Chapter 24
Chapter Twenty-Four
“This is a great place you got here, son.”
It had been a whirlwind of a day, with cookie-making, hot chocolate, getting stuff ready for Santa, and then showing his dad around the ranch while they did the feeding in the evening.
Ichabod had told him to have a beer with his dad while he got the little kids ready to go to bed. Michael was already in his room playing video games or reading. Zane was out for a while.
So he and his dad sat in the front room, feet up, with some kind of sports thing on TV, and both of them holding a bottle of beer.
“It is. Thanks. I’m damn happy to throw my lot in with Ichabod and try to make a going thing of this place.” Ellis sipped his beer to keep from babbling because his dad was clearly working himself up to something. Ellis knew that look. Serious and steady, not mean or anything, ready to talk.
“Good. That’s good. I gotta ask though.”
He picked up the label on his beer with his thumb, trying not to fidget any more than that. “Uh-huh?”
“I was damn surprised when Ichabod told me his husband had only been gone for right around four years.” His dad raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure he’s ready to move on?”
“I reckon if he wasn’t, he’d tell me,” Ellis said, trying not to get his back up. Being defensive with his dad never worked.
“Have y’all talked about it?”
Now it was his turn to arch an eyebrow. “Dad, I love you dearly, but don’t meddle.”
“I’m not meddling, son. I’m just asking some questions. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Dad took a drink of his beer, his throat working as he swallowed it down.
“If I do, I do. But we have talked about how we feel about each other, and Ichabod says he loves me, and I love him, and that’s that.”
His dad sighed. “Is it? There are kids involved here, son. And they’ve been through a lot. I’d hate for them to get to thinking of you as their dad and then have you disappear on them.”
“Dad! Like I would ever!” He wanted to adopt these girls, and Michael too if the kid would let him. There was no way he would ever desert these babies. “These guys are my family. I’m their Bell.”
“I don’t think you’re bad. I don’t think you would desert them. I’m just worried. Four years seems like a super short amount of time.”
“I think he was on his own for four years, dealing with kids, dealing with life, and he would tell you it was a long time. It took us a while to connect. And I did connect.” In fact, he and Ichabod had clicked together like nothing going.
His dad nodded. “I reckon he would, as far as that’s concerned. I don’t want you to be the easy option, son.”
“Ichabod isn’t shallow like that, Dad. He’s the one who told me we needed to pump the brakes and not talk about getting married yet.
He wanted us to get to know each other in every way, and for the kids have a say in stuff.
I would marry him tomorrow if I could.” Ellis shook his head.
“But I don’t think he’s waiting because he doesn’t think we’re that into each other.
He’s cautious.” Everybody seemed to be questioning things.
Maybe he wasn’t reading the room like he was supposed to be.
“Because he’s a good dad.” Joe smiled at him, “I’m not shocked. I mean, that’s a good dad, and I can tell you that he’s probably better than I ever was when it came to getting married to a woman. I told myself I was thinking about my kids, but I was thinking with my dick.”
“Oh, Dad. Dude. Gross.” He sounded like Zane.
“Well, it’s the truth, son. But you know I love you, and I never wanted anything to hurt you.”
“I know that, old man. Worst thing you ever did was hook me up with Rick as a brother. He’s a fucker.” Ellis winked, showing he was ready to let the conversation go too.
“Yeah…I’m not one hundred percent sure his momma wasn’t stepping out on me, to be honest.” Dad winked at him, teasing hard. “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable, son. You know that. I want to…I want you to be safe, I guess. I don’t want you hurt.”
“I appreciate you.” He did. But this— Well, this thing with Ichabod was something he’d never be more sure of. He’d never been in love before now. Not a grown-up, I-could-do-this-for-life love.
“Good deal. I like the house, son. I like it a lot.” Dad finished his beer with a sigh. “You mind if I take my old ass to bed? I have the feeling tomorrow will be busy.”
“Not one bit. You were a cookie-making fool today.” And his dad insisted on working with the animals, seeing his horses and herd. “You get cold or need anything, you holler. We’ll be up a bit still doing the jolly elf.”
“Better tonight than tomorrow night, right? Tomorrow night everybody will be excited, and you’ll be bouncing little ones back into their beds like wild things.”
“You know it.” He couldn’t wait. He’d never had a Christmas with little kids like this, and he was so ready to see Chrissy and Allie and even Michael when they got their presents.
He was excited for Zane too, but he had a feeling Zane knew what was coming.
The little SUV was old enough to have some metal in it, new enough to have some bells and whistles, and immaculately clean on the inside, even if the outside paint job had a few weird little scrapes on it.
One way or the other, it was going to be a good little car in the snow.
“Yeah, tomorrow, though, is about Christmas Eve — carols, having snacks, and talking about what’s gonna happen in the morning. I’m looking forward to it. I like having grandbabies. I like it a lot.”
“I’m glad, old man.” They both stood and he gave his dad a hard hug, then he took the beer bottle so he could put it in the sink. “Good night, Dad. You remember where your room is?”
