Stars & Stripes

“Uh-huh.”



He’d have to spill that story soon, because Zane rarely let things like that go for long, but he didn’t offer to tell it right now. He sighed as he finally found his phone and looked at the display. It was a text message, one of the dozens he received every day. He shook his head and stood.



“It’s from Nick,” he said, knowing his old friend was a sore spot for Zane, and with good reason. But he was always honest with Zane whenever he spoke to Nick, even if it grated on the man. Hiding it would be a mistake, and Ty’s conscience wouldn’t condone it.



Zane wrinkled his nose but didn’t seem annoyed, which was a vast improvement from the way he’d initially felt about Nick. “What’s he say?”



Ty shrugged and looked down at the phone again. “He’s working a weird case. I asked him to text me every now and then to let me know he’s alive.” He read the text with a frown. “He says Canadians are scary.” He looked up at Zane. “I don’t know what that means.”



Zane pulled him closer and kissed him again before bending to gather their pile of clothes. “You deal with that, then. I’m going to go throw these in the wash. There’s a shower and a bed in the loft upstairs if you want to get some rest before dinner.”



He headed for the kitchen and what was presumably a washer and dryer near the back door.



“Will it be bad?” Ty called after him.



“So very bad.”



Chapter 4



Ty dozed on the couch, trying to recuperate from his trek to Texas, while Zane did whatever the hell it was Zane did when Ty wasn’t paying attention.



He was vaguely aware of his surroundings, not quite comfortable with the unfamiliar sounds just yet. The ceiling fan high above, the dryer whirring in the kitchen, Zane’s occasional footsteps on the creaking hardwood floors. A tiny, quiet breath.



Ty cracked open an eye.



Just inches from his nose was a pair of large Hershey brown eyes. They were accompanied by long dark lashes and ringlet curls that framed a cherub’s face. Said cherub was wearing a yellow sundress, red bows in her hair, and red shoes. She stared at him, her hands clasped behind her back as she turned her shoulders back and forth.



Ty looked at her for another moment, disconcerted. “Hi,” he said, voice still hoarse with sleep.



She gave him a frown that looked familiar. Zane’s niece was three or four, if Ty remembered correctly. “You’re a stranger.”



“You’re right.” Ty unfolded his arms where he’d had them wrapped around his chest and let his broken hand extend toward her. “I’m Ty. Are you Sadie?”



She nodded, still mistrustful.



“It’s nice to meet you.”



“I’m a princess.”



“Is that right?”



She stepped closer and leaned on him, pushing her sharp elbows against his chest. He gasped. She was so close that he almost had to go cross-eyed to look at her.



“I’m a princess and I got a pony.”



“Oh yeah?” Ty looked around the room, trying to find an adult who might be responsible for the little girl—aside from himself. There was no one. He looked back at Zane’s niece, bewildered by her sudden appearance. How long had he been asleep? “What color is your pony?”



A scowl appeared on her face. “It’s a pink pony.” She started twirling a curl around a finger.



“A pink pony? Are you sure?”



“I turned it pink with my wand.”



“Oh, I see.”



“Do you know how to ride a pony?”



“No. Do you know how to ride a pony?”



“I do!”



Ty looked toward the bank of windows and beyond at the deck, trying to find Zane. And there his partner stood, leaning on the banister and grinning at him through the window. Alongside Zane was a slim female of Zane-like origin, matching grin and all.



“Want to see?”



Ty returned his attention to Sadie. “Not really, no.” He dropped his voice to a confidential whisper. “I’m scared of ponies.”



Her eyes went wide. “Scared of ponies?”



“Very scared.”



“It’ll be okay, don’t be scared.” She petted his face, her sharp little fingers barely missing his eye. He couldn’t fend her off, so he just squeezed his eyes shut to protect them. Suddenly, she grabbed his face between two tiny hands and pulled until they were nose to nose. “Do you want to play with me?” she asked, her voice full of hope and her eyes wide.



