He readjusted himself and saw the lick of heat in Riley's eyes. If only they had longer then falling to his knees and wringing a noisy, messy orgasm from his suitwearing husband would have been right at the top of his list.

He chuckled and pulled Riley close for a kiss, a touch filled with the promise of later. Finally separating, Jack left to get the papers from the truck and with them safely in his hand he returned to the throng to find his soonto-be whatever. Certainly not step-daddy, but something a little more official than the guy who was keeping his momma's bed warm at night.

He saw Neil's eyes widen when he approached and guilt twisted in his gut. The man had a couple of other guys with him, two in suits and one dressed in Sunday-best Cowboy. Nice-looking guy, built like a brick outhouse, with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. This guy took a careful step forward to put himself closer to Jack. He wasn't actually between Jack and Neil but it was enough of a stance to be meaningful. They stood toe-to-toe for a few seconds and it was humiliating to think that this cowboy was feeling the need to protect Neil from him.

"Is everything okay?" Neil finally asked.

"Can we talk?" Jack asked formally. The other two men in suits moved away, leaving Neil and the cowboy in front of him.

Neil shook his head. "Please don't. Not now. Can it wait until after?" he asked simply.

The cowboy frowned at Neil's words. Hell, who wouldn't. Neil sounded resigned and just a little pissed. If this cowboy was a good friend then he probably knew everything. Jack wasn't going to let this lie.

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior," Jack said firmly. He knew it was his imagination but he felt as if every eye of the waiting wedding party was on him. What the hell? He had told Neil what he thought of him in public before, it was only right to be telling the man now how Jack had changed his mind. "And I have a wedding gift for you."

He thrust the paperwork of the prenup at Neil, and the man looked down at it with resignation on his face.

"Thank you," he said carefully. He didn't immediately take the papers. Jack shook them a little to encourage Neil to take them and at first he didn't get why the guy wasn't snatching them out of his hands. Then realization hit him. Neil probably thought it was the signed and notarized paperwork. Fuck. When am I going to do things right?

"I didn't—" he started. Then he thought maybe actions spoke louder than words. Taking the thick sheaf of papers, he ripped them cleanly down the middle and then ripped each half again. Finally, grasping the pieces in one hand, he held them back out to Neil who accepted them in his left hand. The man was obviously shocked, judging from his facial expression. Although he was quiet, his expressive eyes spoke volumes.

"Thank you, Jack," Neil said. His voice was gentle and then he held out his right hand. Jack hesitated briefly in accepting the handshake. Didn't seem right welcoming the man into his family with a freaking handshake. With a single step forward he pulled the other man into a close hug that Neil returned immediately.

"Welcome to the family, Neil," Jack said. He stepped back and inclined his head to the cowboy at Neil's side and then with what he was sure was every eye on him, he left to find somewhere to hide again until the wedding began.

* * * *

The ceremony was beautiful. Donna looked radiant in a lacy summer dress in a pale shade of blue and Neil was smiling so hard that Jack thought the guy could do permanent damage to his face.

Hayley and little Emily were flower girls and Josh's daughter Lea made it three. Lea's older brother Logan was thirteen now and wasn't that keen on being labeled as anything except 'cool dude in a suit' but he did hold Emily's hand the entire service.

Jack couldn't take his eyes off of Hayley. She was taller now, coming up on ten in September; she was the spitting image of her dad with the same blond hair and hazel eyes. He couldn't be prouder of Riley's daughter. She was his as well and she loved her Pappa as much as she loved Riley.

The backdrop to this wedding was home. The beautiful ranch in the setting sun with the vista of their land spreading before him was where his heart felt most at peace. Feet planted firmly on Texan soil with his family around him, Jack was at rest.

Riley slipped a hand into his. "This reminds me of when we renewed our vows," he murmured.

"I love you, het-boy," Jack replied softly so no one could hear.

"I love you too, cowboy."

Jack was only one step away from letting an emotional sigh leave him. This land, these people, they were his and he was theirs. That was the way he was and the way he always would be.

CHAPTER 2

Robbie Curtis wandered away from the main gathering. Neil Kendrick, his best friend since grade school was now married to a woman whom he loved more than life itself and to Robbie that was a fine thing to have. Neil had made a good choice in Donna and forever-loyal-to-hisfriend Robbie could have told the 'big and hulking guy' that Donna had made a good choice in the ever-loyal Neil. Apparently 'big and hulking' had a name. Jack CampbellHayes. Married to some guy called Riley. Married. Two dudes.

Hard enough to take a step out of the closet in his line of work, let alone enter into a gay marriage. The guys who had beaten up his ex, well, they'd be on him quicker than flies on shit.

He'd wandered past the general groups of wellwishers, inclining his head whenever he was spoken to, and eventually managed to escape the celebrations and make his way to the barns at the rear of the house. No one stopped him and anyway, he was much happier with horses than he was around people. He was curious; apparently this spread dealt with breeding and Neil spoke about how there was expansion into training good solid quarter horses.

Leaning against the closest stall he was face-to-face with a beautiful bay. He crooned low and extended a hand to her in greeting and she snuffled his open hand before shaking her head and taking a step back. Robbie laughed, she was definitely flirting with him as she nudged up against him.

"Hello, beautiful," he whispered. Her ears flattened and then perked up. "Why aren't you out on all this gorgeous space?" Unconcerned by what he was saying and instead intent on nuzzling him, he laughed at the horse's unashamed request for fuss. He'd only left Australia a week before, had only said goodbye to all he knew and loved there a simple seven days earlier. But the scent here, the horses and the hay, made him long for the place he used to call home. Neil was going to hook him up with some parttime work. Hell, his friend had said that at the end of the day he could learn to assist Neil. Robbie didn't do well with charity, even that offered by his oldest friend—the man he called his brother. He guessed though he didn't really have a lot of options and was glad to have at least one friend back here in the States.

He glanced up the row of stables and counted a minimum of six spaces. The stables were clean and well cared for. In fact, the fencing, the stables, and everything to do with the ranch operation was a lot cleaner and sturdier than the ranch house itself, which was looking a little tired—not to mention the potholed road leading to the house. So many things here reminded Robbie of home. When a ranch put everything they had into the welfare of the horses and the livestock then you knew it was a good place to stand.