Firefly Lane (Briar County 1)

They’d stopped walking, and it took Roe a moment to realize it. Something about this man had snagged Roe’s attention and wouldn’t let go. Like he had Roe on the line, and he was just dangling there, a fish caught on the hook, and he couldn’t get free, but Holden wasn’t reeling him in either.

“You’re different,” Holden said.

“Different from what?”

He shrugged. “Can’t say for sure yet. Everything? Just don’t think I’ve ever met a man as good as you, is all.”

He’s not the stayin’ kind. He has a boyfriend. Roe had to keep reminding himself of those two very important facts. He wanted Holden. Wanted to be inside him, and wanted to feel Holden have him too. But that wasn’t in the cards. Maybe a few fucks if Holden wasn’t in a relationship, but he was, so Roe tried to shove those thoughts away, quirked a grin, and pretended to flick the brim of a hat he wasn’t wearing. “Why thank you.”

Holden let out a deep, rumbling laugh before playfully pushing him. “You’re cheesy.”

“It made ya smile, though.” And it had, so that was a win in Roe’s book.

“Smile because of your dorkiness.”

“Aren’t you too old to use that word?” Roe said, his turn now to teasingly nudge Holden. There were goats and people wandering all around them, but Roe didn’t notice if they were paying any attention to them. He was just enjoying himself.

Holden said, “Don’t you have two years on me?”

“Semantics,” Roe answered.

Holden opened his mouth, but a soft, younger voice said, “Who’s that, Uncle Roe?”

“Hey, Shae-Bug.” Roe looked down at his niece, just as Jackie and Scott approached. Their nine-year-old son, Scotty, lingered behind them. Roe picked up the four-year-old. “This is Holden. He’s a friend of mine.” The rest of the group reached them by then, and Roe added, “Holden’s Marilee’s brother. He came down to spend the summer with her.” He watched Holden. “This is my bratty sister, Jackie, her husband, Scott, and their son, Scotty, and daughter, Shae-Bug.”

“I’m not a bug, Uncle Roe!” Shae pretended to pout.

“Ugh. The oldest siblings are always the ones who think they’re better than everyone else,” Jackie replied, snickering.

“Well, I guess that means me,” Holden answered with the curve of a smile. “Nice to meet you all.” He shook hands with Jackie and Scott.

“I didn’t know you guys were coming down tonight,” Scott said. “Are Wyatt and Lindsey here, or is it just the two of you?”

“They’re sitting with Marilee and Sean. We’re on ice cream duty, which we should probably get back to before the movie starts and we get in trouble for being late.”

“We’ll let you go, then,” Jackie said. Roe set Shae down, and his sister hugged him and whispered in his ear, “So hot.”

Christ, if the women in his life didn’t stop telling him how attractive Holden was, he’d lose his damn mind. Did they think he didn’t notice? Though it surprised him to hear it from Jackie. Lindsey had said it in an admiring way, but Jackie’s voice had sounded like she was giving Roe some kind of approval on his taste in men.

They said their goodbyes, then went to Deacon’s stand, chatting while they waited in the long line.

“Did Sean take you to Deacon’s?”

“He did, and Deacon got me to eat something I never would have. It was incredible.”

“Well, if he has some of his unique flavors, I’m gonna make you do the same.”

Holden crossed his arms. It made his T-shirt stretch across his broad chest even tighter. “Oh, are you now?”

“Yes, sir,” Roe replied. “And I’ll do the same. I won’t leave ya all alone in this. You gotta live a little, Holdy.” He hoped the joke didn’t bother Holden.

The way Holden’s face split into a smile as he shook his head told Roe he was okay with the teasing nickname. “You’ve named yourself responsible for getting me to live a little, then?”

“Well, someone’s gotta do it. A man hasn’t lived until he’s eaten every flavor of Deacon’s ice cream.”

“Ooh, so this is on our bucket list. I’m highly supportive of bucket lists. I guess that means I have to participate.”

“No, you don’t seem like the bucket-list kind, but—shit, I’m screwing myself here. Forget I said that. I absolutely believe you about being supportive.” They were almost to the front of the line, and Roe found himself wishing the wait were longer. He enjoyed this—joking around and talking with Holden.

“I’ll pick yours, and you pick mine,” Holden said, and Roe nodded.

“Deal.”

“Somehow, I feel like we just became twelve.”

They chuckled. Roe felt young—not that he really ever felt particularly old. He wasn’t the type of guy who minded aging.

“Hey, brother. If it isn’t Monroe Covington!” Deacon said as they reached him.

“Hey, Deke. How’s it going?”

“Good. It’s always a good day at movies with goats.”