“I do. I’ll see you in the morning. We’ll start our Christmas Eve preparations.” Dad gave him a smile. “I love you, son.”
“I love you too.” He walked his dad as far as the hall, then went to wash up some in the kitchen and wait for Ichabod. He’d given goodnight kisses already.
Ichabod came wandering in, leaned down and kissed his cheek. “You want a cup of coffee or a cup of cocoa? How’s your daddy? Did he go to bed already?”
“Yeah. He was wore.” He grinned, kissing Ichabod on the mouth in return. “I think I’ll skip more sugar and caffeine right now. But I would have a root beer or another beer with you.”
“Oh, I could totally have a beer with you. I’ll grab a couple. You want to stay in here, you want to go sit in the bedroom?”
“Let’s go to the bedroom. We can snuggle. Maybe get up early tomorrow and work on the few things we have left to do.” He beamed at Ichabod, loving that idea.
“It sounds perfect to me.” Ichabod grabbed two bottles and popped the tops. “Your dad having a good time? The kids sure like him.”
“He’s really liking it here.” Of course, he’d also said Ichabod just wasn’t that into him. Or something in not so many words.
“I’m glad, I want him to be happy here.” Ichabod gave him a quick glance. “You want me to grab any cookies on our way out?”
“Yeah. I’ll meet you there. I’ll get the gas log on and the covers fluffed.” He winked, then headed to the bedroom after checking the doors.
They got into the bedroom, where Ichabod was stripping down to his pajama pants, pulling the blankets back. As soon as he shut the door and locked it, Ichabod glanced at him. “Are we okay? Is your dad upset?”
“Huh? No. No, it’s fine. He was giving me the same talk Brian gave you, but we’re good. I told him what was what.” Ellis had meant every word.
“The it’s-too-quick-you’re-not-ready-you-don’t-know-your-own-goddamn-brain talk?” Ichabod rolled his eyes, “It’s not too quick, I know my own brain. I’m in love with you. And I’m ready. Fair?”
He reached up to touch Ichabod’s cheek. “Fair. The only people I need to weigh in on this is you and the kids.”
“The kids like you. Hell, the kids love you. And so do I. It’s going to be okay.” Ichabod grinned. “You know how long I waited after Chris was gone to even think about coming alive again?”
“I do. I’m glad you chose me, honey. I really am.” He was grinning now, and he couldn’t seem to stop. Ichabod was fighting his dad in absentia, or whatever.
“I know that four years doesn’t sound like long, but it was forever.
It was sixth grade, seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth grade for Zane.
I mean, just think. Chrissy wasn’t even born yet.
It was every diaper, all the endless nights.
Allie was still wetting the bed three nights out of seven, and Michael was old enough to know he missed his dad and young enough to not have any idea what to do. I paid my dues missing him.”
He tugged Ichabod down on the bed once they’d both changed, then he pulled his lover against him and covered them.
“I hear you, baby. I think Dad worries I might be wanting the ranch and family so bad I’m rushing it. But I’ve never felt this way before. So no more meddling.”
Ichabod winked at him. “Well, you know the ranch isn’t yours, not mine either. Remember eighteen years from now, we could both be out on our asses.”
He hooted. “By then I’ll have a good enough herd and remuda, and I’ll have sold enough straws that we can afford to buy next door.”
“And then I will have saved up enough money from all of the pottery to make the house gorgeous, and the children will all be jealous.” Ichabod winked at him and rubbed their noses together. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
Ichabod stared into his eyes, watching him closely. “Taking the job. For showing up and being you. For letting me believe I could fall in love again.”
He kissed Ichabod nice and deep and slow. “I’m here for the long haul. Thank you for trusting me with the kids. And your love.” Words could be tough for him, but they were important, and he knew Ichabod needed to hear them.
“We’re going to be good, man. Trust me. I love being part of a couple. I love being part of an us. I love you.” Ichabod took a deep, hard kiss, flavored with hops.
“Mmm. I love you. And this is our first Christmas. You think the kids will freak out over the animals and the car?”
“I think so. We’ll be insane tomorrow night, with worried puppies and a new filly…”
He nodded, but it was going to be amazing. Two black-mouthed cur puppies would be great with the kids and stunning ranch dogs to boot.
“We got this.” He hoped so, anyway. And Dad would help once he rested up.
“As much as we have anything, yeah.” Ichabod leaned back, then handed him the remote. “Come on, babe. Let’s watch a movie. Have a beer. Have our last puppy-free night that we’re going to have for the next two years.”
“Yeah, maybe by the time they’re grown up, we’ll get to have another kid…”
Ichabod stared at him, “Watch your mouth. Four is a lot of children, a lot! And in two years, Chrissy will be in school, and we will have so many hours every day to do work.”
He chuckled. Fact was, he wouldn’t argue against having another kid. Man, in two years, he’d have convinced this man to marry him.
It was all going to work out.