“Dad,” Cain whined. “I’m not going to talk about it.”
“You can’t stop watching him, and he’s the same. Whatever you had is unfinished, and it’ll eat away at you both until something happens. It’s clear now, watching you both, that you still have feelings for each other or at very least, there is still an attraction.”
Could this be more embarrassing? “Dad, don’t. Please.”
“I’m worried, Cain. He looks at you the same way you watch him. It’s still there whether you admit it or not. If I can see it, you know everyone else can.”
Cain chuckled. Robert was oblivious to most things unless someone pointed them out to him. He tended to be too focused on one thing and missed the greater picture. “I still find him attractive. It came as a surprise, finding a man attractive.” That was all he was willing to admit to his dad. Anything else would be far too embarrassing, and he still remembered the two sex talks Robert had given him.
The birds and the bees and the bees and the bees just in case.
He watched Walter walk over to Archer and his brother Quince and saw the look of fear that crossed Quince’s face before he virtually ran away. Archer straightened with a look of reluctance on his face and then moved.
Cain chuckled until he realized that made Archer’s path cross with his own, and he glanced at Robert, biting his lip again. Robert grinned and raised an eyebrow before turning and leaving Cain on his own. Fucking traitor, Cain wanted to shout at him.
He felt his lip being pulled from his teeth, and he raised his eyes to meet the heat in Archer’s. “Archer.”
“Cain. How are you? Settling in okay? You like your new home?”
“It felt strange at first being home. I had to get used to the silliest things like which side of the road to drive on, saying sidewalk instead of pavement.”
“How does the house feel?”
Cain grinned, his eyes lighting up. He loved his home. “It’s perfect. The pictures didn’t do it any justice. You know I said I was worried about the vibe?” He waited until Archer nodded. “I walked in, and it felt like it had been my home forever. Most of my furniture had come out of storage, and once I’d put items where I wanted them, it was home.”
Archer’s eyes roamed his body, and Cain felt the heat in his gaze. “I’m glad you’ve settled.”
“How’s the vet practice?”
“Busy. We’ve had some new clients from the other practice near us. I don’t know what’s going on there, and I’m not complaining as it keeps us busy, but you can’t have animals being misdiagnosed or mistreated.”
“I heard something about a dog dying?”
Archer winced and a look of fury crossed his face before he blanked it. “Yeah. The vet was left on her own, and she’d not long qualified. She should have had support, and she had none. The other vet was drunk.”
“Shit. Drunk on the job?” He knew about the dog but not the circumstances behind it.
“I only know because the she was fired, and the owner of the dog is looking into suing her and the other practice. It’s not her fault at all, but she’s gonna take some of the heat over it.”
“I’m not surprised. People sue at the drop of a hat.”
“She has my support.” Archer smiled. “She has the skills to make a great vet over the next few years.”
Cain watched him and realized what Archer meant with his comment. “You hired her.”
“I did, and I’m working with the dog owners to drop the lawsuit against her but not the other practice. They’re discussing it. We all make mistakes, but unfortunately, in my profession, someone’s family member, and that’s how people view their pets, could die. They are part of the family, and it’s devastating when they lose one, especially when the animal in question had many years left to live.”
“That’s nice of you to hire her considering what she’s going through and what that could cost you and your practice.” Cain admired Archer. He didn’t need to help, but there he was doing it.
It was something he’d admired on vacation too. Whenever anyone needed help, Archer jumped straight in. Cain had been there when he’d helped a young couple with a sick baby and had been vomited on—much to the horror of her parents.
Archer had smiled and continued to help them and then Cain had helped clean him up in the shower—which had naturally led to an afternoon in bed.
“You’re thinking about the baby.”
Cain glanced at Archer and pursed his lips. “You’re always willing to help.”
“That’s the way Mom raised us. Pay it forward, she’d tell us. Help those that need it and those that don’t know they need it.”
“Lydia’s a great mom.” Cain winced, trying to remember his own, but his memories of her were faded and jaded.
“I’m sorry about yours.”
“I had Dad, and now I have Lydia.”
Archer’s voice dropped, and he whispered huskily, “Awkward to call you brother when I know what you look like naked.”
Cain sucked in a breath and glanced away, swallowing hard. “I know.”
“Give me your number, and we’ll talk without everyone watching us.”
Cain scanned the back yard and furrowed his brow when he caught several people watching them. “Yeah, that might make things easier.”
There was no way they could say the things they wanted to in front of an audience, and there were far too many people interested in what they had to say.
“Come over here, you two!” Lydia waved at them.
Cain smiled at Archer and followed him over to Lydia. He had family to meet.
Chapter Thirteen
ARCHER’S LAUGHTER DIED when he spotted Anton. He nudged Devon and pointed over to him. “Is he gonna cause problems?” Devon was Anton’s brother and knew him far better than Archer did.
Devon looked where Archer pointed and winced. “Yeah. I don’t know what the fuck is going on with him, and he won’t talk to any of us. I’ll get Dad.”
Archer nodded and waved at Lydia, trying to get her attention. She spotted him and waved then went back to her conversation. Archer growled and jogged over to her, pushing past family members he didn’t give a shit about.
“Mom, Anton’s here. Devon’s gone to get Robert.”
“He just needs someone to love him. He was young when she left them.” Lydia palmed Archer’s cheek. “He wasn’t as lucky as you. Try to remember that.”
“I will, until he shouts gay shit at me. I mean stuff, Mom. Sorry.”
She gave him a pointed look. “Apology accepted.” She smiled at the other women who, Archer noted, had leaned forward in their chairs to watch what was happening. Nosy bastards.
Lydia stood and asked, “Drinks?” She touched Archer’s cheek again before she went over to where the drinks were.
Archer smiled. “Hello, ladies. How are you all?” Half of them would cross the street to avoid him because they didn’t want to catch any of his gayness. Not that he told Lydia. She’d lost a hell of a lot when she’d left the church to support him, and he was grateful for that.