Chapter 2 #3
Byron cut Mitch off with another well-aimed snowball right to Mitch’s chest. There was silence for several seconds before Mitch yelled while diving down.
Byron threw snowballs as fast as he could make them.
He couldn’t seem to make any headway, though.
Every time he threw one, he was pelted with three in return.
Ducking and rolling, he tried to figure out how Mitch was so fast.
Byron ran for cover and was hit right in the back of the head.
Damn, he didn’t think Mitch had that good an aim. He ducked down behind the deck railing to regroup. Byron heard laughing. Wait, that wasn’t his boy. Or not just his boy.
Chancing a look over the rail, Byron had to shake his head. They had company and apparently no one was on his side.
Mac and Jayme had joined Mitch in attacking Byron while Hayley was making and handing them ammunition.
This so wasn’t fair. The battle continued for about another ten minutes before they were all worn out.
Byron had tried his best to take on his opponents but with Mac on Mitch’s side, he hadn’t stood a chance.
“Truce!” He held up his hands as he collapsed on the steps of the deck.
“Finally,” Mac replied. He dropped in the snow right where he’d been standing. He was as out of breath as Byron.
“Aww,” Mitch, Hayley, and Jayme cried.
Byron laughed. “We’re not as young as you boys.”
Mitch snorted as he walked over. “You do remember that I’m older than you, Daddy, don’t you?”
Reaching out, Byron grabbed Mitch around the waist. Tugging Mitch into his lap, Byron grinned at his boy. “Older? You? No, my sweet boy. You’re my little guy.”
Emotions crossed Mitch’s face quickly before he just smiled.
It was no secret that Mitch still wondered why a younger man like Byron would want to be his Daddy.
There was no question in Byron’s mind that they belonged together though.
Byron might be younger in age, but his experience and dominant nature made him so much older than his boy.
“I don’t care how old you are,” Mitch said. “You’re my perfect Daddy.”
“And you’re my perfect boy.”
“Not perfect,” Mitch said, sniffling against Byron’s chest. “My ass is frozen.”
“Mine too,” Jayme said, walking up the steps.
Byron glanced up and spotted Mac on the ground. Hayley was now on his lap and the two of them made out.
Jayme laughed. “They’ve been like that all day.”
“I bet.” Byron had only met Hayley’s brother a handful of times since Jayme had moved to town, but he seemed like a good kid.
Not that Jayme was really a kid. He was actually older than Hayley and Avery.
But there was something so fresh and needy about the boy that Byron could only see him as a sweet kid.
“How about we go inside and get warmed up? They’ll follow eventually,” Byron offered.
“Sounds good to me,” Jayme agreed.
The three of them climbed up the rest of the steps and entered through the back door. Byron helped Mitch then Jayme remove their outer gear.
“Go change into something warm. Grab something for Jayme and Hayley too. I’ll see if we have anything that will fit the big guy. Then I’ll make something hot for all of us to drink.”
“Peppermint mochas?” Mitch asked while batting his eyelashes.
“I think I can handle that,” Byron replied. “Jayme?”
“That sounds yummy.” The boy bounced around. Either excitement or coldness.
“Can I start a fire?” Mitch asked as he headed toward the master bedroom to change.
“Yes, just hurry up and get warm clothes on. I don’t want you getting sick,” Byron called after his boy.
“Yes, Daddy!”
Jayme’s sigh was barely noticeable.
“You okay?” he had to ask.
“Sure.” Jayme shrugged.
“Come on,” Byron told him. “You can help me with the mochas while Mitch finds you some clothes.”
He nudged Jayme into the warm kitchen and sat the boy at the table. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Nothing bad,” Jayme said. “It’s just seeing all of you together. It’s…nice.”
“But hard to witness when you don’t have the same?” Byron guessed.
Jayme rubbed his fingertips across the surface of the table. “Yeah.”
Byron sat in the chair next to Jayme. “You know that Mitch felt the same way?”
“He did?” Jayme lifted his eyes.
“Mitch, Jace, and Grant have been friends since college. They went to their first bars and clubs together. After Jace found Avery and Grant started to date Caleb, Mitch still didn’t think he’d find what he was looking for. What he needed.”
“He did, though,” Jayme said. “Find it. Found you.”
Byron nodded. “I had to work for it. Convince him that I wouldn’t be going anywhere. But it was worth the fight.”
Jayme smiled. “Thanks. I guess I needed to hear that.”
Byron leaned closer. “What about Mac’s friend? I thought there might be something between the two of you?”
“No.” Jayme pressed his lips together. “He’s…he’s not…I don’t understand him. Half the time I think he can’t stand me, and the rest…” He shrugged.
“You never know how things will turn out,” Byron said, standing up. He patted Jayme’s shoulder. “And if you need anything in the meantime, you call me or Mitch. We’ll be here for you.”
“Thank you,” Jayme whispered.
Deciding to give the kid a few minutes to gather himself, Byron started on making the mochas. The back door opened at the same time Mitch entered the kitchen with a stack of clothes.
Byron looked around. This was what the holidays were about. This was family.