Burn Zone (Hotshots 1)

“I was nineteen. Nineteen. And I was nearly twenty-five when we actually kissed or did anything about it. I’m as adult as him. As much to blame as him. Like you said, I’m the one who had the crush on him. I finally wear him down and you blame him? That’s some messed up sh—business.”

“Maybe you have a point,” his mother allowed. “It’s also that he’s family. Like you said. It’s...”

“Weird.” Jon rolled his jaw. “He’s like...an extra big brother or something. And we trusted him—”

“Trusted him? Am I some classic car to be protected from careless hands? Really, listen to yourself. This is Linc. Linc, who sobered you up, night before your wedding. Linc, who’s built everything needing put together here from sheds to Christmas presents to light fixtures. Linc, who’s worked side by side with all of us. Mud. Snow. Dust. Linc the baby whisperer. You seriously think you can’t trust him?” As he finished his tirade, sweat rolled down his neck.

“Oh.” His mother swallowed loudly.

“Yeah. Oh.” Maybe he hadn’t convinced either of them, but he’d sold himself. If he couldn’t trust Linc with his heart, then who? If he couldn’t trust Linc of all people to keep his word when he said he was keeping Jacob around, then there wasn’t anyone worth trusting anywhere. He was the best, most loyal, steadfast person Jacob had ever known. And if he said he loved Jacob, then he needed to be believed.

And now he seriously couldn’t wait to get back to him and tell him exactly that. But first, he had to deal with stupid assumptions.

“I get it. It was a shock or whatever, but you need to get over yourselves. This isn’t going away. I love him.” It occurred to him about twenty seconds too late that he probably should have said those words to Linc the first time he dared say them out loud. But he would. Soon. “And he loves me. If you can’t support us in that, then you’re not the people I thought you were. And that’s just sad.”

“I...” His mother’s eyes filled with tears, and he had to look away, especially as her voice broke. “I’ll try. Okay? It’s going to take some getting used to. I don’t want to lose you over this.”

“Maybe you should worry a little about losing Linc over this.”

“Fair enough.” She pulled on his sleeve, tugging him into an awkward hug. He was still upset, but he didn’t pull away.

“I mean it.” He met Jon’s eyes over his mother’s back. “I love him. I’m not giving him up, not for any of you. And you all owe him a great deal. And a lot better treatment than you’ve managed the past few days.”

“Okay.” Jon’s pinched expression said it might be the holidays before he completely thawed. Which, okay. Jacob could wait him out, like Linc said. But he was also gonna keep on calling him on it when he was an ass.

“You came!” May and a pack of kids came rushing in. She looked brighter than he’d seen her in quite some time, in a pretty yellow dress. “Junior wanted to see your cast. He’s still outside.”

“I was just going, actually. I’ll show him some other time. I need to get back.”

“Okay.” May came over and touched his arm as he pulled away from his mom. Jon drifted back to the couch area, apparently having said his piece. “Jacob?”

“Yeah?” His voice came out warier than intended, but God, he could not handle one more lecture, one more disappointed face.

“I’m happy for you.”

“You are?” He inhaled sharply. The first person in this whole saga who seemed genuinely to care about him and Linc, and it was May, who had lost so much. It was almost more than he could bear, his throat tightening.

“He’s the best guy any of us know.” May gave a wistful little smile. “And so are you. Can you take him one of the cinnamon rolls? He always likes those.”

“I can do that.” His voice was rough as he hugged her. He let his mom fuss over making a container of leftovers for them, her working too hard to please him with the food choices, but it was something. He left with several plastic boxes of food and two foil-wrapped cinnamon rolls, and a new conviction that he needed to trust Linc. If he was lucky enough to get to keep Linc, then he was going to enjoy this. Enjoy him. And he was going to somehow find the courage to tell Linc the words he’d waited years to say.

* * *

Still not used to these long stretches of free time with nothing to do but rest on the couch, Linc dozed while Jacob was gone, but he woke up at the dogs making a ruckus. He stretched as Jacob let the dogs out back into their run before making his way to Linc.