Page 88 of Controlled Burn

“He still is. We started a book club. Actually, it was supposed to have been last night, but they put it off a week so I could come.”

“You could’ve gone last night,” Keith grumbled. “I can take care of myself.”

I rolled my eyes at him, and he glared at me.

Spencer laughed and then held his hands out to the side and shrugged. “Daddies are the worst patients. Am I right?”

“So right. I can’t even get him to take the painkillers the doctor gave him. He fell through a floor, and his leg is broken, for fuck’s sake, but he doesn’t need anything for the pain.” I rolled my eyes even harder for effect.

“And it looks like an alligator chewed on it, according to Mom,” Nash tossed in.

“Don’t you start,” Keith mumbled in his brother’s direction, and we all laughed.

“You’re one to talk, Mister I’ll slam my dislocated shoulder back in place and go back to work.” Spencer made an exasperated face and shook his head. “Stubborn Brooks brothers.” Then he turned to Keith. Using his best medical professional voice with a look that said don’t mess with me, he said, “You really do need to stay ahead of the pain though, Keith.”

“Fine,” he grumbled. “If you’ll get me a refill, I’ll take some.” He held up his empty glass, and I snatched it up. I wasn’t going to give him time to change his mind. Even if he only followed the doctor’s orders for the next couple of days while Spencer was there to give him the evil eye, I’d take it.

I filled up his glass with tea and took it back to him. “Here you go, Daddy,” I said without thinking. I quickly glanced at Spencer and Nash, but if they noticed, they didn’t show it.

“So, what are we doing for lunch?” Nash asked. “I was thinking I could order pizza.”

Keith looked at me, and we both laughed.

“There’s enough food in that kitchen to feed an army. Everyone at the station knows I always cooked for myself, and since I can’t”—he motioned to his leg—“they all decided to feed me. So there’s plenty for lunch.”

“You got a good crew up there,” Nash said.

“We do. Dad did good.”

“Hey.” Spencer stood up and looked at me. “How about if I come help you put something together while those two talk?”

“Sounds good to me.”

We headed into the kitchen, and by the time we had lunch set up for all of us, I’d realized that Keith had been right. Spencer and I had a lot in common, and I had no doubt we would be good friends.

Keith

The four of us had sat around talking for hours. Hearing about the things they were doing on the ranch and Spencer’s plans for the youth center in River Gorge had been just the distraction I’d needed. We would’ve stayed up even later, but Caleb had insisted that I needed my rest, and Spencer had agreed with him. Those two had made fast friends, just like I’d expected. Nash and I were two very lucky Daddies.

The next morning, Nash made us French toast the way I’d taught him, and we all enjoyed breakfast together. Afterward, we went out to sit on the deck.

“I can’t believe this.” Nash motioned to my rows of tomatoes and green beans. “Back when we were kids and Mom tried to get us to help her in the garden, you were always looking for an excuse to do just about anything else.”

“Believe me, she’s made sure to mention that a few times.” I laughed and looked out over all my plants that were really starting to bear fruit. “Of course, this year, it might all be a loss. I won’t be able to take care of it like this.” I pointed down at my leg. “The doctor had said six weeks at least in the boot, maybe more.”

Caleb leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I’ll take care of it. You just have to tell me what to do cause I’m basically clueless. Or I could check out a book. You know, the master gardeners meet at the library. I bet they could help me figure out what to do. If I couldn’t find the answers in a book, I mean.”

“You don’t need a book, Rabbit. I’ll tell you what to do. Hell, I can probably do some of it if you’re just here to help me.”

Caleb rolled his eyes again, and Spencer chuckled.

“What? There’s a lot I can still do out there. Just give me a few days for the rest of me to heal, and I’ll show ya.”

Caleb leaned over and kissed my cheek. “I love you, Daddy, never change.”

I loved how he was around Nash and Spencer. It was wonderful to see him so comfortable being his true self. Of course, it wasn’t just with Nash and Spencer. His book club friends had come by for a few minutes the other night to check on him and let him know they were going to put off the meeting for a week so he could join them. They’d teased him about finally finding his Daddy, and he’d just smiled and told them he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Believe me, baby boy, I’m not planning to.”

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