Firefly Lane (Briar County 1)

His sister had gone out with Lindsey a few times as well—to do their nails, and for a couple of lunches. It was good for her. Holden wanted her to make friends, to have a life for herself again.

Outside of time spent working or with Sean and Marilee, Holden and Roe were together often. Sometimes it was the two of them and the boys, riding the dirt bikes and quads, playing football, or barbecuing. They were still keeping under wraps what was going on between them. It was strange, but it felt too…intimate to want to share with anyone yet, and if that wasn’t a punch to the gut, Holden didn’t know what was. He’d never felt like that with any man he’d been with, and it both scared and thrilled him. The fear he expected; the other part was just more proof of how much Roe was beginning to mean to him, and Holden didn’t know quite what to do with that.

That wasn’t the only reason they were keeping it to themselves. There was Sean, and how his nephew would think it meant something different than what it did—that Holden was staying. He was young and didn’t understand. He’d automatically think they were in love and that it was easy for Holden to drop everything and move there.

On top of that, there was Roe not wanting Wyatt brought into something that wasn’t serious, but every time Holden thought on that, he remembered what they’d said that night in the field, that they felt something for each other—and again, that was unlike what he’d felt for Vince or any of his past boyfriends.

So usually, instead of thinking about it too much, he just got on his knees for Roe. They sucked each other off in the barn, behind the house, in the woods. Maybe it shouldn’t, but the sneaking around made what they were doing even more addicting for him.

They hadn’t fucked yet, and Holden hadn’t even slept in Roe’s house, still making his home on the couch in the cabin, because he had a feeling those things would further muddle an already sticky situation.

That was also why he’d politely declined again the offer for dinner at Covington Acres. He’d been honest with Roe, like they’d promised, and told him he didn’t think it was a good idea for them to go.

Today was a Friday. He had Roe’s truck, since he’d needed it to haul supplies to the farm, but then had gotten off early because of some activities going on there that day. He’d dropped Roe off at work in the morning and had to pick him up later. Sean wasn’t with him. His mama was off, and the two of them were spending time together.

Instead of driving straight home, Holden went into town. He’d fallen in love with the food at Mama Adaline’s—plus, he liked Evie. She made him laugh.

He parked and went into the diner. Evie was there. She smiled at him from the back of the restaurant. “Sit anywhere you want, Holden. I’ll be right there.”

He grabbed a menu from the stack.

“How ya doin’, Holden?” Gray, one of the men working at Covington Acres, greeted him as he walked by.

“Good, and you?”

“Can’t complain,” Gray replied. Holden gave him a wave, then took a seat.

It didn’t take Evie long to get to him. She looked tired, and if Holden wasn’t mistaken, would be getting off work soon. Jesus, had he really been here that much in the past few weeks that he knew her schedule?

“I’m beginning to think you’re stalkin’ me.” Evie kept her hair cut short, cropped in tight, black curls.

“The food is too damn good.”

“Oh, I see how you are. Don’t even mention the spectacular service.”

Holden laughed. “Well, of course that’s my favorite part,” he said playfully.

“Keep doing that, and I might forget those lovey-dovey eyes you were giving Roe last week and end up like Mandy Turner with a crush on you.”

Oh shit. Were they that obvious? Holden wasn’t in the closet, but he didn’t see how people in Harmony would know his sexuality. But then, this was a small town, and he’d stayed in a hotel room with one bed when Vince had come. “We’re just friends.”

“Mm-hmm, and Tyler Perry wants to marry me. His next movie is our love story.”

“Congratulations,” Holden teased.

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot like she wasn’t having any of it. “Wha’cha want to eat? I’m ’bout to get off work.”

He loved that Evie was so no-nonsense, and that she felt comfortable enough with him to be so. “Don’t need much. Was craving the shrimp and grits.” He didn’t know why he’d taken a menu in the first place.

“Sweet tea?”

“You know it.”

She plucked the menu from the table and pointed outside with it. “That Roe’s truck you’re driving?” She raised a brow, and he knew what she was implying.