Page 15 of For the Love of the Broken Man

Dan had chuckled, though it was without amusement. “Thanks a hell of a lot for letting me go through all the trouble of getting a babysitter and driving here so you could ease your fuckin’ conscience by tellin’ me in person that you’re cheatin’ with someone else. I’d have rather had a fuckin’ text and saved myself all the damn trouble.” Dan grabbed the overnight bag he’d brought along.

He’d wanted to take Sean out for a nice dinner at a steakhouse and talk about the future they could make together. He was prepared to commit to moving to Roanoke and finding a job. He’d even been looking into schools for Kayley in the area. He realized he’d been a mother fucking fool.

“Let’s get you and Kayley settled.” Mickey’s words brought him from the awful memory of the… Well, it wasn’t a breakup because one had to have something with someone to break before it qualified. He and Sean didn’t have anything except mutual fucking. There wasn’t much to lose, as Dan looked back on it.

They all went into the grand house, which was filled with delicious smells that quickly caught Danny’s attention. “Mmmm. That smells like brownies. Oh! Miss Katie sent cookies.” Kayley looked up at Mickey.

“Ursula’s here today.” Mickey turned to Jase and grinned. “You’ll take your meals here with the family. Ursula is our cook and housekeeper. She comes in twice a week to set us upon the path of cleanliness.” There was laughter from the kitchen.

An older woman appeared with a bright smile. Dan didn’t remember meeting her, but he’d tasted her food. “Ursula, this is Jase, a new hand here at Wonderland, and do you remember Kayley and Danny?”

The woman nodded. “I remember Kayley from when we all made crispy rice treats the last time she was at the farm, but I don’t believe I’ve ever met Danny in person. Ursula Pentergast. If this is your beautiful little girl, you’re a lucky dad. It’s nice to meet you.” Ursula combed her fingers through Kayley’s hair after pulling out the crooked ponytail. The smile on his niece’s face was glowing.

“She’s my niece, ma’am, but yeah, she’s a great girl. I hope we won’t be too much trouble.” Danny’s cheeks flushed. They hadn’t exactly been invited to stay, but he’d foisted this visit onto Mick and Jon, and he needed to think about thewhyof it.

It wasn’t really because Kayley missed her friend, Megan, though she did. There were reasons relating to Jason Langston that Dan was reluctant to consider, but he’d need to do it before he wasted another chance at something, though he wasn’t sure what it might be.

The kid was fresh out of high school, and Dan was a twenty-seven-year-old near cripple. What would the kid want with him?

“Nonsense. Let’s go get this one settled in Meg’s room because I’m pretty sure the two of them sleeping in separate rooms is a pipe dream. The room across the hall is all ready for you, Dan. Jason, if I may call you that, I’ll be back on Monday to acclimate you to the laundry room and the linen closet.

Ursula turned to Jase with a tender smile. “For now, I believe you’re set because Mickey was sweet enough to take care of cleaning out the carriage house and setting things up for you, since the stairs aren’t kind to my hip. I’ll show you where you can find clean linens, cleaning supplies, and food to stock your little kitchen for when you want privacy. We’ll figure out what else you need up there after you’ve had the weekend to think about it.” Dan noticed Jase’s face turn pink, and it was the most incredible sight he’d ever seen.

“Thank you, Mrs. Pentergast. I’m used to doing my own laundry, ma’am, and I can cook a few things for myself, if necessary.” Jase grinned as he looked around the fancy kitchen. Danny couldn’t take his eyes off the man.

Ursula smirked at Jase. “Now, don’t put me out of a job, young man.” They all chuckled as Ursula took Kayley’s bag and led her to the back stairs that went to the second floor.

Mickey clarified things for Jase. “Ursula has been here since Ally and Ham bought the place, and she refuses to leave us on our own. She loves Terry and Meg, and she’s been a great, grandmotherly influence for Meggie between the weekends we spend with Jon’s mom and dad.

“Anyway, I better get back down to the barn and check on the vet. Make yourselves at home. There’s sweet tea in the fridge, and beer if you’re of a mind for something harder. Terry should be home in about half an hour.” Mickey darted out the back door, leaving Dan and Jase alone in the kitchen.