“Sadie, remember we’re just here visiting,” the woman called out as she stepped through one of the open French doors. Ty recognized her voice: it was Zane’s sister, Annie. “Leave Ty alone and come give Uncle Z a hug. It’s time for us to go see Granddaddy.”



“But Mommy, Ty is going to play with me!”



“If you can convince him to play, then that’s just fine. After dinner.”



Sadie hugged Ty’s head closer. “But I want to play now!”



“Sadie.”



“I’m not a Sadie, I’m a princess!”



“Fine, you’re a princess,” Annie said as she came closer. “You’re Princess Doesn’t Listen. Hand out the hugs and let’s go.”



Sadie looked back at Ty, batting those long lashes at him. She put her hands together under her chin. “Please, will you play with me?”



“Oh Lord,” Ty laughed. “Sweetheart, I’ll do whatever you want me to after dinner.”



“Yay!” She jumped up and down, then lunged at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ty gasped in surprise, and then she was gone, darting over to the deck doors to throw herself into Zane’s arms for a hasty embrace. He laughed as he picked her up, hugging her close even as she struggled to get down again.



Ty sat up and watched them, smiling faintly. He’d rarely seen Zane interact with a child, and Zane was always uncomfortable when he did. He didn’t appear to be now, though, and it was an odd feeling to watch him with the little girl.



Annie smiled and walked over to Ty, offering her hand. “Welcome to the C and G. It’s great to meet you in person.”



Ty stood to shake her hand. It was hard with just the tips of his fingers poking out of the plaster cast, and he kept forgetting to offer his left hand when he was surprised with a handshake. He felt like an idiot giving the weak finger shake, but what could he do?



“You sure pulled out all the stops with the welcoming committee,” he said, gesturing toward her daughter.



“If it makes you feel better, she’s like that with everyone.”



“She’s a little sparkplug,” Ty drawled. He looked at Zane again. He had Sadie propped on his hip, watching her with a smile as she chattered about her pony that she insisted was pink.



Annie laughed. “You have no idea.”



“Mama, I want to see my pony,” Sadie announced.



“What’s your pony’s name?” Zane asked as he set her down.



“Pink Pony!”



Annie laughed at the expression on Zane’s face. Ty glanced at her, but found his eyes going back to Zane.



Zane shook his head and kissed Sadie’s cheek. “She’s your pony. I guess you can name her what you want.”



“Uncle Z had a pony named Tortilla,” Annie told them.



“That’s a silly name for a pony,” Sadie said with a frown.



Zane shot Annie a look before glancing at Ty. Ty smiled warmly when their eyes met. Zane looked back at Sadie. “All right. Go see Pink Pony, and I’ll see you for dinner at Granddaddy’s house, okay?”



“Okay!” she answered, hugging Zane around the leg before running for the door.



“Did you say good-bye to Ty?” Annie called after her.



She didn’t stop running, merely blew him a kiss over her shoulder and followed it with a trailing, “Bye!”



“See you guys later,” Annie said with a wave before jogging after her runaway.



When they were gone, peace and quiet again descended. Ty watched the door for a minute longer, and then looked at Zane with a raised eyebrow. “Wow.”



“Sorry she woke you.” Zane moved close and slid his arms around Ty’s waist. “She promised to stay quiet.”



“Yeah, I’ve seen that type before. She’ll never be quiet again.”



Zane laughed.



Ty put his hands on Zane’s shoulders. “It’s okay, I love the creepy feeling of waking up to someone staring at me.”



“Did you get any rest?”



“Some. You?” He gave Zane a tug and started backing toward the couch.



Zane went along, keeping his arms around Ty. “I sat and stared at you while you slept.”



“Look who thinks he’s funny.”



“I’m so glad you’re here,” Zane said as he held tight to Ty and rested his chin on Ty’s shoulder.



“I just came to get a hat.”



Zane laughed and kissed him, bending him backward just enough to force him to hold onto Zane so he wouldn’t fall. It made the butterflies start churning in his chest. He loved when Zane did that to him.



