His dad laughed. “Of course she knows. I’m not stupid enough to lie to her about it. She likes to pretend it doesn’t exist, though, so she’s made me promise not to even talk to her about it. It needs a little work, which gives me something to do. Who would have thought retirement would be so damn boring? I’m going crazy.”

Yeah, Braden could imagine he’d be the same way. “Damn.” He ran his hand over the chrome handlebars. “I wish she was ready right now. I’d love to ride her.”

“You get four days off in a row every week. Come down and spend a few of them with me and we’ll work on her.” His father walked to the fridge he kept in the shop and pulled out a beer for each of them, handing Braden one.

He twisted the lid and took a drink. “Maybe I can figure something out. I’m helping a friend of mine out, though. He just got custody of his niece and I watch her for him sometimes.”

“How’d he get custody?” Dad asked.

Braden picked at his beer. “Lost his sister to cancer. It’s been tough on him.”

“That’s hard.”

Yeah, yeah it was. “They’ll be okay, though. Wes has his shit together.”

Over the bottle, his dad’s eyebrows rose. “Is this just a friend or a special friend?”

Braden almost snorted Coors Light. His family all knew he was bi, and it shouldn’t shock him that his dad would come out and say something like that. “Christ, Dad, please don’t ever say ‘special friend’ to me again. He’s just a buddy who has had some hard times, and I like helping him out. He’s a good guy. You’d like him. And Jessie is cool as hell. She’d have a blast with the army they’re building in the house.”

His father’s brows drew together and Braden found himself adding, “He’s a friend.”

Again his dad put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “Just don’t look your mother in the eyes if you say that to her, okay? She’s already stressing about when her youngest is finally going to settle down, and something tells me she wouldn’t believe what you’re saying to me.”

What could he say to that? That he’d fucked Wes before? That he wouldn’t mind doing it again? Besides friendship, that’s all they had between them and as close as he was with his family, he didn’t talk to them about his sex life.

He and his dad screwed around with the motorcycle a little before Braden went inside to help his mom cook. By the time they all sat around the table, his gut hurt from how much he’d laughed today. But not enough to slow him down on the food. They talked and he fielded questions about his love life and teased his siblings about all the damn kids.

“Are you going to stay here tonight?” his mom asked as the whole family helped clear the table. Yvonne and her family would be, but Evan and Lizzy both lived within a mile or so. “We can make a big breakfast in the morning.”

“Stay, Uncle Braden!” one of his nieces shouted.

He shrugged. “Yeah, I probably will.” He’d missed being around his whole family and wasn’t ready to go yet. Still, watching them all, he couldn’t help but wonder about Wes and Jessie, hoping their day was as good as his.

***

Wes’s gut ached as he watched Jessie push her food around on her plate. She hadn’t been herself all day. Little periods of the smiling, happy girl showed, but the clouds always lingered nearby.

He hadn’t been sure how the holidays would go. He’d been worried, but there was also that hope that her age would help. That her still being so young would make things easier on her. But he’d seen the sadness in her eyes all day. She missed her mom. She knew today was a special day, and though she didn’t totally grasp what it was, she knew they were spending the day with people they loved and her mother wasn’t here.

His phone buzzed against his leg. Wes almost ignored it but then pulled the phone from his pocket to see a text from Braden.

How’s it going over there?

Could be better.

Shit, man. I’m sorry.

Yeah, he was, too.

Not your fault.

Wes set his phone in his lap. “What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, Jess? Mine is the potatoes. I think I could live off mashed potatoes.”

“Pie,” she answered, giving him a brief smile.

“Hey. That’s cheating. I didn’t know dessert counted.” He hoped his voice sounded lighter than the heaviness weighing him down.

“I miss Mommy.” Jessie let her spoon fall to her plate and crossed her arms. Wes looked at Lydia, her husband, hoping one of them had the answer for him, then decided to do the best he could on his own.