Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
TEX (TRAVIS)
The game had been close, like I’d expected, and sharing this time with Colton’s father had shown me so much about him.
He wasn’t terrible, just perhaps misguided and managing grief poorly, like Colton.
I watched Colton banter with Andy. He had some of his father’s mannerisms too, but I didn’t think Andy realized it.
We’d never discussed the Christmas break, with everything else we’d had to talk about. As the game ended, I whispered to Colton, who was sitting between me and his father on the couch. “Hey, what about Christmas?”
Colton snapped his gaze to mine. “Oh, shit. I should ask about it while he’s here.” He touched his father’s thigh. “Hey, Dad, I was thinking of spending a few days in Austin with Tex’s family for Christmas. Did you make any plans?”
“What? You’re not coming home?” Andy sipped his beer as his brows wrinkled.
“I…I thought maybe I could come home the day after.” With a flinch, Colton tapped the top of his beer can, wedged between his thighs.
“Okay, let’s do that. We can celebrate Christmas when you get there, and I’ll meet the boys for poker on Christmas Day.” Andy drank more beer. “Maybe you can bring Tex with you.” He ticked his brows and chuckled. “Maybe these PFLAG people will have talked some sense into me by then.”
Andy was an interesting character. He hid behind humor to shield himself from discomfort and avoided confrontation.
It probably served him well as a salesman, but had left a devastating mark on Colton when he’d learned he was queer.
“I’d love to come to Rochester and see where Colton grew up.
” I started to kiss Colton’s cheek and stopped.
I’d refrained from too much affection. There was no need to make Andy even more uncomfortable.
“Okay, then it’s a plan. We can work out the details after you look at flights.
” Andy rose, strolled into the kitchen, and then dropped his can into Colton’s recycle bin at the end of the kitchen island.
“I should go, boys. I have an early plane to catch.” He ambled toward the door with Colton and me following.
“Dad, I’m glad we got everything out in the open. I’m looking forward to having a closer relationship.” Colton smiled at his father.
“Me, too.” He gave Colton a quick hug and then faced me. “Tex, you take care of my boy, and I’ll see you soon.” He gave me a side-hug.
“Oh, I will.” I returned his hug and hooked an arm around Colton’s waist as Andy gave us a last wave and left. We needed to get plane tickets figured out as soon as possible.
“Oh my God, Tex.” Colton’s shoulders slumped as he trudged to his couch and sank into it. Blowing his bangs off his forehead, he said, “It went well, right?”
“It did. How do you feel?” Sinking in beside him, I slid my arm around his shoulders. I’d have to leave soon myself. I still had a morning practice to attend.
“I feel relieved, hopeful and maybe a little justified.” Leaning against my side, he placed a hand on my thigh. “He actually apologized for a few things. He doesn’t do that often.”
“Maybe in the future, he won’t have so much to apologize for.
” I kissed his cheek. “I’m glad it worked out.
” A smile pulled at my lips. “We can hang out on campus as boyfriends now.” My heart lightened.
Our tutoring sessions were over, and I was ready for my final early next week.
“Let’s figure out our travel plans this weekend.
I have to travel with the team to El Paso for the Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
” It sucked I wouldn’t get to spend it with him, but such was being a college football player.
Oh, my agent. I’d almost forgotten with all the shit that happened with Colton’s father.
“By the way, I heard from Nicole, and I’ll sign with her the first week of the new year.
Then training for the combine will start. ”
“Oh, that’s great, Tex.” He turned his head to meet my gaze. “Next semester will be very different. I want to go out in public with you, hold hands, kiss, everything. I want everyone to know I’m your boyfriend.”
“You’ve got it.” Cupping his cheek, I pressed a lingering kiss on his lips. “I can’t wait.”
We flew into Austin a few days before Christmas with plans to leave the day after to visit Colton’s father and have a second Christmas. I was excited as hell to show him off to my family in person.
After grabbing our luggage, we waited on the arrivals curb at the airport, both with rolling suitcases, for Mom to pick us up.
I glanced at the sunny day and the flat landscape, full of brown grass and sprawling oak trees.
Gone were the ragged mountains of Arizona, but the temperatures were similar and mild.
I tagged Colton’s arm. “Hey, look for a white Lexus SUV. That’ll be my mom’s—”
“You mean that one?” He pointed at a car swerving through traffic to slow in front of us.
