* * * * *

Half an hour after they reached the ranch, people started to arrive. As usual Josh, Jack, and Robbie were in charge of barbecue, Donna the salads, and Riley was left in control of the kids. Every holiday there seemed to be more, and it didn’t help that Logan had brought his girlfriend, a sweet girl with a smile for everyone. Riley actively sought out Hayley to make sure she was okay with that.

“I’m fine, Dad,” she began. “I told you, when I’m twenty-one, I’ll make him fall in love with me.”

They knocked plastic cups, hers lemonade, his beer, and everything was right in their world. Riley didn’t doubt for one moment that Hayley would get her man if she wanted him; she was utterly determined.

Eden and Sean arrived late, both looking well kissed, and Riley wondered if they’d just stopped at the top gate. The wedding planning was well underway, and Riley had interrupted a particularly heated session of Eden and Beth discussing pink candles. Riley hadn’t been aware of how many different issues there were with something as simple as a candle.

His mom and dad came over to him, and he cast a critical eye over his mom. The change in the Hayes wasn’t just confined to Riley and Eden, because Sandra looked very relaxed in slacks and a loose shirt. She wore a hat and diamonds sparkled at her ears, but there was no sign of pearls or shoes that matched her top or anything stuffy. She held hands with Jim, and they slotted into this ragtag heap of friends and family.

The kids had an impromptu game of football going on in the first paddock, and Max had even sat himself on a chair just outside the fence. Riley crouched next to him and patted him gently on the knee. Max looked up at him with his wide eyes fringed with the sootiest lashes. He looked right at Riley before his gaze skittered to the right. Riley didn’t say much, a few lines about Thomas and the noise and burgers.

Max didn’t say anything in return, he simply leaned into Riley with absolute trust, and at that moment Riley felt like the greatest father in the world.

Chapter 20

The twenty-seventh of August dawned hot and bright, and the heat showed absolutely no sign of diminishing. Eden was in Hayley’s bedroom with Beth, and Jack watched as Riley switched up the ailing air conditioning to get a breeze moving through the still house. Riley was in his boxers and nothing else and was evidently leaving putting on any clothes for the wedding until he had to.

“We should get a new A/C,” Riley grumbled.

Jack walked up behind him and snaked his arms around from behind, holding tight. Riley fought for a moment, then relaxed into him. He might be hot, but he’d never turn down Jack’s embrace.

“Then we’ll get a new A/C,” Jack replied. “This old system is fucked anyway.” He was nothing but honest, but A/C was way down on the list of important things he had to deal with.

“Okay, I’ll look into it. After.”

“After what? The wedding? Thanksgiving? Christmas? I think you actually like the noise of the shaky spluttering we get in our room.”

“Drowns out your snoring,” Riley teased. Then he added, “After the wedding, I’ll get someone out here.” He pulled on a pair of jeans and a loose T.

Jack held him close for a little while. “How are you feeling?” Riley had been particularly tense this morning, and Jack saw shadows in his eyes. He didn’t want Riley to get unfocused again over the kidnapping. He wanted strong-Riley to stay.

“I can’t wait to see Eden’s dress,” he began, then snorted a laugh. “Fuck, that sounds gay.”

“You want to go get some beer and assert your manliness?” Jack pressed a kiss to the exposed skin at the base of Riley’s nape.

Riley chuckled in response. “We could go to the Rusty Nail and get into a fight.”

Jack tightened his hold briefly before encouraging Riley to turn to face him and cradling his face. Then he kissed Riley, pushing up on tiptoes so they were the same height. The kiss was familiar and hot, and Jack moaned low in his throat when Riley got with the plan and placed his hands on Jack’s ass, yanking him closer so their groins aligned as best they could. Jack lost his balance, but Riley held him up, and just that strength in his husband had the moan turning into a plea for more.

A cough separated them, and Jack stayed where he was until he could untuck his shirt and cover his erection. He’d recognize that cough anywhere, and the last thing he wanted was his mom getting an eyeful. Thankfully Riley was hidden behind him. That would teach them to not shut the door.

“Beth asked if maybe you could get a fan or something for the room? Eden’s melting. Her words, not mine,” Donna asked from the door.

“I’ll find one,” Riley said, although he didn’t immediately move.

Jack waited until his mom had gone and then very deliberately cupped Riley’s hard cock. “Save that for later. Right?”

Riley groaned his own special noise of disappointment, but shook it off. “I need to find Sean anyway.”

Jack waited until Riley had left before leaning back on the wall and closing his eyes. Riley had this way of making him needy and wanting, and he really had to get a handle on this before having to face family and friends waiting outside. Sunset was still a good four hours away, and he should really be outside helping, but fuck, Riley was right, it was damn hot.

He caught up with Carol in the hall. The kids’ rooms and hers were near cold where the new air conditioning units had been placed, and she looked as cool as a damn cucumber.

“Max asked for you,” she said.

“Is he okay?” Jack straightened from the wall. He’d really only just left Max before searching out Riley, and he’d seemed all right.

“He just has something to show you,” Carol said with a sparkle in her eyes.

Jack took the stairs two at a time and felt a pleasant coolness that counteracted the heat. He tracked Max to the sensory room and blinked to adjust to the low light. Then he made out Max sitting cross-legged on the floor, and he lowered himself to sit next to him.

“Whassup, buddy?”

Max looked at him briefly, then away before pointing at a drawing propped on the beanbag. Jack peered at the gentle lines of what was recognizably a child’s rendition of a princess with bright yellow hair. Next to the princess was something with four legs. The perspective was off, but it was clearly a horse, either that or a huge dog.

“Is this Eden?” Jack asked in soft tones.

Max nodded, then scrambled over the bean bags and came back just as quickly with a small plastic engine in his hand. Jack searched his memory for a name. It wasn’t James or Henry… something like… Edward.

“They can have that,” Max said with deliberate wording. He looked earnest and focused for a split second, but then his gaze slid away and he was staring at the bubbles in the sensory-light corner.

“Thank you, Max,” Jack offered. But he knew he wouldn’t get much of a response. When there was chaos around him, Max retreated to his sensory room. Jack relaxed back against the bean bag and nudged aside a small scarlet Stetson that Eden had brought with her this morning. Max had pretty much ignored her other than allowing himself to be gently cuddled. The brim of it had sticky chocolate finger marks, and Jack knew Max had played with it. Max snuggled back against Jack, and for a while they both sat and watched bubbles.

“You want to come down to the wedding, Max?”

Max rocked a little. “No.”

“You don’t have to, but it will be fun.”

Max flailed a little, flapping his hands and biting on his lower lip. Jack backed off immediately, rubbing small circles into Max’s lower back until Max stopping flapping and rocking.

Then Jack pressed a kiss to Max’s head, inhaling the sweet scent of chocolate and oranges. “I love you, Max.”

Max didn’t say anything, but he pressed back against Jack briefly before scooting away with his trains.