Firefly Lane (Briar County 1)

“Come on, Wyatt! You can do it!” Roe called out. Wyatt was almost sacked after the second down, but managed to escape, gaining yardage.

“Yeah! You got this!” Holden shouted.

Wyatt threw for another touchdown, and the Honey Bees won the game.

The whole crew met the boys by the field—sweaty and dirty and grinning from ear to ear.

“Holden, did you see that move I pulled when he tried to sack me? I did it just how you taught me!” Wyatt told him.

“Hell yes, I did,” Holden replied.

“We gotta practice that again. You’re way better at it than Dad.” Wyatt looked at him. “Oops, sorry, Dad,” he said playfully.

“Shut up and give me a hug,” Roe told him, and they hugged.

His parents and siblings chatted up both boys some, telling them they played a good game.

They were in Everett tonight, and Sean asked, “Can we get ice cream on the way home?”

“Ooh, yeah! I want ice cream too. Do you wanna go, Dad?”

Marilee was already nodding her approval, so Roe said, “Linds?”

“Come on, Mom. You know you and Larry want to,” Wyatt begged.

“Please, Lindsey,” Sean added.

“You guys say that as if I’ve ever turned down ice cream in my life,” Lindsey replied.

They talked with their coaches and let them know the boys were heading home with them, before making plans to meet at Sundae’s Best.

The rest of the family went back to Harmony. Marilee and Sean had ridden with Roe and Holden, and Wyatt said he wanted to go with them as well. Lindsey and Larry—the two Ls—something Roe teased her about mercilessly—took Lindsey’s car.

They met at the ice cream shop, but Deacon wasn’t working. They crowded in, all choosing flavors, loud the way they always were.

A man came in behind them, his gaze a little skittish.

“You can go first,” Roe told him.

“Thank you.” He went to the counter and asked, “Is Deacon Sharpe working today?”

“No, sir. Can I take a message for him? Let him know who stopped by?”

“Grad—you know what? That’s okay. Thank you anyway,” the man replied, and left.

Roe frowned, wondering what that was about.

No one else seemed to notice. They all put their orders in, then herded over to the small sitting area outside. They were all laughing and eating, talking about the game and the season, the new horses they’d gotten, and Sean’s new dirt bike.

Lindsey looked over at Roe and smiled, then joined him where he stood.

“You really like him?” Roe asked softly.

“Yeah, Roe. I do. I can’t say for sure if it’s love or anything. Never really gave myself permission to look for that before, but I have now, and…I like Larry. He’s a good man.”

“He is, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “I’m just glad you picked a nice guy. If not, I’d have to hurt him, and he’s a police officer, so I don’t want to get into any trouble.”

She chuckled, then looked at their crew. “They’re great…all of them. You and Holden together. Sean and Wyatt. It’s not how I thought our lives would turn out, but it feels right. This is the way it’s supposed to be. I’m okay with that.”

Christ, he loved her. He was lucky to have such a strong, compassionate woman in his life, and as the mother of his child. “Thanks, Linds. It does feel right. And you and me…nothing will ever change there. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I love you.”

“Love you too.” She hugged him, patted his stomach, and pulled away. “Oh, you didn’t hear this from me, but I think Ozzy has a thing for Marilee. She swears they’re just friends, but I’m sensing some serious sexual tension between them. He also left his job—got on as a manager in Chelsea, maybe because he knew he couldn’t date her if he was her boss.”

“That’s a whole lotta gossip and assuming,” he teased.

“Welcome to Briar County,” Lindsey replied.

“True statement,” he joked back. “Want to have lunch tomorrow? Holden’s doing something or the other with Evie.”

“Sounds good. They’ve gotten close, huh?”

Yeah, they had, and it was good for him. He was glad Holden was finding friends.

They finished up their ice cream, and then everyone was on their way. Wyatt was staying with him and Holden tonight, while Lindsey went over to Larry’s.

Back at home, the boys hung out for a while before Sean went back to the cabin with his mama. Roe, Holden, and Wyatt watched a movie, and by then Wyatt was yawning. “I’m gonna go to bed. Night, Holden. Night, Dad.”

“Sleep tight, kiddo,” Roe replied.

Roe looked over at Holden, who was staring at him, his eyes intense and full of emotion. “I love you, ya know that?” Holden said.

“I do. And I love you too.”

“I never thought I’d want this—family, small town and all. Guess I was just waiting for you the whole time.”