“Yep, that one.” A broad smile swept my lips as I grabbed Colton’s suitcase and brought both of them to the lift gate of the SUV.
Mom spilled out of the car and jogged to me, her blonde hair bouncing in the afternoon sunshine over a jean jacket. “Travis. I’m so glad you’re home.” She gave me a quick hug and set her sights on Colton.
I opened the liftgate and slid both suitcases into the vehicle. We would enjoy ourselves during this visit. We’d be going to Dante’s bar later, and there were probably tequila shots in our future.
“Can I give you a hug, Colton?” Stopping next to him, Mom spread her arms out.
“Of course.” He hooked his arms around her waist and embraced her briefly. “I’m so happy to meet you in person.”
“Me too.” She freed him and looked us both over for a beat. “I have all the ingredients for the beef dish you sent me for Christmas Day. I hope it’s as good as your mother’s.” She squeezed his hand for a moment.
“I’m sure it’ll be great.” Colton glanced at me, his eyes glistening.
He was getting emotional. There’d been a lot of that since he’d been doing more intense work with his therapist regarding the circumstances around his mother’s death, with his father joining in. I clapped my hands together. “Come on, we’re holding people up.”
“Oh, yes, let’s get you both home.” Mom jumped into the driver’s seat while I sat beside her, and Colton took the back seat.
Mom drove the SUV into the circular drive of our sprawling brick home with the sharp-pitched roofline and a three-car garage that had come in handy when I’d lived at home.
I hadn’t had to park my truck outside in the humid summer heat.
There were a lot of similar architectures in Austin when compared to what I’d seen in Arizona, but my family home was a typical hill country house.
She stopped the car. “Okay, you boys can get your luggage out here and then I’ll park in the garage and meet you inside.” She focused on me. “Tex, you have your keys, right?”
“Of course, Mom.” With a snicker, I met Colton at the back of the car while Mom opened the liftgate from inside.
We would settle into my room, then discover Mom’s plans.
She and I had already agreed that Colton would sleep with me and not in the guest room.
That wouldn’t fly. But then, she hadn’t cared. It was less work for her.
Colton reached for his suitcase, and I pushed his hand away. “Stop that. You packed for a month-long vacation, and your suitcase feels like it’s filled with rocks. I’ve got it.” I slid his suitcase from the back, rolled it to him and lifted the handle for him.
“It’s not packed with rocks. I had to bring a lot of sweaters for Rochester. It’ll be cold as hell up there.” With a quick laugh, he rolled his suitcase toward the portico covering the front door, on which a large pine-tree bough wreath was hanging.
I showed Colton through my family home, all decorated for Christmas.
The front room contained Mom’s formal furniture in creams and dark woods, followed by the family room, where more comfortable furniture with brown leathers and rustic wooden tables resided.
Mom had placed the Christmas tree in the room's corner, adorned with red, gold, and green ornaments. She’d had the same ones since I was a kid.
“Is this a custom home?” Colton stopped with his suitcase by the kitchen island, which had a light granite counter.
“It is.” Dad appeared in the hallway, strolling toward us.
His dark hair had grayed at the temples more than the last time I’d been home, and the black frames on his glasses were a stark contrast to his blue eyes.
“We had it built when Travis was in elementary school.” He stretched a hand toward Colton.
“It’s nice to see you in person, Colton. ”
“Likewise.” Colton shook his hand. “You have a beautiful home.” His gaze panned the room.
“Thank you.” Dad’s attention drew to me. “Welcome home, son.” He wrapped me in a warm hug and released me. “You boys settle in and we’ll talk. Okay?”
“Sure, Dad.” I touched Colton’s arm. “This way.” I led him through the hallway and into my old bedroom at the end. My room overlooked the backyard, filled with oak trees and a pool.
Colton gazed through the window. “Nice, I bet you had a lot of parties out there when you were in high school.” Turning, he gave me a warm grin.
“Yeah, I had a few.” Back then, Dante was always by my side.
I hefted my suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it.
Mom had changed little in here after I’d left for college.
It still had my black queen-sized bed from IKEA and matching dresser.
“I’ll take one side of the dresser, and you can have the other. ”
He went to lift his suitcase onto the bed, and I stopped him. “Wait, let me get this.” With a smirk, I threw his suitcase over the bed and watched it bounce. “Rocks.”
He chuckled softly and shook his head. “Next time, I really will put some rocks in it.”