how much they'd pissed each other off, Travis was as much his family as Luis and Caden. That hadn't changed, no matter how much they liked each other.

Brad was thankful that they were on an upswing. They would stay on friendly terms with one another for the long haul. Prison and sobriety had saved their relationship as much as it had saved Brad's life.

Travis smiled and nodded when he saw them heading over, meeting them halfway. He carried a grain-filled bucket but set it on the ground beside him as he pulled Brad into a hug of the one-armed variety. He pulled Luis in for one next.

Travis sighed and shook his head when he saw Robyn and Caden making out against Brad's truck. "Teenagers. Dropping off?"

Brad nodded. "I'll be around to pick him up later."

"No need. Jaron wants a date night so I can drop him off on my way into town."

Luis wiggled his eyebrows. "Where are you going on your date?"

"Jaron wants to go to this new restaurant in Harbor Shire. It's a one-worded place so probably over-priced and he'll make me eat something I won't like just to, and I quote, try it." Travis made air quotes.

Brad chuckled. "You'd eat dirt if he asked you to."

Travis did that half smile thing he always did whenever he talked about Jaron. All while growing up and even into adulthood, Travis had never had the expression for anyone else. "Yeah. I know."

Brad patted him on the back. "You're a lucky man."

"I know that too."

Brad turned his gaze back to Caden, who held Robyn around the waist. "You sure you're okay with him being here. He seems…too comfortable."

Travis waved the comment off. "Jaron will be out of the house in about thirty seconds. Just wait for the magic to happen."

Luis nodded. "The man has eyes in the back of his head. Pretty sure I've seen them when he caught Carter sneaking a sip of beer at a Fourth of July party once."

Travis agreed. "Yep. Man's got it all."

Brad expected Jaron to come out of the main house's front door, but he came around the side, probably out of the back door, and carried a basket with laundry. The laundry appeared to be sheets. He didn't even look in Caden and Robyn's direction, but set the basket down next to the clothesline pole and strolled across the farmyard toward them. He had a narrow-eyed gaze.

"Uh-oh. We're in trouble. Look stupid," Travis mumbled, but plastered a smile on his face.

Without missing a beat, Jaron yelled, "Robyn Heath and Caden Flynn, if you have energy for that than you can hang the laundry together and when you're done, you can find Leonard and see if he has stalls to muck out."

"We were gonna go riding." Robyn whined every word.

Jaron turned to glare at them. "Laundry. Now."

"Can we go riding afterward?"

"If you take Carter." He headed in their direction, meeting Brad's gaze as he closed the distance. "Biggest cockblocker on the planet."

Brad chuckled, but it died when Jaron pointed at all three of them, his mood changing back to parental. "You three are standing here watching those boys fuck with their faces. Why?"

"We weren't watching, baby. We were talking about how lucky I am to have you in my life." Maple syrup wasn't as sweet as Travis trying to get out from under one of Jaron's lectures.

Brad chuckled. "We actually were."

Some of his biggest sins had involved Jaron. They had made peace with each other and Jaron had forgiven him. He even thought they were friends, but something about Jaron and what Brad had done to him would never leave either of them. His presence had made Jaron cautious when Brad had first gotten out of prison, but they'd seemed to work their way toward a brotherly relationship. Even though they were the same age, Brad had developed a protective instinct toward him that went beyond friendship. It was as if he didn't want Jaron to hurt anymore. What he had done was enough. Brad would go the rest of his life making sure Jaron Heath stayed happy and healthy.

"And if I ask you to put that statement in to context, you'd say…"

"That Travis enjoys trying new and exotic foods." Brad earned a punch in the arm for his efforts and Travis calling him an asshole under his breath.

"Right." Jaron slid into Travis' side, wrapping his arm around his waist. "I'm glad you're here, Brad. I have a project I want to talk to you about."

"Oh God," Travis said, his shoulders slumping. "Can we have one month without remodeling something in our house? Please, baby."

"You'll live through it." Jaron didn't even look at Travis when he spoke. Instead, he kept his gaze on Brad. "Now, I was thinking I'd like to change the flooring in the living room. How much would that cost me?"

Travis mouthed the word no.

It took Brad about a second to figure out it would be safer to do what Jaron wanted. "It depends on the flooring."

"I want hardwood."

"You know there are several kinds of hardwood, right?"

"No." Jaron's excitement was almost comical. "Would you go with me to pick it out?"

"You want me to go with you?" Brad wanted to make sure he understood correctly. It wasn't as though they hung out together.

"Well, yeah. I mean you know more about stuff like that then anyone I know. Hey, maybe we can have lunch afterward."

Luis had remained silent in the face of Jaron's energy, but he grinned at the invitation.

Brad was right there with him. "When would you like to go?"

Jaron waved that off. "I don't care. You pick. You probably have a busier schedule than I do. Beverly will give me the day off no matter when it is."

"I have the morning free tomorrow." He half expected Jaron to renege on the offer to spend time with him, so he met Travis' gaze. "We'll go into that flooring store in Harbor Shire and then have lunch. I'll have him back before noon. I promise."

Travis nodded once and looked as if he would kill Brad if something happened to Jaron. Brad and Jaron spending time together alone was unchartered waters, and they both knew it. What Travis didn't know was that Brad would jump in front of a bus for Jaron. Whatever it took. Because he knew he owed Jaron a lot. He owed him peace, which was one thing he'd taken all those years ago. He would give it back in a heartbeat but he couldn't so he would stick with what he could do, which was love the guy like family.

"I know you will." Because if you don't, I'll kill you where you stand, wasn't said aloud, but he implied it.

"Hey, maybe we can go to that sushi place next to the hippie store. Do you like sushi?"

Brad had never had it, but he would man up and try it if it meant keeping Jaron happy. "Sounds like a plan."