Noah cleared his throat. “You didn’t pry. All you did was ask a question.”

“And you said you had a…”

“Boyfriend?” Noah chuckled.

“Bastard. Yeah, you were seeing someone before you came back? Hell, I’ve never been serious about anyone. It’s just not something I see for myself. Were you guys?”

Noah groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about David—especially to Cooper. He knew what Noah went through as a child. It made him feel like a chump, that he had fallen for someone who would do the same shit his mom had.

“I thought we were serious.” Before Coop had the chance to ask him what happened, Noah continued. “And, why am I not surprised you’ve never been serious about someone?”

His friend laughed. “Variety is way too much fun to only have one flavor for the rest of your life.”

They both laughed again, helping Noah dodge the David bullet, and to stop wondering why Cooper would be curious about his relationships anyway.

***

Coop watched as Noah’s chest and stomach heaved in and out with laughter. Eyed the bar piercing through his nipples. And Jesus…wondered how they would feel against his tongue. What it would be like to run his hand over Noah’s firm muscles.

He whipped his head around, and looked out at the trees. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never in his life admired another man the way he just had his friend. But it isn’t the first time with Noah… And Noah wasn’t just another man… When it came to Noah, things were always more.

It wasn’t as though it happened all the time, but there had definitely been moments in the past couple weeks. It freaked him the hell out. The only way he could describe it was…damn, he couldn’t really, but maybe it was because things with Noah had always been on another level. Even their friendship when they were kids.

Coop drained the rest of his beer before grabbing another.

“What’s wrong with you?” Noah asked.

His first instinct was to ask him how he knew, but that suddenly confused him as well. Noah had always known him so much better than anyone else. He noticed things about Cooper that no one else did. “Nothing,” he gritted out, before realizing he was being an ass. The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to his fucked-up behavior. “It’s a gorgeous night and I’m holding a beer, after building a deck today. What could be wrong? The only thing that would make it better, is a woman to celebrate with.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Noah nod. Before either of them had the chance to speak again, Coop’s cell beeped in his pocket. Leaning back, he pulled the thing out and then groaned at the name that flashed on the screen.

“Your uncle?”

“Yeah. Which really isn’t a big deal. I don’t know why I acted like that. He did raise me after all.”

Cooper hit talk on the phone and then said, “Hello.”

“If it isn’t my nephew who likes to pretend he’s too busy for his family. You’re breaking your aunt’s heart, Cooper.”

He winced. When things started out like this, it was never a good sign. It wasn’t that Vernon was a bad man. He supported his family, didn’t drink or do drugs. The man loved his wife something fierce and would do anything for her—a quality Cooper respected. But he was also tough as nails. He’d been older than Coop’s dad by fifteen years, and even though he took Cooper in and treated him as a son, he never let Cooper forget that fact either. That he hadn’t wanted kids, they’d been set in their ways, but took Cooper in anyway, because that’s what family did. He was hard and he expected the same out of Coop—even to the extent that he said it was weak to dwell on the death of his parents.

“They’re gone, kid, and I know it hurts, but you gotta push that aside. There’s nothing you can do about it. The sooner you realize that, the better. Toughen up, be a man, and leave it in the past.”

That had been the first night Cooper had a nightmare about his parents dying in the fire. He didn’t want to leave them behind—hadn’t wanted to leave her trapped but his Mom had told him to. Now his uncle was telling him to leave them behind as well.

“I know. I need to get out there and visit you guys. Things have been crazy around here.” Which was partially true, and partially a lie. Yes, he’d been busy at the station and around the house, but he definitely had time to do other things.

“We’re only half an hour away. You know it’s easier for you to get out here than for her to get to you. She loves you like a son, Cooper, and always has. Not comin’ round for months is no way a son treats the woman who raised him.”