Page 19 of Covington Acres

“What? I like quality time with you. We can hang outall the timenow,” Holden teased back while Vince just enjoyed watching him interact with Sean. He was used to it now, but it had taken him by surprise the first time he came to Harmony. Holden used to keep people at arm’s length. He’d been a pilot who didn’t like to stay in one place too long and didn’t do emotional attachments, not even with Vince. When they’d dated, he’d made sure Vince knew it wasn’t serious, and that had been okay with Vince too. It was between his two attempts with Gregory. But coming to Harmony and falling in love with Roe had changed everything for Holden. Well, it had allowed him to open himself up to the big feelings Vince had always known were inside him. It fascinated him, the way love could transform people. With Holden, it was for the better. With Vince, it had just made him dumb.

The three of them got to work on the first ramp. They were putting one at the front and one at the back door.

It was humid already, the air thick with moisture. He enjoyed sweating, though, enjoyed working his muscles and feeling the heat on his skin. As silly as it sounded, it was slightly weird to be doing it without Colby. They’d gotten so accustomed to doing almost everything together over the last year that Vince noticed it when Colby wasn’t around.

They had just finished the first ramp when Sean said, “Uncle Holden, do you mind if Reese comes and picks me up? We’re going to hang out with Scout. If I need to finish here with you first, I can.”

Holden shook his head. “Nah, go have fun with your friends. Us old guys have it handled.”

“Speak for yourself when it comes to being old,” Vince teased. “Age is all up here, babe.” He tapped his temple.

“Right. So Sean is older than both of us,” Holden joked, and they laughed.

They found shade under a tree and unpacked their lunches. Reese swung by and picked up Sean. As soon as he was gone, Holden said, “I gotta get him a vehicle.” Holden took his position as Sean’s uncle very seriously. He tried to make up for the fact that Sean’s father wasn’t around—was currently in prison, to be exact. “Both Wyatt and Reese have one. Marilee doesn’t want to let me buy it, but she doesn’t have the money. He has money saved from work, but I’d rather him keep that for when he’s in college. He’s a good kid and works hard. I want him to have that for his future. It’s hard. She and I grew up with nothing, and I don’t want that for Sean.”

“Sean has a mama who would do anything for him and an uncle who loves him more than anything in this world. He’s already got more than you and Marilee had.” Their parents had been abusive. Holden had practically raised his sister.

“Yeah, I know. I just…hell, I love him. I don’t want him to hurt for anything. Roe and I are hoping to be able to buy it if we let Marilee agree to make us payments on half of it.”

Vince nodded, his respect for his friend growing even more, something Vince hadn’t thought possible. “You’re a good man.”

“Lies.” Holden winked, then leaned back against the tree. “I’m glad you’re here.” He tapped Vince with his foot.

“Helping you do this house?” He knew that wasn’t what Holden meant, but he played around anyway.

“In Harmony. It’s good to have you here. You and Colby are close.”

“Ah, hell. Not you too. Doesn’t anyone realize Colby is straight? And even if he wasn’t, after Gregory, I’m never doing that shit again, man.”

“Wait. What? I didn’t mean romantically. Who thought that?” Holden smirked.

Oops. Vince had jumped the gun on that one.

“Vicki talked to Colby, making sure he knew it’s okay if he’s queer too. And that she’s okay with the two of us being together.”

Holden almost choked on his sandwich, he laughed so hard. “That’s funny. Even if Colby were queer, I can’t imagine the two of you together.”

Vince shifted uncomfortably, not sure why hearing that rubbed him the wrong way. “Why? What’s wrong with me?”

“What? Nothing. Why would you think that? I dated you, remember? You’re the best. You’re just…more worldly than Colby. He’s sweet…kinda innocent. I feel like he wouldn’t know what to do with you.”

Vince could see that…maybe. He still felt some kind of way about it that he couldn’t explain, though. “With sex, you mean?”

Holden’s forehead wrinkled. He was probably wondering why Vince was asking. “Yes and no. Honestly, I wasn’t thinkingabout you having sex with my brother-in-law, so thanks for that visual.”

Vince laughed.

“I hope that didn’t come out wrong. There’s nothing you’ve done that I haven’t. It’s less you than him. People never talk about Colby being with anyone, not since Lulu. I don’t know if he’s dated at all. I think he loves the farm more than anything else.”

Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. He figured thatwaswhat everyone thought about when they thought about Colby, but Vince knew the truth. He felt…hell, really fucking important in that moment—that Colby had shared such intimate parts of him that no one else knew. There was more to Colby than anyone understood, more to Colby thanheunderstood.

“Is there something you should tell me?” Holden cocked a brow.

“No.” Vince shook his head.

“I love you and trust you with my life, but I don’t want Colby to get hurt. That said—”

“Jesus, Holden. I’m not fucking Colby. I would never risk losing his friendship or hurting someone who means so much to you.” He groaned, wishing like hell they had never started this conversation.

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