Dan noticed Jase seemed a little nervous, and he didn’t want it that way between them. “Show me your new place,” Dan urged, seeing Jase smile.

They went out the back door after Dan left his bag by the stairs to follow Jase across the back patio and out the pool gate toward the large, two-car garage. “It’s called a carriage house. Back in the day, apparently, the chauffeur lived above so he was ready with the carriages anytime the owners wanted to go someplace. Mickey said Jon’s done research on the family that built the property, and he told me Jon would happily bend my ear for hours if I was interested in ever hearing it.

“You think he’ll like me? They seem to have a lot of money, and I’m just an Army brat. I’m not sure if I’ll be his cup of tea…” Jase trailed off, though Danny didn’t respond. He’d met Jon more than once, and he knew the man to be quite cordial. Dan doubted Jase would have any problems with the lawyer.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor where Jase let Dan inside a nice-sized apartment. It was clean and furnished with better stuff than Dan had at his small place in Holloway.

“It’s nice. Mickey said if the pool lights aren’t on, don’t come down because he and Jon like to skinny dip. He also showed me where the switch is in case I have company and want to do the same. Who told him I’m gay?” Jase seemed a little pissed.

Dan laughed. “Easy, tiger. Mickey has the best gaydar I’ve ever come across. Nobody told him, as far as I know. Hell, we were only speculatin’ because the Colonel just said you were one of his daughter’s friends. Knowin’ the girl is a lesbian, well, I guess we jumped to conclusions. Sorry.”

Jase exhaled. “No, don’t worry about it. It’s for the best—maybe because I’ve only come out to Savannah and Andy, I’m too sensitive. I’m sure my mom knows but she’d never say it out loud for fear my father would hear and beat me to death. He wanted—no, he insisted I join the Army and do my duty, which is an admirable thing for anyone to do if they’re so inclined, but it wasn’t…” Jase stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Danny, guilt evident on his face.

Danny figured out what had the guy upset—the story Danny told him on the way to Wonderland. “No, no, don’t think like that. We all take our own hide to the market, Jason. I don’t blame you for not joinin’ up if it wasn’t somethin’ you wanted to do. I did, but maybe because I wanted to run away from home out of fear of what people would think if they found out who I am. I don’t think I’m afraid of that anymore, but I worry about how it would affect Kayley. She’s my priority.”

Jase nodded. “She’s also your daughter, Danny. I know she’s your niece, but she needs you to be her dad, not just her uncle. The labels we give parents are important. She’ll start school in the fall, right? She needs a dad, so she doesn’t feel like she’s missing out on something.”

Danny was struck dumb. He’d never thought about the impact of a stupid label on Kayley, but as he considered the younger man’s words, he was pretty sure Jase was right. It would take him time to warm up to being a father, which seemed to bring a whole other connotation than being an uncle, but his niece—daughter—deserved the best, and Danny was determined to be that man.

Danny reached for the young man to bring him in closer, looking into his bright blue eyes. “You’re right, Jase. Look, I’m sorry I was a part of that shit at the Circle C, okay? You confuse me, and maybe I was cold and standoffish because I’m tryin’ to figure you out. I hate it that we drove you away because I wish we coulda gotten to know each other better while you were in town.”

Jase’s grin was bright, and it was the first time Dan noticed the dimples, which he immediately wanted to put his tongue in. “We can, um, talk. I have a prepaid cell, but it doesn’t get good service. I guess I’ll have access to a computer if I’m doing work here like I did for Tim. Do you have one?”

Dan swallowed the lump in his throat and quelled the fear in his gut. “No, but I’ll get one. Can I have your email address? We can email, right? I can call here, but I’m not sure when would be the right time, so maybe you should call my cell. I’ll give you my number.” Dan sure as hell hoped he wasn’t making an ass of himself and reading things wrong.

As Jase stepped closer to Dan, they heard little feet on the stairs and a banging on the storm door of Jase’s new apartment. “Uncle Danny? Jase? It’s me, Kayley,” she shouted, which made them laugh.

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