“Then you’re in luck,” Zane said against his lips. “I know just the place to find one.”



“How far away from dinner are we?” Ty asked roughly.



“Formal dinner’s at eight. Drinks beforehand. So we’ve got about thirty minutes. What have you got in mind?”



“I was just wondering if anyone else would be stopping by to look through those big-ass windows or if I could ride you down here on the couch,” Ty said, forcing his voice to sound nonchalant. Zane’s breath caught on a sharp exhale, and Ty plucked at one of the buttons of Zane’s shirt. “Too bad I don’t have a hat, though. Can’t ride without a hat.”



Zane caught Ty’s good hand and placed it on his chest. “Sure you can.”



Ty tried not to smile as he met Zane’s eyes. “Better safe than sorry, huh?”



“No one else will come by,” Zane growled. Then he shrugged and added, “And if they do . . .”



The invitation tugged at Ty, and he took a deep breath as he mulled it over. He didn’t want Zane to come out to his family by being caught in a reverse cowboy on the couch, but the idea had its merits all the same.



Ty’s body was responding, anyway.



He exhaled to calm himself, kissing Zane again as Zane finally straightened up and loosened his hold. They both knew thirty minutes wasn’t enough time.



“Zane?” Ty said, voice more serious. “What do you plan to tell your family about us?”



Zane stared out the bank of windows for a few moments before looking back at Ty. “I’d like to tell them the truth. Can I rent Chester, do you think?



Ty laughed and pushed his fingers through Zane’s hair, fighting against the bout of nerves that fluttered through him.



“I’d like to tell Annie, for sure. She already knows about me; it’s just telling her about you. I think . . . I hope Dad would be okay with it. He’s pretty laid back.” Zane rubbed his cheek against Ty’s shoulder like he could burrow deeper. “If I had a choice, I wouldn’t tell Mother.”



“I’ll follow your lead. I don’t mind telling them we’re just partners if it makes your life easier.”



“I know,” Zane whispered. “But I’m tired of easy. Like you said, we deserve better.”



Ty kissed the side of his mouth, then ducked his head for more.



Zane’s grip tightened on Ty’s hips until it was almost painful. “I love you, Ty. More than anything.” He took a deep breath, as if steadying himself. “But it’d be smarter to wait until things have settled down here.”



“Whatever you think is best.”



Zane nodded, looking drawn and worried. Ty slid his fingers down his lover’s face. He knew where the stress was coming from.



Zane rested his head on Ty’s shoulder and Ty rubbed a hand down his back. “Let’s go get ready.”



Zane held on tight. “Not letting go,” he whispered.



“Okay.” Ty drew out the word with a frown. “But that’s going to make dinner awkward.”



They drove down the private road that serviced the Carter Garrett Ranch, arms hanging out the windows. The land was wide open on both sides, surprisingly green with those strange, knobby little hills and scrub trees, dotted with cactus flats and brush. It seemed tame, but Ty could see just how difficult it would be to traverse, either on foot or in a vehicle.



The land wavered with heat, even as the sun descended. Summer evenings in Texas were apparently blazing hot right up until the sun went down, when they became merely uncomfortably warm.



Zane was so quiet that the silence started getting to Ty, who fidgeted and squirmed more and more. He took his baseball hat off and messed with the bill, then put it back on and removed his sunglasses, wiping them clean before putting them back on and finding something else to mess with. He moved the air vents around and fiddled with the radio buttons, flipping through station after station of static before turning it off altogether.



“Aren’t I supposed to be the nervous one here?” Zane asked.



“I’m afraid I’m going to say something that screws things up for you,” Ty admitted as he slouched down in his seat and propped his booted foot on the dashboard.



“You? Say something untoward? You would never!”



“Okay, smartass, make fun of me.”



“Just be yourself, Ty,” Zane said, glancing over and offering him a warm smile. “I don’t care what you say to Mother and neither will anyone else.”